Pete Pihos 1945 and 1946 seasons
who did Pihos play for during 1945-1946
who did Pete Pihos play for during 1945-1946
When Pihos returned to Indiana after his military service, he played at the fullback position for the 1945 Indiana Hoosiers football team that compiled the only undefeated record (9-0-1) in Indiana football history, won the program's first Big Ten Conference championship, and finished the season ranked No. 4 in the final AP Poll. He had only two days of practice before his first game back, Indiana's second game of the season, against Northwestern. He scored Indiana's only touchdown in the game, when he caught a pass at the Northwestern five-yard line and dragged three defenders with him over the goal-line. He scored the first two touchdowns in Indiana's 26-0 win over Purdue in the final game of the year. Pihos finished the season having carried the ball 92 times for 410 yards and seven touchdowns. He earned first-team All-America honors from Yank, the Army Weekly magazine, and finished eighth in voting for the Heisman Trophy.  As a senior, Pihos played three positions (fullback, halfback, and quarterback) and was named the most valuable player on the 1946 Indiana Hoosiers football team. In a show of versatility, and despite suffering from a throat infection and thigh injury during the 1946 season, he carried the ball 76 times for 262 rushing yards, completed seven of twelve passes for 84 passing yards, had ten catches for 213 receiving yards, and scored eight touchdowns. He ended his college career by scoring three touchdowns against the Purdue Boilermakers, helping the Hoosiers win the Old Oaken Bucket for that year. Pihos finished third in the voting for the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the most valuable player in the Big Nine Conference.  In four seasons at Indiana, Pihos scored 138 points, which was then the school's all-time scoring record. He also broke Indiana career records for touchdowns and receptions. Bo McMillin, Indiana's head football coach since 1934, called Pihos "the greatest all-around football player our team has known in my time at Indiana." CANNOTANSWER
he played at the fullback position for the 1945 Indiana Hoosiers football team
Peter Louis Pihos (; October 22, 1923August 16, 2011) was an American football player and coach.

Pihos played college football, principally as an end and fullback, for Indiana University from 1942 to 1943 and 1945 to 1946. He was selected as a first-team All-American in 1942, 1943, and 1945. His college playing career was interrupted by service in the United States Army during World War II. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1966, the first Indiana player to be so honored.

Pihos played professional football as an end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1947 to 1955. While with the Eagles, he helped the team win back-to-back NFL championships in 1948 and 1949. He was selected six times to play in the Pro Bowl (1950–1955) and six times as a first-team All-Pro (1948, 1949, 1952–1955).  During his career, he was one of the NFL's leading receivers. He was named to the NFL 1940s All-Decade Team in 1969 and inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970.

After his playing career was over, Pihos was the head football coach for National Agricultural College (later renamed Delaware Valley University) from 1956 to 1958. He also held coaching positions with Tulane University (assistant coach, 1959–1960) and the Richmond Rebels (head coach, 1964–1965).

Early life
Pihos was born in 1923 in Orlando, Florida. His parents, Louis and Mary Pihos, were Greek immigrants. In August 1937, when Pihos was 13 years old, his father, the operator of an all-night restaurant in Orlando, was murdered. His body was discovered behind the counter of the restaurant with his skull fractured in 12 places. Police concluded he had been struck with a meat cleaver or axe. A young truck driver was arrested and charged with the murder but was not convicted.

Pihos attended Orlando High School where he played football as a tackle and basketball as a guard.  When he was a junior in high school, his mother moved the family to Chicago, where he attended Austin High School.

College and World War II

1942 and 1943 seasons
Pihos attended the Indiana University and played for the Indiana Hoosiers football team, first as an end in 1942 and 1943. As a sophomore in 1942, Pihos caught 17 passes for 295 yards. He scored the only touchdown in a 7–0 upset victory over the seventh-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers, which came in the game's closing minutes and ended Minnesota's hope of a third straight Big Ten Conference title. He was named to the All-America team selected based on the votes of 1,706 fellow players, earned honorable mention on the United Press (UP) All-America team, and was a second-team selection on the UP's All-Big Ten team.

