The1945 Indiana Hoosiers football team was anAmerican football team that representedIndiana University Bloomington in the1945 Big Ten Conference football season. It compiled the first undefeated record and won the firstBig Ten Conference championship in the program's history. Indiana would not win another Big Ten championship until1967, or completed another undefeated season until2025, when they won the program's first National Championship. In their 12th year under head coachBo 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 finalAP Poll. The lone blemish on the team's record was a 7–7 tie withNorthwestern 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 the1945 All-America Team or the1945 All-Big Ten Conference football team. EndBob Ravensberg was a consensus first-team All-American, while fullbackPete Pihos received first-team All-American honors fromYank, the Army Weekly. Freshman halfbackGeorge 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 endTed Kluszewski also received first-team All-Big Ten honors. Pihos, Taliaferro, and coach McMilllin were later inducted into theCollege Football Hall of Fame.

QuarterbackBen 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.^[1] In 1948, Groomes became the first African-American player to sign with theDetroit Lions.

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 includedJohn Tavener, who was the consensus first-team center on the1944 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.^[2]

Another loss from the 1944 team was halfbackRobert 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 werePete Pihos andHowie Brown. Pihos was a lieutenant in the35th Infantry Division, and Brown received threePurple Heart citations for his service in theEuropean 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.^[3]

^[4][5][6]

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 fromBen Raimondi toTed Kluszewski, but Kluszeweski's kick for extra point went wide. In the second quarter, the Hoosiers scored again on a touchdown pass from Raimondi toMel 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 halfbackGeorge Taliaferro rushed for 95 yards on 20 carries.^[7]

Indiana's starting lineup against Michigan wasBob 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).^[7]

On September 29, 1945, Indiana andNorthwestern played to a 7–7 tie inEvanston, 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 whenBen Raimondi threw a four-yard touchdown pass toPete Pihos. Pihos dragged three Northwestern defenders with him into the end zone.^[8]George Taliaferro rushed for 56 yards on 19 attempts. In all, Indiana gained 152 rushing yards and 133 passing yards.^[9]

Indiana's starting lineup against Northwestern wasBob 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).^[9]

On October 6, 1945, Indiana defeatedIllinois by a 6–0 score inChampaign, Illinois. In the second quarter,Mel Groomes threw a touchdown pass toTed 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 whenBen Raimondi threw a touchdown pass to Kluszewski. Defensively, theChicago Tribune describedPete 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.^[10]

Indiana's starting lineup against Illinois wasBob Ravensberg (left end), Russ Deal (left tackle), Joe Sowinski (left guard),John Cannady (center),Howie Brown (right guard),Jon Goldsberry (right tackle), Kluszewski (right end), Raimondi (quarterback),George Taliaferro (left halfback), Groomes (right halfback), and Pihos (fullback).^[10]

On October 13, 1945, the Hoosiers defeatedNebraska by a 54–14 score atMemorial 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.^[11]

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).^[11]

On October 20, 1945, Indiana defeatedIowa by a 52–20 score inIowa City. Indiana's first touchdown was scored on a 20-yard interception return byBob 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 fromBen 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.^[12]

Indiana's starting lineup against Iowa was Ravensberg (left end), Russ Deal (left tackle), Joe Sowinski (left guard), Allan Horn (center),Howie Brown (right guard),Jon Goldsberry (right tackle), Lou Mihajlovich (right end), Raimondi (quarterback), Taliaferro (left halfback),Mel Groomes (right halfback), andPete Pihos (fullback).^[12]

On October 27, 1945, the Hoosiers defeated a previously undefeatedTulsa 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 halfbackGeorge Taliaferro. The Hoosiers sole touchdown came on a 60-yard sweep around left end; after a 20-yard gain,Pete Pihos lateraled the ball toBob 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 asafety. Indiana rushed for 224 yards in the game and held Tulsa to 80 rushing yards and five passing yards.^[13]

