1977 Stanford Cardinals football team

American college football season August 2023 February 2026 1977 Stanford Cardinals football Pacific-8 Conference Pac-8 15 15 9–3 5–2 Bill Walsh 1st West Coast Stanford Stadium Sun Bowl champion Sun Bowl W 24–14 vs. LSU The 1977 Stanford Cardinals football team represented Stanford University in the Pacific-8 Conference during the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. Led by first-year head coach Bill Walsh, Stanford ended the regular season with an 8–3 record (5–2 in Pac-8, tie for second). The Cardinals were led by senior quarterback Guy Benjamin, who won the Sammy Baugh Trophy, awarded to the best passer in college football; senior receiver James Lofton, who caught 57 passes for 1,010 yards and 14 TDs and was named an AP and NEA Second Team All-American; junior linebacker Gordy Ceresino, and freshman running back Darrin Nelson.Migdol Gary Stanford: Home of Champions 168 https://books.google.com/books?id=ntBDmB_fYo8C&pg=PA168 Sports Publishing LLC 1997 Champaign, Illinois 1-57167-116-1 On New Year's Eve, Stanford defeated LSU 24–14 in the Sun Bowl for their ninth win.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9DAcAAAAIBAJ&pg=6974%2C277827 Pittsburgh Press UPI Stanford passes sink LSU, 24-14 January 1, 1978 D8https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qcYUAAAAIBAJ&pg=3325%2C128484 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon wire services Cardinals win a duel in the Sun January 1, 1978 3Chttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fIRfAAAAIBAJ&pg=5358%2C136434 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Associated Press Cards win classic match January 1, 1978 5B http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/pac10/stanford/yearly_results.php?year=1977 Stanford Game-by-Game Results; 1977–1981 College Football Data Warehouse October 19, 2011 https://archive.today/20130119040851/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/pac10/stanford/yearly_results.php?year=1977 2013-01-19 dead and climbed to fifteenth in the final rankings.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=P_hVAAAAIBAJ&pg=7028%2C772477 Eugene REgister-Guard Oregon wire services It might not add up, but Irish are clearly No. 1 January 4, 1978 5B Walsh, previously the offensive coordinator of the NFL's San Diego Chargers, was hired the previous December.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8GszAAAAIBAJ&pg=4109%2C4473099 Lodi News-Sentinel California UPI Bill Walsh named Card grid mentor December 13, 1976 14https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=we5XAAAAIBAJ&pg=3213%2C3870356 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon Associated Press Stanford hires Walsh December 13, 1976 3Chttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8WszAAAAIBAJ&pg=3601%2C4571730 Lodi News-Sentinel California UPI Walsh ready to go December 14, 1976 6 He had been an assistant at Stanford under John Ralston from 1963 through 1965 and spent eight seasons as an assistant with the expansion Cincinnati Bengals under head coach Paul Brown. Schedule 1977 AP September 10 l y y Colorado 12 Folsom Field Boulder, CO 21–27 50,482 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-sentinel-cu-staves-off-stanfor/171157642/ The Daily Sentinel CU staves off Stanford threats September 11, 1977 April 26, 2025 Newspapers.com September 17 w y y Tulane Louisiana Superdome New Orleans, LA 21–17 30,482 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87367873/last-quarter-rally-sparks-cards-to-win/ The San Francisco Examiner Last quarter rally sparks Cards to win September 18, 1977 October 19, 2021 Newspapers.com September 24 w y Illinois Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA 37–24 50,500 https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-stanford-trounces-illinois/171157779/ Minneapolis Tribune Stanford trounces Illinois September 25, 1977 April 26, 2025 Newspapers.com October 1 w Oregon Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA 20–10 36,500 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-standard-cards-whip-ducks/171157911/ The Times Standard Cards whip Ducks October 2, 1977 April 26, 2025 Newspapers.com October 8 w UCLA Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA 32–28 64,500 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-register-stanford-upends-ucla/171158056/ The Register Stanford upends UCLA October 9, 1977 April 26, 2025 Newspapers.com October 15 l y Washington Husky Stadium Seattle, WA 21–45 46,529 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-idaho-statesman-game-breaking-plays/171156320/ The Idaho Statesman Game-breaking plays lift Washington 45–21 October 16, 1977 April 26, 2025 Newspapers.com October 22 w Washington State Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA 31–29 47,500 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sacramento-bee-stanford-is-survivor/171158210/ The Sacramento Bee Stanford is survivor in scorefest October 23, 1977 April 26, 2025 Newspapers.com October 29 w y Oregon State Parker Stadium Corvallis, OR 26–7 20,196 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-press-democrat-stanford-tops-osu/171158330/ The Press Democrat Stanford tops OSU October 30, 1977 April 26, 2025 Newspapers.com November 5 l y USC 16 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA rivalry 0–49 65,101 https://www.newspapers.com/article/contra-costa-times-trojans-rout-cards/171158444/ Contra Costa Times Trojans rout Cards November 6, 1977 April 26, 2025 Newspapers.com November 12 w y San Jose State Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA rivalry 31–26 39,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-stanford-edges-san/171155247/ The Los Angeles Times Stanford edges San Jose, 31–26 November 13, 1977 April 26, 2025 Newspapers.com November 19 w California Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA Big Game 21–3 87,500 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-herald-cards-win-ok-sun-bowl/171158648/ The Times-Herald Cards win, OK Sun Bowl bid November 20, 1977 April 26, 2025 Newspapers.com December 31 w y LSU Sun Bowl El Paso, TX Sun Bowl CBS 24–14 31,318 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-cards-upset-l/134283689/ The San Francisco Examiner Cards upset LSU January 1, 1978 October 29, 2023 Newspapers.com Roster 1977 Stanford Cardinal y 7 Sr Guy Benjamin QB y 30 Sr James Lofton WR y 31 Fr Darrin Nelson RB y 72 Sr Gordon King Gordon King (American football) T y 95 Jr Gordy Ceresino LB y Bill Walsh (1st year) Denny Green – Running backs Rod Dowhower – Wide receivers Tom Lovat – Offensive line Doug Single – Offensive line Fred von Appen – Defensive line Russell Charles – Linebackers Norb Hecker – Linebackers George Seifert – Defensive backs Awards and honors Guy Benjamin, Sammy Baugh Trophy James Lofton, AP and NEA Second Team All-American selection All-conference 1977 All-Pacific-8 Conference football team NFL draft Four Cardinals were selected in the 1978 NFL draft. Stanford Cardinal Player Position Round Overall Franchise James Lofton WR 1 6 Green Bay Packers Gordon King T 1 10 New York Giants Guy Benjamin QB 2 51 Miami Dolphins Bill Kellar WR 7 184 Kansas City Chiefs https://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1978.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20071222092350/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1978.htm 2007-12-22 1978 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com References Stanford Category:Stanford Cardinal football seasons Category:Sun Bowl champion seasons Stanford Cardinals football