1947 Big Nine Conference football season


The 1947 Big Nine Conference football season was the 52nd season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Nine Conference and was a part of the 1947 college football season.
The 1947 Big Ten champion was Michigan. The Wolverines compiled a perfect 10–0 record, outscored its opponents by a combined total of 394 to 53, and defeated the USC Trojans by a score of 49 to 0 in the 1948 Rose Bowl game.
Michigan halfback Bob Chappuis led the conference with 1,395 yards of total offense, which was also the fourth best in the country. Chappuis also finished second in the voting for the 1947 Heisman Trophy, trailing Johnny Lujack by a tally of 742 votes to 555 votes, with both finishing ahead of Doak Walker and Bobby Layne.
Wisconsin finished in second place in the conference, led by sophomore halfback Jug Girard. Girard, a triple-threat man who also returned two punts for touchdowns, was the first conference player selected in the 1948 NFL Draft, being chosen by the Green Bay Packers with the seventh pick in the first round.

Season overview

Results and team statistics

Conf. RankTeamHead coachAP finalAP highOverall recordConf. recordPPGPAGMVP
1MichiganFritz Crisler2110–06–039.45.3Bump Elliott
2WisconsinHarry StuhldreherNR95–3–13–2–119.017.3Red Wilson
3 MinnesotaBernie BiermanNR136–33–319.314.1Larry Olsonoski
3 IllinoisRay EliotNRNR5–3–13–322.711.3Ike Owens
3 PurdueStuart HolcombNRNR5–43–322.814.4Phil O'Reilly
6 IndianaBo McMillinNRNR5–3–12–3–117.311.3Howard Brown
6 IowaEddie AndersonNRNR3–5–12–3–116.119.9Hal Schoener
8NorthwesternRobert VoigtsNRNR3–62–414.321.8Art Murakowski
9Ohio StateWes FeslerNRNR2–6–11–4–16.716.7Dave Templeton

Key
AP final = Team's rank in the final AP Poll of the 1947 season
AP high = Team's highest rank in the AP Poll throughout the 1947 season
PPG = Average of points scored per game
PAG = Average of points allowed per game
MVP = Most valuable player as voted by players on each team as part of the voting process to determine the winner of the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy

Regular season

September 20

On September 20, 1947, Iowa opened its season with a non-conference victory.
On September 26 and 27, 1947, the Big Nine schools played one conference game and seven non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in five wins and two losses, bringing the conference's record in non-conference games to 6-3.
On October 4, 1948, the Big Nine schools played three conference games and three non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in three wins, bringing the conference's record in non-conference games to 9-3.
On October 11, 1947, the Big Nine football teams played two conference games and five non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in one win, three losses and one tie, bringing the conference's record in non-conference games to 10-6-1.
On October 18, 1947, the Big Nine football teams played three conference games and three non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in three wins, bringing the conference's record in non-conference games to 13-6-1.
On October 25, 1947, the Big Nine football teams played three conference games and three non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in one win and two losses, bringing the conference's record in non-conference games to 14-8-1.
On November 1, 1947, the Big Nine football teams played four conference games and one non-conference game. The non-conference game resulted in a win, bringing the conference's record in non-conference games to 15-8-1.
On November 8, 1947, the Big Nine football teams played four conference games and one non-conference game. The non-conference game resulted in a win, bringing the conference's record in non-conference games to 16-8-1.
On November 15, 1947, the Big Nine football teams played three conference games and three non-conference games. The non-conference games resulted in two wins and a loss, bringing the conference's record in non-conference games to 18-9-1.
On November 22, 1947, the Big Nine football teams played four conference games. Iowa, which opened the season early on September 20, had a bye week.
On January 1, 1948, Michigan defeated USC, 49-0, in the 1948 Rose Bowl. The 49-point margin was the worst defeat in the history of the USC football program, and Michigan's 491 yards of total offense set a Rose Bowl record. The Wolverines threw four touchdown passes, and Jack Weisenburger ran for three touchdowns. Michigan completed 17 of 27 passes for 272 passing yards in the game.

All-conference players

The following players were picked by the Associated Press, the United Press and/or the International News Service as first-team players on the 1947 All-Big Ten Conference football team:
PositionNameTeamSelectors
EndBob MannMichiganAP, INS, UP
EndIke OwensIllinoisAP, INS, UP
TacklePhil O'ReillyPurdueAP, INS, UP
TackleLou AgaseIllinoisAP, INS
TackleBill PritulaMichiganUP
GuardHoward BrownIndianaAP, INS, UP
GuardLeo NomelliniMinnesotaAP, INS, UP
CenterRed WilsonWisconsinAP, INS, UP
QuarterbackHoward YergesMichiganAP, UP
HalfbackBob ChappuisMichiganAP, INS, UP
HalfbackBump ElliottMichiganAP, INS, UP
HalfbackHarry SzulborskiPurdueINS
FullbackRuss StegerIllinoisAP, INS, UP

All-Americans

Only two Big Ten players, both of them halfbacks for the Michigan squad, were selected as first-team players on the 1947 College Football All-America Team. They are:
PositionNameTeamSelectors
HalfbackBob ChappuisMichiganAP, UP, AFCA, CO, NEA, CP, INS, TSN, WCFF, FWAA
HalfbackBump ElliottMichiganAFCA

1948 NFL Draft

The following Big Nine players were among the first 100 picks in the 1948 NFL Draft:
NamePositionTeamRoundOverall pick
Jug GirardBackWisconsin17
Les BingamanTackleIllinois315
Jack WeisenburgerFullbackMichigan638
Larry OlsonoskiGuardMinnesota641
Howard DuncanCenterOhio State642
Bob BruggeBackOhio State644
Phil O'ReillyTacklePurdue645
Bob PfohlBackPurdue746
Bob CunzTackleIllinois861
Ken WiltgenEndNorthwestern971
Dick DeranekBackIndiana1082
Dick FlanaganEndOhio State1083
Jim BrieskeCenterMichigan1197