1977 Holy Cross Crusaders football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1977
| team = Holy Cross Crusaders
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Independent
| record = 2–9
| head_coach = Neil Wheelwright
| hc_year = 2nd
| captain = Craig Cerretani
| captain2 = Steve Hunt
| stadium = Fitton Field
}}
{{1977 NCAA Division I independents football records}}
The 1977 Holy Cross Crusaders football team was an American football team that represented the College of the Holy Cross as an independent during the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. Head coach Neil Wheelwright returned for his second year. The team compiled a record of 5–6.{{cite web|title=2019 Holy Cross Football Fact Book|publisher=College of the Holy Cross|accessdate=June 15, 2020|page=123|url=https://goholycross.com/documents/2019/7/19/19-hc-fb-fb.pdf |location=Worcester, Mass.}}
All home games were played at Fitton Field on the Holy Cross campus in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1977
| poll = AP
| attend = y
| source = y
| other-event = ^ Family Weekend
| September 10 | @ | New Hampshire
| Cowell Stadium | Durham, NH | L 14-27
| 11,800 | {{cite news |title=UNH Prevails as Crusade Fails, 27-14 |first=Al |last=Morganti |date=September 11, 1977 |page=95 |newspaper=Boston Sunday Globe |location=Boston, Mass.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71911472/1977-holy-cross-unh/ }}
| September 17 | @ | Rhode Island
| Meade Stadium | Kingston, RI | L 0-14
| 5,742 | {{cite news |title=URI Stuns HC, 14-0, Via Air |date=September 18, 1977 |page=90 |newspaper=Boston Sunday Globe |location=Boston, Mass.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56249149/1977-holy-cross-uri}}
| September 24 | @ | Dartmouth
| Memorial Field | Hanover, NH | L 14-17
| 7,900 | {{cite news |title=Lowery Kicks Dartmouth Past HC |first=Al |last=Morganti |date=September 25, 1977 |page=71 |newspaper=Boston Sunday Globe |location=Boston, Mass.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56250691/1977-dartmouth-hc}}
| October 8 | | Colgate
| Fitton Field | Worcester, MA | L 14-31
| 10,132 | {{cite news |title=Colgate Untracks, Snuffs Holy Cross Threat, 31-14 |first=Roy |last=Mumpton | date=October 9, 1977 |page=79 |newspaper=Boston Sunday Globe |location=Boston, Mass.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56253864/1977-colgate-hc}}
| October 15 | | Boston University
| Fitton Field | Worcester, MA | L 13-14
| 6,110 | {{cite news |title=BU Takes Breaks, 14-13 |first=Al |last=Morganti |date=October 16, 1977 |page=53 |newspaper=Boston Sunday Globe |location=Boston, Mass.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71919486/1977-holy-cross-bu/ }} Attendance figure in {{cite news |title=Boston University 14, Holy Cross 13 |date=October 16, 1977 |page=6C |newspaper=St. Petersburg Times |location=St. Petersburg, Fla.}}
| October 22 | | Brown^
| Fitton Field | Worcester, MA | L 13-44
| 14,000 | {{cite news |title=Brown Sophomore Script Scrambles HC, 44-13 |first=Ernie |last=Roberts| date=October 23, 1977 |page=73 |newspaper=Boston Sunday Globe |location=Boston, Mass.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56256609/1977-brown-hc}}
| October 29 | @ | Army
| Michie Stadium | West Point, NY | L 7-48
| 41,376 | {{cite news |title=Army Marches over HC, 48-7 |first=Roy |last=Mumpton| date=October 30, 1977 |page=72 |newspaper=Boston Sunday Globe |location=Boston, Mass.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56257227/1977-army-hc}}
| November 5 | @ | UMass
| Alumni Stadium | Hadley, MA | L 6-28
| 8,100 | {{cite news |title=UMass Toils, HC Tumbles; Defense Key, 28-6 |first=Harry |last=Eisenberg | date=November 6, 1977 |page=70 |newspaper=Boston Sunday Globe |location=Boston, Mass.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56259887/1977-holy-cross-umass}}
| November 12 | | Villanova
| Fitton Field | Worcester, MA | L 0-24
| 7,651 | {{cite news |title=Villanova Hands HC 9th Loss |first=Roy |last=Mumpton | date=November 13, 1977 |page=80 |newspaper=Boston Sunday Globe |location=Boston, Mass.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56261932/1977-holy-cross-villanova}}
| November 19 | @ | Connecticut
| Memorial Stadium | Storrs, CT | W 14-3
| 5,246 | {{cite news |title=Crusaders Beat Punchless Huskies, 14-3 |first=Woody |last=Anderson |date=November 20, 1977 |page=1C |newspaper=The Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Conn.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71924047/1977-uconn-hc/ }}
| November 26 | | Boston College (rivalry)
| Fitton Field | Worcester, MA | W 35-20
| 12,006 | {{cite news |title=Holy Cross Stuns B.C., 35-20; Lehigh Tops UMass |first=Deane |last=McGowen |newspaper=The New York Times |location=New York, N.Y. |date=November 27, 1977 |page=S8}}
}}
Statistical leaders
Statistical leaders for the 1977 Crusaders included:{{cite web|title=2019 Holy Cross Football Fact Book|publisher=College of the Holy Cross|accessdate=June 15, 2020|pages=68–73|url=https://goholycross.com/documents/2019/7/19/19-hc-fb-fb.pdf |location=Worcester, Mass.}}
- Rushing: Crocky Nangle, 603 yards and 4 touchdowns on 148 attempts
- Passing: Peter Colombo, 508 yards, 38 completions and 2 touchdowns on 77 attempts
- Receiving: Pat Kelly, 357 yards on 26 receptions
- Scoring: Crocky Nangle, 26 points from 4 touchdowns and 1 two-point conversion
- Total offense: Peter Colombo, 610 yards (508 passing, 102 rushing)
- All-purpose yards: Larry Ewald, 923 yards (435 returning, 408 rushing, 80 receiving)
- Interceptions: Herb Mihalik, 6 interceptions for 24 yards