1947 Arkansas Razorbacks football team

The 1947 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas in the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1947 college football season. In their second year under head coach John Barnhill, the Razorbacks compiled a 6–4–1 record (1–4–1 against SWC opponents), finished in a tie for fifth place in the SWC, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 191 to 145.[1][2]

1947 Arkansas Razorbacks football
Dixie Bowl champion
Dixie Bowl, W 21–19 vs. William & Mary
ConferenceSouthwest Conference
Record6–4–1 (1–4–1 SWC)
Head coach
CaptainJames Minor
Home stadiumRazorback Stadium
Seasons
← 1946
1948 →
1947 Southwest Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 3 SMU $ 5 0 1 9 0 2
No. 5 Texas 5 1 0 10 1 0
No. 18 Rice 4 2 0 6 3 1
TCU 2 3 1 4 5 2
Arkansas 1 4 1 6 4 1
Texas A&M 1 4 1 3 6 1
Baylor 1 5 0 5 5 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Clyde Scott led the Razorbacks in rushing in 1947 with 659 rushing yards on 152 carries (4.3 yard average). Quarterback Kenny Holland was the leading passer, completing 25 of 46 passes for 360 yards. Ross Pritchard was the team's leading receiver with 15 catches for 266 yards.

Arkansas was ranked at No. 27 (out of 500 college football teams) in the final Litkenhous Ratings for 1947.[3]

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 20at Northwestern State*W 64–0[4]
September 27North Texas State Teachers*W 12–015,000[5]
October 4TCU
  • Razorback Stadium
  • Fayetteville, AR
W 6–016,000[6]
October 11at BaylorL 9–1712,000–15,000[7]
October 18vs. No. 3 TexasL 6–2128,000[8]
October 25vs. Ole Miss*
W 19–1428,000[9]
November 1Texas A&M 
  • Razorback Stadium
  • Fayetteville, AR (rivalry)
T 21–2119,000[10]
November 8at RiceL 0–26[11]
November 15at No. 4 SMUL 6–1423,000[12]
November 27at Tulsa*W 27–1322,000–23,000[13]
January 1vs. No. 14 William & Mary*W 21–1925,000[14]
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Dixie Bowl

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1 2 3 4 Total
Razorbacks 0 14 0 7 21
Indians 7 6 6 0 19

Arkansas was set to play in the inaugural Dixie Bowl, which was the first of only two ever played, against a 9–1 William & Mary team. The Indians got on top early, recovering a Razorback fumbled quick-kick on the Arkansas six yard line, after which Jack Cloud scored from the one to give fourteenth-ranked William & Mary a 7–0 lead. The Indians drove another 78 yards, with Cloud again hitting pay dirt, but QB Stan Magdziak could not convert the extra point, leaving the score 13–0. The Razorbacks answered with a 59-yard touchdown pass from Kenny Holland to Ross Pritchard. Moments later, defensive halfback Melvin McGaha would intercept an errant Indian pass and returned it 70 yards for a touchdown. Aubrey Fowler's extra point was true, and the Razorbacks had a one-point lead. After halftime, William & Mary took back the lead with a six-yard strike from Magdziak to Henry Bland, but the extra point was again no good. A 97-yard Razorback drive was capped by Leon Campbell sprinting in from seven yards out with five minutes to play to give Arkansas a 21–19 lead, one that would not be relinquished. The crowd of 21,000 watched Arkansas push their record in bowl games to 1–0–2, which could have been 0–0–3 had the Indians converted two extra points.

Arkansas rushed for 103 yards against a William & Mary team that was allowing 61.5 yards per contest, second behind only Penn State's 17 yards per game.

Scoring summary

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Scoring summary
Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score
Plays Yards TOP ARK W&M
1 6 W&M Jack Cloud 1-yard touchdown run, Stan Magdziak kick good 0 7
2 78 W&M Jack Cloud 2-yard touchdown run, Stan Magdziak kick no good 0 13
2 ARK Ross Pritchard 59-yard touchdown reception from Kenny Holland, Aubrey Fowler kick good 7 13
2 70 ARK Interception returned 70 yards for touchdown by Melvin McGaha, Aubrey Fowler kick good 14 13
3 W&M Henry Bland 6-yard touchdown reception from Stan Magdziak, Stan Magdziak kick no good 14 19
4 97 ARK Leon Campbell 7-yard touchdown run, Aubrey Fowler kick good 21 19
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 21 19

References

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  1. ^ "Arkansas Yearly Results (1945-1949)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  2. ^ "1947 Arkansas Razorbacks Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  3. ^ Dr. E. E. Litkenhous (December 18, 1947). "Michigan National Champion in Final Litkenhous Ratings". Times. p. 47 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Arkansas Wins 64-0". Kingsport Times-News. September 21, 1947. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Porkers Hard Put To Subdue Eagles". Waco Tribune-Herald. September 28, 1947. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "44-Yard Pass Pay Gives Hogs 6-to-0 Triumph Over Toads". Waco Tribune-Herald. October 5, 1947. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Bears Stun Porkers, 17-9, in Tremendous Last-Quarter Rally". Waco Tribune-Herald. October 12, 1947. p. Sports 1, 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Weldon Hart (October 19, 1947). "Steers Blast Hogs: UT Club Rolls Through Rain To 21-6 Win". Sunday American-Statesman (Austin, TX). pp. 1, 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Will Grimsley (October 26, 1947). "Ole Miss Defeated 19 to 14: Rebels Passes Hit Hard by Wet Ball; Conerly Shines". Clarion-Ledger. pp. 1, 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Razorbacks Roar Back in Final Quarter to Tie Cadets, 21-21". Waco Tribune-Herald. November 2, 1947. p. Sports 3.
  11. ^ "Rice Owls Smother Arkansas Drives, Roll to 26-0 Victory". The Corpus Christi Caller-Times. November 9, 1947. p. 4D – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Harold V. Ratliff (November 16, 1947). "Referee Battles as SMU Edges Porkers, 14 to 6". The Corpus Christi Caller-Times. p. 37 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Laymond Crump (November 28, 1947). "Porkers Plow From Behind, Break Tulsa Drouth, 27-13". The Daily Oklahoman. p. 19 – via Newspapers.coma.
  14. ^ Bill Cleghorn (January 2, 1948). "Arkansas Outscores William and Mary, 21 to 19: W&M Shows More Power; Passes Win for Razorbacks". The Montgomery Advertiser. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.