1972 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1972
| team = Minnesota Golden Gophers
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Big Ten Conference
| short_conf = Big Ten
| record = 4–7
| conf_record = 4–4
| head_coach = Cal Stoll
| hc_year = 1st
| mvp = John King
| captain = Bob Morgan
| stadium = Memorial Stadium
}}
{{1972 Big Ten Conference football standings}}
The 1972 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the 1972 Big Ten Conference football season. In their first year under head coach Cal Stoll, the Golden Gophers compiled a 4–7 record and were outscored by their opponents by a combined total of 304 to 185.{{cite web|title=1972 Minnesota Golden Gophers Schedule and Results|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|access-date=November 1, 2017|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/minnesota/1972-schedule.html}}
Fullback John King received the team's Most Valuable Player award. King was also named All-Big Ten first team. Defensive back Tim Alderson was named All-Big Ten second team. Offensive lineman Doug Kingsriter was named Academic All-Big Ten.{{Citation | last = Keiser | first = Jeff | title = 2007 Media Guide | pages = 179–182 | year = 2007 | url = http://www.gophersports.com//pdf6/80499.pdf?SPSID=39281&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400 }}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Total attendance for the season was 221,553, which averaged to 36,925. The season high for attendance was against Iowa.{{Citation | last = Keiser | first = Jeff | title = 2007 Media Guide | pages = 160 | year = 2007 | url = http://www.gophersports.com//pdf3/80498.pdf?SPSID=39281&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1972
| poll = AP
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 16
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Indiana
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Bloomington, IN
| score = 23–27
| attend = 35,783
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 23
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Colorado
| opprank = 3
| site_cityst = Minneapolis, MN
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| score = 6–38
| attend = 42,703
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 30
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Nebraska
| opprank = 7
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Lincoln, NE
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 0–49
| attend = 76,217
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 7
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Kansas
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Minneapolis, MN
| score = 28–34
| attend = 31,505–31,595
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 14
| w/l = l
| opponent = Purdue
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Minneapolis, MN
| score = 3–28
| attend = 37,287
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 21
| w/l = w
| homecoming = y
| opponent = Iowa
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Minneapolis, MN
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 43–14
| attend = 44,196
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 28
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Michigan
| opprank = 5
| site_stadium = Michigan Stadium
| site_cityst = Ann Arbor, MI
| gamename = Little Brown Jug
| score = 0–42
| attend = 84,190
| source = {{cite news|title=It's a Laugher! Wolverines Rout Gophers, 42-0|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|author=Curt Sylvester|date=October 29, 1972|page=1C, 4C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5512459/its_a_laugher_wolverines_rout/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 4
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Ohio State
| opprank = 5
| site_stadium = Ohio Stadium
| site_cityst = Columbus, OH
| score = 19–27
| attend = 86,439
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 11
| w/l = w
| rank =
| opponent = Northwestern
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Minneapolis, MN
| score = 35–29
| attend = 32,771
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 18
| w/l = w
| opponent = Michigan State
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Minneapolis, MN
| score = 14–10
| attend = 33,001
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 25
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = Wisconsin
| site_stadium = Camp Randall Stadium
| site_cityst = Madison, WI
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 14–6
| attend = 60,746
}}
}}
Roster
{{American football roster/Header
| year = 1972
| team = Minnesota Golden Gophers
| teamcolors = y
| offensive_players=
{{American football roster/Player|num=72|class=Jr|first=Matt|last=Herkenhoff|pos=T|link=y}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=83|class=Sr|first=Doug|last=Kingsriter|pos=TE|link=y}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=71|class=Jr|first=Dave|last=Simonson|pos=T|link=y}}
| defensive_players=
{{American football roster/Player|num=22|class=Fr|first=Doug|last=Beaudoin|pos=DB|link=y}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=33|class=Sr|first=Tom|last=MacLeod|pos=LB|link=y}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=97|class=Fr|first=Steve|last=Neils|pos=DE|link=y}}
| special_teams_players=
}}
{{American football roster/Footer|roster_url=http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/m-footbl-mtt-72-73.html
| head_coach = *Cal Stoll
| asst_coach =
| accessdate=
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Minnesota Golden Gophers football navbox}}