1972 Wisconsin Badgers football team

1972 Wisconsin Badgers football
UW Band forms an elephant at halftime of the Northwestern game
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record4–7 (2–6 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorLarry Van Dusen (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorLew Stueck (3rd season)
Base defense4–3
MVPRufus Ferguson
Captains
Home stadiumCamp Randall Stadium
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
2 – 6 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Northwestern 1 – 8 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1972 Wisconsin Badgers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Wisconsin as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1972 Big Ten season. In their third year under head coach John Jardine, the Badgers compiled a 4–7 record (2–6 in conference games), finished in ninth place in the Big Ten, and were outscored by a total of 229 to 152.[1][2]

The Badgers gained an average of 117.5 passing yards and 200.0 rushing yards per game. On defense, they gave up an average of 102.3 passing yards and 249.6 rushing yards per game.[3] The team's individual statistical leaders included: quarterback Rudy Steiner (1,080 passing yards); running back Rufus Ferguson (1,004 rushing yards); and running back Jeff Mack (27 receptions for 528 yards).[3]

Dave Lokanc and Keith Nosbusch were the team captains.[4] Rufus Ferguson was selected as the team's most valuable player.[5] Four Wisconsin players received first- or second-team All-Big Ten honors from the Associated Press (AP) or United Press International (UPI): Ferguson at running back (AP-1, UPI-2); Lokanc at linebacker (AP-1, UPI-2); and Nosbusch at offensive guard (AP-2, UPI-2); and Mike Webster at center (UPI-2).[6][7]

The Badgers played their home games at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 161:30 p.m.Northern Illinois*
W 31–762,710
September 23Syracuse*
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI
W 31–767,234
September 30at LSU*
L 7–2769,142[8]
October 7Northwestern
  • Camp Randal Stadium
  • Madison, WI
W 21–1474,595
October 14at Indiana
L 7–3350,122
October 21at Michigan State
L 0–3162,638
October 28No. 4 Ohio State
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI
L 20–2878,713
November 4Iowa
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI (rivalry)
W 16–1478,723
November 11at Purdue
L 6–2753,507
November 18at Illinois
L 7–2745,703
November 25Minnesota
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI (rivalry)
L 6–1460,746
  • *Non-conference game
  • Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

Roster

1972 Wisconsin Badgers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
G 66 Mike Becker Jr
QB 14 Gregg Bohlig So
G 63 Bob Braun Sr
RB 25 Tony Davis So
RB 21 Rufus Ferguson Sr
WR 84 Mike Haas Sr
RB 22 Duane Johnson Fr
OT 75 Bob Johnson So
OT 70 Dennis Lick Fr
TE 86 Tom Lonnborg Sr
FB 30 Gary Lund Sr
RB 39 Jeff Mack So
OT 62 Keith Nosbusch (C) Sr
TE 88 Jack Novak So
C 53 John Pagel Sr
C 52 Mike Passini Sr
WR 87 Rod Rhodes So
FB 23 Chuck Richardson Sr
WR 45 Art Sanger Jr
G 67 Dan Schroeder Jr
QB 15 Rudy Steiner  Sr
C 51 Mike Webster Jr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
LB 58 Ed Bosold Jr
S 19 Chris Davis Jr
S 46 Ron Buss Sr
DE 69 Phil Connors Sr
LB 35 Bob Hanssen Jr
DT 54 Brian Harney Jr
LB 56 John Hoffman Jr
DT 70 Tom Koch Sr
DT 60 Mark Levenhagen Jr
LB 57 Dave Lokanc (C) Sr
DT 79 Michael Mayer Sr
DT 77 Angelo Messina Jr
LB 59 Todd Nordwig Jr
CB 24 Alvin Peabody So
DB 28 Randy Safranek Sr
LB 50 David Schrader Sr
DT 74 Jim Schymanski Jr
DE 81 Mike Seifert Jr
DE 78 Bob Storck Sr
CB 29 Jim Wesley Jr
LB 47 Mark Zakula So
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K 7 Rich Barrios Jr
P 41 Stan Williams So
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Larry Van Dusen – Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Backs
  • Lew Stueck – Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
  • George Chryst – Junior Varsity Offensive Coach
  • Norm Dow – Quarterbacks
  • Jim Martin – Wide Receivers
  • Charlie McBride – Offensive Line
  • Dick Selcer – Defensive Backs
  • Dick Teteak – Defensive Line
  • LaVern Van Dyke – Administrative Assistant
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured
  • Redshirt

Players in the 1973 NFL draft

The following Wisconsin players were selected in the 1973 NFL draft.[9]

Player Position Round Pick NFL club
Robert Storck Defensive Tackle 12 297 Los Angeles Rams
Rufus Ferguson Running Back 16 404 Atlanta Falcons

References

  1. ^ "1972 Wisconsin Badgers Schedule and Results". SR/College Footbal. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  2. ^ "Wisconsin Football 2020 Fact Book". University of Wisconsin. p. 184. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  3. ^ a b "1972 Wisconsin Badgers Stats". SR/College Footbal. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  4. ^ Wisconsin Football 2020 Fact Book, p. 145.
  5. ^ Wisconsin Football 2020 Fact Book, p. 140.
  6. ^ "Wells named to All-Big Ten team". The Pantagraph (Bloomington, Illinois). November 28, 1972.
  7. ^ "UM, State, Buckeyes Dominate UPI's All Big Ten Team". Ludington Daily News (UPI story). November 28, 1972. p. 5.
  8. ^ "Badgers lose to LSU, 27–7". The La Crosse Tribune. October 1, 1972. Retrieved October 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "1972 NFL Draft: Full Draft". NFL.com. National Football League. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
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