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
1975 NCAA Division II champion
NCAA Division II Championship Game, W 16–14 vs. Western Kentucky
Conference	Independent
1975 record	13–1
Head coach	Gil Krueger (2nd season)

1975 NCAA Division II independents football records
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 2 Northern Michigan ^			–					13	–	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
Chattanooga			–					5	–	5	–	1
Bucknell			–					5	–	5	–	0
Indiana State			–					5	–	5	–	0
Lafayette			–					5	–	5	–	0
Central State (OH)			–					4	–	6	–	0
Eastern Michigan			–					4	–	6	–	0
Northeastern			–					3	–	6	–	0
Nevada			–					3	–	8	–	0
Nebraska–Omaha			–					2	–	9	–	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

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 6	UW-Whitewater	Memorial Field Marquette, MI	W 34–0
September 13	Eastern Illinois	Memorial Field Marquette, MI	W 38–22
September 20	at Central Michigan	Perry Shorts Stadium Mount Pleasant, MI	W 17–16	19,600	[8]
September 27	Nebraska-Omaha	Memorial Field Marquette, MI	W 41–14
October 4	Youngstown State	Memorial Field Marquette, MI	W 15–0	7,626
October 11	Akron	Memorial Field Marquette, MI	L 13–30	6,013	[9]
October 18	at Eastern Michigan	Rynearson Stadium Ypsilanti, MI	W 20–7
October 25	Saginaw Valley	Memorial Field Marquette, MI	W 20–15
November 1	Grand Valley	Memorial Field Marquette, MI	W 21–17
November 8	at St. Norbert	Minahan Stadium De Pere, WI	W 42–14
November 15	at Western Illinois	Hanson Field Macomb, IL	W 27–23
November 29	at Boise State	Bronco Stadium Boise, ID (Div. II quarterfinal)	W 24–21	17,347	[1]
December 6	vs. Livingston	Memorial Stadium Wichita Falls, TX (Pioneer Bowl)	W 28–26	10,400	[10]
December 13	vs. Western Kentucky	Hughes Stadium Sacramento, CA (Camellia Bowl)	W 16–14	12,017	[11]

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. "Chippewas Upset 17-16". Detroit Free Press. September 21, 1975. p. 4E – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Bruised Zips batter 6th-rated N. Mich". Akron Beacon-Journal. October 12, 1975. pp. C1, C8 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Wildcats lucky, happy". Lansing State Journal. December 7, 1975. pp. C1, C4 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Glass slipper fits 'Cinderella' Wildcats". Escanaba Daily Press. December 15, 1975. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.