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1972 Washington Huskies football
ConferencePacific-8
1972 record8–3 (4–3 Pac-8)
Head coachJim Owens (16th season)
MVPCalvin Jones (DB)
CaptainBill Cahill (DB)
CaptainSonny Sixkiller (QB) (2nd year)
Home stadiumHusky Stadium
Seasons
← 1971
1973 →
1972 Pacific-8 football standings
v · d · e Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#1 USC 7 0 0     12 0 0
#15 UCLA 5 2 0     8 3 0
#19 Washington State 4 3 0     7 4 0
Washington 4 3 0     8 3 0
California 3 4 0     3 8 0
Oregon 2 5 0     5 6 0
Stanford 2 5 0     6 5 0
Oregon State 1 6 0     2 9 0
† – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1972 Washington Huskies football team was an American football team that represented the University of Washington during the 1972 college football season. In its 16th season under head coach Jim Owens, the team compiled an 8–3 record, finished in a tie for third place in the Pacific-8 Conference, and outscored its opponents by a combined total of 208 to 204.[1]

Defensive back Bill Cahill and quarterback Sonny Sixkiller were the team captains, and defensive back Calvin Jones was selected as the team's most valuable player.

A top ten pick in the preseason, the Huskies were undefeated after five games and ranked twelfth in the AP Poll,[2] but Sixkiller suffered ankle and knee injuries early in the Stanford game in mid-October.[3] Quarterbacks Greg Collins, Dennis Fitzpatrick, and Mark Backman then led the offense, with losses at Stanford and #1 USC,[4] followed by consecutive wins over California and Oregon State.[5][6]

Sixkiller returned to the lineup for senior day at Husky Stadium on November 11 and Washington beat #8 UCLA,[7][8] but dropped the Apple Cup to #20 Washington State at Spokane.[9][10][11][12] The Pac-8 did not allow a second bowl team until the 1975 season.

Schedule[]

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendance
September 9Pacific (CA)*No. 9W 13–657,500
September 16Duke*No. 12
  • Husky Stadium
  • Seattle, WA
W 14–659,200
September 23at Purdue*No. 15W 22–2160,102
September 30Illinois*No. 14
  • Husky Stadium
  • Seattle, WA
W 31–1160,200
October 7OregonNo. 11
  • Husky Stadium
  • Seattle, WA
W 23–1761,000
October 14at No. 17 StanfordNo. 12L 0–2456,000
October 21at No. 1 USCNo. 18L 7–3459,151
October 28California
  • Husky Stadium
  • Seattle, WA
W 35–2156,300
November 4at Oregon StateW 23–1631,923
November 11No. 8 UCLA
  • Husky Stadium
  • Seattle, WA
W 30–2159,000
November 18at No. 20 Washington StateNo. 17L 10–2734,100
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll

Roster[]

1972 Washington Huskies football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB 6 Sixkiller, SonnySonny Sixkiller (C) Sr
QB 10 Backman, MarkMark Backman
QB 14 Fitzpatrick, DennisDennis Fitzpatrick So
QB 15 Collins, GregGreg Collins
WR 26 Scott, TomTom Scott Sr
C 56 Kelso, AlAl Kelso Sr
TE 87 Brady, JohnJohn Brady Sr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DB, PK 16 Wiezbowski, SteveSteve Wiezbowski
DB 18 Cahill, BillBill Cahill (C) Sr
DB 20 Jones, CalvinCalvin Jones Sr
DT 80 Pear, DaveDave Pear So
DE 99 Matter, KurtKurt Matter Sr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
P 3 Boyd, SkipSkip Boyd So
PK 16 Wiezbowski, SteveSteve Wiezbowski
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt
Source:[13][14][15]

NFL Draft[]

Six Huskies were selected in the 1973 NFL Draft, which lasted seventeen rounds (442 selections).

Player Position Round Pick Franchise
John Brady Tight end 3rd 58 Detroit Lions
Bill Cahill Defensive back 7th 158 New Orleans Saints
Tom Scott Wide receiver 12th 304 Detroit Lions
Al Kelso Center 13th 330 San Diego Chargers
Calvin Jones Defensive back 15th 373 Denver Broncos
Kurt Matter Defensive end 15th 390 Los Angeles Rams

References[]

  1. "Washington Yearly Results (1970-1974)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/w/washington/1970-1974_yearly_results.php. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  2. "Top 2 stay firm in AP grid vote". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Associated Press ((Washington)): p. 17. October 10, 1972. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CqJYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mfgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3102%2C2707339.
  3. "Cards dump Huskies, 24-0". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press ((Oregon)): p. 6C. October 15, 1972. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=T2wRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SeEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4968%2C3810468.
  4. "Trojans overpower Washington by 34-7". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press ((Oregon)): p. 4C. October 22, 1972. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VmwRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SeEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6707%2C5584625.
  5. "Huskies turn Cal goofs into 35-21 triumph". Eugene Register-Guard. UPI ((Oregon)): p. 4C. October 29, 1972. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XWwRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SeEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4479%2C7422359.
  6. Withers, Bud (November 5, 1972). "Huskies prevail as OSU tumbles again". Eugene Register-Guard ((Oregon)): p. 1D. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JwpWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UuEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2921%2C1254361.
  7. "Huskies surprise UCLA". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press ((Oregon)): p. 2C. November 12, 1972. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LgpWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UuEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6440%2C3095539.
  8. "Huskies eye goal of best since '60". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Associated Press ((Washington)): p. 17. November 13, 1972. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=acQSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=a_gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5048%2C4417203.
  9. Emerson, Paul (November 19, 1972). "Inspired Cougars upset Washington 27-10". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. 15. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=doJfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lTAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5148%2C5242435.
  10. "Cougars bounce Huskies". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press ((Oregon)): p. 5B. November 19, 1972. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NApWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UuEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5203%2C4902085.
  11. Missildine, Harry (November 19, 1972). "Cougar defense unyielding in 27-10 win over Huskies". Spokesman-Review ((Spokane, Washington)): p. 1, sports. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6-URAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ee0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7151%2C2063747.
  12. Brown, Bruce (November 20, 1972). "Cougar title hopes run high". Spokane Daily Chronicle ((Washington)): p. 14. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LpFYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aPgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3699%2C1070663.
  13. "WSU vs. Washington (rosters)". Spokane Daily Chronicle ((Washington)): p. 23. November 17, 1972. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LJFYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aPgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4433%2C499214.
  14. "Cougars vs. Huskies (rosters)". Spokesman-Review ((Spokane, Washington)): p. 14. November 18, 1972. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6uURAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ee0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4208%2C1164977.
  15. "Cougars (20) face Huskies (17) for top grid ranking in Washington". Lewiston Morning Tribune ((Idaho)): p. 13. November 18, 1972. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dYJfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lTAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6409%2C5026689.
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