As a junior in 1943, Pihos caught 20 passes for 265 yards and four touchdowns and scored two rushing touchdowns. He led the Hoosiers to a 34–0 victory over Wisconsin; after catching a touchdown pass from Bob Hoernschemeyer in the first half, head coach Bo McMillin moved him into the backfield for the second half where he scored two rushing touchdowns. He was named a first-team All-American by Sporting News, Collier's Weekly, and The New York Sun. He was also a unanimous selection by conference coaches as a first-team end on the 1943 All-Big Nine Conference football team.  On January 1, 1944, Pihos and teammate Bob Hoernschemeyer played for the East team in the East–West Shrine Game, with Hoernschemeyer throwing a touchdown pass to Pihos in a 13–13 tie game.

World War II
Pihos was drafted into the United States Army in January 1944.  He served in the 35th Infantry Division under George S. Patton.  Commissioned as a second lieutenant on the battlefield, he was awarded the Bronze Star and Silver Star medals for bravery. He was granted a furlough to return to Indiana University in September 1945 while awaiting his final discharge.

1945 and 1946 seasons
When Pihos returned to Indiana after his military service, he played at the fullback position for the 1945 Indiana Hoosiers football team that compiled the only undefeated record (9–0–1) in Indiana football history, won the program's first Big Ten Conference championship, and finished the season ranked No. 4 in the final AP Poll. He had only two days of practice before his first game back, Indiana's second game of the season, against Northwestern. He scored Indiana's only touchdown in the game, when he caught a pass at the Northwestern five-yard line and dragged three defenders with him over the goal-line. He scored the first two touchdowns in Indiana's 26–0 win over Purdue in the final game of the year. Pihos finished the season having carried the ball 92 times for 410 yards and seven touchdowns. He earned first-team All-America honors from Yank, the Army Weekly magazine, and finished eighth in voting for the Heisman Trophy.

As a senior, Pihos played three positions (fullback, halfback, and quarterback) and was named the most valuable player on the 1946 Indiana Hoosiers football team. In a show of versatility, and despite suffering from a throat infection and thigh injury during the 1946 season, he carried the ball 76 times for 262 rushing yards, completed seven of 12 passes for 84 passing yards, had ten catches for 213 receiving yards, and scored eight touchdowns. He ended his college career by scoring three touchdowns against the Purdue Boilermakers, helping the Hoosiers win the Old Oaken Bucket for that year. Pihos finished third in the voting for the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the most valuable player in the Big Nine Conference.

In four seasons at Indiana, Pihos scored 138 points, which was then the school's all-time scoring record. He also broke Indiana career records for touchdowns and receptions. Bo McMillin, Indiana's head football coach since 1934, called Pihos "the greatest all-around football player our team has known in my time at Indiana."

Professional football player
Pihos was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round (41st overall pick) of the 1945 NFL Draft, but he continued to play for Indiana in 1945 and 1946. In February 1947, he signed to join the Eagles after his graduation in June. In his first NFL season, he caught 23 passes for 382 yards and seven touchdowns. He also blocked a punt by Sammy Baugh and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown against the Washington Redskins.

The Eagles made it to the NFL Championship Game in each of Pihos' first three seasons with the team. In 1947, the team captured its first division championship. In the playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers for the Eastern Division title, Pihos blocked a punt to set up the first touchdown in the Eagles' 21–0 win. The Eagles then lost 28–21 to the Chicago Cardinals in the 1947 NFL Championship Game. Pihos caught three passes for 27 yards in that game and intercepted a pass while playing defense. The Eagles then won consecutive NFL championship games in 1948 and 1949. Pihos scored the only offensive touchdown of the 1949 championship game via a 31-yard reception in the second quarter during a heavy downpour.

Pihos' 766 receiving yards and 11 receiving touchdowns in 1948 were both the second-most in the NFL that season. He earned first-team All-Pro recognition in 1948 from United Press (UP), New York Daily News, Chicago Herald-American, and Pro Football Illustrated and in 1949 from the International News Service, UP, Associated Press, and New York Daily News. He was invited to his first of six-straight Pro Bowls after the 1950 season. In 1951, Pihos led the Eagles in receptions and receiving yards and intercepted two passes as a defensive end.

