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1977 Lowell Chiefs football team

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
1977 Lowell Chiefs football
NCFA champion
NECFC champion
NCFA Championship Game, W 41–6 vs. Duquesne
ConferenceNew England Colonial Football Conference
Record10–0 (8–0 NECFC)
Head coach
  • John Perreault (3rd season)
CaptainKen Gauthier, Tipper Durkin, Bill Florence, Mike McKeon[1]
Home stadiumCawley Stadium
Seasons
← 1976
1978 →

The 1977 Lowell Chiefs football team was an American football team that represented the University of Lowell (later renamed University of Massachusetts Lowell) as a member of the New England Colonial Football Conference (NECFC) during the 1977 National Collegiate Football Association (NCFA) season. In their third year under head coach John Perreault,[1] the Chiefs compiled a perfect 10–0 record (8–0 in conference games), won the NECFC championship, defeated Duquesne in the NCFA Championship Game, held seven opponents to seven or fewer points, and outscored all opponents by a total of 380 to 56.

The NECC coaches selected Lowell's junior fullback Ken Gauthier as the conference's most valuable player and Perreault as the coach of the year. Gauthier totaled 494 rushing yards with an average of 6.3 yards per carry.[2] Another Lowell back, Terry Coleman, led the conference with 1,322 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns.[3]

Nine Lowell players selected for the all-conference team were: Gauthier at fullback; Coleman at running back; Tipper Durkin at quarterback; Mike McKeon at offensive tackle; Marty McLain at center; Bill Kulis at defensive end; Russ Calla at middle guard; Bill Florence at linebacker; and Steve Pepe at cornerback.[2]

Perreault also led the 1979 Lowell team to a second national championship in three years and led the team to varsity status in 1980.[4]

The team played its home games at Cawley Stadium in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Schedule

[edit]
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 17St. John Fisher*
W 18–11[5][6]
September 24Stonehill
  • Cawley Stadium
  • Lowell, MA
W 27–0[7]
October 1at BentleyWaltham, MAW 27–0[8]
October 8at HartfordHartford, CTW 49–6[9]
October 15Worcester State
  • Cawley Stadium
  • Lowell, MA
W 69–131,000[10]
October 22Western New England
  • Cawley Stadium
  • Lowell, MA
W 7–62,000[11]
October 29at Saint Michael'sWinooski, VTW 51–0[12]
November 5Assumption (MA)
  • Alumni Field
  • Worcester, MA
W 35–14[13]
November 13Providence
  • Cawley Stadium
  • Lowell, MA
W 46–02,100[14][15]
November 19Duquesne*
  • Cawley Stadium
  • Lowell, MA (NCFA Championship Game)
W 41–63,000[16][17][18]
  • *Non-conference game

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Perreault hopes to make "Major" changes at ULowell". The Lowell Sun. September 23, 1977. p. 56 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b "Taconic's Gauthier named Colonial MVP". The Berkshire Eagle. November 16, 1977. p. 39 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Lowell takes NCAA club championship". The Boston Globe. November 20, 1977. p. 90 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Sports Notebook". The Boston Globe. September 27, 1992. p. 55 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "ULowell on top, 18-11; Coleman tallied twice". The Lowell Sun. September 18, 1977. p. D4 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Lowell 18, St. John Fisher 11". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. September 18, 1977. p. 3D – via newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "ULowell pounds Stonehill, 27-0". The Lowell Sun. September 25, 1977. p. D6 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "ULowell ranked second; visit Bentley tomorrow". The Lowell Sun. September 30, 1977. p. 23 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Coleman Runs Lowell Over Hartford, 49-6". The Hartford Courant. October 9, 1977. p. 4C – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "ULowell rolls to 69-13 win". The Lowell Sun. October 16, 1977. p. D2 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Undefeated ULowell hangs on for 7-6 Win". The Lowell Sun. October 23, 1977. p. D2 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "No. 1 ranked ULowell bombs Knights, 61-0". The Lowell Sun. October 30, 1977. p. D3 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "ULowell ready for showdown:: Whips Assumption". The Lowell Sun. November 6, 1977. p. D2 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Satisfaction for ULowell". The Lowell Sun. November 14, 1977. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Rick Harrison (November 14, 1977). "So long Providence, bring on Duquesne". The Lowell Sun. pp. 21, 24 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "ULowell Gridders all set for tomorrow's Bowl tilt". The Lowell Sun. November 18, 1977. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Mike Bodura (November 20, 1977). "Iron Dukes Misfire, Lose To Lowell, 41-6". The Pittsburgh Press. p. D2 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ Charles Scoggins Jr. (November 20, 1977). "ULowell wins national title". The Lowell Sun. p. E1 – via Newspapers.com.