The 1947 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois during the 1947 Big Nine Conference football season. In their sixth year under head coach Ray Eliot, the Illini compiled a 5–3–1 record and finished in a three-way tie for third place in the Big Ten Conference. The team played No. 5 Army to a scoreless tie and narrowly lost by a 14–7 score to undefeated national champion Michigan.[1] End Ike Owens was selected as the team's most valuable player.[2]
| 1947 Illinois Fighting Illini football | |
|---|---|
 Michigan's Bump Elliott on a 74 yard touchdown run against Illinois in 1947 | |
| Conference | Big Nine Conference |
| Record | 5–3–1 (3–3 Big Nine) |
| Head coach |
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| MVP | Ike Owens |
| Captain | Art Duffelmeier |
| Home stadium | Memorial Stadium |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Illinois was unranked in the final AP poll but was ranked at No. 8 in the final Litkenhous Ratings for 1947.[3]
Schedule
edit| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 27 | Pittsburgh* | W 14–0 | 22,079 | [4] | ||
| October 4 | at Iowa | W 35–12 | 52,294 | [5] | ||
| October 11 | at No. 5 Army* | No. 6 | T 0–0 | 65,000 | [6] | |
| October 18 | No. 13 Minnesota | No. 6 |
| W 40–13 | 56,048 | [7] |
| October 25 | at Purdue | No. 5 | L 7–14 | 42,000 | [8] | |
| November 1 | No. 2 Michigan | No. 11 |
| L 7–14 | 71,119 | [9] |
| November 8 | Western Michigan* | No. 11 |
| W 60–14 | 24,012 | [10] |
| November 15 | at Ohio State | No. 11 | W 28–7 | 70,036 | [11] | |
| November 22 | Northwestern | No. 12 |
| L 13–28 | 52,158 | [12] |
| ||||||
Rankings
edit| Week | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Final |
| AP | 6 | 6 (1) | 5 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | — | — | — |
References
edit- ^ "1947 Illinois Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
- ^ "Fighting Illini Football Record Book" (PDF). University of Illinois. 2015. p. 155. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
- ^ Dr. E. E. Litkenhous (December 18, 1947). "Michigan National Champion in Final Litkenhous Ratings". Times. p. 47 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Irving Vaughan (September 28, 1947). "Illini Whip Pitt, 14-0: Eddleman Scores Both Illinois Touchdowns in Fourth Quarter". Chicago Tribune. p. II-1 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Tony Cordaro (October 5, 1947). "Illinois Crushes Iowa, 35-12". The Des Moines Register. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Gene Ward (October 12, 1947). "Cadets Play 0-0 Draw; Illini Miss Field Goal". The Daily News (New York City). p. 102 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Max Greenwald (October 26, 1947). "Purdue, Notre Dame Conquer Gridiron Rivals: Riveters Hand Illinois' Big Nine Champs First Defeat of Season, 14-7". The Indianapolis Star. pp. 41–42 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Charles Chamberlain (November 2, 1947). "Elliott Sparks Michigan To 14-7 Win Over Illinois: Bump Scores On 75 Yard Run In First Quarter". The Pantagraph. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Illinois Routs West. Michigan Eleven, 60 To 14". Chicago Tribune. November 9, 1947. p. II-5 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Maurice Shevlin (November 16, 1947). "Illini Defeat Ohio State in Rain, 28 to 7". Chicago Tribune. pp. II-1, II-7 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Charles Chamberlain (November 23, 1947). "2 Wildcat Rallies Bring 28-13 Victory Over Illini". The Pantagraph. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
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