Schedule
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
Result |
Attendance |
September 29 |
UCLA* |
No. 13/NA |
Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI |
W 42–13 |
70,159 |
October 6 |
No. 2/2 Michigan State |
No. 5/4 |
Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI (rivalry) |
L 0–9 |
101,001 |
October 13 |
No. 15/11 Army* |
No. 12/10 |
Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI |
W 48–14 |
93,402 |
October 20 |
Northwestern |
No. 8/7 |
Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI |
W 34–20 |
81,718 |
October 27 |
No. NR/14 Minnesota![dagger](../I/m/Dagger-14-plain.png) |
No. 5/5 |
Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI (Little Brown Jug) |
L 7–20 |
85,566 |
November 3 |
at No. 7/8 Iowa |
No. 17/13 |
Iowa Stadium • Iowa City, IA |
W 17–14 |
55,896 |
November 10 |
Illinois |
No. 10/9 |
Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI (series) |
W 17–7 |
75,735 |
November 17 |
Indiana |
No. 10/9 |
Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI |
W 49–26 |
58,515 |
November 24 |
at No. 12/13 Ohio State |
No. 9/10 |
Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH (rivalry) |
W 19–0 |
78,830 |
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll / Coaches Poll released prior to game. |
Season summary
Game 1: UCLA
Week 1: UCLA at Michigan
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|
UCLA |
0 |
0 | 7 | 6 |
13 |
• Michigan |
14 |
14 | 7 | 7 |
42 |
- Date: September 29
- Location: Michigan Stadium
- Game attendance: 67,739
- Referee: Tony Skover
|
On September 29, 1956, Michigan opened its season with a 42–13 victory over UCLA.[1] The Bruins were ranked #4 in the final AP Poll in 1955, but lost a number of players due to sanctions imposed by the Pacific Coast Conference. Michigan rushed for 234 yards against UCLA, including 67 yards by junior halfback Jim Pace. In the air, Michigan completed four of nine passes for 103 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown pass from Bob Ptacek to Jim Van Pelt and a 70-yard touchdown pass from Terry Barr to Ron Kramer. Barr also set up a touchdown with a 51-yard punt return to the UCLA 15-yard line in the first quarter. Halfback John Herrnstein scored two touchdowns for Michigan on runs of six and four yards. Ed Shannon and Jim Dickey also scored touchdowns for Michigan. Kramer and Maddock each kicked three extra points for Michigan.[1]
Game 2: Michigan State
Week 2: Michigan State at Michigan
|
On October 6, 1956, Michigan (ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll) lost to Michigan State (ranked No. 2), 9–0, before a crowd of 101,001 at Michigan Stadium. After a scoreless first half in which Michigan dominated statistically, turnovers led to two Michigan State scores. In the third quarter, John Herrnstein was intercepted at Michigan's 38-yard line, setting up a 20-yard field goal by John Matsko. In the fourth quarter, Herrnstein fumbled, and Michigan State recovered the ball at Michigan's 21-yard line, leading to a Spartan touchdown shortly thereafter.[2]
Game 3: Army
Week 3: Army at Michigan
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|
Army |
0 |
0 | 0 | 14 |
14 |
• Michigan |
7 |
20 | 21 | 0 |
48 |
|
On October 13, 1956, Michigan (ranked No. 12 in the AP Poll) defeated Army (ranked No. 15), 48–14, before a crowd of 93,101 at Michigan Stadium. Army fumbled eight times with Michigan recovering six times. Michigan led, 27-0, at halftime, and none of Michigan's starters played in the second half. Michigan totaled 246 rushing yards and 124 passing yards. Seven different Wolverines scored touchdowns: Jim Pace, Terry Barr, Bob Ptacek, Gary Prahst, John Herrnstein, Jim Van Pelt, and Jim Maddock.[3]
Game 4: Northwestern
Week 4: Northwestern at Michigan
|