Indiana's starting lineup against Tulsa wasBob Ravensberg (left end), Russ Deal (left tackle), Joe Sowinski (left guard),John Cannady (center),Howie Brown (right guard),Jon Goldsberry (right tackle),Ted Kluszewski (right end),Ben Raimondi (quarterback),George Taliaferro (left halfback),Mel Groomes (right halfback), andPete Pihos (fullback).^[13]

On November 3, 1945, the Hoosiers defeated theCornell College team by a 46–6 score at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. Dick Deranek scored three touchdowns for Indiana. Additional touchdowns were scored byPete Pihos,George Taliaferro, Leroy Stovall, and William Buckner.^[15]Carl Anderson served as the acting head coach for the game, while head coach Bo McMillin scouted theMichigan-Minnesota game in Ann Arbor.^[14]

Indiana's starting lineup against Cornell wasBob Ravensberg (left end), Russ Deal (left tackle), Joe Sowinski (left guard),John Cannady (center),Howie Brown (right guard),Jon Goldsberry (right tackle), Lou Mihajlovich (right end),Ben Raimondi (quarterback),George Taliaferro (left halfback),Mel Groomes (right halfback), andPete Pihos (fullback).^[15]

On November 10, 1945, Indiana limitedBernie Bierman'sMinnesota Golden Gophers to 20 rushing yards and won by a 49–0 score atMinneapolis.George Taliaferro returned the opening kickoff 95 yards and scored three touchdowns in a game that theChicago Tribune called "the most decisive licking any Minnesota team ever has received."^[16] 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.^[16]

Indiana's starting lineup against Minnesota wasBob Ravensberg (left end), Russ Deal (left tackle), Joe Sowinski (left guard),John Cannady (center),Howie Brown (right guard),Jon Goldsberry (right tackle),Ted Kluszewski (right end),Ben Raimondi (quarterback), Taliaferro (left halfback),Mel Groomes (right halfback), and Pihos (fullback).^[16]

On November 17, 1945, Indiana defeatedPittsburgh by a 19–0 score inPittsburgh. FullbackPete Pihos scored two touchdowns, andBob Ravensberg also scored a touchdown on a pass fromBen Raimondi. Indiana gained 192 rushing yards and held Pittsburgh to only 18 rushing yards.^[17]

Indiana's starting lineup against Pittsburgh was Ravensberg (left end), Russ Deal (left tackle), Joe Sowinski (left guard),John Cannady (center),Howie Brown (right guard),Jon Goldsberry (right tackle),Ted Kluszewski (right end), Raimondi (quarterback),George Taliaferro (left halfback),Mel Groomes (right halfback), and Pihos (fullback).^[17]

On November 24, 1945, the Hoosiers defeatedPurdue by a 26–0 score at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. With the victory, the Hoosiers claimed both theOld Oaken Bucket trophy and the firstBig 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 toTed Kluszewski and Lou Mihajlovich. The Hoosiers gained 349 rushing yards in the game. On defense, Indiana held Purdue's touted passing offense led by quarterbackBob DeMoss to one two-yard completion in 15 attempts.^[19] After the game, Indiana University presidentHerman B Wells congratulated the team in the locker room and declared the following Monday to be a holiday with no classes to be held.^[20]

Indiana's starting lineup against Purdue wasBob Ravensberg (left end), Russ Deal (left tackle), Joe Sowinski (left guard),John Cannady (center),Howie Brown (right guard),Jon Goldsberry (right tackle), Kluszewski (right end), Raimondi (quarterback),George Taliaferro (left halfback),Mel Groomes (right halfback), and Pihos (fullback).^[16]

TheAssociated Press released the results of its final poll on December 4, 1945. The1945 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.^[21]

Indiana head coachBo 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'sEarl Blaik finished second with 212 points and 28 first-place votes.^[22]

Several Indiana players also won post-season honors. These include:

