1947 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team

The 1947 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the 1947 Big Nine Conference football season. In their 13th year under head coach Bernie Bierman, the Golden Gophers compiled a 6–3 record and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 174 to 127.[1]

1947 Minnesota Golden Gophers football
Conference	Big Nine Conference
1947 record	6–3 (3–3 Big Nine)
Head coach	Bernie Bierman (13th season)
MVP	Larry Olsonoski
Captain	Steve Silianoff
Home stadium	Memorial Stadium

1947 Big Nine Conference football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 2 Michigan $	6	–	0	–	0			10	–	0	–	0
Wisconsin	3	–	2	–	1			5	–	3	–	1
Minnesota	3	–	3	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Illinois	3	–	3	–	0			5	–	3	–	1
Purdue	3	–	3	–	0			5	–	4	–	0
Indiana	2	–	3	–	1			5	–	3	–	1
Iowa	2	–	3	–	1			3	–	5	–	1
Northwestern	2	–	4	–	0			3	–	6	–	0
Ohio State	1	–	4	–	1			2	–	6	–	1
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

Guard Leo Nomellini was named All-Big Ten.[2] Guard Larry Olsonoski was awarded the Team MVP Award.[3]

Total attendance for the season was 289,612, which averaged to 57,922. The season high for attendance was against Purdue.[4]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 27	Washington*		Memorial Stadium Minneapolis	W 7–6	43,377	[5]
October 4	at Nebraska*		Memorial Stadium Lincoln, Nebraska (rivalry)	W 28–13	34,500	[6]
October 12	Northwestern	No. 17	Memorial Stadium Minneapolis	W 37–21	60,669	[7]
October 18	at No. 6 Illinois	No. 13	Memorial Stadium Champaign, Illinois	L 13–40	56,048	[8]
October 25	at No. 1 Michigan		Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, Michigan (Little Brown Jug)	L 6–13	85,938	[9]
November 1	Pittsburgh*		Memorial Stadium Minneapolis	W 29–0	56,334	[10]
November 8	No. 14 Purdue		Memorial Stadium Minneapolis	W 26–21	63,659	[11]
November 15	at Iowa	No. 20	Iowa Stadium Iowa City, Iowa (rivalry)	L 7–13	50,000	[12]
November 22	Wisconsin		Memorial Stadium Minneapolis (rivalry)	W 21–0	63,862	[13]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Game summaries

Michigan

Week 5: Minnesota at Michigan

1 2 3 4 Total Minnesota 0 6 0 0 6 • Michigan 0 7 0 6 13 Date: October 25, 1947 Location: Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, Michigan Game attendance: 85,938

In the fifth week of the season, Minnesota a close game against Michigan by a score of 13–6. Michigan scored first on a long touchdown pass from Bob Chappuis to Bump Elliott. The final touchdown in the fourth quarter followed a 24-yard interception return by Jack Weisenburger to the Minnesota 21-yard line. Gene Derricotte scored after faking to the right and then running through a hole on the left side and into the end zone. Chappuis was held to 26 rushing yards, less than two yards per carry.[14]

References

1. "1947 Minnesota Golden Gophers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
2. Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), p. 180
3. Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), p. 181
4. Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), p. 160
5. Charles Johnson (September 28, 1947). "Gophers Nip Washington, 7-6; Bailey Boots Winning Point". Minneapolis Sunday Tribune. pp. Sports 1–2.
6. Walt Dobbins (October 5, 1947). "NU Rally Short as Gophers Win 28-13". Sunday Journal and Star (Lincoln, Nebraska). pp. 11, 33 – via Newspapers.com.
7. Charles Johnson (October 12, 1947). "Alert Gophers Whip Cats 37-21". Minneapolis Sunday Tribune. pp. Sports 1–2 – via Newspapers.com.
8. Charles Johnson (October 19, 1947). "Illinois' Superior Speed, Passing Snap Fighting Gophers' Winning Streak 40-13". Minneapolis Sunday Tribune. pp. Sports 1–2 – via Newspapers.com.
9. Lyall Smith (October 26, 1947). "Wolverines Nip Minnesota, 13-6". Detroit Free Press – via Newspapers.com.
10. Charles Johnson (November 2, 1947). "Gophers Subdue Pitt 29-0 With Late Rush". Minneapolis Sunday Tribune. pp. Sports 1–2 – via Newspapers.com.
11. Charles Johnson (November 9, 1947). "Gophers Rally To Tip Purdue 26-21". Minneapolis Sunday Tribune. pp. Sports 1–2.
12. "50,000 Cheer As Hawks Win The 'Big One'". The Des Moines Register. November 16, 1947. pp. 1L, 2L – via Newspapers.com.
13. 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.
14. Walter W. Ruch (October 19, 1947). "Michigan Topples Minnesota, 13 to 6: Wolverines, Outrushed by the Gophers, Take Advantage of Breaks Before 85,000". The New York Times.