Pihos caught only 12 passes and scored only one touchdown in 1952, causing the Eagles front office to suspect he was washed up. However, he still managed to make the Pro Bowl and earn first-team All-Pro honors by the AP as a defensive end. Not willing take a pay cut and be an exclusive defensive end, he trained heavily during the off-season prior to 1953. He went on to have his greatest statistical success over the next three seasons, which were ultimately his final three; he recorded similar statistics over that three-year span (185 receptions, 2,785 yards, and 27 touchdowns) to his first six seasons (188 receptions, 2,834 yards, and 34 touchdowns). Pihos led the NFL in receptions in each of his final three seasons, in receiving yards twice, and in receiving touchdowns once. In 1953, he became the third different player to record a "triple crown" in receiving; he led the NFL in receptions (63), receiving yards (1,049), and receiving touchdowns (10) that season.

In November 1955, Pihos announced that the current season would be his last as a player. In his final NFL game, on December 11 against the Chicago Bears, he caught 11 passes for 114 yards. He retired after playing in the Pro Bowl that January, in which he caught four passes and scored the East's first touchdown by out-leaping defender Jack Christiansen to snag a 12-yard pass from Eddie LeBaron. During his nine seasons of play with the Eagles, Pihos missed just one game.

Coaching career

National Agricultural
In March 1956, shortly after retiring from the NFL, Pihos was hired as the head football coach at National Agricultural College (later renamed Delaware Valley University) in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. He had been an advisory coach for the college in 1955 and also taught classes in business law. He remained in the position for three years and led the 1958 National Aggies to a 5–2–1 record. His contract was not renewed after the 1958 season.

Tulane
In August 1959, Pihos was hired as an assistant coach under head coach Andy Pilney for the Tulane Green Wave football team. He was given responsibility for coaching the ends. He spent two years coaching at Tulane with the team compiling 3–6–1 records in both 1959 and 1960. In December 1960, Pihos resigned his position at Tulane.

Cincinnati
In February 1961, Pihos was hired by a group seeking to secure a professional football franchise for Cincinnati in the American Football League (AFL) for the 1962 season. He was the general manager of the enterprise and was also slated to be head coach of the proposed team. However, when the AFL announced its expansion plans for 1962, Cincinnati was not awarded a franchise.

Semipro and minor league football
In 1962 and 1963, Pihos served as the head coach of the Hammonton Bakers, a semipro football team in Hammonton, New Jersey.

In 1964, Pihos served as the head coach of the Richmond Rebels of the Atlantic Coast Football League. He remained with the Rebels in 1965 as the team joined the Continental Football League. He led the Rebels to records of 8–5–1 in 1964 and 6–8 in 1965.  He stepped down as the coach of the Rebels in February 1966.

Honors
Pihos received numerous honors for his accomplishments as a football player. His honors include the following:
 In October 1961, he was named to the Helms Athletic Foundation's Major League Football Hall of Fame.
 In February 1966, he was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame. He was the first Indiana Hoosiers football player to receive the honor. In a halftime ceremony during the opening game of Indiana's 1966 season, the school presented Pihos with a special citation for his contribution to the university through football.
 In August 1969, as part of the NFL's 50th anniversary, the Pro Football Hall of Fame selected all-decade teams for each of the league's first five decades. Pihos was selected as an end on the NFL 1940s All-Decade Team.
 In February 1970, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in August 1970, a telegram was presented from Vice President Spiro Agnew calling Pihos "the golden Greek of football" and "the most durable and versatile football player" of his time.
 In 1978, Pihos was inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame.
 In 1982, he was one of the inaugural inductees into the Indiana Hoosiers Hall of Fame.
 In November 1987, he was one of the 11 inaugural inductees into the Philadelphia Eagles Honor Roll.

Family and later years
Pihos was married four times. In May 1944, he married Dorothea Lansing at the First Methodist Chapel in Bloomington, Indiana. Pihos was at that time a private in the Army stationed at Camp Reynolds.  They met while both were students at Indiana University. She became a pediatrician. They were divorced in 1949.

Pihos was next married in December 1949 to model Mary Cecile Clark, also known as Cecile Chandler. He and his second wife separated in 1965 and were divorced in 1967. He was married for a third time to Charlotte Berlings Wolfe in November 1967.  His fourth marriage was to Donna Ballenger.

After retiring from football, Pihos had a business career. As of 1970, he was a vice president of Regal Home Improvement Co. in Richmond, Virginia. In 1977, he was living in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and was employed as a vice president of Franklin National Life Insurance Co.

