1972 Purdue Boilermakers football team

The 1972 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University during the 1972 Big Ten Conference football season. Led by Bob DeMoss in his third and final season as head coach, the Boilermakers compiled an overall record of 6–5 with a mark of 6–2 in conference play, placing third in the Big Ten. Purdue played home games at Ross–Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana.

1972 Purdue Boilermakers football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record6–5 (6–2 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPOtis Armstrong
CaptainOtis Armstrong, Dave Butz
Home stadiumRoss–Ade Stadium
Seasons
← 1971
1973 →
1972 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 6 Michigan + 7 1 0 10 1 0
No. 9 Ohio State + 7 1 0 9 2 0
Purdue 6 2 0 6 5 0
Michigan State 5 2 1 5 5 1
Minnesota 4 4 0 4 7 0
Indiana 3 5 0 5 6 0
Illinois 3 5 0 3 8 0
Iowa 2 6 1 3 7 1
Wisconsin 2 6 0 4 7 0
Northwestern 1 8 0 2 9 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

This was the first season in which Purdue played an 11-game schedule. Every Big Ten team except the Boilermakers and Ohio State added an 11th game for the first time in 1971. The Buckeyes did not play an 11-game slate until 1974.

Schedule

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DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 16Bowling Green*No. 18L 14–1751,859
September 23No. 15 Washington*
  • Ross–Ade Stadium
  • West Lafayette, IN
L 21–2260,102
September 30at No. 10 Notre Dame*L 14–3559,075
October 7at IowaW 24–054,576
October 14at MinnesotaW 28–337,287
October 21Northwestern 
  • Ross–Ade Stadium
  • West Lafayette, IN
W 37–063,049
October 28Illinois
  • Ross–Ade Stadium
  • West Lafayette, IN (rivalry)
W 20–1461,754
November 4at Michigan StateL 12–2258,649
November 11Wisconsin
  • Ross–Ade Stadium
  • West Lafayette, IN
W 27–653,507
November 18at No. 3 MichiganL 6–988,423[1]
November 25Indiana
W 42–765,605
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[2]

Roster

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1972 Purdue Boilermakers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB 18 Gary Danielson Sr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  •   Injured
  •   Redshirt

Game summaries

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Washington

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At Minnesota

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1 234Total
Purdue 0 7147 28
Minnesota 0 300 3

[3]

Northwestern

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Wisconsin

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Indiana

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1 234Total
Indiana 0 700 7
Purdue 7 7721 42

Otis Armstrong carried 32 times for 276 yards, breaking his own single-game school rushing record (233) and passing Wisconsin's Alan Ameche for most career rushing yards in the Big Ten with 3,316.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "Whew! M Stays Perfect, 9–6: Last-Minute FG Downs Purdue". Detroit Free Press. November 19, 1972. p. 1E, 4E – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ "2022 Purdue Football Record Book" (PDF). Purdue University Athletics. p. 89. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  3. ^ Eugene Register-Guard. 1972 Oct 15.
  4. ^ "Purdue Thrashes Indiana To Win Old Oaken Bucket." Palm Beach Post. 1972 Nov 26.