The Daily Hoosier
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Trending
    • Watch: IU basketball freshman forward Mackenzie Mgbako — media day Q&A
    • IU basketball recruiting: Reports indicate 2024 targets Boateng and Givens off the board
    • IU football lands commitment from in-state 2024 running back Khobie Martin
    • IU basketball to host three class of 2025 Midwest prospects this weekend
    • Watch: IU women’s basketball’s Moren, Parrish and Scalia — preseason Q&A
    • The Daily Hoosier Report: The Latest in IU News and Recruiting Notes (9/21)
    • Six thoughts on Indiana women’s basketball’s Big Ten schedule
    • Kel’el Ware knows his motor has been questioned, and he believes Mike Woodson is part of the answer
    • Sign Up
    • About/Support
    • Jobs
    • Tickets
      • IUBB Tickets (Stubhub)
      • IUFB Tickets (Stubhub)
    • Shop
      • Official IU Store
      • IU Adidas Store
      • Amazon: Support TDH
      • IU Memorabilia
      • IU Press (Books)
      • The Daily Hoosier T-Shirt
    • Radio/Podcasts
    • Pro IU
      • IUBB NBA
      • IUFB NFL
      • IUBASE MLB
    • Forum
      • Disqus Forum
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    The Daily HoosierThe Daily Hoosier
    Friday, September 22
    • IU Basketball
      • Latest IU Basketball News
      • IU Basketball 2023-24 Schedule
      • IU Basketball 23-24 Roster/Staff
      • Offseason Roster Activity Tracker
      • Scholarship Chart
      • Future Schedules
      • 2022-23 Big Ten Standings
      • 2022-23 IU Basketball Stats
      • Rankings & Bracketology
      • IU Basketball Media Guide
    • IU Football
      • Latest IU Football News
      • IU Football: The 2023 Schedule
      • Roster
      • 2023 IUFB Stats
      • 2023 B1G Standings
      • Future Opponents through 2031
      • IUFB 2023 Media Guide
    • IU Recruiting
      • IU Basketball Recruiting News
      • IU Football Recruiting News
      • IUBB 2024-2026 Prospects
      • Recruit Interviews
      • Recruit Highlights
      • CBB Team Rankings
      • IU Football Recruiting Commits
    • IU Women’s Basketball
      • IU Women’s Basketball News
      • 22-23 Schedule
      • Big Ten Standings
    • IU Men’s Soccer
      • 2022 schedule
      • 2022 NCAA Tournament Bracket
      • Indiana Men’s Soccer: Program History
    • More Hoosiers
      • Fan and Business NIL options
      • IU Baseball
        • Baseball Schedule (links to iuhoosiers.com)
        • 2021 Stats (links to iuhoosiers.com)
        • Big Ten Standings
      • IU Swim & Dive
      • IU Olympic Results
    • Hoosier History
      • March Madness Classics
      • Basketball History
      • Football History
      • IUFB Best Seasons
      • IUFB All-Time Top 10 Players
    The Daily Hoosier

    This date in IU football history: Taliaferro bursts onto scene, IU wins at Michigan to open 1945 season

    Mike SchumannBy Mike SchumannSeptember 22, 2020 Football History No Comments
    Photo Credit - IU Archives
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    September 22, 1945 — Ann Arbor, Michigan

    The challenge to open the 1945 season could not have been much greater.

    Indiana knew it had something special going into the season, but an immediate tall task stood in their way.  The Michigan Wolverines — on the road.

    The Hoosiers traveled to Ann Arbor knowing they could slay Michigan.  They did it a year earlier by a convincing 20-0 margin.  That was only the third win by IU over Michigan since 1900, and the first Wolverine Big Ten loss since 1942.

    Perhaps Bo McMillin’s Hoosiers caught Michigan off guard in 1944?  Maybe.  But this time the Wolverines would be ready.

    Or so they thought.

    IU had a new trick up their sleeve in 1945, in the form of an 18 year-old phenom from Gary, Ind.

    The legendary George Taliaferro’s introduction to college football was at the mammoth Michigan Stadium against the mighty Wolverines.

    And Taliaferro passed his first test with flying colors.  All he did was rush for 96 yards, complete three passes and handle IU’s punting duties in the Hoosiers 13-7 win.

    The Detroit Morning Tribune called Taliaferro “185 pounds of dynamite.  His brilliant running, pass catching and pass throwing played a vitally important role.”

    While Taliaferro earned the headlines, two other prominent Hoosiers found the end zone.

    Future Major League Baseball All-Star Ted Kluszewski caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ben Raimondi in the first quarter.  In the second quarter, future Detroit Lion Mel Groomes caught a 46-yard touchdown pass from Raimondi to give IU a 13-0 advantage.

    Michigan rallied in the second half.

    A third quarter touchdown pulled the Wolverines to within 13-7, and Michigan had the ball inside the IU 10-yard line in the final minutes.

    But the Hoosiers made a final stand, pulling off improbable back-to-back wins in Ann Arbor.

    The fallout from IU’s season opening win was huge.

    The game ultimately decided the Big Ten title.  Indiana finished 5-0-1 in league play, while Michigan wound up with a 5-1-0 mark.

    For Taliaferro, the consequences were far more serious.

    He was drafted into the Army after his breakout 1945 season.  According to Taliaferro, influential Michigan coach and athletic director Fritz Crisler played a role in seeing to it that he was drafted.  Apparently Crisler had seen enough of IU’s young superstar on that fall 1945 afternoon in Ann Arbor.

    Taliaferro became the first African-American to lead the Big Ten in rushing with 719 yards that year.

    Indiana finished the 1945 campaign with its only undefeated season at 9-0-1, and claimed its only outright Big Ten crown in the process.

    (Main photo:  Front – Raimondi, Back (left to right) – Groomes, NFL Hall of Famer Pete Pihos, Taliaferro.  Credit – IU Archives)

    The Daily Hoosier acknowledges the great book “Glory of Old IU” for the Detroit Morning Tribune quote above.


    Find us on Facebook:  thedailyhoosier

    You can follow us on Twitter:  @daily_hoosier

    The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”

    Seven ways to support completely free IU coverage at no additional cost to you.

    Share this:

    • Tweet

    Related

    Mike Schumann

    Keep Reading

    Watch: IU football co-DC Matt Guerrieri Q&A – Akron week

    Radio Show: Tom Allen previews Akron with Don Fischer

    Things didn’t go well the last time IU football wore black

    Latest Hoosier News
    • Watch: IU basketball freshman forward Mackenzie Mgbako — media day Q&A
    • IU basketball recruiting: Reports indicate 2024 targets Boateng and Givens off the board
    • IU football lands commitment from in-state 2024 running back Khobie Martin
    • IU basketball to host three class of 2025 Midwest prospects this weekend
    • Watch: IU women’s basketball’s Moren, Parrish and Scalia — preseason Q&A
    • The Daily Hoosier Report: The Latest in IU News and Recruiting Notes (9/21)
    • Six thoughts on Indiana women’s basketball’s Big Ten schedule
    Sign Up



    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    © 2023 The Daily Hoosier, LLC.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.