Saginaw Valley State Cardinals football, 1975–1979

1975–1979 Saginaw Valley State Cardinals football
ConferenceGreat Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Head coach
Home stadiumHarvey Randall Wickes Memorial Stadium

The Saginaw Valley State Cardinals football program, 1975–1979 represented Saginaw Valley State College (SVSC) (now known as Saginaw Valley State University) during the 1970s in college football. SVSC was a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). The team was led during the period by head coach Muddy Waters.

The team played its home games at Harvey Randall Wickes Memorial Stadium, commonly shortened to Wickes Stadium, in University Center, Michigan.

Decade overview

Year Head coach Overall record Conf. record Conf. rank Points scored Points against Delta
1975 Muddy Waters 3–7 1–3 5 128 219 -109
1976 Muddy Waters 4–7 0–5 6 213 158 +55
1977 Muddy Waters 6–5 2–3 3 (tie) 193 188 +5
1978 Muddy Waters 4–5–1 1–3–1 4 (tie) 211 210 +1
1979 Muddy Waters 8–2–1 4–0–1 1 295 130 +165
TOTAL 25–26–2 8–14–2

Early development

  • In December 1973, SVC's Board of Control unanimously decided to establish a football program.[1]
  • In January 1974, SVC announced that it had received approximately $1 miliion from Saginaw H. Randall Wickes, and 85-year-old millionaire and chairman of Wickes Corp., to build a stadium.[2]
  • In February 1974, SVC hired Muddy Waters as its head coach. He had been the head football coach at Hillsdale College for the prior 21 yards, posting a 138-46-5 record.[3]
  • In the fall of 1974, SVC fielded a non-varsity football team. The team won its first game on September 16, 1974, defeating Northwood's junior varsity team by a 2-16 score at Arthur Hill High School in Saginaw.[4]

1975

1975 Saginaw Valley State Cardinals football
ConferenceGreat Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record3–7 (1–3 GLIAC)
Head coach
1975 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Wayne State (MI) $ 3 – 1 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
No. 15 Grand Valley State 3 – 1 – 1 7 – 2 – 1
Northwood 3 – 1 – 1 5 – 4 – 1
Hillsdale 3 – 2 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Saginaw Valley State 1 – 3 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Ferris State 0 – 5 – 0 0 – 10 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll

The 1975 Saginaw Valley State Cardinals football team represented Saginaw Valley State College as a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) during the 1975 NAIA Division II football season. In their first year under head coach Muddy Waters, the Cardinals compiled a 3–7 record (1–3 in conference games), finished in fifth place in the GLIAC, and were outscored by a total of 219 to 128.[5]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 13Adrian*University Center, MIW 29–141,900[6]
September 20Northeastern Illinois*University Center, MIW 20–0
September 27at Alma*Alma, MIL 6–27
October 4at Ferris StateBig Rapids, MIW 31–28[7]
October 11St. Norbert*University Center, MIL 6–10
October 18at Grand Valley StateAllendale, MIL 5–32[8]
October 25at Northern Michigan*Marquette, MIL 15–20
November 1at Edinboro*Edinboro, PAL 0–21
November 8at NorthwoodMidland, MIL 6–30
November 15at HillsdaleHillsdale, MIL 10–37[9]
  • *Non-conference game

[5]

1976

1976 Saginaw Valley State Cardinals football
ConferenceGreat Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record3–7 (0–5 GLIAC)
Head coach
1976 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 15 Northwood $ 4 – 1 – 0 5 – 2 – 1
No. 7 Grand Valley State 3 – 2 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
Wayne State (MI) 3 – 2 – 0 6 – 2 – 0
Ferris State 3 – 2 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Hillsdale 2 – 3 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Saginaw Valley State 0 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll

The 1976 Saginaw Valley State Cardinals football team represented Saginaw Valley State College as a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) during the 1976 NAIA Division II football season. In their second year under head coach Muddy Waters, the Cardinals compiled a 3–7 record (0–5 in conference games), finished in sixth and last place in the GLIAC, and outscored opponents by a total of 213 to 158.[5]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 4at William Penn*Oskaloosa, IAW 24–21
September 11at HillsdaleHillsdale, MIL 6–7
September 18at Adrian*Adrian, MIW 31–7
September 25Northeastern Illinois*
W 17–0
October 2Grand Rapids JC*
  • Wickes Stadium
  • University Center, MI
W 50–0
October 9at Youngstown State*Youngstown, OHL 21–22
October 16Grand Valley State
  • Wickes Stadium
  • University Center, MI
L 6–17
October 23Wayne State (MI)Detroit, MIL 14–31
October 30at St. Norbert*De Pere, WIL 14–15
November 6at Ferris State
L 23–24
November 13Northwood
  • Wickes Stadium
  • University Center, MI
L 7–14
  • *Non-conference game

[5]

1977

1977 Saginaw Valley State Cardinals football
ConferenceGreat Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record6–5 (2–3 GLIAC)
Head coach
1977 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 18 Grand Valley State $ 4 – 1 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Wayne State (MI) 3 – 2 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Hillsdale 2 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Northwood 2 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Saginaw Valley State 2 – 3 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Ferris State 2 – 3 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll

