1972 Arizona Western Matadors football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1972
| team = Arizona Western Matadors
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Arizona Junior College Athletic Conference
| short_conf = AJCAC
| record = 10–0
| conf_record = 4–0
| head_coach = Ray Butcher
| hc_year = 5th
| captain =
| stadium =
| champion = NJCAA champion
AJCAC champion
El Toro Bowl champion
| bowl = El Toro Bowl
| bowl_result = W 36–8 vs. {{cfb link|year=1972|team=Fort Scott Greyhounds|title=Fort Scott}}
}}
{{1972 Arizona Junior College Athletic Conference football standings}}
The 1972 Arizona Western Matadors football team was an American football team that represented Arizona Western College as a member of the Arizona Junior College Athletic Conference (AJCAC) during the 1972 junior college football season. In their fifth year under head coach Ray Butcher, the team compiled a perfect 10–0 record, won the NJCAA National Football Championship, and defeated {{cfb link|year=1972|team=Fort Scott Greyhounds|title=Fort Scott}} in the El Toro Bowl.
Arizona placed nine players on the 1972 AJCAC all-conference football team. Five players were honored on the offensive unit: running back Larry Bates; tight end Brian Adam; guards Bill Moody and John Segreti and tackle Steve Garcia. Four from the defensive unit were also honored: defensive end Charles Haynes; defensive tackle John Trujillo; linebacker Ron Davis and defensive back Reggie Pierson. Butcher was also named AJCC coach of the year.{{cite news|title=Juco all-staters list all-around strength|newspaper=The Arizona Republic|date=November 26, 1972|page=D3|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-republic-juco-all-staters-list-a/145148426/|via=Newspapers.com}}
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| source = y
|September 9||{{cfb link|year=1972|team=Eastern Arizona Gila Monsters|title=Eastern Arizona}}
|September 16|at|{{cfb link|year=1972|team=New Mexico Military Broncos|title=New Mexico Military}}
|September 23||{{cfb link|year=1972|team=San Diego Mesa Olympians|title=San Diego Mesa}}
|September 30|at|Eastern Arizona||Thatcher, AZ|W 28-23|
|October 7||{{cfb link|year=1972|team=Mesa Hokams|title=Mesa (AZ)}}||Yuma, AZ|W 19-14|{{cite news|title=Mesa's closing bid stalled; AWC wins|newspaper=The Arizona Republic|author=Hardy Price|date=October 8, 1972|page=D7|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-republic-mesas-closing-bid-stal/145173431/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 21||Air Force junior varsity
|October 28||{{cfb link|year=1972|team=Phoenix Bears|title=Phoenix}}||Yuma, AZ|W 24-0|{{cite news|title=Western throttles Phoenix, 24-0, to remain undefeated|newspaper=The Arizona Republic|author=Hardy Price|date=October 29, 1972|page=D9|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-republic-western-throttles-phoen/145171504/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 3||{{cfb link|year=1972|team=Glendale Gauchos|title=Glendale (AZ)}}|||W 28-6|
|November 11||{{cfb link|year=1972|team=Grossmont Griffins|title=Grossmont}}
|November 25||{{cfb link|year=1972|team=Fort Scott Greyhounds|title=Fort Scott}}
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Junior college football national champion navbox}}
Category:Arizona Western Matadors football