1948 Michigan Tech Huskies football team

The 1948 Michigan Tech Huskies football team was an American football team that represented the Michigan College of Mining and Technology (later renamed Michigan Technological University) as an independent during the 1948 college football season. In their second year under head coach Alan Bovard, the Huskies compiled a perfect 7–0 record and outscored opponents by a total of 209 to 58.[2]

1948 Michigan Tech Huskies football
ConferenceIndependent
Record7–0
Head coach
CaptainJohn Donald[1]
Home stadiumSherman Field
Seasons
← 1947
1949 →
1948 Midwestern college football independents records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Michigan Tech     7 0 0
No. 2 Notre Dame     9 0 1
Bowling Green     8 0 1
Washington University     9 1 0
John Carroll     7 1 2
Ball State     6 2 0
Michigan State     6 2 2
Baldwin–Wallace     5 2 2
Detroit     6 3 0
Indiana State     4 4 0
Wabash     4 4 0
Wayne     4 4 0
Valparaiso     4 5 0
Toledo     5 6 0
Michigan State Normal     3 5 0
Xavier     4 6 0
Central Michigan     3 6 0
Marquette     2 8 0
Rankings from AP Poll

The Houghton Daily Mining Gazette wrote of the Huskies' perfect season: "It is an accomplishment unique in the annals of Michigan Tech football and will stand as a monument to Coach Bovard, his staff, and the members of a great team."[3] It was one of two perfect seasons for the Michigan Tech football program, the other occurring 26 years later by the 1974 team.[4] Other schools compiling perfect seasons in 1948 included Michigan, Clemson, Occidental, and Alma.[5]

Key players on the 1948 team included quarterback Carl Stenson, left halfback Dick Peterson, end John Winkel, tackles George Bianchi and John Donald, guard Jack Patek, and center Hal Smith.[6] The team's assistant coaches were Chuck Bernard (line coach), Rex Benoit (end coach), and Ken Hawk (backfield coach).[7]

The team played its home games on Sherman Field in Houghton, Michigan.

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 18at Minnesota DuluthDuluth, MNW 19–13
September 25Cornell (IA)
W 32–14[8][9]
October 9Detroit Tech
  • Sherman Field
  • Houghton, MI
W 33–6[10]
October 16at Ferris StateBig Rapids, MIW 21–6
October 23Northern Michigan
  • Sherman Field
  • Houghton, MI
W 44–13[11]
October 30Northland
  • Sherman Field
  • Houghton, MI
W 47–0
November 11at Stout Institute
W 13–6[12]

[13]

References

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  1. ^ "Michigan Tech Coach Predicts Strong Eleven". The Holland Evening Sentinel. September 3, 1948. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Michigan Tech Yearly Results". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  3. ^ "Sport Slants". Ironwood Daily Globe. November 13, 1948. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Michigan Tech Yearly Totals". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  5. ^ "Two Dropped From Nation's Perfect List". The Anniston Star. November 15, 1948. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Engineers Open '48 Campaign Saturday". Detroit Free Press. September 17, 1948. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Coaches of Undefeated Huskies". Lansing State Journal. November 13, 1948. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Michigan Tech Beats Cornell". Des Moines Register. September 26, 1948. p. S9 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Michigan Tech Swamps Cornell By 32-14 Margin". The Democrat and Leader. September 26, 1948. p. 43 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Detroit Tech Drubbed by Huskies, 33-6". Detroit Free Press. October 10, 1948. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Michigan Tech Chalks Up 5th Straight, 44-13". Lansing State Journal. October 24, 1948. p. 43 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Unbeaten Michigan Tech Edges Hard Fighting Blue Devils 13-6: Blue Devils Hold Tech To 6-6 Tie at Half Time". The Dunn County News. November 17, 1948. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "1948-49 Football". Michigan Technological University. Retrieved July 21, 2024.