In 2001, Pihos was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. In 2004, he was victimized by a con artist who acquired Pihos' lifetime collection of sports memorabilia in exchange for $30,000 in bogus checks. He spent his last years at the Grace Healthcare nursing home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He died there at age 87 in August 2011. His neurologist opined that Pihos' dementia was caused by blows to the head during his career as a football player. Pihos was buried at Bethel United Methodist Church Cemetery in Winston-Salem.

Pihos' daughter Melissa Pihos made a series of documentary films about her father. She began in 2010 with a documentary short titled Dear Dad juxtaposing photos and footage from his days as a football player with images of him as he fought the disease. She also created Pihos: A Moving Biography, exploring aspects of her father's life and his struggle with Alzheimer's disease through film and dance. Her efforts culminated in a feature-length documentary titled Pihos: A Life in Five Movements.

References

External links
 
 
 
 

1923 births
2011 deaths
American football ends
Continental Football League coaches
Delaware Valley Aggies football coaches
Indiana Hoosiers football players
Philadelphia Eagles players
Tulane Green Wave football coaches
Eastern Conference Pro Bowl players
College Football Hall of Fame inductees
Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees
United States Army personnel of World War II
American people of Greek descent
United States Army officers
Coaches of American football from Illinois
Coaches of American football from Florida
Players of American football from Chicago
Players of American football from Orlando, Florida
Deaths from Alzheimer's disease
Neurological disease deaths in North Carolina
Sandra M. "Sandy" Pihos (born June 11, 1946) is the former Republican member of the Illinois State Representative for the 42nd and 48th districts.  She currently resides in the western Chicago suburb of Glen Ellyn.

Representative Pihos served on eight committees: Committee of the Whole, Elementary and Secondary Education, Housing and Urban Development, Mass Transit, Telecommunications, Tourism and Conventions, Paratransit, and Subcommittee on School Code Waivers.

In her run for a seventh term in 2014, Pihos was defeated in the March Republican primary by Peter Breen, who went on to win the general election.

Pihos was arrested for retail theft in the fall of 2017 and pled guilty to a single misdemeanor count in June 2018.

References

External links
Representative Sandra M. Pihos (R) 42nd District at the Illinois General Assembly
By session: 98th, 97th, 96th, 95th, 94th, 93rd
State Representative Sandra Pihos constituency site
 
Sandra Pihos at Illinois House Republican Caucus

1946 births
21st-century American politicians
21st-century American women politicians
American politicians of Greek descent
Illinois Republicans
Living people
Members of the Illinois House of Representatives
People from Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Women state legislators in Illinois
Illinois politicians convicted of crimes The 1945 Indiana Hoosiers football team was an American football team that represented the Indiana University Bloomington in the 1945 Big Ten Conference football season, compiled the only undefeated record and won the first Big Ten Conference championship in the program's history.  In their 12th year under head coach Bo McMillin, the Hoosiers compiled a 9–0–1 record (5–0–1 Big Ten), outscored their opponents by a combined total of 279 to 56, and finished the season ranked #4 in the final AP Poll. The lone blemish on the team's record was a 7–7 tie with Northwestern in the second game of the season.

Head coach Bo McMillin was selected as the Coach of the Year by his fellow college football coaches.  Four Hoosier players also received first-team honors on either the 1945 All-America Team or the 1945 All-Big Ten Conference football team. End Bob Ravensberg was a consensus first-team All-American, while fullback Pete Pihos received first-team All-American honors from Yank, the Army Weekly. Freshman halfback George Taliaferro rushed for 719 yards (the first African-American player to lead the Big Ten in rushing) and received second-team All-American honors.  Pihos, Taliaferro, and end Ted Kluszewski also received first-team All-Big Ten honors. Pihos, Taliaferro, and coach McMilllin were later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Quarterback Ben Raimondi led the team in passing, completing 35 of 83 passes for 593 yards and 10 touchdowns with three interceptions.  Mel Groomes was the team's leading receiver with 12 catches for 223 yards. In 1948, Groomes became the first African-American player to sign with the Detroit Lions.