On October 20, 1956, Michigan (ranked No. 8 in the AP Poll) defeated Northwestern, 34–20, before a crowd of 81,227 at Michigan Stadium. John Herrnstein scored three touchdowns. Jim Maddock scored on a 15-yard pass from Bob Ptacek, and Ron Kramer also scored on a 15-yard pass from Terry Barr. Michigan totaled 283 rushing yards and 156 passing yards.[4]
Players
Varsity letter winners
The following players won varsity letters for their participation on the 1956 Michigan football team.[5] Players who started at least half of Michigan's games are shown in bold.[6]
- Terry Barr, halfback, senior, Grand Rapids, Michigan – started 7 games at right halfback
- Thomas E. Berger, guard, junior, Detroit
- Alex Bochnowski, guard, junior, Munster, Indiana
- David C. Bowers, end, junior, Traverse City, Michigan
- Charles Books, end, senior, Marshall, Michigan
- James Byers, fullback, sophomore, Evansville, Indiana
- Clement Corona, guard, senior, Berwick, Pennsylvania
- James H. Davies, tackle, senior, Muskegon Heights, Michigan
- James A. Dickey, fullback, junior, Miamisburg, Ohio
- Lawrence Faul, guard, junior, River Forest, Illinois
- John Greenwood, halfback, senior, Bay City, Michigan
- John Herrnstein, fullback, sophomore, Chillicothe, Ohio – started 9 games at fullback
- Richard B. Heynen, tackle, senior, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Dick Hill, guard, sophomore, Gary, Indiana – started 9 games at left guard
- Walter N. Johnson, end, sophomore, Dearborn, Michigan
- Ron Kramer, end, senior, East Detroit, Michigan – started 9 games at left end
- Jack Lousma, quarterback, sophomore, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Jim Maddock, quarterback, senior, Chicago
- Tom Maentz, end, senior, Holland, Michigan – started 9 games at right end
- Jerry Marciniak, fullback, sophomore, Chicago
- Marvin R. Nyren, guard, junior, Des Plaines, Illinois – started 9 games at right guard
- James B. Orwig, tackle, senior, Toledo, Ohio – started 9 games at left tackle
- Jim Pace, halfback, junior, Little Rock, Arkansas – started 7 games at left halfback
- Gary Prahst, end, sophomore, Berea, Ohio
- Bob Ptacek, halfback, sophomore, Cleveland – started 2 games at left halfback
- David F. Rentschler, halfback, junior, Detroit
- Mike Rotunno, center, senior, Canton, Ohio – started 8 games at center
- Edward J. Shannon, running back, senior, River Forest, Illinois – started 2 games at right halfback
- Michael Shatusky, halfback, senior, Menominee, Michigan
- Lionel Albert Sigman, tackle, senior, Ann Arbor, Michigan – started 9 games at right tackle
- Eugene Sisinyak, fullback, sophomore, Monroe, Michigan
- Willie Smith, tackle, sophomore, Little Rock, Arkansas – tackle
- Eugene "Gene" Snider, center, junior, Hamtramck, Michigan – started 1 game at center
- John Spidel, quarterback, sophomore, Greenville, Ohio
- Jim Van Pelt, quarterback, junior, Evanston, Illinois – started 9 games at quarterback
- Raymond L. Wine, center, sophomore, Port Huron, Michigan
Statistical leaders
Punt returns
Player | Returns | Yards | Yds/Return | TD | Long |
Terry Barr | 6 | 118 | 19.7 | 0 | 51 |
Ed Shannon | 7 | 38 | 5.4 | 0 | 9 |
References
- 1 2 Cooper Rollow (September 30, 1956). "Michigan Beats UCLA, 42–13: Wolverines Overpower Uclans". Chicago Tribune. p. 2-2.
- ↑ Tommy Devine (October 7, 1956). "'Somebody' Smiles on MSU". Detroit Free Press. pp. D1, D3 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Tommy Devine (October 14, 1956). "M Runs Army Right Out of Stadium, 48-14". Detroit Free Press. pp. F1, F3 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Hal Middlesworth (October 21, 1956). "U-M Fights Off Wildcats, 34-20: Herrnstein Runs For 3 Touchdowns". Detroit Free Press. pp. D1, D3 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "1956 Football Roster". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "1956 Football Team". Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan.
External links
|
---|
Venues | |
---|
Bowls & rivalries | |
---|
Culture & lore | |
---|
People | |
---|
Seasons | |
---|
National championship seasons in bold |