What Is 1947 LSU Tigers football team

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Last updated: April 14, 2026

Quick Answer: The 1947 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University during the 1947 college football season. Led by head coach Bernie Moore, the team finished with a 5–5 record, including a 3–3 mark in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge.

Key Facts

The 1947 LSU Tigers football team had a final record of 5 wins and 5 losses.
Head coach Bernie Moore led the team in his 13th season at LSU.
The Tigers competed in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and went 3–3 in conference play.
Home games were played at Tiger Stadium, which had a capacity of approximately 30,000 at the time.
LSU defeated in-state rival Tulane 26–7 on November 29, 1947.

Overview

The 1947 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University during the 1947 college football season. Competing as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the team was led by head coach Bernie Moore in his 13th year at the helm. The Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a venue that was still expanding in capacity during this era.

This season marked a transitional period for LSU football, as the program worked toward greater national prominence in the coming decades. The 1947 campaign featured a balanced schedule of conference and non-conference opponents, with mixed results. Despite a .500 overall record, the team showed flashes of potential that would foreshadow future success under Moore’s leadership.

Record: The team finished the season with a 5–5 overall record, including a 3–3 mark in SEC play, placing them in the middle of the conference standings.
Head Coach: Bernie Moore served as head coach from 1935 to 1954, and the 1947 season was his 13th with the program, reflecting long-term stability in leadership.
Home Stadium: LSU played its home games at Tiger Stadium, which had a seating capacity of around 30,000 and was known for its growing reputation as a tough venue for visiting teams.
Notable Win: The Tigers defeated Tulane 26–7 in the season finale, a significant in-state rivalry game that drew strong regional interest and fan support.
Season Schedule: The team faced a mix of regional and national opponents, including games against Tulane, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State, all key SEC foes at the time.

Season Performance

The 1947 season included a blend of offensive productivity and defensive challenges, with LSU scoring enough points to win close games but struggling with consistency. The team demonstrated resilience in conference matchups, often competing closely despite a losing streak late in the year.

Offensive Output: LSU scored a total of 152 points over 10 games, averaging 15.2 points per game, a modest figure by mid-century standards.
Defensive Performance: The defense allowed 138 points, resulting in a narrow scoring margin and several close defeats, including a 14–13 loss to Ole Miss.
Key Player: While no individual player received All-American honors, fullback Jim Salsbury was a consistent performer on both offense and defense.
Non-Conference Games: LSU won two of four non-conference games, defeating Southwestern Louisiana and Spring Hill but losing to Rice and TCU.
Conference Play: The Tigers split their SEC games, defeating Ole Miss and Mississippi State while losing to Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia Tech in conference matchups.

Comparison at a Glance

The following table compares the 1947 LSU Tigers to other LSU teams from adjacent seasons to highlight trends in performance and coaching stability.

Season	Head Coach	Overall Record	SEC Record	Key Result
1945	Bernie Moore	6–4	4–3	Beat Texas in the 1946 Orange Bowl
1946	Bernie Moore	6–4	3–3	Lost to TCU in the 1947 Sugar Bowl
1947	Bernie Moore	5–5	3–3	Defeated Tulane 26–7
1948	Bernie Moore	6–4	4–3	Lost to Clemson in the 1949 Sugar Bowl
1949	Bernie Moore	6–4–1	4–3–1	Tied Kentucky in final regular season game

The data shows that the 1947 season was consistent with the broader pattern of LSU football under Bernie Moore—competitive but not dominant. The team maintained a steady presence in the SEC without securing a conference title, reflecting the program’s developmental phase before the major breakthroughs of the 1950s.

Why It Matters

The 1947 season is a snapshot of LSU football during a formative era, illustrating the program’s gradual rise in national stature. Though not a championship season, it contributed to the foundation that future coaches and players would build upon.

Program Stability: Bernie Moore’s long tenure provided continuity during a time when college football programs were professionalizing coaching roles.
Rivalry Emphasis: The win over Tulane highlighted the importance of in-state matchups, which helped drive fan engagement and ticket sales.
Recruiting Base: The team relied heavily on Louisiana talent, reinforcing the state’s growing role in Southern football development.
Stadium Growth: Tiger Stadium’s expansion during this period signaled LSU’s investment in football infrastructure and fan experience.
Media Exposure: Games were broadcast regionally on radio, increasing the team’s visibility and popularity across the South.
Historical Context: The 1947 season occurred just before the post-war boom in college football, setting the stage for greater national competition.

While the 1947 LSU Tigers did not achieve postseason glory, their season remains a meaningful chapter in the evolution of one of college football’s most storied programs.