1947 William & Mary Indians football team

{{Infobox college sports team season

| year = 1947

| team = William & Mary Indians

| sport = football

| image =

| image_size =

| conference = Southern Conference

| short_conf = SoCon

| APRank = 14

| record = 9–2

| conf_record = 7–1

| head_coach = Rube McCray

| hc_year = 4th

| captain = Bob Steckroth

| stadium = Cary Field

| champion = SoCon champion

| bowl = Dixie Bowl

| bowl_result = L 19–21 vs. Arkansas

}}

The 1947 William & Mary Indians football team was an American football team that represented the College of William & Mary in the Southern Conference during the 1947 college football season. In its fourth season under head coach Rube McCray, the team compiled a 9–2 record (7–1 against conference opponents), won the Southern Conference championship, was ranked No. 14 in the final AP Poll, and outscored opponents by a total of 320 to 87. The team lost to North Carolina in the regular season and to Arkansas in the 1948 Dixie Bowl on New Year's Day.{{cite news|title=1947 William & Mary Tribe Schedule and Results|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|access-date=February 16, 2019|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/william-mary/1947-schedule.html}}

Five William & Mary players were selected by the Associated Press as first-team players on the 1947 All-Southern Conference football team: fullback Jack Cloud; end Robert Steckroth; guard Knox Ramsey; and center Tommy Thompson.{{cite news|title=Cloud Is Captain Of All-Southern|newspaper=The Cumberland News|date=November 29, 1947|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3903521/cloud_is_captain_of_all_southern/}} Cloud broke the school's scoring record with 102 points in 1947 and was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.{{cite web|title=Jack Cloud|publisher=National Football Foundation |access-date=February 16, 2019|url=https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1715|via=Newspapers.com}} In addition, tackle Lou Creekmur later played ten years with the Detroit Lions and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The team played it home games at Cary Field in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

| rankyear = 1947

| poll = AP

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 27

| w/l = w

| neutral = y

| opponent = Davidson

| site_stadium = Foreman Field

| site_cityst = Norfolk, VA

| score = 21–0

| attend = 9,000

| source = {{cite news|title=Indians In Second Half Rally To Beat Wildcats|newspaper=Daily Press (Newport News, VA)|date=September 28, 1947|page=10A|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28364088/indians_in_second_half_rally_to_beat/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 4

| w/l = w

| opponent = The Citadel

| site_stadium = Cary Field

| site_cityst = Williamsburg, VA

| score = 56–7

| attend = 6,000

| source = {{cite news|title=William and Mary's Indians Smother The Citadel, 56-7|newspaper=The Staunton News-Leader|date=October 5, 1947|page=7|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28502286/william_and_marys_indians_smother_the/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 11

| w/l = w

| neutral = y

| opponent = VPI

| site_stadium = City Stadium

| site_cityst = Richmond, VA

| score = 21–7

| attend = 10,000

| source = {{cite news|title=WM On Warpath In Final Quarter To Beat VPI 21-7|newspaper=Daily Press (Newport News, VA)|date=October 12, 1947|page=10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28502612/wm_on_warpath_in_final_quarter_to_beat/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 18

| w/l = l

| opponent = North Carolina

| site_stadium = Cary Field

| site_cityst = Williamsburg, VA

| score = 7–13

| attend = 18,000

| source = {{cite news|title=W&M Fumble In Fourth Quarter Gives North Carolina 14-7 Win|newspaper=The Staunton News-Leader|date=October 19, 1947|page=6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28502884/wm_fumble_in_fourth_quarter_gives/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 25

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| opponent = Boston University

| site_stadium = Fenway Park

| site_cityst = Boston, MA

| score = 47–13

| attend = 6,800

| source = {{cite news|title=William & Mary Rolls at Will vs. B.U., 47-13|newspaper=The Boston Globe|author=Bob Holbrook|date=October 26, 1947|page=28|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28282370/william_mary_rolls_at_will_vs_bu/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 1

| w/l = w

| opponent = Wake Forest

| site_stadium = Cary Field

| site_cityst = Williamsburg, VA

| score = 21–0

| attend = 17,000

| source = {{cite news|title=Indians Top Deacons 21-0; Cloud Scores On Thriller|newspaper=Daily Press (Newport news, Virginia)|date=November 2, 1947|page=10A|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28409482/indians_top_deacons_210_cloud_scores/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 8

| w/l = w

| rank = 15

| homecoming = y

| opponent = VMI

| site_stadium = Cary Field

| site_cityst = Williamsburg, VA

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 28–20

| attend = 8,000

| source = {{cite news|title=William And Mary Wins, 28-10, Despite Late VMI Rally|newspaper=The Staunton News-Leader|date=November 9, 1947|page=9|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28308246/william_and_mary_wins_2810_despite/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 15

| w/l = w

| neutral = y

| rank = 12

| opponent = Washington and Lee

| site_stadium = Victory Stadium

| site_cityst = Roanoke, VA

| score = 45–6

| attend =

| source = {{cite news|title=Flying Jack Cloud Stars As Indians Thump W&L, 45-6|newspaper=Daily Press|author=Robert Moore|date=November 16, 1947|page=10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28419513/flying_jack_cloud_stars_as_indians/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 22

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| rank = 14

| opponent = Bowling Green

| site_stadium = Cary Field

| site_cityst = Williamsburg, VA

| score = 20–0

| attend = 2,000

| source = {{cite news|title=William And Mary Tribe Ragged But Scores 20-0 Win|newspaper=Daily Press (Newport News, Virginia)|author=Ed Young|date=November 23, 1947|page=24|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28314292/william_and_mary_tribe_ragged_but/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 27

| w/l = w

| away = y

| rank = 14

| opponent = Richmond

| site_stadium = City Stadium

| site_cityst = Richmond, VA

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 35–0

| attend = 15,000

| source = {{cite news|title=William And Mary Clinches Conference Crown With 35-0 Victory Over Spiders|newspaper=The Staunton News-Leader|date=November 28, 1947|page=9|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28300904/william_and_mary_clinches_conference/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = January 1, 1948

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| neutral = y

| rank = 14

| opponent = Arkansas

| site_stadium = Legion Field

| site_cityst = Birmingham, AL

| gamename = Dixie Bowl

| score = 19–21

| attend = 25,000

| source = {{cite news|title=Arkansas Outscores William and Mary, 21 to 19: W&M Shows More Power; Passes Win for Razorbacks|newspaper=The Montgomery Advertiser|author=Bill Cleghorn|date=January 2, 1948|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28494445/arkansas_outscores_william_and_mary_21/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}