The 1977 Saginaw Valley State Cardinals football team represented Saginaw Valley State College as a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) during the 1977 NAIA Division II football season. In their third year under head coach Muddy Waters, the Cardinals compiled a 6–5 record (2–3 in conference games), finished in four-way tie for third and last place in the GLIAC, and outscored opponents by a total of 193 to 188.[5]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 3William Penn*
W 31–6
September 10Hillsdale
  • Wickes Stadium
  • University Center, MI
L 13–21
September 17Edinboro*
  • Wickes Stadium
  • University Center, MI
W 21–17
September 24Ferris State
  • Wickes Stadium
  • University Center, MI
W 38–3
October 1at Northern Michigan*Marquette, MIL 9–34
October 8Youngstown State*
  • Wickes Stadium
  • University Center, MI
L 12–22
October 15at Grand Valley State
L 14–41
October 22Northeastern Illinois*
  • Wickes Stadium
  • University Center, MI
W 13–0
October 29St. Norbert*
  • Wickes Stadium
  • University Center, MI
W 26–0
November 5at Wayne State (MI)Detroit, MIL 7–38
November 12at NorthwoodMidland, MIW 10–6
  • *Non-conference game

[5]

1978

1978 Saginaw Valley State Cardinals football
ConferenceGreat Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record4–5–1 (1–3–1 GLIAC)
Head coach
1978 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 4 Grand Valley State $^ 5 – 0 – 0 9 – 3 – 0
Wayne State (MI) 4 – 1 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Northwood 2 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Saginaw Valley State 1 – 3 – 1 4 – 5 – 1
Ferris State 1 – 3 – 1 3 – 5 – 2
Hillsdale 1 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll

The 1978 Saginaw Valley State Cardinals football team represented Saginaw Valley State College as a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) during the 1978 NAIA Division I football season. In their fourth year under head coach Muddy Waters, the Cardinals compiled a 4–5–1 record (1–3–1 in conference games), finished in a tie for fourth place in the GLIAC, and outscored opponents by a total of 211 to 210.[5]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 9Wayne State (MI)
L 10–14
September 16Indianapolis*
  • Wickes Stadium
  • University Center, MI
W 21–7
September 23Ferris State
  • Wickes Stadium
  • University Center, MI
T 17–17
September 30at Youngstown State*Youngstown, OHL 12–49
October 7at St. Norbert*De Pere, WIW 16–7
October 14Grand Valley State
  • Wickes Stadium
  • University Center, MI
L 14–24
October 21at Northeastern Illinois*Chicago, ILW 37–28
October 28at HillsdaleHillsdale, MIW 28–6
November 4at Western Illinois*Macomb, ILL 26–27
November 11Northwood
  • Wickes Stadium
  • University Center, MI
L 30–31
  • *Non-conference game

[5]

1979

1979 Saginaw Valley State Cardinals football
GLIAC champion
NAIA Division I quarterfinals, L 6–36 vs. Presbyterian
ConferenceGreat Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record8–2–1 (4–0–1 GLIAC)
Head coach
Home stadiumHarvey Randall Wickes Memorial Stadium
1979 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 8 Saginaw Valley State $^ 4 – 0 – 1 8 – 2 – 1
Wayne State (MI) 3 – 1 – 1 3 – 5 – 1
Ferris State 3 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 1
Grand Valley State 2 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Northwood 1 – 4 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Hillsdale 1 – 4 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll

The 1979 Saginaw Valley State Cardinals football team represented Saginaw Valley State Colllege as a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) during the 1979 NAIA Division I football season. In their fifth year under head coach Muddy Waters, the Cardinals compiled an 8–2–1 record (4–0–1 in conference games), won the GLIAC championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 295 to 130.[5]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 8Northeastern Illinois*
W 51–0
September 15at Indianapolis*Indianapolis, INW 29–12
September 22at Western Illinois*Macomb, ILL 7–27
September 29Evansville*
  • Wickes Stadium
  • University City, MI
W 23–0
October 6at HillsdaleHillsdale, MIW 21–3
October 13Grand Valley State
  • Wickes Stadium
  • University City, MI
W 32–24[10]
October 20at NorthwoodMidland, MIW 20–7
October 27at Ferris State
W 22–14
November 3at Mexico Educacion*Mexico CityW 77–0
November 10Wayne State (MI)
  • Wickes Stadium
  • University City, MI
T 7–7
December 1at Presbyterian*Clinton, SC (NAIA Division I quarterfinal)L 6–36[11]
  • *Non-conference game

[5]

References

  1. ^ "SVC Approves Football Plan". The Bay City Times. December 18, 1973. p. D1 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ Joseph B. Baker (January 15, 1974). "SVC to Get $1 Million For Stadium". The Saginaw News. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Jim Buckley (February 26, 1974). "Waters Named Coach at SVC". The Saginaw News. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Bill Siel (September 17, 1974). "SVC Records First Victory: Cardinals Defeat Northwood, 20-16". The Bay City Times. p. D1 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Saginaw Valley State Yearly Results (1975-1979)". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
  6. ^ "Waters' clan drowns Adrian in SVSC debut, 29-14". The Saginaw News. September 14, 1975. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Richard L. Dancz (October 6, 1975). "Saginaw Valley Edges Ferris State, 31-28". Ludington Daily News. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Dan Nilsen (October 19, 1975). "Hosford Powers Laker Win". The Grand Rapids Press. p. 2E – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Chris Thorne (November 16, 1975). "Mistakes costly to SVSC, 37-10". The Saginaw News. p. F3 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Game Sets Records, Lakers Still Lose". The Grand Rapids Press. October 14, 1979. p. 3H – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Mike Thompson (December 2, 1979). "SVSC smothered by Presbyterian". The Saginaw News. pp. H1, H6 – via Newspapers.com.
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