1972 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

1972 Penn State Nittany Lions football
1972 Penn State Nittany Lions football
Eastern champion
Sugar Bowl, L 0–14 vs. Oklahoma
Conference	Independent
Ranking
Coaches	No. 8
AP	No. 10
Record	10–2
Head coach	Joe Paterno (7th season);
Offensive scheme	I formation
Defensive coordinator	Jim O'Hora (7th season)
Base defense	4–3
Captains	Gregg Ducatte; Jim Heller; John Hufnagel; Carl Schaukowitch;
Home stadium	Beaver Stadium
	Seasons ← 1971 1973 →

The 1972 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University as an independent during the 1972 NCAA University Division football season. Led by seventh-year head coach Joe Paterno, the Nittany Lions compiled a record of 10–2 and lost to Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl. Penn State was the Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy as the best college football team in the Eastern United States. The team played home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.

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1972 NCAA University Division independents football records
v t e	Conf.			Overall
Team	W	L	T	W		L		T
No. 10 Penn State		–		10	–	2	–	0
No. 14 Notre Dame		–		8	–	3	–	0
Utah State		–		8	–	3	–	0
West Virginia		–		8	–	4	–	0
Florida State		–		7	–	4	–	0
Northern Illinois		–		7	–	4	–	0
Rutgers		–		7	–	4	–	0
No. 20 Georgia Tech		–		7	–	4	–	1
Air Force		–		6	–	4	–	0
Army		–		6	–	4	–	0
Virginia Tech		–		6	–	4	–	1
Houston		–		6	–	4	–	1
Tulane		–		6	–	5	–	0
Temple		–		5	–	4	–	0
Colgate		–		5	–	4	–	1
Holy Cross		–		5	–	4	–	1
Syracuse		–		5	–	6	–	0
Miami (FL)		–		5	–	6	–	0
Dayton		–		4	–	6	–	1
Boston College		–		4	–	7	–	0
Navy		–		4	–	7	–	0
South Carolina		–		4	–	7	–	0
Southern Miss		–		3	–	7	–	1
Xavier		–		3	–	8	–	0
Marshall		–		2	–	8	–	0
Cincinnati		–		2	–	9	–	0
Villanova		–		2	–	9	–	0
Pittsburgh		–		1	–	10	–	0

Rankings from AP Poll

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As a result of using ineligible players, the Oklahoma Sooners were ordered to forfeit seven wins from their 1972 season, including their win over the Nittany Lions in the Sugar Bowl. However, Paterno and Penn State refused to accept the forfeit, and the bowl game is officially recorded as a loss.^[1]

[1]

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
September 16	at No. 7 Tennessee	No. 6	Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN		L 21–28	71,647
September 23	Navy	No. 11	Beaver Stadium University Park, PA		W 21–10	50,547
September 30	Iowa	No. 13	Beaver Stadium University Park, PA		W 14–10	58,065
October 7	at Illinois	No. 16	Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL		W 35–17	60,349
October 14	at Army	No. 15	Michie Stadium West Point, NY		W 45–0	42,352
October 21	Syracuse	No. 12	Beaver Stadium University Park, PA (rivalry)		W 17–0	60,465
October 28	at No. 18 West Virginia	No. 11	Mountaineer Field Morgantown, WV (rivalry)	ABC	W 28–19	37,000	^[2]
November 4	Maryland	No. 10	Beaver Stadium University Park, PA (rivalry)		W 46–16	58,171	^[3]
November 11	NC State	No. 10	Beaver Stadium University Park, PA		W 37–22	54,274	^[4]^[5]
November 18	at Boston College	No. 6	Alumni Stadium Chestnut Hill, MA		W 45–26	23,119
November 25	Pittsburgh	No. 6	Beaver Stadium University Park, PA (rivalry)		W 49–27	38,600
December 31	vs. No. 2 Oklahoma	No. 5	Tulane Stadium New Orleans, LA (Sugar Bowl)	ABC	L 0–14	80,123
Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	Final
AP	5	6 (1)	11	13	16	15	12	11	10	10	6	6	5	5	10
Coaches	6	7	14 т	16	19	17	13	10	11	11	8	7	7	8	Not released

Round	Pick	Overall	Name	Position	Team
3rd	19	71	Jim Laslavic	Linebacker	Detroit Lions
5th	12	116	Bruce Bannon	Linebacker	New York Jets
6th	6	136	John Skorupan	Linebacker	Buffalo Bills
14th	10	348	John Hufnagel	Quarterback	Denver Broncos
15th	17	381	Carl Schaukowitch	Offensive guard	New York Giants

1972 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

Schedule

Rankings

Roster

Awards

NFL draft

References

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