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]
| 1982 Plymouth State Panthers football | |
|---|---|
NEFC champion Lambert Trophy | |
| Conference | New England Football Conference |
| Record | 10–0 (9–0 NEFC) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Charlie Currier (9th season) |
| Defensive coordinator | Lou Desloges (5th season) |
| Home stadium | Panther Field |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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
edit| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 11 | Norwich* | Plymouth, NH | W 53–14 | 3,924 | [8] | ||
| September 18 | Nichols | Plymouth, NH | W 47–0 | 1,949 | [9] | ||
| September 25 | at Western Connecticut State |
| W 46–0 | 850 | [10] | ||
| October 1 | at Westfield State | Westfield, MA | W 43–0 | 1,500 | [11] | ||
| October 9 | Massachusetts Maritime | Plymouth, NH | W 35–0 | 4,817 | [12] | ||
| October 16 | at Framingham State | Framingham, MA | W 37–0 | 1,500 | [13] | ||
| October 23 | Maine Maritime | Plymouth, NH | W 34–0 | 2,143–4,628 | [14] | ||
| October 30 | at Western New England | Springfield, MA | W 28–6 | 1,200–2,100 | [15] | ||
| November 6 | Bridgewater State | Plymouth, NH | W 35–15 | 1,814–2,133 | [16][17] | ||
| November 13 | at Curry | Milton, MA | W 56–13 | 800–1,200 | [18] | ||
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References
edit- ^ a b "1982 Football Team". Plymouth State Athletic Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
- ^ Lesley Visser (October 22, 1982). "Football is rockin at Plymouth State". The Boston Globe. p. 45, 48 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Ginny Apple (November 12, 1982). "Plymouth's Rock: Cottone Stresses Team Concept". The Hartford Courant. p. C12 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "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.
- ^ a b c "Final 1982 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ "Joe Dudek". National Football Foundation. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ "Plymouth 53, Norwich 14". The Hartford Courant. September 12, 1982. p. D11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Plymouth State rolls over Nichols". The Boston Globe. September 19, 1982. p. 56 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Plymouth St 46, W. Conn 0". The Day. September 26, 1982. p. C8 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Plymouth State stomps Owls, 43-0". Transcript Telegram. October 2, 1982. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Plymouth St. strolls along". The Boston Globe. October 10, 1982. p. 43 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Plymouth St. gets 5th straight shutout". The Boston Globe. October 17, 1982. p. 58 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Plymouth St. still perfect". The Boston Globe. October 24, 1982. p. 82 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Plymouth State rolls on". The Boston Globe. October 31, 1982. p. 52 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Plymouth State wins 18th straight". The Boston Globe. November 7, 1982. p. 83 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Plymouth State Still Unbeaten". Valley News. Associated Press. November 8, 1982. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Plymouth St. rips Curry". The Boston Globe. November 14, 1982. p. 50 – via Newspapers.com.