1946 Florida Gators football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1946
| team = Florida Gators
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Southeastern Conference
| short_conf = SEC
| record = 0–9
| conf_record = 0–5
| head_coach = Raymond Wolf
| hc_year = 1st
| off_scheme = Double-wing
| def_scheme =
| captain = William Raborn
| stadium = Florida Field
}}
{{1946 Southeastern Conference football standings}}
The 1946 Florida Gators football team was an American football team that represented the University of Florida in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1946 college football season. In their first season under head coach Raymond Wolf, the Gators compiled a 0–9 record (0–5 against SEC opponents), finished last in the SEC, and were outscored by a total of 264 to 104.{{cite web|title=1946 Florida Gators Schedule and Results|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|accessdate=May 25, 2022|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/florida/1946-schedule.html}}
The winless 0–9 season is the worst win–loss record in the history of Gators football to date, surpassing the winless 0–5 record of the 1916 Florida Gators football team.[http://web.gatorzone.com/football/media/2015/media_guide.pdf 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208143532/http://web.gatorzone.com/football/media/2015/media_guide.pdf |date=2015-12-08 }}, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 110–111 (2015). Retrieved August 14, 2015. Despite the poor overall showing, Broughton Williams led the nation with 490 receiving yards.{{cite book|title=The Official National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Guide including the Official Rules 1947|publisher=A.S. Barnes and Company|editor=W.J. Bingham|year=1947|page=83}}See ESPN College Football Encyclopedia. Harold Griffin led the nation in punt return average.{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}} Griffin had the longest punt return of the year, a 97-yard return against Miami (FL), and 92-yard return against Villanova.{{cite news|title=Hal Griffin Credited With Longest Punt Return In 1946|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|author=Austin Bealmear|date=December 14, 1946|page=11|url=}}Official NCAA Football Guide, p. 92.
The 1946 season was at the center of a school record 13-game losing streak which stretched from the last game of the 1945 campaign until the fourth contest of 1947. The players on these squads dubbed their time at Florida the "Golden Era", and members of the "Golden Era Gang" regularly held reunions and raised funds for scholarships and facilities improvements at UF for many subsequent years.{{Cite web |url=http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=10760 |title=Great Teams and Eras: The Golden Era - GatorZone.com |access-date=2016-07-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126075005/http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=10760 |archive-date=2015-11-26 |url-status=dead }} Players on these teams included future Florida attorney general James W. Kynes and College Football Hall of Fame coach Marcelino Huerta.
Florida was ranked at No. 84 in the final Litkenhous Difference by Score System rankings for 1946.{{cite news|title=Rice Rated Fifth Best, Tennessee 12th by Lit|author=Dr. E. E. Litkenhous|newspaper=The Knoxville News-Sentinel|date=December 15, 1946|page=B4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123020754/rice-rated-fifth-best-tennessee-12th/|via=Newspapers.com}}
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| poll = AP
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 28
| time =
| w/l = l
| neutral = y
| opponent = Ole Miss
| site_stadium = Fairfield Stadium
| site_cityst = Jacksonville, FL
| score = 7–13
| attend = 20,000
| source = {{cite news|title=Ole Miss Scores 13-7 Win Over Gators: Rebels Hold Early Margin For Victory|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|author=Pete Norton|date=September 29, 1946|page=21|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102512034/ole-miss-scores-13-7-win-over-gators/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 5
| time =
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Tulane
| site_stadium = Tulane Stadium
| site_cityst = New Orleans, LA
| score = 13–27
| attend = 30,000
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99564093/tulane-turns-back-florida/|work=Durham Morning Herald|title=Tulane turns back Florida|date=October 6, 1946|accessdate=April 11, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 12
| time =
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Vanderbilt
| site_stadium = Dudley Field
| site_cityst = Nashville, TN
| score = 0–20
| attend = 20,000
| source = {{cite news|title=Moore' Brilliant Play Leads Vandy To Win: Hoover Suffers Fractured Leg; Out For Season; Commodore Stifle Gators' Air Attack In 20-0 SEC Triumph|newspaper=The Nashville Tennessean|author=Raymond Johnson|date=October 13, 1946|pages=C1, C2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102512252/moore-brilliant-play-leads-vandy-to/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 19
| time =
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| homecoming = y
| opponent = Miami (FL)
| site_stadium = Florida Field
| site_cityst = Gainesville, FL
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 13–20
| attend =
| source = {{cite news|title='Won By Turning On Power,' Harding Says; Praises Dunn|newspaper=The Miami News|author=Guy Butler|date=October 20, 1946|page=2C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102222306/won-by-turning-on-power-harding/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 26
| time = 2:30 p.m.
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = North Carolina
| opprank = 10
| site_stadium = Kenan Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Chapel Hill, NC
| score = 19–40
| attend = 22,000
| source = {{cite news|title=Carolina Slaughters Florida 40 to 19: Gators Frighten Tar Heels With Deadly Passing Attack; Charlie Justice Leads Scoring Pace With Two Brilliant Touchdown Runs|newspaper=The Daily Tar Heel|author=Fred Flagler|date=October 27, 1946|pages=1, 3|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100751238/carolina-slaughters-florida-40-to-19/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 9
| time =
| w/l = l
| neutral = y
| opponent = Georgia
| opprank = 5
| site_stadium = Fairfield Stadium
| site_cityst = Jacksonville, FL
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 14–33
| attend = 23,000
| source = {{cite news|title=Georgia Rallies To Trim Florida, 33-14: Gators Unable To Keep Lead Held at Half|newspaper=The Tampa Tribune|author=Pete Norton|date=November 10, 1946|pages=B1, B3|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99018133/georgia-rallies-to-trim-florida-33-14/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 16
| time =
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Villanova
| site_stadium = Florida Field
| site_cityst = Gainesville, FL
| score = 20–27
| attend = 15,000
| source = {{cite news|title=Villanova's Wildcats Beat Florida Gators In Wild Game, 27-20: 15,000 Watch Floridians Go Down To Seventh Straight Defeat|newspaper=Bradenton Herald|agency=Associated Press|date=November 17, 1946|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102507682/villanovas-wildcats-beat-florida/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 23
| time =
| w/l = l
| neutral = y
| nonconf = y
| opponent = NC State
| site_stadium = Phillips Field
| site_cityst = Tampa, FL
| score = 6–37
| attend = 14,500
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 30
| time =
| w/l = l
| opponent = Auburn
| site_stadium = Florida Field
| site_cityst = Gainesville, FL
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 12–47
| attend = 8,000
| source = {{cite news|title=Auburn Smears Florida, 47-12: Tidwell Leads Plainsmen To SEC Victory As Gators Close Winless|newspaper=The Miami News|author=Arthur Martin|date=December 1, 1946|page=2C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102511774/auburn-smears-florida-47-12-tidwell/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Florida Gators football navbox}}
Category:Florida Gators football seasons