The 1970 Arizona State Sun Devils football team was an American football team that represented Arizona State University in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during the 1970 NCAA University Division football season. In their 13th season under head coach Frank Kush, the Sun Devils compiled an 11–0 record (7–0 against WAC opponents), won the WAC championship, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 405 to 151.[1][2] ASU was picked as the overall #1 team for the 1970 College Football season by Poling System. Poling was a mathematic system used to rank college football teams. It was considered a "National Champion Major Selector" by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
The team's statistical leaders included Joe Spagnola with 1,991 passing yards, Bobby Thomas with 900 rushing yards, and J. D. Hill with 908 receiving yards.[3]
Schedule
Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
---|
September 19 | | Colorado State | No. 20 | | W 38–9 | 43,504 | [4] |
September 26 | | Kansas State* | | - Sun Devil Stadium
- Tempe, AZ
| W 35–13 | 50,255 | [5] |
October 3 | | at Wyoming | No. 18 | | W 52–3 | 17,170 | [6] |
October 10 | | Washington State* | No. 14 | - Sun Devil Stadium
- Tempe, AZ
| W 37–30 | 46,098 | [7] |
October 17 | | at BYU | No. 12 | | W 27–3 | 18,288 | [8] |
October 24 | | at UTEP | No. 12 | | W 42–13 | 23,035 | [9] |
November 7 | 8:00 p.m. | San Jose State* | No. 12 | - Sun Devil Stadium
- Tempe, AZ
| W 46–10 | 40,009 | [10] |
November 14 | | Utah | No. 11 | - Sun Devil Stadium
- Tempe, AZ
| W 37–14 | 42,000 | [11] |
November 21 | | New Mexico | No. 9 | - Sun Devil Stadium
- Tempe, AZ
| W 33–21 | 51,283 | [12] |
December 5 | | at Arizona | No. 9 | | W 10–6 | 38,500 | [13] |
December 20 | | vs. North Carolina* | No. 8 | | W 48–26 | 52,126 | [14] |
|
[15]
Game summaries
Arizona
Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
• Arizona St |
0 |
0 | 7 | 3 |
10 |
Arizona |
0 |
0 | 0 | 6 |
6 |
Scoring summary |
Q3 | | ASU | Hill 7 yard pass from Spagnola (Ekstrand kick) | ASU 7–0 |
|
Q4 | | ARIZ | McKee 20 yard pass from Demery (kick failed) | ASU 7–6 |
|
Q4 | | ASU | Ekstrand 20 yard field goal | ASU 10–6 |
[16]
Roster
1970 Arizona State Sun Devils football team roster
|
Players
|
Coaches
|
Offense
Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
RB
|
|
Dave Buchanan
|
Sr
|
G
|
67
|
Ken Coyle
|
Sr
|
OT
|
76
|
Roger Davis
|
Jr
|
TE
|
30
|
Calvin Demery
|
Jr
|
FB
|
40
|
Oscar Dragon
|
Jr
|
OT
|
79
|
Ed Fisher
|
Jr
|
WR
|
20
|
J. D. Hill
|
Sr
|
WR
|
25
|
Steve Holden
|
So
|
QB
|
10
|
Grady Hurst
|
Jr
|
C
|
51
|
Ron Lou
|
So
|
FB
|
43
|
Brent McClanahan
|
So
|
G
|
68
|
Dave Pentz
|
Sr
|
TE
|
88
|
Joe Petty
|
So
|
C
|
|
Gary Shaw
|
So
|
G
|
72
|
Ed Smith
|
Sr
|
G
|
|
Rich Smith
|
So
|
QB
|
11
|
Joe Spagnola
|
Sr
|
RB
|
23
|
Bob Thomas
|
Sr
|
OT
|
63
|
Mike Tomco
|
Jr
|
G
|
61
|
Gary Venturo
|
Sr
|
|
Defense
Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
DE
|
82
|
Junior Ah You
|
Jr
|
S
|
34
|
Mike Artozqui
|
Sr
|
DT
|
78
|
Dwight Cahill
|
Sr
|
S
|
21
|
Mike Clupper
|
Jr
|
DE
|
86
|
Joe Connolly
|
Sr
|
DT
|
53
|
Bob Davenport
|
Sr
|
DE
|
84
|
Mike Fanucci
|
Sr
|
LB
|
|
Nick Ferrara
|
Sr
|
DT
|
71
|
Rich Gray
|
Jr
|
S
|
|
Steve Hale
|
So
|
DB
|
31
|
Windlan Hall
|
Jr
|
DT
|
64
|
Tim Hoban
|
Jr
|
DB
|
|
Mike Kwiatowski
|
Sr
|
DB
|
35
|
Ron Lumpkin
|
So
|
S
|
36
|
Prentice McCray
|
So
|
LB
|
50
|
Mike Mess
|
Sr
|
DT
|
62
|
Ted Olivo
|
Sr
|
LB
|
54
|
Prentice Williams
|
Sr
|
|
Special teams
Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
K
|
13
|
Don Ekstrand
|
Sr
|
P
|
15
|
Jim McCann
|
Sr
|
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
|
1970 team players in the NFL
The following players were claimed in the 1971 NFL draft.
[17]
References
- ^ "1970 Arizona State Sun Devils Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
- ^ "2016 ASU Football Media Guide". Arizona State University. 2016. p. 122. Archived from the original on October 25, 2016. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
- ^ "1970 Arizona State Sun Devils Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
- ^ "Arizona State swamps CSU". The Arizona Daily Star. September 20, 1970. Retrieved September 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Sun Devils rip 'Cats". The Kansas City Star. September 27, 1970. Retrieved September 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "'Spaghetti Joe' sets table as Ariz. State routs Wyoming 52–3". The Courier-Journal. October 4, 1970. Retrieved September 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Cougs can't quite do it". The News Tribune. October 11, 1970. Retrieved September 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Arizona State pummels hapless BYU club 27–3". The Idaho Statesman. October 18, 1970. Retrieved September 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Sun Devils rip Miners". The Ogden Standard-Examiner. October 25, 1970. Retrieved September 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Streaking Sun Devils rip Sparts". The Spokesman-Review. November 8, 1970. Retrieved September 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Arizona State raps Utah, 37–14". Fort Collins Coloradoan. November 15, 1970. Retrieved September 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Arizona beats UNM, takes title". The Sacramento Bee. November 22, 1970. Retrieved September 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Arizona State sneaks past tenacious Arizona U., 10–6". The Patriot-News. December 6, 1970. Retrieved September 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Arizona State blisters Tar Heels, 48–26". The Arizona Daily Star. December 31, 1970. Retrieved January 22, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "1970 NCAA Football Statistics (Arizona State)". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
- ^ Eugene-Register Guard. 1970 Dec 6.
- ^ "1971 NFL Draft". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
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