1977 Holy Cross Crusaders football team

The 1977 Holy Cross Crusaders football team was an American football team that represented the College of the Holy Cross as an independent during the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. Head coach Neil Wheelwright returned for his second year. The team compiled a record of 5–6.[2]

1977 Holy Cross Crusaders football
ConferenceIndependent
Record2–9
Head coach
Captains
  • Craig Cerretani
  • Steve Hunt
Home stadiumFitton Field
Seasons
← 1976
1978 →
1977 NCAA Division I independents football records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Notre Dame       11 1 0
No. 5 Penn State       11 1 0
Colgate       10 1 0
North Texas State *       10 1 0
No. 16 San Diego State       10 1 0
Tennessee State       8 1 1
No. 14 Florida State       10 2 0
No. 8 Pittsburgh       9 2 1
East Carolina       8 3 0
Rutgers       8 3 0
Army       7 4 0
Louisville       7 4 1
Boston College       6 5 0
Cincinnati       5 4 2
Georgia Tech       6 5 0
Memphis State       6 5 0
Northwestern State       6 5 0
Syracuse       6 5 0
William & Mary       6 5 0
Southern Miss       6 5 0
Temple       5 5 1
Hawaii       5 6 0
Navy       5 6 0
West Virginia       5 6 0
South Carolina       5 7 0
Utah State       4 7 0
Villanova       4 7 0
Illinois State       3 7 1
Virginia Tech       3 7 1
Miami (FL)       3 8 0
Richmond       3 8 0
Tulane       3 8 0
Air Force       2 8 1
Holy Cross       2 8 0
Northeast Louisiana       2 9 0
  • North Texas State (originally 9–2) awarded a forfeit win after Mississippi State was found to be using an ineligible player.[1]
Rankings from AP Poll

All home games were played at Fitton Field on the Holy Cross campus in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 10 at New Hampshire L 14–27 11,800 [3]
September 17 at Rhode Island L 0–14 5,742 [4]
September 24 at Dartmouth L 14–17 7,900 [5]
October 8 Colgate
  • Fitton Field
  • Worcester, MA
L 14–31 10,132 [6]
October 15 Boston University 
  • Fitton Field
  • Worcester, MA
L 13–14 6,110 [7]
October 22 Brown^
  • Fitton Field
  • Worcester, MA
L 13–44 14,000 [8]
October 29 at Army L 7–48 41,376 [9]
November 5 at UMass L 6–28 8,100 [10]
November 12 Villanova
  • Fitton Field
  • Worcester, MA
L 0–24 7,651 [11]
November 19 at Connecticut W 14–3 5,246 [12]
November 26 Boston College
  • Fitton Field
  • Worcester, MA (rivalry)
W 35–20 12,006 [13]
  •  Homecoming
  • ^ Family Weekend

Statistical leaders

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Statistical leaders for the 1977 Crusaders included:[14]

  • Rushing: Crocky Nangle, 603 yards and 4 touchdowns on 148 attempts
  • Passing: Peter Colombo, 508 yards, 38 completions and 2 touchdowns on 77 attempts
  • Receiving: Pat Kelly, 357 yards on 26 receptions
  • Scoring: Crocky Nangle, 26 points from 4 touchdowns and 1 two-point conversion
  • Total offense: Peter Colombo, 610 yards (508 passing, 102 rushing)
  • All-purpose yards: Larry Ewald, 923 yards (435 returning, 408 rushing, 80 receiving)
  • Interceptions: Herb Mihalik, 6 interceptions for 24 yards

References

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  1. ^ https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1977-standings.html
  2. ^ "2019 Holy Cross Football Fact Book" (PDF). Worcester, Mass.: College of the Holy Cross. p. 123. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  3. ^ Morganti, Al (September 11, 1977). "UNH Prevails as Crusade Fails, 27-14". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 95 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "URI Stuns HC, 14-0, Via Air". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. September 18, 1977. p. 90 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Morganti, Al (September 25, 1977). "Lowery Kicks Dartmouth Past HC". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 71 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Mumpton, Roy (October 9, 1977). "Colgate Untracks, Snuffs Holy Cross Threat, 31-14". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 79 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Morganti, Al (October 16, 1977). "BU Takes Breaks, 14-13". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 53 – via Newspapers.com. Attendance figure in "Boston University 14, Holy Cross 13". St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Fla. October 16, 1977. p. 6C.
  8. ^ Roberts, Ernie (October 23, 1977). "Brown Sophomore Script Scrambles HC, 44-13". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 73 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Mumpton, Roy (October 30, 1977). "Army Marches over HC, 48-7". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 72 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Eisenberg, Harry (November 6, 1977). "UMass Toils, HC Tumbles; Defense Key, 28-6". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 70 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Mumpton, Roy (November 13, 1977). "Villanova Hands HC 9th Loss". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 80 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Anderson, Woody (November 20, 1977). "Crusaders Beat Punchless Huskies, 14-3". The Hartford Courant. Hartford, Conn. p. 1C – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ McGowen, Deane (November 27, 1977). "Holy Cross Stuns B.C., 35-20; Lehigh Tops UMass". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. p. S8.
  14. ^ "2019 Holy Cross Football Fact Book" (PDF). Worcester, Mass.: College of the Holy Cross. pp. 68–73. Retrieved June 15, 2020.