1972 Grambling Tigers football team

1972 Grambling Tigers football
Black national champion
SWAC co-champion
ConferenceSouthwestern Athletic Conference
Record11–2 (5–1 SWAC)
Head coach
Home stadiumGrambling Stadium
Seasons
← 1971
1973 →
1972 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 4 / T–8 Grambling + 5 – 1 – 0 11 – 2 – 0
Jackson State + 5 – 1 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
Alcorn A&M 4 – 1 – 1 5 – 3 – 1
Texas Southern 3 – 2 – 1 5 – 4 – 1
Mississippi Valley State 1 – 5 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Prairie View A&M 1 – 5 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Southern 1 – 5 – 0 2 – 7 – 1
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll and AP small college poll

The 1972 Grambling Tigers football team represented Grambling College (now known as Grambling State University) as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during the 1972 NCAA College Division football season. In its 30th season under head coach Eddie Robinson, Grambling compiled an 11–2 record (5–1 against conference opponents), tied for the SWAC championship, defeated North Carolina Central in the Pelican Bowl, and outscored opponents by a total of 346 to 123. The team was recognized as the 1972 black college football national champion and was ranked No. 8 by the Associated Press in the final small college rankings.

The rivalry game vs. Southern was forfeited by the Jaguars to Grambling following civil unrest, which saw two students shot to death by East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff's deputies, on the Southern campus in Baton Rouge two days prior to the scheduled game.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 9vs. Morgan State*
W 6–063,517–64,409[1]
September 16Alcorn A&M
L 6–97,000–14,202[2][3]
September 22at Long Beach State*
L 19–2542,058[4][5]
September 30vs. Prairie View A&M
W 36–020,109–20,414[6]
October 7 No. 3 Tennessee State*
  • Grambling Stadium
  • Grambling, LA
W 27–1812,035[7]
October 14vs. Mississippi Valley State
W 27–219,381–9,831[8]
October 21Jackson Statedagger
  • Grambling Stadium
  • Grambling, LA
W 26–1322,000[9]
October 28at Texas Southern
W 21–1552,745[10]
November 4at Hawaii*No. 9
W 46–723,003[11]
November 11Norfolk State*No. 8
  • Grambling Stadium
  • Grambling, LA
W 39–63,853[12]
November 18at SouthernNo. 8
W 0–0 (forfeit)[13]
November 25Nevada*No. 8
  • Grambling Stadium
  • Grambling, LA
W 37–314,000[14]
December 2at North Carolina Central*No. 8
W 56–622,500[15]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[16]

References

  1. ^ "Non-Rambling Grambling Boots FGs to Foil Morgan St., 6-0". New York Daily News. September 10, 1972. p. 143 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Alcorn Nudges Grambling, 9-6". The Shreveport Times. September 17, 1972. p. 6D – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Final 1972 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Alcorn A&M)". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  4. ^ "49ers overhaul Grambling, 25-19". Independent Press-Telegram (Long Beach, California). September 23, 1972. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Long Beach Defeats Grambling, 25-19, in Freedom Classic". Los Angeles Times. September 23, 1972. p. III-1, III-6.
  6. ^ "Reed Passes for Four TDs As Grambling Romps, 36-0". The Shreveport Times. October 1, 1972. p. 6D – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Grambling's Defense Leaves Tenn. Staters Black and Blue". The Shreveport Times. October 8, 1972. p. 4D – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Grambling Rolls, 27-21". The Shreveport Times. October 15, 1972. p. 2D – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Grambling Bounces Another Unbeaten; J-State Victimized". The Shreveport Times. October 22, 1972. p. 2D – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Grambling Pulls Out 21-15 Victory Over TSU in Dome". The Shreveport Times. October 29, 1972. p. 4D – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Grambling way too much for the Bows". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. November 5, 1972. p. F1 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Norfolk Gets Message Early; GC 39-6". The Shreveport Times. November 12, 1972. p. 4D – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Southern Grambling tilt cancelled". The Louisiana Weekly. November 25, 1972. Retrieved August 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Grambling Starts Slow, Rushes Off to 37-3 Win". The Shreveport Times. November 26, 1972. pp. 1D, 4D – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Grambling in Big Win, 56-6". Daily World (Opelousas, Louisiana). December 3, 1972. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Final 1972 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved November 19, 2022.