1977 Northwestern Wildcats football team

American college football season

1977 Northwestern Wildcats football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record1–10 (1–8 Big Ten)
Head coach
  • John Pont (5th season)
CaptainPaul Maly[1] (2nd year)
Home stadiumDyche Stadium
Seasons
← 1976
1978 →
1977 Big Ten Conference football standings
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 9 Michigan + 7 – 1 – 0 10 – 2 – 0
No. 11 Ohio State + 7 – 1 – 0 9 – 3 – 0
Michigan State 6 – 1 – 1 7 – 3 – 1
Indiana 4 – 3 – 1 5 – 5 – 1
Minnesota 4 – 4 – 0 7 – 5 – 0
Purdue 3 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Iowa 3 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Wisconsin 3 – 6 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Illinois 2 – 6 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
Northwestern 1 – 8 – 0 1 – 10 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1977 Northwestern Wildcats team represented Northwestern University during the 1977 Big Ten Conference football season. In their fifth year under head coach John Pont, the Wildcats compiled a 1–10 record (1–8 against Big Ten Conference opponents) and finished in last place in the Big Ten Conference.[2]

The team's offensive leaders were quarterback Scott Stranski with 541 passing yards, Dave Mishler with 520 rushing yards, and Mark Bailey with 347 receiving yards.[3]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 10at IowaL 0–2453,725
September 17at Arizona State*L 3–3557,149
September 24North Carolina*
L 7–4119,597[4]
October 1at WisconsinL 7–1968,709
October 8Indiana
  • Dyche Stadium
  • Evanston, IL
L 3–2816,378
October 15at Minnesota
L 7–1339,021
October 22No. 4 Ohio State
  • Dyche Stadium
  • Evanston, IL
L 15–3529,563
October 29Purdue
  • Dyche Stadium
  • Evanston, IL
L 16–2817,525
November 5at No. 6 MichiganL 20–63103,211[5]
November 11at Michigan State
L 3–4461,238
November 19Illinois
  • Dyche Stadium
  • Evanston, IL (rivalry)
W 21–717,255
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Roster

1977 Northwestern Wildcats football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
OT 68 Tony Ardizzone Sr
WR Mark Bailey
QB Steve Breitbell
TE Dan Cleary
QB Bill Dierberger
OL Mike Fielder
FB Harold Gilmore
QB Dana Hemphill
OL Dan Henderson
OT Don Herzog
RB Donald Johnson
G Frank Malec
RB Dave Mishler
TE, K Sam Poulos
OT 55 Phil Reitz So
RB Matt Reitzug
RB Sam Rushing
WR Todd Sheets
C Greg Soderberg
QB Scott Stranski
G Rudi Tanck
WR Mike Taylor
WR Mike Wagner
QB Bill Weir
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DE Kevin Berg
CB Steve Bobowski
LB Scott Duncan
S Pat Geegan
DL Curt Grelle
S Malcolm Hunter
DL Mike Kendzicky
DB 6 Guy Knafelc Jr
LB Paul Maly (C)
MG Jim Miller
LB Blane Ogilive
DE Dean Payne
CB Stephen Scardina
LB Greg Stanley
DL Marty Szostak
DL Lodi Vercelli
DT 74 Norm Wells So
DT Mike Weitzman
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Roster
Last update: 2015-12-20

Game summaries

Ohio State

#4 Ohio State Buckeyes at Northwestern Wildcats
Period 1 2 34Total
Ohio St 14 7 7735
Northwestern 3 6 0615

at Dyche Stadium, Evanston, Illinois

  • Date: October 22
  • Game time: 1:30 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: Light rain, 53 °F (12 °C)
  • Game attendance: 29,563
  • Box Score
Game information

First quarter

  • NW – Sam Poulos 44-yard field goal, 9:33. Northwestern 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 59 yards, 5:00.
  • OSU – Joel Payton 4-yard run (Vlade Janakievski kick), 4:58. Ohio St 7–3. Drive: 3 plays, 80 yards, 0:54.
  • OSU – Jeff Logan 5-yard run (Vlade Janakievski kick), 1:15. Ohio St 14–3. Drive: 8 plays, 45 yards, 2:17.

Second quarter

  • NW – Mike Taylor 33-yard pass from Dana Hemphill (pass failed), 10:10. Ohio St 14–9. Drive: 2 plays, 34 yards, 0:57
  • OSU – Joel Payton 1-yard run (Vlade Janakievski kick), 1:57. Ohio St 21–9. Drive: 4 plays, 21 yards, 1:34.

Third quarter

  • OSU – Rod Gerald 24-yard run (Vlade Janakievski kick), 10:41. Ohio St 28–9. Drive: 8 plays, 71 yards, 2:18.

Fourth quarter

  • OSU – Paul Campbell 1-yard run (Vlade Janakievski kick), 7:40. Ohio St 35–9. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 4:01.
  • NW – Harold Gilmore 14-yard run (run failed), 4:40. Ohio St 35–15. Drive: 7 plays, 73 yards, 2:54.
Top passers
  • OSU – Rod Gerald – 7/14, 148 yards, 2 INT
  • NW – Dana Hemphill – 6/10, 51 yards, TD
Top rushers
  • OSU – Ron Springs – 14 rushes, 130 yards
  • NW – Harold Gilmore – 23 rushes, 121 yards, TD
Top receivers
  • OSU – James Harrell – 2 receptions, 62 yards
  • NW – Mike Taylor – 3 receptions, 41 yards, TD

References

  1. ^ "Year-by-Year Results" (PDF). 2007. p. 148. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 16, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  2. ^ "1977 Northwestern Wildcats Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
  3. ^ "1977 Northwestern Wildcats Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
  4. ^ "North Carolina rips Northwestern, 41–7". The Rock Island Argus. September 25, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Curt Sylvester (November 6, 1977). "U-M Finally Has Laugher! Skins Tame Cats, 63-20". Detroit Free Press. p. 1D, 8D.
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