1956 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1956
| team = Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Ohio Valley Conference
| short_conf = OVC
| record = 7–3
| conf_record = 5–0
| head_coach = Charles M. Murphy
| hc_year = 10th
| captain = T. Sweeney
| captain2 = Ben Hurt
| stadium = Horace Jones Field
| champion = OVC champion
| bowl = Refrigerator Bowl
| bowl_result = L 13–27 vs. Sam Houston State
}}
{{1956 Ohio Valley Conference football standings}}
The 1956 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team represented the Middle Tennessee State College—now known as Middle Tennessee State University—as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 1956 college football season. Led by tenth-year head coach Charles M. Murphy, the Blue Raiders compiled a record an overall record of 7–3 with a mark of 5–0 in conference play, winning the OVC title. Middle Tennessee was invited to the Refrigerator Bowl, where they lost to Sam Houston State. The team's captains were T. Sweeney and Ben Hurt.{{cite web |author= |title=Middle Tennessee Football 2021 Media Guide |url=https://goblueraiders.com/documents/2021/8/24/2021_Football_Fact_Book.pdf |publisher=Middle Tennessee State University |location=Murfreesboro, Tennessee |date=2021 |page=145 |access-date=January 18, 2022}}
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 15
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1956|team=Morris Harvey Golden Eagles|title=Morris Harvey}}
| site_stadium =
| site_cityst = Charleston, WV
| score = 0–6
| attend =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 21
| nonconf = y
| w/l = w
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1956|team=Austin Peay Governors|title=Austin Peay}}
| site_stadium = Horace Jones Field
| site_cityst = Murfreesboro, TN
| score = 38–20
| attend =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 29
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = Western Kentucky
| site_stadium =
| site_cityst = Bowling Green, KY
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 7–6
| attend =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 6
| w/l = w
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1956|team=Eastern Kentucky Maroons|title=Eastern Kentucky}}
| site_stadium = Horace Jones Field
| site_cityst = Murfreesboro, TN
| score = 26–19
| attend =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 13
| w/l = w
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1956|team=Morehead State Eagles|title=Morehead State}}
| site_stadium = Horace Jones Field
| site_cityst = Murfreesboro, TN
| score = 20–12
| attend =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 27
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Vanderbilt
| site_stadium = Dudley Field
| site_cityst = Nashville, TN
| score = 13–23
| attend =
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/kingsport-times-news-vanderbilt-wins-23/133061643/|work=Kingsport Times-News|title=Vanderbilt wins, 23–13, over MTSC|date=October 28, 1956|accessdate=October 7, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 3
| w/l = w
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1956|team=Murray State Thoroughbreds|title=Murray State}}
| site_stadium = Horace Jones Field
| site_cityst = Murfreesboro, TN
| score = 39–7
| attend =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 10
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1956|team=East Tennessee State Buccaneers|title=East Tennessee}}
| site_stadium = State College Stadium
| site_cityst = Johnson City, TN
| score = 20–6
| attend =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 22
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1956|team=Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles|title=Tennessee Tech}}
| site_stadium = Overhill Field
| site_cityst = Cookeville, TN
| score = 26–6
| attend =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 1
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| neutral = y
| opponent = Sam Houston State
| site_stadium = Reitz Bowl
| site_cityst = Evansville, IN
| gamename = Refrigerator Bowl
| score = 13–27
| attend = 3,000
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115856662/sam-houston-defeats-middle-tenn-2713/|work=The Paducah Sun|title=Sam Houston defeats Middle Tenn. 27–13|date=December 2, 1956|accessdate=January 5, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
}}
{{cite web |author= |title=Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/419/stats/12710 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=December 17, 2022 }}
After the season
=NFL draft=
{{main|1957 NFL draft}}
The following Blue Raiders were selected in the National Football League draft following the season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1957/draft.htm|title=1957 NFL Draft Listing|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=November 29, 2020}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders|border=2|Round|Pick|Player|Position|NFL club}} | ||||
| 7 | 84 | Jerry DeLucca | Tackle | Chicago Bears |
| 10 | 116 | Jerry Hurst | End | San Francisco 49ers |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football navbox}}
{{Ohio Valley Conference football champions}}
Category:Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football seasons