Bruce Hilkene - College Football - 1947 Season - Best Team in Michigan History

Best Team in Michigan History

The 1947 Michigan football team captained by Hilkene went undefeated in the regular season and went on to defeat USC 49-0 in the 1948 Rose Bowl game. The 1947 team outscored its opponents 394–53 and was selected by the ESPN Big Ten College Football Encyclopedia as the best team in the history of Michigan football. The team had two first-team All-Americans, Bob Chappuis and Bump Elliott, and its performance in the 1948 Rose Bowl still stands as the most points scored, and the largest margin of victory, in Rose Bowl history. The 1947 team is also remembered as the first team fully to embrace the concept of defensive and offensive specialization. Previously, most players had played their positions on both offense and defense. But in 1947, Coach Fritz Crisler established separate offensive and defensive squads. Only Bump Elliott and Jack Weisenberger played on both squads. In November 1947, Time magazine ran a feature article about the 1947 Wolverines (with Bob Chappuis’ photograph on the cover) focused on the new era of specialization marked by Crisler’s decision to field separate offensive and defensive units.”