Before the season
The 1944 Indiana football team compiled a 7–3 record and finished in fifth place in the Big Ten Conference. Players lost from the 1944 team included John Tavener, who was the consensus first-team center on the 1944 All-America Team.  Bob Meyer was expected to fill Tavener's spot in the middle of the line, but he suffered a broken leg in the 1945 season opener against Michigan.  John Cannady, who had previously been a fullback and linebacker, eventually won the job.

Another loss from the 1944 team was halfback Robert Hoernschemeyer.  Hoernschemeyer was a second-team All-Big Ten player in 1944, but he entered the Naval Academy after the 1944 season, played for the Navy Cadets in 1945, and then played 10 years of professional football.

On the other hand, several players returned from military service in time for the 1945 season.  Most prominent among these were Pete Pihos and Howie Brown. Pihos was a lieutenant in the 35th Infantry Division, and Brown received three Purple Heart citations for his service in the European Theater of Operations. Neither had been discharged when the season began, but they were granted 60-day leaves by the Army and returned in time for the second game of the season against Northwestern.

Schedule

Season summary

Week 1: at Michigan

On September 22, 1945, Indiana opened its season with a 13–7 victory over Michigan. Indiana scored a touchdown in the first quarter on a pass from Ben Raimondi to Ted Kluszewski, but Kluszeweski's kick for extra point went wide.  In the second quarter, the Hoosiers scored again on a touchdown pass from Raimondi to Mel Groomes that covered 56 yards, including 34 yards of Groomes running down the sideline. Kluszewski's extra point kick was successful, and Indiana led 13–0 at halftime. In his first college football game, freshman halfback George Taliaferro rushed for 95 yards on 20 carries.

Indiana's starting lineup against Michigan was Bob Ravensberg (left end), Russ Deal (left tackle), Frank Ciolli (left guard), Bob Meyer (center), Joe Sowinski (right guard), Jon Goldsberry (right tackle), Kluszewski (right end), Raimondi (quarterback), Taliaferro (left halfback), Groomes (right halfback), and Nick Lysohir (fullback).

Week 2: at Northwestern

On September 29, 1945, Indiana and Northwestern played to a 7–7 tie in Evanston, Illinois. Northwestern end Stan Gorski recovered a blocked punt in the end zone midway through the first quarter to give Northwestern a 7–0 lead.  Northwestern held the lead until late in the fourth quarter when Ben Raimondi threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Pete Pihos. Pihos dragged three Northwestern defenders with him into the end zone. George Taliaferro rushed for 56 yards on 19 attempts.  In all, Indiana gained 152 rushing yards and 133 passing yards.

Indiana's starting lineup against Northwestern was Bob Ravensberg (left end), Russ Deal (left tackle), Joe Sowinski (left guard), Oleksak (center), Frank Ciolli (right guard), Jon Goldsberry (right tackle), Ted Kluszewski (right end), Raimondi (quarterback), Taliaferro (left halfback), Dick Deranek (right halfback), and Nick Lysohir (fullback).

Week 3: at Illinois

On October 6, 1945, Indiana defeated Illinois by a 6–0 score in Champaign, Illinois. In the second quarter, Mel Groomes threw a touchdown pass to Ted Kluszewski, but the play was called back because a Great Dane dog had gotten loose on the field during the play.  In the third quarter, the Hoosiers moved the ball to the Illinois one-yard line, but the Illinois defense held. The Hoosiers did not score until the fourth quarter when Ben Raimondi threw a touchdown pass to Kluszewski.  Defensively, the Chicago Tribune described Pete Pihos as a "demon", and the Hoosiers held the Illini to 113 rushing yards and 35 passing yards.  Offensively, the Hoosiers gained 200 rushing yards and 41 passing yards.

Indiana's starting lineup against Illinois was Bob Ravensberg (left end), Russ Deal (left tackle), Joe Sowinski (left guard), John Cannady (center), Howard Brown (right guard), Jon Goldsberry (right tackle), Kluszewski (right end), Raimondi (quarterback), George Taliaferro (left halfback), Groomes (right halfback), and Pihos (fullback).

Game 4: Nebraska

On October 13, 1945, the Hoosiers defeated Nebraska by a 54–14 score at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.  Indiana's eight touchdowns were scored by Dick Deranek, Pete Pihos, Mel Groomes, Bob Ravensberg, Bob Miller (95-yard kickoff return to start the second half), Bill Armstrong (2), and Tom Schwartz.  The Hoosiers gained 417 yards in the game, 272 rushing yards and 145 passing yards.  Defensively, the Hoosiers held the Cornhuskers to 79 rushing yards and 117 passing yards.

