1972 Grambling Tigers football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1972 Grambling Tigers football Southwestern Athletic Conference SWAC 11–2 5–1 Eddie Robinson 30th Grambling Stadium Black national championSWAC co-champion Pelican Bowl W 56–6 vs. North Carolina Central T-8 The 1972 Grambling Tigers football team represented Grambling College (now known as Grambling State University) as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during the 1972 NCAA College Division football season. In its 30th season under head coach Eddie Robinson, Grambling compiled an 11–2 record (5–1 against conference opponents), tied for the SWAC championship, defeated North Carolina Central in the Pelican Bowl, and outscored opponents by a total of 346 to 123. The team was recognized as the 1972 black college football national champion and was ranked No. 8 by the Associated Press in the final small college rankings. The rivalry game vs. Southern was forfeited by the Jaguars to Grambling following civil unrest, which saw two students shot to death by East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff's deputies, on the Southern campus in Baton Rouge two days prior to the scheduled game. Schedule 1972 small college AP Central y y y y September 9 vs Morgan State<ncg> Yankee Stadium Bronx, NY (Whitney M. Young Memorial Classic) W 6-0 63,517–64,409 Non-Rambling Grambling Boots FGs to Foil Morgan St., 6-0 New York Daily News September 10, 1972 143 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40359051/nonrambling_grambling_boots_fgs_to/ Newspapers.com September 16 Alcorn A&M Grambling Stadium Grambling, LA L 6-9 7,000–14,202 Alcorn Nudges Grambling, 9-6 The Shreveport Times September 17, 1972 6D https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40359106/alcorn_nudges_grambling_96/ Newspapers.com Final 1972 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Alcorn A&M) https://stats.ncaa.org/team/17/stats/13168 National Collegiate Athletic Association August 8, 2024 September 22 10:30 p.m. at Long Beach State<ncg> Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA (Freedom Classic) L 19-25 42,058 49ers overhaul Grambling, 25-19 Independent Press-Telegram (Long Beach, California) September 23, 1972 C1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40359158/49ers_overhaul_grambling_2519/ Newspapers.comLong Beach Defeats Grambling, 25-19, in Freedom Classic Los Angeles Times September 23, 1972 III-1, III-6 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40359268/long_beach_defeats_grambling_2519_in/ September 30 vs Prairie View A&M Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Washington, DC W 36-0 20,109–20,414 Reed Passes for Four TDs As Grambling Romps, 36-0 The Shreveport Times October 1, 1972 6D https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40359222/reed_passes_for_four_tds_as_grambling/ Newspapers.com October 7 No. 3 Tennessee State<ncg> Grambling Stadium Grambling, LA W 27-18 12,035 Grambling's Defense Leaves Tenn. Staters Black and Blue The Shreveport Times October 8, 1972 4D https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40359603/gramblings_defense_leaves_tenn/ Newspapers.com October 14 vs Mississippi Valley State Arrowhead Stadium Kansas City, MO W 27-21 9,381–9,831 Grambling Rolls, 27-21 The Shreveport Times October 15, 1972 2D https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40359566/grambling_rolls_2721/ Newspapers.com October 21 Jackson State<hc> Grambling Stadium Grambling, LA W 26-13 22,000 Grambling Bounces Another Unbeaten; J-State Victimized The Shreveport Times October 22, 1972 2D https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40359499/grambling_bounces_another_unbeaten/ Newspapers.com October 28 at Texas Southern Astrodome Houston, TX W 21-15 52,745 Grambling Pulls Out 21-15 Victory Over TSU in Dome The Shreveport Times October 29, 1972 4D https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40359642/grambling_pulls_out_2115_victory_over/ Newspapers.com November 4 at Hawaii<ncg> 9 Honolulu Stadium Honolulu, HI W 46-7 23,003 Grambling way too much for the Bows Honolulu Star-Bulletin November 5, 1972 F1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40359320/grambling_way_too_much_for_the_bows/ Newspapers.com November 11 1972 Norfolk State Spartans Norfolk State<ncg> 8 Grambling Stadium Grambling, LA W 39-6 3,853 Norfolk Gets Message Early; GC 39-6 The Shreveport Times November 12, 1972 4D https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40359460/norfolk_gets_message_early_gc_396/ Newspapers.com November 18 at Southern 8 University Stadium Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry) W 0-0 (forfeit) https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-louisiana-weekly-southern-grambling/130138196/ Southern Grambling tilt cancelled The Louisiana Weekly November 25, 1972 August 16, 2023 Newspapers.com November 25 Nevada<ncg> 8 Grambling Stadium Grambling, LA W 37-3 14,000 Grambling Starts Slow, Rushes Off to 37-3 Win The Shreveport Times November 26, 1972 1D, 4D https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40359421/grambling_starts_slow_rushes_off_to/ Newspapers.com December 2 at North Carolina Central<ncg> 8 Wallace Wade Stadium Durham, NC (Pelican Bowl) W 56-6 22,500 Grambling in Big Win, 56-6 Daily World (Opelousas, Louisiana) December 3, 1972 13 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40359368/grambling_in_big_win_566/ Newspapers.com Final 1972 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Grambling) https://stats.ncaa.org/team/261/stats/13168 National Collegiate Athletic Association November 19, 2022 References Grambling Category:Grambling State Tigers football seasons Category:Black college football national champions Category:Southwestern Athletic Conference football champion seasons Grambling Tigers football