1947 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1947
| team = Penn State Nittany Lions
| sport = football
| image = Penn State 1948 Cotton Bowl team.jpg
| image_size = 285
| conference = Independent
| APRank = 4
| record = 9–0–1
| head_coach = Bob Higgins
| hc_year = 18th
| captain = John Nolan
| captain2 = John Potsklan
| stadium = New Beaver Field
| champion = Eastern champion
| bowl = Cotton Bowl Classic
| bowl_result = T 13–13 vs. SMU
}}
{{1947 Eastern college football independents records}}
The 1947 Penn State Nittany Lions football team was an American football team that represented Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) as an independent during the 1947 college football season. In its 18th season under head coach Bob Higgins, the team compiled an undefeated 9–0–1 record, shut out six opponents, outscored opponents by a total of 332 to 40, and was ranked No. 4 in the final AP Poll. The team was 9–0 during the regular season and played No. 3 SMU to a tie in the 1948 Cotton Bowl Classic.{{cite web|title=1947 Penn State Nittany Lions Schedule and Results|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|access-date=February 15, 2019|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/penn-state/1947-schedule.html}} The team played its home games in New Beaver Field in State College, Pennsylvania.
On defense, the team gave up an average of 4.0 points per game, the lowest total among all major college teams during the 1947 season.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1947
| poll = AP
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 20
| w/l = w
| neutral = y
| opponent = Washington State
| site_stadium = Hersheypark Stadium
| site_cityst = Hershey, PA
| score = 27–6
| attend = 15,000–16,000
| source = {{cite news|title=Lions Easily Defeat Washington State, 27 to 6|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press|author=Chester L. Smith|date=September 21, 1947|page=40|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28411615/lions_easily_defeat_washington_state/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 4
| w/l = w
| opponent = Bucknell
| site_stadium = New Beaver Field
| site_cityst = State College, PA
| score = 54–0
| attend = 12,294
| source = {{cite news|title=Nittany Blanks Bucknell, 54-0: Higgins' Reserves Have Field Day|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press|date=October 5, 1947|page=29|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28446884/nittany_blanks_bucknell_540_higgins/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 11
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 12
| opponent = Fordham
| site_stadium = Polo Grounds
| site_cityst = New York, NY
| score = 75–0
| attend = 12,000
| source = {{cite news|title=Penn St., 75-0; Worst Ram Loss|newspaper=The Daily News (New York City)|author=Hy Turkin|date=October 12, 1947|page=102|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28447082/penn_st_750_worst_ram_loss/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 18
| w/l = w
| homecoming = y
| rank = 9
| opponent = Syracuse
| site_stadium = New Beaver Field
| site_cityst = State College, PA
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 40–0
| attend = 16,632–20,000
| source = {{cite news|title=Penn State Routs Syracuse In Last Three Quarters|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press|date=October 19, 1947|page=30|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28447212/penn_state_routs_syracuse_in_last_three/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 25
| w/l = w
| rank = 9
| opponent = West Virginia
| site_stadium = New Beaver Field
| site_cityst = State College, PA
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 21–14
| attend = 20,313–22,000
| source = {{cite news|title=Penn State Scores 21-14 Victory Over Mountaineers|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press|author=Chester L. Smith|date=October 26, 1947|page=30|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28415613/penn_state_scores_2114_victory_over/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 1
| w/l = w
| rank = 7
| opponent = Colgate
| site_stadium = New Beaver Field
| site_cityst = State College, PA
| score = 46–0
| attend = 14,014
| source = {{cite news|title=Penn State Whips Colgate, 46-0, and Stays Unbeaten|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press|date=November 2, 1947|page=36|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28227812/penn_state_whips_colgate_460_and/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 8
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 7
| opponent = Temple
| site_stadium = Temple Stadium
| site_cityst = Philadelphia, PA
| score = 7–0
| attend = 20,000
| source = {{cite news|title=Temple Loses to State, 7-0|newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer|author=Stan Baumgartner|date=November 9, 1947|pages=S1, S5|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28006696/temple_loses_to_state_70/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 15
| w/l = w
| neutral = y
| rank = 8
| opponent = Navy
| site_stadium = Municipal Stadium
| site_cityst = Baltimore, MD
| score = 20–7
| attend = 25,000
| source = {{cite news|title=Penn State Victor Over Navy, 20-7|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|author=Stuart B. McIver|date=November 16, 1947|pages=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28447439/penn_state_victor_over_navy_207/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 22
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 5
| opponent = Pittsburgh
| site_stadium = Pitt Stadium
| site_cityst = Pittsburgh, PA
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 29–0
| attend = 47,822–53,000
| source = {{cite news|title=Penn State Finishes Unbeaten With 29-0 Win: Lions Overwhelm Pitt For First Perfect Season Since 1912|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press|author=Chester L. Smith|date=November 23, 1947|page=21|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28447639/penn_state_finishes_unbeaten_with_290/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = January 1, 1948
| w/l = t
| neutral = y
| rank = 4
| opponent = SMU
| opprank = 3
| site_stadium = Cotton Bowl
| site_cityst = Dallas, TX
| gamename = Cotton Bowl
| score = 13–13
| attend = 43,000–47,000
| source = {{cite news|title=SMU, Penn State Deadlock, 13 to 13 in Cotton Bowl|newspaper=The Austin American|author=Tex Maule|date=January 2, 1948|page=14|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28442323/smu_penn_state_deadlock_13_to_13_in/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
}}
Rankings
{{see also|1947 college football rankings}}
{{Ranking movements
| poll1title = AP
| poll1firstweek = 1
| poll1lastweek = 10
| poll1_1=12 {{small|(1)}}
| poll1_2=9
| poll1_3=9 {{small|(1)}}
| poll1_4=7 {{small|(2)}}
| poll1_5=7 {{small|(2)}}
| poll1_6=8 {{small|(3)}}
| poll1_7=5 {{small|(6)}}
| poll1_8=5 {{small|(1)}}
| poll1_9=5
| poll1_10=4 {{small|(1)}}
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Penn State Nittany Lions football navbox}}
Category:Penn State Nittany Lions football seasons
Category:Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy seasons