1977 William & Mary Indians football team

The 1977 William & Mary Indians football team represented the College of William & Mary as an independent during the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. Led by Jim Root in his sixth year as head coach, William & Mary finished the season with a record of 6–5.[2]

1977 William & Mary Indians football
ConferenceIndependent
Record7–4
Head coach
CaptainJoe Agee, Keith Fimian
Home stadiumCary 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

Schedule

edit
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 3Norfolk StateW 27–13
September 10at VMIL 13–238,100[3]
September 17at No. 16 PittsburghL 6–28
September 24at LouisvilleW 21–7
October 1Villanova
  • Cary Field
  • Williamsburg, VA
W 28–812,500
October 8vs. Virginia TechL 8–1718,698[4]
October 22at NavyL 17–42
October 29Rutgers
  • Cary Field
  • Williamsburg, VA
L 21–2214,800[5]
November 5at The CitadelW 14–1313,420[6]
November 12vs. East CarolinaW 21–1720,863[7]
November 19Richmond
  • Cary Field
  • Williamsburg, VA (rivalry)
W 29–1314,000[8]
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Game summaries

edit

East Carolina / "12th Man Tackle"

edit

On November 12, William & Mary met heavily favored East Carolina in the Oyster Bowl. In the third quarter East Carolina led by three points. With 3:15 left in the third quarter, William & Mary quarterback Tom Rozantz broke loose and ran for the end zone. Jim Johnson, a former head coach for the East Carolina football team, who was described by The Virginian Pilot as "a portly 65-year-old gentleman in a raincoat", ran from the sidelines and threw a block tackle on Rozantz before he could score the winning touchdown. The unusual turn of events silenced the screaming William & Mary fans, and the officials gathered to discuss their course of action. After deliberation, the play was ruled a touchdown and William & Mary went on to win, 21–17.[9][10][11]

References

edit
  1. ^ https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1977-standings.html
  2. ^ "William & Mary Football Record Book" (PDF). William & Mary Athletics. June 1, 2021. p. 27. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  3. ^ "Jones booms 5 field goals, VMI surprises W&M 23–13". Daily Press. September 11, 1977. Retrieved February 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Virginia Tech wins 17–8". Daily Press. October 9, 1977. Retrieved December 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Richards, Ed (October 30, 1977). "Rutgers' Late Score Scuttles W&M 22-21". Daily Press. Newport News, Va. p. D1 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Rozantz propels W&M". The Danville Register. November 6, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Rozantz leads W&M's upset of Pirates". The Danville Register. November 13, 1977. Retrieved March 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "W&M blasts Richmond". The Danville Register. November 20, 1977. Retrieved October 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Coach Jim tackled a lot in life, but one was most memorable, The Virginian Pilot, December 1, 2004, retrieved February 3, 2009.
  10. ^ Pirate Alumni newsletter June 23, 2008, retrieved March 13, 2011.
  11. ^ Richards, Ed (November 13, 1977). "Rozantz, W&M, Find Pearls In Oyster Bowl; Despite '12th Man', Pirates Shocked 21-17". The Daily Press. Retrieved May 25, 2021.