1975 Northern Michigan Wildcats football team

1975 Northern Michigan Wildcats football
NCAA Division II champion
ConferenceIndependent
Record13–1
Head coach
Home stadiumMemorial Field
Seasons
← 1974
1976 →
1975 NCAA Division II independents football records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   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
Kentucky State   –   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
Southern Connecticut State   –   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 1975 Northern Michigan Wildcats football team was an American football team that represented Northern Michigan University as an independent during the 1975 NCAA Division II football season. In their second year under head coach Gil Krueger, the Wildcats compiled a 13–1 record and won the NCAA Division II national championship, defeating Western Kentucky in the Division II championship game.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] The previous season, the 1974 Wildcats were winless at 0–10.[3]

The 1975 team was led by sophomore quarterback Steve Mariucci,[1] later a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. Mariucci completed 89 of 169 passes for 1,624 yards and also rushed for 141 yards. The team's other statistical leaders included Stu Betts with 907 rushing yards and 48 points scored and Zachary Fowler with 33 receptions for 675 yards.[8]

  1. ^ a b "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. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 7, 2017.
  3. ^ a b "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. ^ Cite error: The named reference cum was invoked but never defined (see the help page).