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American college football season
The 1977 Washington State Cougars football team was an American football team that represented Washington State University in the Pacific-8 Conference (Pac-8) during the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. In their only season under head coach Warren Powers, the Cougars compiled a 6–5 record (3–4 in Pac-8, tied for fourth), and outscored their opponents 263 to 236.[1][2]
The team's statistical leaders included Jack Thompson with 2,372 passing yards, Dan Doornink with 591 rushing yards, and Mike Levenseller with 736 receiving yards.[3]
The Cougars opened the season with an upset win at fifteenth-ranked Nebraska.[4][5]
Previously an assistant with the Huskers,[6][7][8] Powers left after just twelve months in Pullman for Missouri of the Big Eight Conference.[9][10][11] His predecessor in 1976, Jackie Sherrill, also lasted just one season with the Cougars. Offensive backfield coach Jim Walden was promoted to head coach less than a week later,[12][13][14] and led the WSU program for nine years.
Schedule
Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance |
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September 10 | at No. 15 Nebraska* | | | W 19–10 | 75,922 |
September 17 | at Michigan State* | | | W 23–21 | 50,263 |
September 24 | at Kansas* | No. 15 | | L 12–14 | 44,540 |
September 30 | at No. 2 USC | | | L 7–41 | 61,809 |
October 8 | No. 14 California![dagger](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Dagger-14-plain.png) | | | W 17–10 | 27,500 |
October 15 | UCLA | | | L 16–20[1] | 37,750 |
October 22 | at Stanford | | | L 29–31 | 47,500 |
October 29 | Oregon | | - Martin Stadium
- Pullman, Washington
| W 56–20 | 27,200 |
November 5 | at Oregon State | | | W 24–10 | 22,657 |
November 12 | Idaho* | | | W 45–17 | 18,500 |
November 19 | at No. 19 Washington | | | L 15–35 | 60,964 |
- *Non-conference game
Homecoming- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
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- ^1 UCLA later forfeited the game due to fielding an ineligible player.
Roster
1977 Washington State Cougars football team roster
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Players
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Coaches
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Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
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K
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22
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Paul Watson
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P
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46
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Gavin Hedrick
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Sr
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- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
Injured
Redshirt
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- Source:[15][16][17]
NFL Draft
Eight Cougars were selected in the 1978 NFL Draft; Ken Greene was the first player from WSU taken in the first round in thirteen years.[18]
- Source:[18][19]
References
- ^ "1977 Washington State Cougars Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- ^ "2016 Media Guide" (PDF). WSUCougars.com. Washington State Cougars Athletics. p. 76. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- ^ "1977 Washington State Cougars Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- ^ Missildine, Harry (September 11, 1977). "Confident Cougars upset Cornhuskers". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. D1.
- ^ Drosendahl, Glenn (September 11, 1977). "Cougs upset Huskers". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
- ^ Barrows, Bob (December 14, 1976). "WSU fills football job with Nebraska assistant". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
- ^ Missildine, Harry (December 14, 1976). "Warren Powers new Coug coach". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 19.
- ^ Brown, Bruce (December 14, 1976). "New challenge faces Powers". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 19.
- ^ Brown, Bruce (December 13, 1977). "Powers takes Missouri job". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 23.
- ^ Missildine, Harry (December 14, 1977). "Line forms at Pullman". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 25.
- ^ Drosendahl, Glenn (December 14, 1977). "Powers is gone - the search is on". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
- ^ Killen, John (December 19, 1977). "WSU hires Waldens, who plans to stay". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
- ^ Missildine, Harry (December 19, 1977). "Walden's players' choice at WSU". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 19.
- ^ Brown, Bruce (December 19, 1977). "WSU makes Walden's dreams come true". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 25.
- ^ "Bears vs. Cougars: probable starters". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). October 8, 1977. p. 13.
- ^ "Vandals vs. Cougars: probable starters". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 12, 1977. p. 17.
- ^ "2008 Football media guide" (PDF). Washington State University Athletics. 2008. pp. 172–191. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
- ^ a b Missildine, Harry (May 3, 1978). "Coug Greene first-round draftee". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 20.
- ^ Missildine, Harry (May 4, 1978). "Five more Cougs selected". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 33.
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