The 1972 Stanford Cardinals football team represented Stanford University in the 1972 NCAA University Division football season. Following the departure of head coach John Ralston for the Denver Broncos in early January,[1][2][3] defensive backs coach Jack Christiansen was promoted to head coach.[4][5][6]
Stanford finished at 6–5, but were 2–5 in Pacific-8 Conference play, tied for sixth.
The school changed its nickname from "Indians" to "Cardinals" in March after objections from Native American students and a vote by the student senate.[7][8][9][10]
Schedule
Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
---|
September 16 | 1:30 p.m. | San Jose State* | | | W 44–0 | 48,500 | |
September 23 | | at Duke* | No. 19 | | W 10–6 | 24,600 | [11] |
September 30 | 1:30 p.m. | No. 20 West Virginia* | No. 19 | - Stanford Stadium
- Stanford, CA
| W 41–35 | 56,000 | [12] |
October 7 | 1:30 p.m. | No. 1 USC | No. 15 | - Stanford Stadium
- Stanford, CA (rivalry)
| L 21–30 | 84,000 | |
October 14 | 1:30 p.m. | No. 12 Washington | No. 17 | - Stanford Stadium
- Stanford, CA
| W 24–0 | 56,000 | |
October 21 | 1:30 p.m. | at Oregon | No. 13 | | L 13–15 | 27,500 | [13][14][15] |
October 28 | 1:30 p.m. | Oregon State | | - Stanford Stadium
- Stanford, CA
| W 17–11 | 44,000 | |
November 4 | 1:32 p.m. | at No. 8 UCLA | | | L 23–28 | 47,276 | |
November 11 | 1:30 p.m. | at Washington State | No. 20 | | L 13–27 | 20,500 | |
November 18 | 1:33 p.m. | at California | | | L 21–24 | 68,000 | |
December 2 | | at Hawaii* | | | W 39–7 | 18,397 | |
- *Non-conference game
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
- All times are in Pacific time
|
[16]
Game summaries
Washington
Game information
|
- First quarter
- STAN – Cross 23 yard pass from Boryla (Garcia kick). Stanford 7–0. Drive:
- Second quarter
- STAN – Alvarado 30 yard pass from Boryla (Garcia kick). Stanford 14-0. Drive:
- STAN – M. Moore 13 yard pass from Murray (Garcia kick). Stanford 21-0. Drive:
- Third quarter
- STAN – Garcia 32 yard field goal. Stanford 24-0. Drive:
- Fourth quarter
|
[17][18]
California
Game information
|
- First quarter
- STAN – Eric Cross 24-yard pass from Mike Boryla (Steve Murray kick). Stanford 7–0. Drive:
- Second quarter
- CAL – Ray Wersching 29-yard field goal. Stanford 7–3. Drive:
- STAN – Gordon Riegel 71-yard interception return (Steve Murray kick). Stanford 14–3.
- Third quarter
- CAL – Syl Youngblood 4-yard run (pass good). Stanford 14–11. Drive:
- Fourth quarter
- CAL – Syl Youngblood 6-yard run (Ray Wersching kick). Cal 18–14. Drive:
- STAN – Reggie Sanderson 3-yard run (Rod Garcia kick), 3:42. Stanford 21–18. Drive:
- CAL – Steve Sweeney 7-yard pass from Vince Ferragamo, 0:00. Cal 24–21. Drive: 64 yards.
|
- Top rushers
- CAL – Steve Kemnitzer – 15 rushes, 60 yards
|
|
Roster
1972 Stanford Cardinal football team roster
|
Players
|
Coaches
|
Offense
|
Defense
Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
DB
|
|
John Blanchard
|
DB
|
|
Dennis Bragonier
|
DL
|
|
Roger Cowan
|
DL
|
|
Jim Ferguson
|
DB
|
|
John Ferguson
|
DL
|
|
Peter Hansel
|
DB
|
|
Charles McCloud
|
LB
|
|
Jim Merlo
|
LB
|
|
Pat Moore
|
DB
|
|
Gary Murray
|
DB, K
|
|
Steve Murray
|
DL
|
|
Pierre Perreault
|
LB
|
|
Dennis Peterson
|
DB
|
|
Randy Poltl
|
DL
|
|
Barry Reynolds
|
DL
|
|
Roger Stillwell
|
|
Special teams
Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
K
|
|
Rod Garcia
|
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
|
References
- ^ "Stanford's Ralston Broncos coach". Sarasota Herald Tribune. (Florida). Associated Press. January 6, 1972. p. 1D.
- ^ "Five-year pro deal to Ralston". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 6, 1972. p. 23.
- ^ King, Errol (January 6, 1972). "Ralston's talking Super Bowl". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). UPI. p. C1.
- ^ "Christiansen accepts job at Stanford". Wilmington Morning Star. (North Carolina). UPI. January 22, 1972. p. 16.
- ^ "White decides on Cal; Tribe gets Christiansen". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 22, 1972. p. 1B.
- ^ "Christiansen Stanford's coach, White goes to Cal". Lodi News-Sentinel. (California). UPI. January 22, 1972. p. 7.
- ^ "Indians are no more as Stanford name". Lodi News-Sentinel. (California). UPI. March 4, 1972. p. 8.
- ^ "What is the history of Stanford's mascot and nickname?". Stanford Athletics. July 7, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
- ^ Wascher, Jim (March 3, 1972). "Senate abolishes mascot". The Stanford Daily. (California). p. 10.
- ^ "The Removal of the Indian Mascot at Stanford". Stanford Native American Cultural Center. Archived from the original on June 20, 2009. Retrieved July 10, 2009.
- ^ "Stanford nips Duke". Winston-Salem Journal & Sentinel. September 24, 1972. Retrieved January 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Stanford fights back West Virginia, 41–35". The Lincoln Star. October 1, 1972. Retrieved January 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Cawood, Neil (October 22, 1972). "Hungry Ducks pull 15-13 stunner". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 1C.
- ^ "Stanford upset". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. October 22, 1972. p. D-8.
- ^ "Ducks combine long run, tough defense for upset". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). UPI. October 23, 1972. p. 7.
- ^ "Schedule/Results (Stanford 1972)". NCAA Statistics. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved May 25, 2025.
- ^ "Cards dump Huskies, 24-0". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. October 15, 1972. p. 6C.
- ^ "Stanford beats UW with Sixkiller hurt". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. October 15, 1972. p. 2, sports.
External links
|
---|
Venues | |
---|
Bowls & rivalries | |
---|
Culture & lore | |
---|
People | |
---|
Seasons | |
---|
National championship seasons in bold |