Wikipedia

1947 Vanderbilt Commodores football team

The 1947 Vanderbilt Commodores football team was an American football team that represented Vanderbilt University in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1947 college football season. In its fifth season under head coach Red Sanders, the team compiled a 6–4 record (3–3 against SEC opponents), tied for fourth place in the SEC, and outscored all opponents by a total of 182 to 85.[1]

1947 Vanderbilt Commodores football
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Record6–4 (3–3 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive schemeSingle-wing
Captains
  • John North
  • Tex Robertson
Home stadiumDudley Field
Seasons
← 1946
1948 →
1947 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 13 Ole Miss $6–1–09–2–0
No. 10 Georgia Tech4–1–010–1–0
No. 6 Alabama5–2–08–3–0
Mississippi State2–2–07–3–0
Georgia3–3–07–4–1
Vanderbilt3–3–06–4–0
Tulane2–3–22–5–2
LSU2–3–15–3–1
Kentucky2–3–08–3–0
Tennessee2–3–05–5–0
Auburn1–5–02–7–0
Florida0–3–14–5–1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Vanderbilt was ranked at No. 31 (out of 500 college football teams) in the final Litkenhous Ratings for 1947.[2] When the AP Poll began releasing its college football ranking on October 6, 1947, Vanderbilt ranked No. 10 for two weeks; they would not rank in the top ten again until the 2025 season, where Vanderbilt defeated No. 10 LSU on October 18, 2025.[3]

Schedule

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DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 27at Northwestern
W 3–042,000[4]
October 4Alabama
W 14–722,000[5]
October 11No. 18 Ole MissNo. 10
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN (rivalry)
W 10–622,000[6]
October 18No. 20 KentuckyNo. 10
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN (rivalry)
L 0–1422,500[7]
October 25at No. 18 LSU*No. 19
L 13–1942,000[8]
November 1Auburn
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN
W 28–018,000[9]
November 8Tennessee Tech
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN
W 68–016,000[10]
November 14at Miami (FL)*
W 33–729,717[11]
November 22Maryland*
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN
L 6–2020,000[12]
November 29Tennessee
L 7–1240,000[13]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[14]

Rankings

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Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked
Week
Poll123456789Final
AP101019———————

References

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  1. ↑ "1947 Vanderbilt Commodores Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 19, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ Dr. E. E. Litkenhous (December 18, 1947). "Michigan National Champion in Final Litkenhous Ratings". Times. p. 47 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ Russo, Ralph D. (October 19, 2025). "AP Top 25: Indiana up to No. 2 as Vanderbilt reaches top 10 in poll for first time since 1947". The New York Times. Retrieved October 19, 2025.
  4. ↑ Arch Ward (September 28, 1947). "N.U. Loses, 3 To 0: Vanderbilt's Upset Victory Stuns 42,000". Chicago Tribune. p. II-1 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ Raymond Johnson (October 5, 1947). "Vandy Upsets Alabama 14-7". The Nashville Tennessean. pp. 1A, 1C – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ Raymond Johnson (October 12, 1947). "Vandy Rolls On as Clinard Kicks To Sink Ole Miss 10-6: Berry Climaxes 68-Yard Drive With Touchdown". The Tennessean. pp. 1A, 1C – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ Larry Boeck (October 19, 1947). "U.K. Roars to Fourth Straight Win, Shocks Vandy With First Loss 14-0". The Courier-Journal. p. IV-1 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ Raymond Johnson (October 26, 1947). "Bengals Squeeze Past Commodores 19 To 13: Davidson Shines As VU Displays Great Offense". The Nashville Tennessean. pp. 1C, 4C – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ Bob Shirley (November 2, 1947). "Vandy's First-Half Power Rips Auburn 28-0: Clinard Boots 4 Extra Points in Vandy Win". The Nashville Tennessean. pp. C1, C3 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ Bill Shirley (November 9, 1947). "Vandy Turns on Power To Stomp TPI 68-0". The Nashville Tennessean. pp. 1C, 3C – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ Guy Butler (November 15, 1947). "Worst Defeat Since 1944: Vandy Power Buries U. Miami". Miami Daily News. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ Raymond Johnson (November 23, 1947). "Rugged Terrapins Stun Vandy With 20-6 Upset". The Nashville Tennessean. pp. 1C, 4C – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ Raymond Johnson (November 30, 1947). "Vandy Bows 12-7 To U-T's Power". The Nashville Tennessean. pp. 1, 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "1947 Vanderbilt Commodores Schedule and Results".
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