1956 Cornell Big Red football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1956
| team = Cornell Big Red
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Ivy League
| short_conf = Ivy
| record = 1–8
| conf_record = 1–6
| head_coach = George K. James
| hc_year = 10th
| captain = Art Boland
| stadium = Schoellkopf Field
}}
{{1956 Ivy League football standings}}
The 1956 Cornell Big Red football team was an American football team that represented Cornell University as a member of the Ivy League during the 1956 college football season.
In its tenth season under head coach George K. James, the team compiled a 1–8 record and was outscored 209 to 100. Art Boland was the team captain.{{cite web |title=Football Record Book |publisher=Cornell University |location=Ithaca, N.Y. |accessdate=July 3, 2020 |url=https://cornellbigred.com/documents/2011/10/27/RecordBook_2011.pdf?id=4170}}
Cornell's 1–6 conference record ranked last in the Ivy League.{{cite book|url=https://ivyleague.com/documents/2017/8/23/3_Year_By_Year_History_2017.pdf?id=2998|title=Ivy League Football Media Guide|chapter=Year-by-Year History|publisher=Ivy League|location=Princeton, N.J.|date=2017|accessdate=July 10, 2020|page=22}} This was the first season of formal play for the league, although the Big Red's previous independent schedules, dating back to the 19th century, often featured future Ivy opponents. All seven Ivy matchups on Cornell's 1956 schedule had been present on the 1955 slate, as well (as had one of the non-conference opponents, Colgate).
Cornell played its home games at Schoellkopf Field in Ithaca, New York.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| attend = yes
| atvs = yes
| poll = AP
| source = yes
| rankyear = 1956
| September 29 | @ | Colgate
| Colgate Athletic Field | Hamilton, NY (rivalry) | L 6-34
| 12,000 | {{cite news |title=Colgate Subdues Cornell, 34 to 6 |first=Michael |last=Strauss |date=September 30, 1956 |page=S1 |newspaper=The New York Times |location=New York, N.Y.}}
| October 6 | | Navy
| Schoellkopf Field | Ithaca, NY | L 0-14
| 29,000 | {{cite news |title=Middies Top Cornell, 14-0, on Third-Period Offensive |first=Allison |last=Danzig |date=October 7, 1956 |page=S1 |newspaper=The New York Times |location=New York, N.Y.}}
| October 13 | | Harvard
| Schoellkopf Field | Ithaca, NY | L 7-32
| 14,000 | {{cite news |title=Versatile Crimson Attack Trounces Cornell, 32 to 7 |first=Michael |last=Strauss |date=October 14, 1956 |page=S1 |newspaper=The New York Times |location=New York, N.Y.}}
| October 20 | @ | Yale
| Yale Bowl | New Haven, CT | L 7-25
| 32,000 | {{cite news |title=Elis' Blocking, Big Line Help Defeat Cornell, 25-7 |first=Allison |last=Danzig |date=October 21, 1956 |page=S1 |newspaper=The New York Times |location=New York, N.Y.}}
| October 27 | | Princeton
| Schoellkopf Field | Ithaca, NY | L 21-32
| 17,000 | {{cite news |title=Unbeaten Tigers Top Cornell, 32-21 |first=Lincoln A. |last=Werden |date=October 28, 1956 |page=S1 |newspaper=The New York Times |location=New York, N.Y.}}
| November 3 | @ | Columbia
| Baker Field | New York, NY (rivalry) | L 19-25
| 12,000 | {{cite news |title=Lions Beat Cornell, 25-19, on Benham Aerials, Runs |first=Allison |last=Danzig |date=November 4, 1956 |page=S1 |newspaper=The New York Times |location=New York, N.Y.}}
| November 10 | @ | Brown
| Brown Stadium | Providence, RI | L 6-13
| 10,000 | {{cite news |title=Brown Conquers Cornell, 13 to 6 |first=Michael |last=Strauss |date=November 11, 1956 |page=S1 |newspaper=The New York Times |location=New York, N.Y.}}
| November 17 | | Dartmouth
| Schoellkopf Field | Ithaca, NY (rivalry) | L 14-27
| 15,000 | {{cite news |title=Dartmouth Trims Cornell, 27 to 14 |first=Michael |last=Strauss |date=November 18, 1956 |page=S1 |newspaper=The New York Times |location=New York, N.Y.}}
| November 22 | @ | Penn
| Franklin Field | Philadelphia, PA (rivalry) | W 20-7
| 17,575 | {{cite news |title=Cornell's 3 Second-Half Touchdowns Beat Penn |first=Joseph M. |last=Sheehan |date=November 23, 1956 |page=40 |newspaper=The New York Times |location=New York, N.Y.}}
}}