Utah Utes football under Ike Armstrong (in the MSC)
Ike Armstrong was the sixth professional head coach of the Utah Utes football team. The Utes represent the University of Utah for intercollegiate football games. Armstrong compiled a record of 141–55–15 (.704) during his twenty-five years coaching at Utah. In the Mountain States Conference (MSC), Armstrong had a record of 67–32–10 (43–14–5 MSC)[1] and won six conference championships.[2]
Utah was in the MSC for the last twelve years of Armstrong's career. Armstrong's first thirteen seasons at Utah (1925–1937), Utah played in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC). The MSC was popularly called the "Big Seven Conference", and then after Colorado left following the 1947 season, popularly called the "Skyline Conference" or "Skyline Six". Utah played in and won its first bowl game, the 1939 Sun Bowl, during Armstrong's tenure in the MSC.[3] Armstrong also helped keep the team in existence during World War II even though most of the other schools in the conference decided not to field teams from 1943 to 1945.[4]
Armstrong was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1957.[5]
Year |
Team |
Overall |
Conference |
Standing |
Bowl/playoffs |
(Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) (1925–1937) |
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference: |
74–23–5 |
65–10–3 |
|
Utah Utes (Mountain States Conference) (1938–1949) |
1938 |
Utah |
7–1–2 |
4–0–1 |
1st |
W Sun Bowl |
1939 |
Utah |
6–1–2 |
4–1–1 |
2nd |
|
1940 |
Utah |
7–2 |
5–1 |
1st |
|
1941 |
Utah |
6–0–2 |
4–0–2 |
1st |
|
1942 |
Utah |
6–3 |
5–1 |
1st–T |
|
1943 |
Utah |
0–7 |
0–2 |
2nd |
|
1944 |
Utah |
5–2–1 |
1–2–1 |
3rd |
|
1945 |
Utah |
4–4 |
3–2 |
3rd |
|
1946 |
Utah |
8–3 |
4–2 |
3rd |
L Pineapple Bowl |
1947 |
Utah |
8–1–1 |
6–0 |
1st |
|
1948 |
Utah |
8–1–1 |
5–0 |
1st |
|
1949 |
Utah |
2–7–1 |
2–3 |
4th |
|
Mountain States Conference: |
67–32–10 |
43–14–5 |
|
Total: |
141–55–15 |
|
National championship Conference title Conference division title |
1938
Schedule
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
Result |
October 1 |
Montana State* |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah |
W 34–0 |
October 15 |
BYU |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah (The Holy War) |
T 7–7 |
October 22 |
at Utah A.C. |
|
Aggie Stadium • Logan, Utah (Battle of the Brothers) |
W 33–0 |
October 29 |
Denver |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah |
W 21–0 |
November 5 |
at Colorado |
|
Colorado Stadium • Boulder, Colorado (Utah–Colorado football rivalry) |
T 0–0 |
November 12 |
Colorado A&M |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah |
W 13–0 |
November 19 |
at Wyoming |
|
Corbett Field • Laramie, Wyoming |
W 39–0 |
November 24 |
Idaho* |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah |
L 0–16 |
December 17 |
at Hawaii* |
|
Honolulu Stadium • Honolulu, Hawaii |
W 14–13 |
January 2 |
vs. New Mexico* |
|
Kidd Field • El Paso, Texas (Sun Bowl) |
W 26–0 |
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll. |
[6][7]
After the season
NFL draft
Utah had one player selected in the 1939 NFL Draft.[8]
1939
Schedule
[7][9]
After the season
NFL draft
Utah had three players selected in the 1940 NFL Draft.[10]
In addition, Halfback Fred Gehrke was not drafted but played eight seasons in the NFL.[11]
1940
Utah's season opener against Santa Clara was part of the first-ever major college football doubleheader. The event at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco also featured the future Rose Bowl champions, the Stanford "Wow Boys", defeat San Francisco, 27–0.[12]
Schedule
[7][13]
After the season
NFL draft
Utah did not have any players selected in the 1941 NFL Draft.[14]
1941
Schedule
[7][15]
After the season
NFL Draft
Utah had two players selected in the 1942 NFL Draft.[16]
1942
Schedule
[7][17]
After the season
NFL Draft
Utah had two players selected in the 1943 NFL Draft.[18]
1943
Utah considered cancelling football in 1943 due to World War II. College enrollment dropped significantly as many college-aged men enlisted in the armed services. LeRoy E. Cowles, President of the University of Utah asked that the team continue to play. Armstrong supported Cowles despite having a severe shortage of players. Only Colorado and Utah in the Mountain States Conference maintained a football team in 1943. To play a semblance of a full schedule, Utah played Colorado twice and resorted to playing enlisted men from Fort Warren, Wyoming.[4] The result was Utah's only winless season since going 0–1 in 1895.[19]
Schedule
[7][20]
After the season
NFL Draft
Utah had two players selected in the 1944 NFL Draft.[21]
1944
Schedule
[7][22]
After the season
NFL Draft
Utah had one player selected in the 1945 NFL Draft.[23]
1945
Schedule
[7][24]
After the season
NFL Draft
Utah had five players selected in the 1946 NFL Draft.[25]
1946
Schedule
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
Result |
Attendance |
September 28 |
[[{{{school}}}|New Mexico]]* |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah (The Bowl) |
W 56–14 |
|
October 5 |
[[{{{school}}}|Arizona]]* |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah |
W 14–7 |
|
October 12 |
at [[{{{school}}}|BYU]] |
|
Old Cougar Stadium • Provo, Utah (The Holy War) |
