In their sixth season under head coach Kenneth Kelly, the Chippewas compiled a perfect 9–0 record, won the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) championship for the fifth consecutive year, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 313 to 92.
[2] The 1956 season was part of the longest winning streak in school history, 15 games running from October 8, 1955, to November 10, 1956.
The first and second are his six touchdowns and 36 points scored against Eastern Illinois in his final college game on November 10, 1956, and the third is his season average of 29.0 yards per punt return.
[4][5][6] In his final home game on November 3, 1956, Podoley ran for a touchdown and passed for another in a 19-0 victory over Eastern Michigan.
[9] Five Central Michigan players (Kipke, Podoley, end Tim Burdon, fullback Bob McNamara, and tackle Oliver Porter) received first-team honors on the All-IIAC team.