Indiana's starting lineup against Nebraska was Ravensberg (left end), Russ Deal (left tackle), Joe Sowinski (left guard), Allan Horn (center), Frank Ciolli (right guard), Jon Goldsberry (right tackle), Lou Mihajlovich (right end), Ben Raimondi (quarterback), George Taliaferro (left halfback), Deranek (right halfback), and Pihos (fullback).

Week 5: at Iowa

On October 20, 1945, Indiana defeated Iowa by a 52–20 score in Iowa City. Indiana's first touchdown was scored on a 20-yard interception return by Bob Ravensberg.  Less than two minutes later, Ravensberg scored again when he recovered a blocked punt in the end zone. George Taliaferro had two long touchdown runs of 62 and 74 yards.  Bill Armstrong ran 43 yards for Indiana's fifth touchdown, and Dick Deranek scored on a reverse around Iowa's right end to give the Hoosiers a 40-0 lead at halftime. In the third quarter, Indiana scored twice, on a short pass from Ben Raimondi to John Gorski and on a long pass from Raimondi to Deranek covering 48 yards.  Indiana led 52-0 at the end of the third quarter and had allowed Iowa only two first downs.  In the fourth quarter, Iowa scored 20 points against the Hoosier reserves.  Indiana totaled 337 rushing yards and 94 passing yards, and held Iowa to 115 rushing yards and 134 passing yards.

Indiana's starting lineup against Iowa was Ravensberg (left end), Russ Deal (left tackle), Joe Sowinski (left guard), Allan Horn (center), Howard Brown (right guard), Jon Goldsberry (right tackle), Lou Mihajlovich (right end), Raimondi (quarterback), Taliaferro (left halfback), Mel Groomes (right halfback), and Pete Pihos (fullback).

Game 6: Tulsa

On October 27, 1945, the Hoosiers defeated a previously undefeated Tulsa team by a 7–2  score at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. Tulsa captain Charles Stanley was ejected from the game in the first quarter for "using a knee on" Indiana's African-American halfback George Taliaferro.  The Hoosiers sole touchdown came on a 60-yard sweep around left end; after a 20-yard gain, Pete Pihos lateraled the ball to Bob Ravensberg who ran the rest of the way. In the third quarter, the Hoosiers were pinned deep in their own territory by a Hardy Brown punt, and after a penalty pushed them back further, George Taliaferro was tackled behind the goal line for a safety. Indiana rushed for 224 yards in the game and held Tulsa to 80 rushing yards and five passing yards.

Indiana's starting lineup against Tulsa was Bob Ravensberg (left end), Russ Deal (left tackle), Joe Sowinski (left guard), John Cannady (center), Howard Brown (right guard), Jon Goldsberry (right tackle), Ted Kluszewski (right end), Ben Raimondi (quarterback), George Taliaferro (left halfback), Mel Groomes (right halfback), and Pete Pihos (fullback).

Game 7: Cornell

On November 3, 1945, the Hoosiers defeated the Cornell College team by a 46–6  score at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. Dick Deranek scored three touchdowns for Indiana. Additional touchdowns were scored by Pete Pihos, George Taliaferro, Leroy Stovall, and William Buckner.  Carl Anderson served as the acting head coach for the game, while head coach Bo McMillin scouted the Michigan-Minnesota game in Ann Arbor.

Indiana's starting lineup against Cornell was Bob Ravensberg (left end), Russ Deal (left tackle), Joe Sowinski (left guard), John Cannady (center), Howard Brown (right guard), Jon Goldsberry (right tackle), Lou Mihajlovich (right end), Ben Raimondi (quarterback), George Taliaferro (left halfback), Mel Groomes (right halfback), and Pete Pihos (fullback).

