1982 Plymouth State Panthers football team

1982 Plymouth State Panthers football
NEFC champion
Lambert Trophy
ConferenceNew England Football Conference
Record10–0 (9–0 NEFC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorCharlie Currier (9th season)
Defensive coordinatorLou Desloges (5th season)
Home stadiumPanther Field
Seasons
← 1981
1983 →
1982 New England Football Conference standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Plymouth State $ 9 – 0 – 0 10 – 0 – 0
Massachusetts Maritime 7 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Maine Maritime 6 – 2 – 1 7 – 2 – 1
Bridgewater State 5 – 3 – 1 5 – 3 – 1
Nichols 5 – 4 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Western New England 4 – 5 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Framingham State 3 – 6 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Western Connecticut State 2 – 7 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
Westfield State 2 – 7 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
Curry 1 – 8 – 0 1 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion

The 1982 Plymouth State Panthers football team was an American football team that represented Plymouth State University as a member of the New England Football Conference (NEFC) during the 1982 NCAA Division III football season. In their second year under head coach Jay Cottone, the Panthers compiled a perfect 10–0 record (9–0 against NEFC opponents), won the NEFC championship, outscored opponents by a total of 414 to 48, and received the Lambert Trophy as the best Division III team in the east.[1] The team had a nine-game winning streak at the end of the 1981 season and extended that streak to 19 games.[2][3][4] At the time, it was the longest active winning streak at any level of college football.[5]

The team gave up only 122.2 yards and 4.8 points per game on defense while the offense averaged 41.4 points per game.[1] Freshman running back Joe Dudek rushed for 1,094 yards on 123 carries (121.6 yards per game), scored 16 touchdowns, and was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.[6][7] Other statistical leaders included quarterback Kevin Bradley with 1,151 passing yards and Scott Anson with 37 catches for 529 receiving yards.[6]

The team played its home games at Panther Field in Plymouth, New Hampshire.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 11Norwich*Plymouth, NHW 53–143,924[8]
September 18NicholsPlymouth, NHW 47–01,949[9]
September 25at Western Connecticut State
W 46–0850[10]
October 1at Westfield StateWestfield, MAW 43–01,500[11]
October 9Massachusetts MaritimePlymouth, NHW 35–04,817[12]
October 16at Framingham StateFramingham, MAW 37–01,500[13]
October 23Maine MaritimePlymouth, NHW 34–02,143–4,628[14]
October 30at Western New EnglandSpringfield, MAW 28–61,200–2,100[15]
November 6Bridgewater StatePlymouth, NHW 35–151,814–2,133[16][17]
November 13at CurryMilton, MAW 56–13800–1,200[18]
  • *Non-conference game

[6]

References

  1. ^ a b "1982 Football Team". Plymouth State Athletic Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  2. ^ Lesley Visser (October 22, 1982). "Football is rockin at Plymouth State". The Boston Globe. p. 45, 48 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Jim Kenyon (November 5, 1982). "Football At The Top Of The Polls: Plymouth State Football Team Is Number One In The East". Valley News. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Ginny Apple (November 12, 1982). "Plymouth's Rock: Cottone Stresses Team Concept". The Hartford Courant. p. C12 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Plymouth rocks: Lynn is a cornerstone of the team with the nation's longest collegiate win streak". Daily Evening Item. October 22, 1982. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b c "Final 1982 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  7. ^ "Joe Dudek". National Football Foundation. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  8. ^ "Plymouth 53, Norwich 14". The Hartford Courant. September 12, 1982. p. D11 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Plymouth State rolls over Nichols". The Boston Globe. September 19, 1982. p. 56 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Plymouth St 46, W. Conn 0". The Day. September 26, 1982. p. C8 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Plymouth State stomps Owls, 43-0". Transcript Telegram. October 2, 1982. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Plymouth St. strolls along". The Boston Globe. October 10, 1982. p. 43 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Plymouth St. gets 5th straight shutout". The Boston Globe. October 17, 1982. p. 58 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Plymouth St. still perfect". The Boston Globe. October 24, 1982. p. 82 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Plymouth State rolls on". The Boston Globe. October 31, 1982. p. 52 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Plymouth State wins 18th straight". The Boston Globe. November 7, 1982. p. 83 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Plymouth State Still Unbeaten". Valley News. Associated Press. November 8, 1982. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Plymouth St. rips Curry". The Boston Globe. November 14, 1982. p. 50 – via Newspapers.com.