1947 Denison Big Red football team

1947 Denison Big Red football
Head coach Woody Hayes, 1947
OAC champion
ConferenceOhio Athletic Conference
Record9–0 (6–0 OAC)
Head coach
CaptainWalter Cheslock
Home stadiumDeeds Field
Seasons
← 1946
1948 →
1947 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Denison $ 6 0 0 9 0 0
Findlay 4 0 0 9 1 0
Heidelberg 6 1 0 7 1 0
John Carroll 5 1 0 6 3 0
Toledo 3 1 0 9 2 0
Kent State 3 1 0 4 4 0
Baldwin–Wallace 4 2 0 5 4 0
Ohio Wesleyan 4 2 0 6 2 1
Wittenberg 4 4 0 4 5 0
Muskingum 3 3 0 5 3 0
Kenyon 1 1 0 3 4 0
Wooster 4 5 0 4 5 0
Mount Union 3 4 0 5 4 0
Ohio Northern 2 4 0 2 5 1
Oberlin 1 2 0 3 4 1
Wilmington (OH) 1 2 0 2 6 0
Akron 2 5 0 2 6 0
Ashland 1 3 0 3 5 0
Marietta 1 3 0 2 5 0
Otterbein 1 4 0 2 6 1
Capital 1 6 0 2 6 1
Case 0 5 0 1 7 0
  • $ – Conference champion

The 1947 Denison Big Red football team was an American football team that represented Denison University as a member of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) during the 1947 college football season. In their second year under head coach Woody Hayes, the Big Red compiled a 9–0 record (6–0 in conference games), won the OAC championship, and outscored opponents by 268 to 60. Of the 39 college football teams in Ohio, Denison was the only one in 1947 to compile a perfect season with no losses or ties.[1][2] It was also the first perfect season in Denison football history. Hayes also led the 1948 Denison team to a perfect season before moving on to Miami (OH) and Ohio State.

Tackle Walter Cheslock was the team captain.[3] Four Denison players were selected as first-team players on the 1947 All-Ohio Conference football team: Cheslock; halfback Ed Rupp; end Bill Hart; and center Bill Wehr. Halfback Gerald Gaynor was named to the second team[4] Hart was selected as a first-team player on the 1947 Little All-America college football team,[5] and Gaynor was selected to play in the Blue-Gray gridiron classic, the first Denison player to be so honored.[6]

The team played its home games at Deeds Field in Granville, Ohio.

  1. ^ Howell, Fritz (November 25, 1947). "Denison Footballers Sweep Ohio College Laurels". Mansfield New-Journal. Mansfield, Ohio. Associated Press. p. 12. Retrieved July 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  2. ^ "2020 Ohio Athletic Conference Football Record Book" (PDF). Ohio Athletic Conference. 2020. p. 46. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  3. ^ "D.U. Begins Practice; Cheslock Voted Leader". The Newark Advocate and American Tribune. September 9, 1947. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Four Denison Gridders Placed On 1947 All-Ohio Conference Eleven". The Newark Advocate and American Tribune. December 11, 1947. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Hart On Little All-America Grid Team". The Newark Advocate and American Tribune. December 9, 1947. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Gaynor To Play in North-South Tilt". The Newark Advocate and American Tribune. December 4, 1947. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.