Factoid 250 - College Football in 1945

In 1945 there were 101 teams playing in Division 1, eight bowl games, Doc Blanchard (fullback for Army) won the Heisman, and Army and Alabama shared the National Championship. The National Championship Foundation was the only selector to pick Alabama, and it was a retroactive selection; Alabama does not claim this title.

1944 to 1946 were the golden years of Army football. Never before or since has an armed forces academy so dominated a major college sport. The reason was simple: in World War II more soldiers than ever were in the United State Armed Forces. Famous rich people even joined the army as a show of patriotism. In effect Army had through happens of circumstance stacked the deck in their favor.

Army went 9-0 that season, capping its season with the traditional Army/Navy game. Army won this easily by a score of 32-13. Their season had some significant wins against power opponents; for, instance a 28-7 victory over Michigan and a 48-0 trouncing of Notre Dame.

National Champions

• Alabama 10–0 Frank Thomas (NCF) *
• Army 9–0 Earl Blaik (AP, B(QPRS), BR, BS, CFRA, DeS, DuS, HAF, HS, L, NCF, PS, SR, WS) *

• The United Nations Charter was signed.
• September 2, 1945 – WWII ends.
• The Detroit Tigers won the World Series against the Chicago Cubs; the Cubs have not returned to the World Series since.
  
  * Selector's Glossary