CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1972 Nebraska

9–⁠2–⁠1 (5–⁠1–⁠1 Big Eight), coached by Bob Devaney, finished No. 4 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Nebraska in 1972, game by game: lost at UCLA 17–20; won vs. Texas A&M 37–7; won at Army 77–7; won vs. Minnesota 49–0; won vs. Missouri 62–0; won at Kansas 56–0; won vs. Oklahoma State 34–0; won at No. 15 Colorado 33–10; tied at No. 17 Iowa State 23–23; won vs. Kansas State 59–7; lost vs. No. 4 Oklahoma 14–17; won vs. No. 12 Notre Dame 40–6+70−3Lost 17–20 at UCLA-3UCLAWon 37–7 vs. Texas A&M+30Texas A&MWon 77–7 at Army+70ArmyWon 49–0 vs. Minnesota+49MinnesotaWon 62–0 vs. Missouri+62MissouriWon 56–0 at Kansas+56KansasWon 34–0 vs. Oklahoma State+34Oklahoma StateWon 33–10 at No. 15 Colorado+23No. 15 ColoradoTied 23–23 at No. 17 Iowa State0No. 17 Iowa StateWon 59–7 vs. Kansas State+52Kansas StateLost 14–17 vs. No. 4 Oklahoma-3No. 4 OklahomaWon 40–6 vs. No. 12 Notre Dame+34No. 12 Notre Dame
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 9atUCLAL 17–⁠2077%
Sep 16vsTexas A&MW 37–⁠784%
Sep 23atArmyW 77–⁠777%
Sep 30vsMinnesotaW 49–⁠090%
Oct 14vsMissouriW 62–⁠092%
Oct 21atKansasW 56–⁠080%
Oct 28vsOklahoma StateW 34–⁠085%
Nov 4at15ColoradoW 33–⁠1057%
Nov 11at17Iowa StateT 23–⁠2369%
Nov 18vsKansas StateW 59–⁠794%
Nov 23vs4OklahomaL 14–⁠1762%
Jan 1Bowls & playoffvs12Notre DameOrange BowlW 40–⁠665%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Notre Dame 40–⁠6 in the Orange Bowl; No. 4 in the final AP poll; Big Eight champions.

In program history: The 8th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 129 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 1
  2. Wk 2: 10
  3. Wk 3: 9
  4. Wk 4: 7
  5. Wk 5: 6
  6. Wk 6: 6
  7. Wk 7: 5
  8. Wk 8: 3
  9. Wk 9: 3
  10. Wk 10: 3
  11. Wk 11: 5
  12. Wk 12: 5
  13. Wk 13: 8
  14. Wk 14: 9
  15. Final: 4

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1972.

Big Eight champions5–⁠1–⁠1 in the conference, shared with Oklahoma

Heisman voteRich Glover, third

Heisman TrophyJohnny Rodgers, WR/RB; also the Walter Camp

Outland TrophyRich Glover, MG; also the Lombardi

3 consensus All-AmericansJohnny Rodgers, WR/RB; Willie Harper, DE; Rich Glover, MG

Record
9–⁠2–⁠1
Conference
5–⁠1–⁠1 2nd in Big Eight
AP final
No. 4 peak No. 1
Points
501–⁠97
Coach
Bob Devaney
Elo
1820 +73 this season
SP+ rating
31.4 No. 4 of 121; offense No. 3, defense No. 17
SRS
33.7 No. 2 of 127 major-college teams
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Tom Osborne
Defensive coordinator
Monte Kiffin
Offense
I formation
Defense
5–⁠2

Drafted in 1973

The 1973 draft
Rd 1Johnny Rodgers WRSan Diego Chargers
Rd 2Willie Harper LBSan Francisco 49ers
Rd 2Monte Johnson LBOakland Raiders
Rd 3Bill Olds RBBaltimore Colts
Rd 3Rich Glover DTNew York Giants
Rd 5Doug Dumler CNew England Patriots

All-Big Eight

5 first team

First team

From Wikipedia’s 1972 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1972 Big Eight standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
Oklahoma6–⁠111–⁠12
Nebraska5–⁠1–⁠19–⁠2–⁠14
Colorado4–⁠38–⁠416
Oklahoma State4–⁠36–⁠5
Missouri3–⁠46–⁠6
Iowa State2–⁠4–⁠15–⁠6–⁠1
Kansas2–⁠54–⁠7
Kansas State1–⁠63–⁠8

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.