Week 8: at Minnesota

On November 10, 1945, Indiana limited Bernie Bierman's Minnesota Golden Gophers to 20 rushing yards and won by a 49–0 score at Minneapolis. George Taliaferro returned the opening kickoff 95 yards and scored three touchdowns in a game that the Chicago Tribune called "the most decisive licking any Minnesota team ever has received."  Indiana scored its 49 points in the first three quarters, 28 of them in the second quarter, before turning the game over to its deep reserves.  All 34 players on Indiana's traveling squad appeared in the game.  Additional Indiana touchdowns were scored by Bob Miller, Pete Pihos, Dick Deranek, and Tom Schwartz.  Indiana gained 245 rushing yards and 123 passing yards while holding Minnesota to 20 rushing yards and 90 passing yards.

Indiana's starting lineup against Minnesota was Bob Ravensberg (left end), Russ Deal (left tackle), Joe Sowinski (left guard), John Cannady (center), Howard Brown (right guard), Jon Goldsberry (right tackle), Ted Kluszewski (right end), Ben Raimondi (quarterback), Taliaferro (left halfback), Mel Groomes (right halfback), and Pihos (fullback).

Week 9: at Pittsburgh

On November 17, 1945, Indiana defeated Pittsburgh by a 19–0 score in Pittsburgh. Fullback Pete Pihos scored two touchdowns, and Bob Ravensberg also scored a touchdown on a pass from Ben Raimondi. Indiana gained 192 rushing yards and held Pittsburgh to only 18 rushing yards.

Indiana's starting lineup against Pittsburgh was Ravensberg (left end), Russ Deal (left tackle), Joe Sowinski (left guard), John Cannady (center), Howard Brown (right guard), Jon Goldsberry (right tackle), Ted Kluszewski (right end), Raimondi (quarterback), George Taliaferro (left halfback), Mel Groomes (right halfback), and Pihos (fullback).

Game 10: Purdue

On November 24, 1945, the Hoosiers defeated Purdue by a 26–0 score at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.  With the victory, the Hoosiers claimed both the Old Oaken Bucket trophy and the first Big Ten Conference football championship in school history.  After a scoreless first half, Pete Pihos scored two touchdowns in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Ben Raimondi threw touchdown passes to Ted Kluszewski and Lou Mihajlovich.  The Hoosiers gained 349 rushing yards in the game.  On defense, Indiana held Purdue's touted passing offense led by quarterback Bob DeMoss to one two-yard completion in 15 attempts. After the game, Indiana University president Herman B Wells congratulated the team in the locker room and declared the following Monday to be a holiday with no classes to be held.

Indiana's starting lineup against Purdue was Bob Ravensberg (left end), Russ Deal (left tackle), Joe Sowinski (left guard), John Cannady (center), Howard Brown (right guard), Jon Goldsberry (right tackle), Kluszewski (right end), Raimondi (quarterback), George Taliaferro (left halfback), Mel Groomes (right halfback), and Pihos (fullback).

Post-season
The Associated Press released the results of its final poll on December 4, 1945.  The 1945 Army Cadets football team was selected as the national champion with 1,160 points and first-place votes by 115 of 116 voters.  Indiana was ranked fourth with 720 points.

Indiana head coach Bo McMillin was selected in voting by his fellow college football coaches as the 1945 "Coach of the Year".  McMillin received 445 points and 63 first-place votes out of 155 ballots cast. Army's Earl Blaik finished second with 212 points and 28 first-place votes.

Several Indiana players also won post-season honors. These include:
 End Bob Ravensberg was selected as a consensus first-team player on the 1945 All-America Team, receiving first-team honors from Look magazine, The Sporting News, and the Football Writers Association of America. He also received second-team All-American honors and second-team All-Big Ten honors from the United Press (UP).
 Fullback Pete Pihos received first-team All-American honors from Yank, the Army Weekly, and second-team All-American honors from the UP, Associated Press (AP), and The Sporting News.  He also received first-team All-Big Ten honors from both the AP and UP. Pihos also finished eighth in the voting for the 1945 Heisman Trophy.  He was later inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
 Freshman halfback George Taliaferro led the Big Ten with 719 rushing yards on 156 carries (4.6 yards per carry), becoming the first African-American player to lead the conference in rushing yardage. He received second-team All-American honors from the Central Press, International News Service (INS), and The Sporting News. He also received third-team All-American honors from the AP and first-team All-Big Ten honors from both the AP and UP. Taliaferro was later inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame. 
 End Ted Kluszewski received first-team All-Big Ten from both the AP and UP. Kluszewski went on to play in Major League Baseball for 15 years.
 Tackle Jon Goldsberry received second-team All-Big Ten from the UP.

