1972 Minnesota Golden Gophers football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record4–7 (4–4 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPJohn King
CaptainBob Morgan
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1971
1973 →
1972 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 6 Michigan + 7 – 1 – 0 10 – 1 – 0
No. 9 Ohio State + 7 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
Purdue 6 – 2 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Michigan State 5 – 2 – 1 5 – 5 – 1
Minnesota 4 – 4 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Indiana 3 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Illinois 3 – 5 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
Iowa 2 – 6 – 1 3 – 7 – 1
Wisconsin 2 – 6 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Northwestern 1 – 8 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1972 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the 1972 Big Ten Conference football season. In their first year under head coach Cal Stoll, the Golden Gophers compiled a 4–7 record and were outscored by their opponents by a combined total of 304 to 185.[1]

Fullback John King received the team's Most Valuable Player award. King was also named All-Big Ten first team. Defensive back Tim Alderson was named All-Big Ten second team. Offensive lineman Doug Kingsriter was named Academic All-Big Ten.[2]

Total attendance for the season was 221,553, which averaged to 36,925. The season high for attendance was against Iowa.[3]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 16at Indiana
L 23–2735,783
September 23No. 3 Colorado*
L 6–3842,703
September 30at No. 7 Nebraska*
L 0–4976,217
October 7Kansas*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN
L 28–3431,505–31,595
October 14Purdue
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN
L 3–2837,287
October 21Iowadagger
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN (rivalry)
W 43–1444,196
October 28at No. 5 Michigan
L 0–4284,190[4]
November 4at No. 5 Ohio State
L 19–2786,439
November 11Northwestern
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN
W 35–2932,771
November 18Michigan State
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN
W 14–1033,001
November 25at Wisconsin
W 14–660,746
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Roster

1972 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
OT 72 Matt Herkenhoff Jr
TE 83 Doug Kingsriter Sr
OT 71 Dave Simonson Jr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DB 22 Doug Beaudoin Fr
LB 33 Tom MacLeod Sr
DE 97 Steve Neils Fr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Roster

References

  1. ^ "1972 Minnesota Golden Gophers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  2. ^ Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), pp. 179–182[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), p. 160[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ Curt Sylvester (October 29, 1972). "It's a Laugher! Wolverines Rout Gophers, 42-0". Detroit Free Press. p. 1C, 4C – via Newspapers.com. open access
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