6 ▁and ▁finished ▁second ▁in ▁the ▁voting ▁for ▁the ▁Chicago ▁Trib une ▁Tro phy ▁as ▁the ▁Most ▁Val u able ▁Player ▁in ▁the ▁Big ▁Ten . ▁ ▁Other ▁returning ▁star ters ▁included ▁quarter back ▁Howard ▁Y er ges , ▁half back s ▁B ump ▁Elli ott ▁and ▁Gene ▁Der ric otte , ▁full back ▁Jack ▁We isen burger , ▁ends ▁Len ▁Ford ▁and ▁Bob ▁Mann , ▁and ▁lin emen ▁Hil k ene , ▁Bill ▁P rit ula , ▁Qu entin ▁S ick els , ▁Domin ic ▁Tom asi , ▁and ▁J . ▁T . ▁White . ▁With ▁a ▁solid ▁veter an ▁core , ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁Wol ver ines ▁were ▁expected ▁to ▁be ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁teams ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁ ▁Week ▁ 1 : ▁Michigan ▁State ▁ ▁On ▁September ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁Michigan ▁opened ▁the ▁season ▁with ▁a ▁non - con ference ▁game ▁against ▁Michigan ▁State ▁College . ▁Play ing ▁in ▁Ann ▁Ar bor ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁ 7 3 , 1 1 5 ▁spect ators , ▁the ▁Wol ver ines ▁defeated ▁the ▁Spart ans , ▁ 5 5 – 0 . ▁The ▁game ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁as ▁head ▁coach ▁of ▁the ▁Spart ans ▁for ▁" Big gie " ▁M unn , ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁an ▁assistant ▁coach ▁at ▁Michigan ▁from ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁Michigan ▁domin ated ▁the ▁game , ▁out g aining ▁Michigan ▁State ▁ 5 0 4 ▁yards ▁to