1971 Alfred Saxons football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1971
| team = Alfred Saxons
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Independent College Athletic Conference
| short_conf = ICAC
| record = 8–0
| conf_record = 3–0
| head_coach = Alex Yunevich
| hc_year = 31st
| captain =
| stadium = Merrill Field
| champion = ICAC champion
Lambert Bowl champion
}}
{{1971 Independent College Athletic Conference football standings}}
The 1971 Alfred Saxons football team was an American football team that represented Alfred University as a member of the Independent College Athletic Conference (ICAC) during the 1971 NCAA College Division football season. In their 31st season under head coach Alex Yunevich, the Saxons compiled a perfect 8–0 record, won the ICAC championship, and outscored all opponents by a total of 236 to 91.{{cite book |title=The Official National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Guide 1972 |url=https://archive.org/details/official-collegiate-football-guide-1972-c/page/21/mode/1up |edition=82nd |location=Phoenix, Arizona |publisher=College Athletics Publishing Service |date=1972 |page=21 |access-date=December 29, 2024 |via=Internet Archive }}{{cite web|title=Alfred University Football Year-by-Year Results|publisher=Alfred University|access-date=February 25, 2024|url=https://gosaxons.com/sports/2022/7/5/football-year-by-year-results-1970-79.aspx}} The team was the second of three consecutive Alfred teams to win ICAC championships from 1970 to 1972.
The team was led by quarterback Jim Moretti. He broke all Alfred passing records, completing 259 of 604 passes for 4,085 yards and 36 touchdowns in 24 games from 1969 to 1971.{{cite news|title=Moretti-Young: Record Alfred Act|newspaper=Sunday Telegram|location=Elmira, New York|date=December 5, 1971|page=3D|url=}} He was selected as the third-team quarterback on the 1971 Little All-America college football team.{{cite news|title=Who's Tops ... Gary or Pat?|newspaper=Press|location=Binghamton, NY|date=December 9, 1971|page=9C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/press-and-sun-bulletin-whos-tops-ga/142073503/|via=Newspapers.com}}
The team was inducted as a "team of distinction" into the Alfred University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020.{{cite web|title=1971 Football Team Joins 48th Hall of Fame Class|publisher=Alfred University|access-date=February 25, 2024|url=https://gosaxons.com/news/2021/7/1/general-1971-football-team-joins-48th-hall-of-fame-class.aspx#:~:text=The%201971%20Football%20team%20under,by%20a%20combined%20three%20points.}} Nine players and staff from the 1971 team have also been inducted individually into the Hall of Fame: Alex Yunevich (head coach); Gene Castrovillo (trainer, athletic director); Henry Bzdak; Gary Eggler; John Henderson; Jim Moretti; Nick Teta; Tom Vredenburgh; and Charles Young.
The team played its home games at Merrill Field in Alfred, New York.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| attend = y
| source = y
|September 18|at|{{cfb link|year=1971|team=Brockport State Golden Eagles|title=Brockport State}}
|September 25||{{cfb link|year=1971|team=RPI Engineers|title=RPI}}|Merrill Field|Alfred, NY|W 34-12||{{cite news|title=Jim Moretti Stands Out For Alfred In 34-12 RPI Victory|newspaper=Wellsville Daily Reporter|date=September 27, 1971|page=8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/wellsville-daily-reporter-jim-moretti-st/142079566/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 2||{{cfb link|year=1971|team=Union Dutchmen|title=Union (NY)}}
|October 9||{{cfb link|year=1971|team=St. Lawrence Saints|title=St. Lawrence}}|Merrill Field|Alfred, NY|W 21-8||
|October 16|at|{{cfb link|year=1971|team=Hobart Statesmen|title=Hobart}}||Geneva, NY|W 28-21|6,250|{{cite news|title=Late Alfred Surge Stuns Statesmen|newspaper=Rochester Democrat and Chronicle|date=October 17, 1971|page=7D|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-late-alfred-surge/142076331/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=Three Touchdowns In Last 6 Minutes Gives Saxons Win Over Hobart|newspaper=Wellsville Daily Reporter|date=October 18, 1971|page=10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/wellsville-daily-reporter-three-touchdow/142075952/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 23|at|{{cfb link|year=1971|team=Fordham Rams|title=Fordham}}
|October 30|at|{{cfb link|year=1971|team=Cortland State Red Dragons|title=Cortland State}}
|November 6|at|{{cfb link|year=1971|team=Hamilton Continentals|title=Hamilton}}
}}