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1947 Michigan

10–⁠0 (6–⁠0 Western Conference), coached by Fritz Crisler, finished No. 2 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Michigan in 1947, game by game: won vs. Michigan State 55–0; won vs. Stanford 49–13; won vs. Pittsburgh 69–0; won at Northwestern 49–21; won vs. Minnesota 13–6; won at No. 11 Illinois 14–7; won vs. Indiana 35–0; won at No. 9 Wisconsin 40–6; won vs. Ohio State 21–0; won vs. No. 3 USC 49–0+69Won 55–0 vs. Michigan State+55Michigan StateWon 49–13 vs. Stanford+36StanfordWon 69–0 vs. Pittsburgh+69PittsburghWon 49–21 at Northwestern+28NorthwesternWon 13–6 vs. Minnesota+7MinnesotaWon 14–7 at No. 11 Illinois+7No. 11 IllinoisWon 35–0 vs. Indiana+35IndianaWon 40–6 at No. 9 Wisconsin+34No. 9 WisconsinWon 21–0 vs. Ohio State+21Ohio StateWon 49–0 vs. No. 3 USC+49No. 3 USC
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 27vsMichigan StateW 55–⁠077%
Oct 4vsStanfordW 49–⁠1376%
Oct 11vsPittsburghW 69–⁠085%
Oct 18atNorthwesternW 49–⁠2171%
Oct 25vsMinnesotaW 13–⁠678%
Nov 1at11IllinoisW 14–⁠753%
Nov 8vsIndianaW 35–⁠075%
Nov 15at9WisconsinW 40–⁠666%
Nov 22vsOhio StateW 21–⁠090%
Jan 1Bowls & playoffvs3USCRose BowlW 49–⁠064%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat USC 49–⁠0 in the Rose Bowl; No. 2 in the final AP poll; Western Conference champions.

In program history: The 5th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 140 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 2
  2. Wk 2: 1
  3. Wk 3: 1
  4. Wk 4: 2
  5. Wk 5: 2
  6. Wk 6: 2
  7. Wk 7: 1
  8. Wk 8: 2
  9. Wk 9: 2
  10. Final: 2

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1947.

National championsa title the school claims

Western Conference champions6–⁠0 in the conference

Heisman voteBob Chappuis, second

Led the nationGene Derricotte: punt return average (24.8)

Consensus All-AmericanBob Chappuis, RB

Fritz Crisler’s “Mad Magicians” went 10–⁠0 and beat USC 49–⁠0 in the Rose Bowl.

Record
10–⁠0
Conference
6–⁠0 first in Western Conference
AP final
No. 2 peak No. 1
Points
394–⁠53
Coach
Fritz Crisler
Elo
1797 +162 this season
SP+ rating
—
SRS
31.6 No. 1 of 120 major-college teams
Recruiting class
—
Captain
Bruce Hilkene
Most valuable player
Bump Elliott
Offense
Single-wing

Drafted in 1948

The 1948 draft
Rd 6Jack Weisenburger BWashington Redskins
Rd 3Len Ford ELos Angeles Dons (AAFC)

All-Big Nine

5 first team, 3 second team

First team

  • Bob MannEAP-1; INS-1; UP-1
  • Bill PritulaOTAP-2; INS-2; UP-1
  • Howard YergesQBAP-1; INS-2; UP-1
  • Bob ChappuisRBAP-1; INS-1; UP-1
  • Bump ElliottRBAP-1; INS-1; UP-1

Second team

From Wikipedia’s 1947 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1947 Western Conference standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
Michigan6–⁠010–⁠02
Wisconsin3–⁠2–⁠15–⁠3–⁠1
Minnesota3–⁠36–⁠3
Illinois3–⁠35–⁠3–⁠1
Purdue3–⁠35–⁠4
Indiana2–⁠3–⁠15–⁠3–⁠1
Iowa2–⁠3–⁠13–⁠5–⁠1
Northwestern2–⁠43–⁠6
Ohio State1–⁠4–⁠12–⁠6–⁠1

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.