• EndBob Ravensberg was selected as a consensus first-team player on the1945 All-America Team,^[23] receiving first-team honors fromLook magazine,The Sporting News, and theFootball Writers Association of America.^[24] He also received second-team All-American honors and second-team All-Big Ten honors from the United Press (UP).^[25]
• FullbackPete Pihos received first-team All-American honors fromYank, the Army Weekly,^[26] and second-team All-American honors from the UP, Associated Press (AP), andThe Sporting News.^[24] He also received first-team All-Big Ten honors from both the AP and UP.^[25][27] Pihos also finished eighth in the voting for the 1945Heisman Trophy.^[28] He was later inducted into both theCollege Football Hall of Fame and thePro Football Hall of Fame.
• Freshman halfbackGeorge Taliaferro led the Big Ten with 719 rushing yards on 156 carries (4.6 yards per carry),^[1] becoming the first African-American player to lead the conference in rushing yardage. He received second-team All-American honors from theCentral Press,International News Service (INS), andThe Sporting News.^[24][29][30] He also received third-team All-American honors from the AP and first-team All-Big Ten honors from both the AP and UP.^[24][25][27] Taliaferro was later inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame.
• EndTed Kluszewski received first-team All-Big Ten from both the AP and UP.^[25][27] Kluszewski went on to play inMajor League Baseball for 15 years.
• TackleJon Goldsberry received second-team All-Big Ten from the UP.^[24][25]

The following 25 players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1945 Indiana football team.^[24] 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

• Jack Adams, #11
• Bill Bradley
• William Buckner
• Joe Gilliam Sr., #41
• John Gorski, #62
• Hagmann, #75
• Don Jones, #40
• Robert Joseph, #76
• Pat Kane, #87
• Larry Napolitan
• Francis Oleksak, #54 – started one game at center

Eleven players from the 1945 Indiana football team were either drafted to play or actually played in theNational Football League. They are:

1. Pete Pihos was selected by thePhiladelphia Eagles with the 41st pick in the1945 NFL draft. He played nine years for the Eagles from 1947 to 1955 and was later inducted into thePro Football Hall of Fame.
2. Howie Brown was selected by theGreen Bay Packers with the 206th pick in the1946 NFL draft. He played for theDetroit Lions from 1948 to 1950.
3. John Cannady was selected by theNew York Giants with the 22nd pick in the1947 NFL draft. He played eight seasons with the Giants from 1947 to 1954.
4. Ben Raimondi was selected by theChicago Cardinals with the 41st pick in the 1947 NFL Draft. He played for theNew York Yankees (AAFC) in 1947.
5. 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.
6. Dick Deranek was selected by thePittsburgh Steelers with the 82nd pick in the1948 NFL draft, but did not play in the NFL.
7. Mel Groomes was undrafted in 1948. Indiana head coach Bo McMillin became head coach and general manager of theDetroit Lions in 1948. One of McMillin's first personnel moves was signing Groomes to a contract with the Lions on April 17, 1948.^[31] At the time, only one other NFL team, theLos Angeles Rams, had anAfrican-American player, and Groomes was the first African-American to sign a contract with theDetroit Lions.^[32] Groomes played for the Lions in 1948 and 1949.
8. Lou Mihajlovich was undrafted in 1948, but went on to play for theLos Angeles Dons in 1948 and theGreen Bay Packers in 1954.
9. Jon Goldsberry was selected by the Cardinals with the 40th pick in the1949 NFL draft. Goldsberry played for the Cardinals in 1949 and 1950.
10. George Taliaferro was selected by theChicago Bears with the 129th pick in the 1949 NFL Draft. He played seven years in the NFL from 1949 to 1955.
11. Nick Sebek was selected by theWashington 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 inMajor League Baseball.

• 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)^[33]
• Athletic director:Zora Clevenger

• Official Team Photo

• 1945 Big Ten Conference football season
• Indiana Hoosiers football seasons
• Big Ten Conference football champion seasons
• 1945 in sports in Indiana

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