Personnel

Varsity letter winners
The following 25 players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1945 Indiana football team.  Players who started at least half of the team's ten games are displayed in bold.

 Bill Armstrong, #12
 Charlie Armstrong, #72
Howie Brown, #73 – started 7 games at right guard
John Cannady, #38 – started 5 games at center
 Frank Ciolli, #62 – started 1 game at left guard, 2 games at right guard
 Russ Deal, #67 – started all 10 games at left tackle
 Dick Deranek, #88 – started 2 games at right halfback
Jon Goldsberry, #78 – started all 10 games at right tackle
Mel Groomes, #57 – started 8 games at right halfback
 Bob Harbison, #64
 Allan Horn, #50 – started 2 games at center
Ted Kluszewski, #83 – started 7 games at right end
 John Kokos, #43
 Nick Lysohir, #33 – started first 2 games at fullback
 Bob Meyer, #22 – started one game at center
 Lou Mihajlovich, #81 – started 3 games at right end
 Bob Miller, #10
Pete Pihos – started final 8 games at fullback
Ben Raimondi, #46 – started all 10 games at quarterback
Bob Ravensberg, #61 – started all 10 games at left end
 Tom Schwartz, #82
 Nick Sebek, #25
 Joe Sowinski -started all 10 games, one at right guard and nine at left guard
 Leroy Stovall
George Taliaferro, #44 – started all 10 games at left halfback

Reserves
 Jack Adams, #11
 Bill Bradley
 William Buckner
 Joe Gilliam
 John Gorski, #62
 Hagmann, #75
 Don Jones, #40
 Pat Kane, #87
 Francis Oleksak, #54 – started one game at center

Players in the NFL
Eleven players from the 1945 Indiana football team were either drafted to play or actually played in the National Football League.  They are:
 Pete Pihos was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles with the 41st pick in the 1945 NFL Draft.  He played nine years for the Eagles from 1947 to 1955 and was later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
 Howie Brown was selected by the Green Bay Packers with the 206th pick in the 1946 NFL Draft. He played for the Detroit Lions from 1948 to 1950.
 John Cannady was selected by the New York Giants with the 22nd pick in the 1947 NFL Draft. He played eight seasons with the Giants from 1947 to 1954.
 Ben Raimondi was selected by the Chicago Cardinals with the 41st pick in the 1947 NFL Draft. He played for the New York Yankees (AAFC) in 1947.
 Bob Ravensberg was selected by the Cardinals with the 150th pick in the 1947 NFL Draft. He played for the Cardinals in 1948 and 1949.
 Dick Deranek was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 82nd pick in the 1948 NFL Draft, but did not play in the NFL.
 Mel Groomes was undrafted in 1948. Indiana head coach Bo McMillin became head coach and general manager of the Detroit Lions in 1948.  One of McMillin's first personnel moves was signing Groomes to a contract with the Lions on April 17, 1948.  At the time, only one other NFL team, the Los Angeles Rams, had an African-American player, and Groomes was the first African-American to sign a contract with the Detroit Lions. Groomes played for the Lions in 1948 and 1949.
 Lou Mihajlovich was undrafted in 1948, but went on to play for the Los Angeles Dons in 1948 and the Green Bay Packers in 1954.
 Jon Goldsberry was selected by the Cardinals with the 40th pick in the 1949 NFL Draft.  Goldsberry played for the Cardinals in 1949 and 1950.
 George Taliaferro was selected by the Chicago Bears with the 129th pick in the 1949 NFL Draft.  He played seven years in the NFL from 1949 to 1955.
 Nick Sebek was selected by the Washington Redskins with the 248th pick in the 1949 NFL Draft. He played for the Redskins in 1950.

In addition, Ted Kluszewski went on to play 15 seasons in Major League Baseball.

Coaches and administrators
 Head coach: Bo McMillin
 Assistant coaches: Carl Anderson (backfield), Tim Temerario (tackles, guards, centers), Charles McDaniel (reserves), John Kovatch (ends), Paul "Pooch" Harrell (scout), Gordon Fisher (reserves)
 Athletic director: Zora G. Clevenger

References

Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers football seasons
Big Ten Conference football champion seasons
Indiana Hoosiers football