1970 Wittenberg Tigers football team

1970 Wittenberg Tigers football
OAC co-champion (vacated)
ConferenceOhio Athletic Conference
Record9–0 (all vacated) (5–0 (all vacated) OAC)
Head coach
Seasons
← 1969
1971 →
1970 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Capital + 6 – 0 – 0 8 – 1 – 0
No. 17 Wittenberg + 5 – 0 – 0 9 – 0 – 0
Wooster 5 – 1 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Muskingum 5 – 1 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Mount Union 4 – 1 – 0 8 – 1 – 0
Denison 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Marietta 3 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Baldwin–Wallace 2 – 3 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Kenyon 2 – 4 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Heidelberg 2 – 5 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Hiram 2 – 5 – 0 2 – 6 – 0
Otterbein 2 – 5 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
Ohio Wesleyan 1 – 5 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
Oberlin 0 – 5 – 0 2 – 6 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP small college poll

The 1970 Wittenberg Tigers football team was an American football team that represented Wittenberg University in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) during the 1970 NCAA College Division football season. In their second year under head coach Dave Maurer, the Tigers compiled a perfect 9–0 record (5–0 against OAC opponents) and shared the OAC championship with Capital.[1][2] The team led the nation's small colleges with an average of 40 points per game.[3] The 1970 season was Wittenberg's second consecutive undefeated season.[4]

Eight Wittenberg players were selected as first-team players on the all-Ohio Athletic Conference football team.[5][6]

After the season, the OAC vacated all nine of Wittenberg's victories after Wittenberg's administration disclosed that senior offensive tackle Rick Mako had not registered for classes and was therefore ineligible. Wittenberg claimed that its faculty and staff were unaware that Mako had not registered and was not attending classes. Mako stated unpaid bills from the prior academic year prevented him from registering on time and that he panicked, claiming it was "just a mix-up."[3][7][8]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 19at California (PA)*California, PAW 61–0 (vacated)
September 28Central State (OH)*
  • Wittenberg Stadium
  • Springield, OH
W 40–0 (vacated)[9]
October 3Otterbein
W 76–0 (vacated)[10]
October 10at DenisonGranville, OHW 30–0 (vacated)[11]
October 17Findlay*
  • Wittenberg Stadium
  • Springield, OH
W 48–0 (vacated)[12]
October 24at Baldwin–WallaceBerea, OHW 21–14 (vacated)[13]
October 31Ohio Wesleyan
  • Wittenberg Stadium
  • Springield, OH
W 35–0 (vacated)[14]
November 7at WoosterWooster, OHW 35–0 (vacated)[15]
November 14Ashland*
  • Wittenberg Stadium
  • Springield, OH
W 14–6 (vacated)3,500[16]
  • *Non-conference game

[17]

References

  1. ^ "How they finished". The Daily Reporter. Dover, Ohio. Associated Press. November 23, 1970. p. C4. Retrieved November 30, 2019 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  2. ^ "2020 Ohio Athletic Conference Football Record Book" (PDF). Ohio Athletic Conference. 2020. p. 49. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Wittenberg Hit By Eligibility, Forfeits 9 Wins". The Miami Herald. December 16, 1970. p. F1.
  4. ^ "Success Of Wittenberg And Maurer Mounts". Springield News-Sun. November 1, 1970. p. 2D – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "DiBlasi, Three Other Area Gridders On All-OC". The Akron Beacon-Journal. November 28, 1970. p. B4 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Tigers Score Again". Springfield News-Sun. November 15, 1970. p. 2D – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Ineligible Player Costs Wittenberg 9 Triumphs". The New York Times. December 16, 1970. p. 59.
  8. ^ Bob Sullivan (December 20, 1970). "Still Champs". Springfield News-Sun. p. 2D – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Explosion Rips CSU At Wittenberg, 40-8". The Xenia Dailly Gazette. September 29, 1970. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Wittenberg Contains, Mauls Otterbein, 76-7". Dayton Daily News. October 4, 1970. p. 5D – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Undefeated Tigers Spank Scrappy DU". The Newark Advocate. October 12, 1970. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Wittenberg Wrecks Ground Defenses With Version Of Blanchard-Davis". Sprinngfield News-Sun. October 15, 1970. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Tigers Nip B-W, 21-14, Run Win Streak To 17". Springield News-Sun. October 25, 1970. p. D1 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Wittenberg's Quick TDs Kayo Bishops". Springfield News-Sun. November 1, 1970. p. D1 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Wittenberg Thumps Scots, Gains Share Of OC Title". Springfield News-Sun. November 8, 1970. p. D1 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Wittenberg Nips Ashland In Record Second Straight Undefeated Season". Springfield News-Sun. November 15, 1970. p. D1, D2 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Final 1970 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved January 30, 2024.