W 35–6 |
|
October 19 |
at [[{{{school}}}|Denver]] |
|
DU Stadium • Denver, Colorado |
L 14–20 |
|
October 26 |
[[{{{school}}}|Wyoming]] |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah |
W 27–7 |
|
November 2 |
[[{{{school}}}|Colorado]] |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah (Utah–Colorado football rivalry) |
W 7–0 |
10,575[26] |
November 9 |
at [[{{{school}}}|Colorado A&M]] |
|
Colorado Field • Fort Collins, Colorado |
W 13–0 |
|
November 16 |
at [[{{{school}}}|San Francisco]]* |
|
Kezar Stadium • San Francisco, California |
W 21–13 |
|
November 28 |
[[{{{school}}}|Utah A.C.]] |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah (Battle of the Brothers) |
L 14–22 |
|
December 25 |
at Hawaii All-Stars* |
|
Honolulu Stadium • Honolulu, Hawaii |
W 40–6 |
|
January 1 |
at [[{{{school}}}|Hawaii]]* |
|
Honolulu Stadium • Honolulu, Hawaii ({{{alt}}}) |
L 16–19 |
|
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
[7][27]
After the season
NFL Draft
Utah had one player selected in the 1947 NFL Draft.[28]
1947
Schedule
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
Result |
Attendance |
September 27 |
[[{{{school}}}|Oregon State]]* |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah |
W 7–6 |
22,175[29] |
October 4 |
[[{{{school}}}|Hawaii]]* |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah |
W 35–0 |
|
October 11 |
[[{{{school}}}|BYU]] |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah (The Holy War) |
W 28–6 |
|
October 18 |
[[{{{school}}}|Denver]] |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah |
W 13–7 |
|
October 25 |
at [[{{{school}}}|Wyoming]] |
|
Corbett Field • Laramie, Wyoming |
W 26–7 |
|
November 1 |
at [[{{{school}}}|Colorado]] |
|
Folsom Field • Boulder, Colorado (Utah–Colorado football rivalry) |
W 13–7 |
22,000[26] |
November 8 |
[[{{{school}}}|Colorado A&M]] |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah |
W 19–0 |
11,181[30] |
November 15 |
vs. [[{{{school}}}|Idaho]] |
#18 |
Unknown location • Boise, Idaho |
L 6–13 |
|
November 27 |
[[{{{school}}}|Utah A.C.]] |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah (Battle of the Brothers) |
W 40–14 |
|
December 6 |
at [[{{{school}}}|Arizona]]* |
|
Arizona Stadium • Tucson, Arizona |
T 20–20 |
|
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
[7][31]
After the season
NFL Draft
Utah had three players selected in the 1948 NFL Draft.[32]
1948
Schedule
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
Result |
Attendance |
September 17 |
at Southern California* |
|
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum • Los Angeles, California |
L 0–27 |
55,211[33] |
September 25 |
[[{{{school}}}|Idaho]]* |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah |
W 21–6 |
|
October 2 |
[[{{{school}}}|Arizona]]* |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah |
W 47–14 |
|
October 9 |
at [[{{{school}}}|BYU]] |
|
Old Cougar Stadium • Provo, Utah (The Holy War) |
W 30–0 |
|
October 16 |
at [[{{{school}}}|Denver]] |
|
DU Stadium • Denver, Colorado |
W 17–0 |
|
October 23 |
[[{{{school}}}|Wyoming]] |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah |
W 19–7 |
|
October 30 |
[[{{{school}}}|Colorado]]* |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah (Utah–Colorado football rivalry) |
W 14–12 |
17,003[26] |
November 6 |
at [[{{{school}}}|Colorado A&M]] |
|
Colorado Field • Fort Collins, Colorado |
W 12–3 |
|
November 13 |
at [[{{{school}}}|Oregon State]]* |
|
Bell Field • Corvallis, Oregon |
T 20–20 |
8,000[29] |
November 25 |
[[{{{school}}}|Utah A.C.]] |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah (Battle of the Brothers) |
W 41–7 |
|
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
[7][34]
After the season
NFL Draft
Utah had two players selected in the 1949 NFL Draft.[35]
1949
Schedule
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
Result |
Attendance |
September 17 |
at Washington* |
|
Husky Stadium • Seattle, Washington |
L 7–14 |
26,553[36] |
September 24 |
vs. [[{{{school}}}|Oregon State]]* |
|
Multnomah Stadium • Portland, Oregon |
L 7–27 |
25,012[29] |
October 1 |
at [[{{{school}}}|Arizona]]* |
|
Arizona Stadium • Tucson, Arizona |
T 12–12 |
|
October 8 |
[[{{{school}}}|BYU]] |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah (The Holy War) |
W 38–0 |
|
October 15 |
[[{{{school}}}|Denver]] |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah |
L 18–20 |
|
October 22 |
at [[{{{school}}}|Wyoming]] |
|
Corbett Field • Laramie, Wyoming |
L 0–13 |
|
October 29 |
at [[{{{school}}}|Colorado]]* |
|
Folsom Field • Boulder, Colorado (Utah–Colorado football rivalry) |
L 7–14 |
20,103[26] |
November 5 |
[[{{{school}}}|Colorado A&M]] |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah |
L 12–21 |
|
November 12 |
at #19 [[{{{school}}}|Pacific]]* |
|
Lodi Municipal Stadium {The Grape Bowl} • Lodi, California |
L 6–45 |
|
November 24 |
[[{{{school}}}|Utah A.C.]] |
|
Ute Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah (Battle of the Brothers) |
W 34–0 |
|
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
[7][37]
After the season
NFL Draft
Utah had one player selected in the 1950 NFL Draft.[38]
See also
References
|
|
Venues |
|
|
Bowls & rivalries |
|
|
Culture & lore |
|
|
People |
|
|
Seasons |
|
|