1947 Wisconsin Badgers football team

The 1947 Wisconsin Badgers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Wisconsin in the 1947 Big Nine Conference football season. The team compiled a 5–3–1 record (3–2–1 against conference opponents) and finished in second place in the Big Nine Conference. Harry Stuhldreher was in his 12th year as Wisconsin's head coach.[1][2] The team was ranked No. 9 in the AP Poll before losing to Michigan on November 15, 1947.[1] The team averaged 280.1 yards per game of total offense, 205.9 yards per game by rushing, and 74.2 by passing.[3]

1947 Wisconsin Badgers football
ConferenceBig Nine Conference
Record5–3–1 (3–2–1 Big Nine)
Head coach
MVPRed Wilson
CaptainJack Wink
Home stadiumCamp Randall Stadium
1947 Big Nine Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Michigan $ 6 –0 –010 –0 –0
Wisconsin 3 –2 –15 –3 –1
Minnesota 3 –3 –06 –3 –0
Illinois 3 –3 –05 –3 –1
Purdue 3 –3 –05 –4 –0
Indiana 2 –3 –15 –3 –1
Iowa 2 –3 –13 –5 –1
Northwestern 2 –4 –03 –6 –0
Ohio State 1 –4 –12 –6 –1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The team's statistical leaders included Clarence Self with 526 rushing yards, Jug Girard with 322 passing yards, Tom Bennett with 95 receiving yards, and Lisle Blackbourn, Jr., with 39 points scored.[4] Center Red Wilson received the team's most valuable player award;[5] Wilson also received first-team honors from the Associated Press, United Press, and International News Service on the 1947 All-Big Nine Conference football team.[6][7][8] Jack Wink was the team captain.[9]

Several Wisconsin records were set during the 1947 season, including the following:

  • In a game against Iowa on November 8, Jug Girard set four Iowa single game records: 158 punt return yards; two punt returns for touchdowns, an 85-yard return; and an average of 52.7 yards per return. Three of those record still stand (the record for longest punt return was broken in 1970).[10]
  • In a game against Purdue on September 27, Clarence Self set Iowa's single game record with an average of 12.7 yards per carry (10 carries for 127 yards). That record stood for 26 years.[11]
  • In a game against Michigan on November 15, Clarence Self set Iowa's single game record with 178 kickoff return yards. That record stood for 60 years.[12]

Wisconsin was ranked at No. 16 (out of 500 college football teams) in the final Litkenhous Ratings for 1947.[13]

The team played its home games at Camp Randall Stadium. During the 1947 season, the average attendance at home games was 44,200.[14]

Schedule
DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 27Purdue
W 32–1438,000[15]
October 4at Indianadagger
T 7–730,000[16]
October 11No. 8 California*
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI
L 7–4845,000[17]
October 18at No. 12 Yale*
W 9–065,000[18]
October 25Marquette*
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI
W 35–1245,000[19]
November 1at Northwestern
W 29–043,000[20]
November 8IowadaggerNo. 19
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI (rivalry)
W 46–1445,000[21]
November 15No. 2 MichiganNo. 9
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI
L 6–4045,000[22]
November 22at Minnesota
L 0–2163,862[23]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[1]

References
  1. "1947 Wisconsin Badgers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. March 13, 2017.
  2. "Wisconsin Football 2016 Fact Book" (PDF). University of Wisconsin. 2016. pp. 212, 220. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 30, 2016. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
  3. Wisconsin Football 2016 Fact Book, p. 146.
  4. Wisconsin Football 2016 Fact Book, pp. 134-136.
  5. Wisconsin Football 2016 Fact Book, p. 181.
  6. "Michigan Lands Four Players on All-Big Nine". The Daily News, Ludington, Mich. (AP story). November 24, 1947. p. 6.(AP)
  7. "'M' Awarded Five Positions on UP Team". The Michigan Daily. November 26, 1947. p. 3.(UP)
  8. Charles Einstein. "Wilson of Wisconsin On INS All-Big Nine Team". The Milwaukee Sentinel (INS story).(INS)
  9. Wisconsin Football 2016 Fact Book, p. 185.
  10. Wisconsin Football 2016 Fact Book, pp. 96, 130.
  11. Wisconsin Football 2016 Record Book, pp. 100, 103.
  12. Wisconsin Football 2016 Record Book, p. 130.
  13. Dr. E. E. Litkenhous (December 18, 1947). "Michigan National Champion in Final Litkenhous Ratings". Times. p. 47 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. Wisconsin Football 2016 Fact Book, p. 258.
  15. Hank Casserly (September 28, 1947). "Wisconsin Badgers Rout Purdue, 32 to 14 in Big Nine Gridiron Inaugural". The Capital Times. pp. 29–30 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. Jack Overmyer (October 5, 1947). "I.U., Badgers Tie: Visitors Gain 7-7 Standoff In 4th Period". The Indianapolis Star. p. 41 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. Emmons Byrne (October 12, 1947). "Bears Crush Wisconsin, 48 to 7". Oakland Tribune. pp. 24A, 26A – via Newspapers.com.
  18. Bill Lee (October 19, 1947). "Wisconsin Overcomes Yale In Bitterly Contested Game Before 65,000, By 9-0 Score". Hartford Courant. pp. IV-1, IV-5 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. Hank Casserly (October 26, 1947). "Wisconsin Badgers Rip Marquette 35 to 12 Before 45,000 Gridiron Fans". The Capital Times. p. 33 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. Charles Bartlett (November 2, 1947). "Wisconsin Routs N.U. 29-0: Badgers Crush Wildcats on Big First Half". Chicago Tribune. pp. II-1, II-7 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. Hank Casserly (November 9, 1947). "Brilliant Badger Team Rocks Iowa, 46-14; Stays In Big Nine Title Chase". The Capital Times. pp. Sports 1, 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. Henry J. McCormick (November 16, 1947). "Mighty Michigan Crushes Badgers, 40-6". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 35 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. Bernie Swanson (November 23, 1947). "Wisconsin Passes Backfire: Minnesota Wins Finale 21-0; Pass-Hawking Gophers Win". Minneapolis Sunday Tribune. p. 33 – via Newspapers.com.
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