1947 Toledo Rockets football team

1947 Toledo Rockets football
Glass Bowl, W 20–14 vs. New Hampshire
Conference	Ohio Athletic Conference
Record	9–2 (3–1 OAC)
Head coach	Bill Orwig (2nd season)
Captain	Tony Wolodzko
Home stadium	Glass Bowl
Seasons ←  1946 1948  →

1947 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings

v t e	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 Toledo Rockets football team was an American football team that represented Toledo University (renamed the University of Toledo in 1967) in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) during the 1947 college football season. In their second season under head coach Bill Orwig, the Rockets compiled a 9–2 record (3–1 against OAC opponents), outscored all opponents by a combined total of 255 to 115, and defeated New Hampshire, 20–14, in the 1947 Glass Bowl game. ^[1] The 1947 season was the first nine-win season in program history, a feat that no Toledo team repeated until 1967.

Emerson Cole, who later played four years in the NFL, twice rushed for at least 200 yards in a game during the 1947 season. ^[2] Cole also set a school record (later broken) with 31 rushing touchdowns in 1947. ^[3] Lee Pete established a school record with a 65.2% pass completion percentage, a record that stood until 2001. ^[4] Peete also established a school record (later broken) with an 86-yard touchdown pass to Dave Hamlar. ^[5] Tony Wolodzko was the team captain. ^[6] Tackles Ted Zuchowski and Frank Pizza were selected in the 1948 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions, respectively. ^[7]

Toledo was ranked at No. 107 (out of 500 college football teams) in the final Litkenhous Ratings for 1947. ^[8]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 20	Great Lakes *	Glass Bowl Toledo, OH	W 40–0
September 27	Case	Glass Bowl Toledo, OH	W 41–0
October 4	John Carroll	Glass Bowl Toledo, OH	L 13–35	11,000	[9]
October 11	Youngstown *	Glass Bowl Toledo, OH	W 21–7	9,000	[10]
October 18	at Dayton *	Dayton Stadium Dayton, OH	W 14–13		[11]
October 25	Akron	Glass Bowl Toledo, OH	W 38–7		[12]
November 1	Baldwin–Wallace	Glass Bowl Toledo, OH	W 14–6
November 8	at Wayne *	Keyworth Stadium Hamtramck, MI	W 7–0		[13]
November 15	South Dakota State *	Glass BowlToledo, OH	W 33–12		[14]
November 22	at Canisius *	Buffalo, NY	L 13–21		[15]
December 6	New Hampshire *	Glass Bowl Toledo, OH (Glass Bowl)	W 20–14	13,500	[16]
*Non-conference game

After the season

NFL Draft

The following Rockets were selected in the 1948 NFL draft following the season. ^[17]

Round	Pick	Player	Position	NFL club
27	247	Frank Pizza	Tackle	Detroit Lions
31	290	Ted Zuchowski	Tackle	Pittsburgh Steelers

References

1. "Toledo Football 2015 Media Guide" (PDF). University of Toledo. 2015. pp. 181, 188.
2. 2015 Media Guide, p. 72.
3. 2015 Media Guide, p. 210.
4. 2015 Media Guide, p. 206.
5. 2015 Media Guide, p.207.
6. 2015 Media Guide, p. 164.
7. 2015 Media Guide, p. 175.
8. Dr. E. E. Litkenhous (December 18, 1947). "Michigan National Champion in Final Litkenhous Ratings". Times. p. 47 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Carroll Rips Toledo, 35-14". The Akron Beacon Journal. October 5, 1947. p. 2C – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Rockets In Rally To Trip Penguins". Akron Beacon Journal. October 12, 1947. p. 2C – via Newspapers.com.
11. Si Burick (October 19, 1947). "Dayton Loses, 14-13: Toledo Team Tops Flyers In 2d Half". Dayton Daily News. p. II-1, II-4 – via Newspapers.com.
12. Lincoln Hackim (October 26, 1947). "Zips Take 38-7 Pill At Toledo". Akron Beacon Journal. pp. 1C, 2C – via Newspapers.com.
13. Bob Latshaw (November 9, 1947). "Early Fireworks Spell 7-0 Defeat for Wayne: Rockets End Grid Streak". Detroit Free Press. p. C2 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Toledo Trounces South Dakotans". The Akron Beacon Journal. November 16, 1947. p. 1C – via Newspapers.com.
15. "Canisius Beats Toledo". The Philadelphia Inquirer. November 23, 1947. p. 4S – via Newspapers.com.
16. "Toledo U Scores Early To Win Glass Bowl Game, 20-14". Akron Beacon Journal. December 7, 1947. p. 3C – via Newspapers.com.
17. "1948 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 29, 2023.