1972 Wichita State Shockers football
ConferenceMissouri Valley Conference
Record6–5 (2–4 MVC)
Head coach
Home stadiumCessna Stadium
Seasons
← 1971
1973 →
1972 Missouri Valley Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 18 Louisville + 4 – 1 – 0 9 – 1 – 0
Drake + 4 – 1 – 0 7 – 5 – 0
West Texas State + 4 – 1 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Memphis State 3 – 2 – 0 5 – 5 – 1
Tulsa 3 – 2 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Wichita State 2 – 4 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
New Mexico State 1 – 4 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
North Texas State 0 – 7 – 0 1 – 10 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1972 Wichita Shockers football team was an American football team that represented Wichita State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) during the 1972 NCAA University Division football season. In its third season under head coach Bob Seaman, the team compiled a 6–5 record (2–4 against conference opponents), finished in sixth place out of eight teams in the MVC and was outscored by a total of 228 to 156.[1] The team played its home games at Cessna Stadium in Wichita, Kansas.

The 1972 season was the Shockers' first with a winning record since 1963. In the seven prior seasons, the program had compiled an 11–57 record and sustained tragedy in the 1970 Wichita State University football team plane crash.

The team's statistical leaders included Tom Owen with 689 passing yards, Don Gilley with 446 rushing yards, Eddie Plopa with 269 receiving yards, and Don Burford and Don Gilley with 24 points each.[2]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 9Texas A&M*
L 13–3622,659
September 16at Tulsa
L 9–1021,000
September 23at Arkansas State*
W 6–06,500[3]
September 30Southern Illinois*
  • Cessna Stadium
  • Wichita, KS
W 12–017,046[4]
October 7North Texas State
  • Cessna Stadium
  • Wichita, KS
W 23–618,257[5]
October 14Cincinnati*
  • Cessna Stadium
  • Wichita, KS
W 20–17
October 21Louisville
  • Cessna Stadium
  • Wichita, KS
L 3–46
October 28at West Texas State
L 16–2112,400[6]
November 4at Memphis State
L 14–58
November 11Trinity (TX)*
  • Cessna Stadium
  • Wichita, KS
W 17–14
November 18at New Mexico State
W 23–20
  • *Non-conference game

References

  1. ^ "1972 Wichita State Shockers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  2. ^ "1972 Wichita State Shockers Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  3. ^ "Defense lifts Wichita, 6–0". The Des Moines Register. September 24, 1972. Retrieved October 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Final 1972 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  5. ^ "Shocks win 3 straight". The Wichita Eagle and Beacon. October 8, 1972. Retrieved October 31, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "WTSU comes from behind". The Odessa American. October 29, 1972. Retrieved March 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
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