1975 Northern Michigan Wildcats football team

The 1975 Northern Michigan Wildcats football team represented Northern Michigan University during the 1975 NCAA Division II football season. Led by second-year head coach Gil Krueger, the Wildcats compiled a 13–1 record, with victories over Central Michigan (17–16), Nebraska–Omaha (41–14), Youngstown State (15–0), Eastern Michigan (20–7), and Boise State (24–21) in Idaho in the quarterfinals of the Division II playoffs.[1][2]

1975 Northern Michigan Wildcats football
NCAA Division II champion
ConferenceIndependent
Record13–1
Head coach
Home stadiumMemorial Field
1975 NCAA Division II independents football records
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Northern Michigan ^   –  13 –1 –0
American International   –  8 –1 –0
Lehigh ^   –  9 –3 –0
Delaware   –  8 –3 –0
Portland State   –  8 –3 –0
Akron   –  7 –4 –0
UNLV   –  7 –4 –0
Santa Clara   –  6 –5 –0
Tennessee State   –  5 –4 –0
Youngstown State   –  5 –4 –0
Chattanooga   –  5 –5 –1
Bucknell   –  5 –5 –0
Indiana State   –  5 –5 –0
Lafayette   –  5 –5 –0
Central Connecticut   –  4 –5 –0
Central State (OH)   –  4 –6 –0
Eastern Michigan   –  4 –6 –0
Eastern Illinois   –  3 –5 –2
Northeastern   –  3 –6 –0
Western Carolina   –  3 –7 –0
Nevada   –  3 –8 –0
Nebraska–Omaha   –  2 –9 –0
Arkansas–Pine Bluff   –  0 –11 –0
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AP Poll

The Wildcats defeated the Western Kentucky in the championship game, 16–14, to win their first Division II national title.[3][4][5][6][7] The championship game was held at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, California. Of all current members of Division II, as of 2013, Northern Michigan was the first to win the playoff national championship.

The 1975 team was led by sophomore quarterback Steve Mariucci,[1] later a head coach in the NFL for nine seasons. The previous season in 1974, the Wildcats were winless at 0–10.[3]

Schedule
DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 6Wisconsin–Whitewater
W 34–04,912[8]
September 13Eastern Illinois
  • Memorial Field
  • Marquette, MI
W 38–225,325
September 20at Central Michigan
W 17–1619,600[9]
September 27Nebraska–OmahaNo. 11
  • Memorial Field
  • Marquette, MI
W 41–145,801
October 4Youngstown StateNo. 8
  • Memorial Field
  • Marquette, MI
W 15–07,926[10]
October 11AkronNo. 6
  • Memorial Field
  • Marquette, MI
L 13–306,013[11]
October 18at Eastern MichiganNo. 14
W 20–77,220
October 25Saginaw ValleyNo. 9
  • Memorial Field
  • Marquette, MI
W 20–154,667
November 1Grand Valley StateNo. 11
  • Memorial Field
  • Marquette, MI
W 21–174,002
November 8at St. NorbertNo. 11
W 42–143,750
November 15at Western IllinoisNo. 6
W 27–236,423
November 29at No. 6 Boise StateNo. 5
W 24–2117,347[1]
December 6vs. LivingstonNo. 5
W 28–2610,400[12]
December 13vs. No. 4 Western KentuckyNo. 5
W 16–1412,017[13]
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[14]

References
  1. "Fumbles cost Boise 24-21". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 30, 1975. p. 3B.
  2. "2005 Football Guide" (PDF). Northern Michigan University. 2005. p. 44.
  3. "Winless in '74, then a title in '75". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 14, 1975. p. 10B.
  4. "Northern Michigan Football Record Book, Year-By-Year Win–loss records" (PDF). Northern Michigan University. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  5. "1975 NCAA Division II National Football Championship Bracket" (PDF). NCAA. NCAA.org. p. 13. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  6. Joe Falls (December 14, 1975). "NMU Rally Wins Camellia Bowl, 16-14". Detroit Free Press. p. 1E.
  7. "800 Icy Fans Greet Champ Wildcats". Detroit Free Press. December 15, 1975. p. 4D.
  8. "Wildcats Bowl Over Whitewater". Green Bay Press-Gazette. September 7, 1975 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  9. "Chippewas Upset 17-16". Detroit Free Press. September 21, 1975. p. 4E – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Northern Michigan tops Penguins, 15-0". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). October 5, 1975. p. D1.
  11. "Bruised Zips batter 6th-rated N. Mich". Akron Beacon-Journal. October 12, 1975. pp. C1, C8 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Wildcats lucky, happy". Lansing State Journal. December 7, 1975. pp. C1, C4 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Glass slipper fits 'Cinderella' Wildcats". Escanaba Daily Press. December 15, 1975. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Final 1975 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
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