1971 Tampa Spartans football team

The 1971 Tampa Spartans football team represented the University of Tampa in the 1971 NCAA College Division football season. It was the Spartans' 35th season. The team was led by head coach Bill Fulcher, in his first year, and played their home games at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida. They finished with a record of six wins and five losses (6–5). Fulcher was hired on January 7, 1971, to serve as the replacement for Fran Curci who resigned to become the head coach at Miami.[1]

1971 Tampa Spartans football
ConferenceIndependent
1971 record6–5
Head coach
Home stadiumTampa Stadium
1971 NCAA College Division independents football records
Conf  Overall
TeamW L T  W L T
No. 1 Delaware      10 1 0
No. 5 Tennessee State      9 1 0
Colorado College      7 1 0
No. 8 Akron      8 2 0
Samford      8 2 0
No. 3 Eastern Michigan      7 1 2
Northern Michigan      7 3 0
Hawaii      7 4 0
Santa Clara      6 4 0
Southern Illinois      6 4 0
Tampa      6 5 0
UNLV      5 4 1
Bucknell      5 5 0
Central Michigan      5 5 0
Milwaukee      5 5 0
Nevada      5 5 0
Wayne State (MI)      4 4 0
Hofstra      5 6 0
Cortland      4 5 0
Northeastern      4 5 0
Portland State      4 5 0
Northeast Louisiana      4 6 1
Indiana State      4 6 0
Saint Mary's      3 5 0
Rose-Hulman      3 6 0
Drexel      2 6 0
Chattanooga      2 9 0
Rankings from AP Poll

After an upset loss against Louisiana Tech to open the season, the Spartans won four consecutive games against Chattanooga, Youngstown State, Dayton and Drake.[2] Ranked No. 2 as they entered their game against Villanova, Tampa was upset by the Wildcats 24–3.[3] After the loss, the Spartans would lose three of their next four games. A week after their loss at Louisville, Tampa returned home and lost to Ole Miss by a single point in a game that saw the Spartans score on touchdown passes of 93 and 49 yards.[4] Tampa then rebounded the next week with a 43–7 win over East Carolina.[5] The Spartans then closed the season with a loss at Vanderbilt and a victory over Florida A&M.[6] On January 21, 1972, Fulcher resigned as head coach of the Spartans to take the same position at Georgia Tech.[7]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendance
September 18Louisiana TechL 20–2827,333
September 25at ChattanoogaW 31–14
October 2Youngstown State
  • Tampa Stadium
  • Tampa, FL
W 49–015,152
October 9Dayton
  • Tampa Stadium
  • Tampa, FL
W 47–14
October 16at DrakeW 36–2
October 23Villanova
  • Tampa Stadium
  • Tampa, FL
L 3–24
October 30at LouisvilleL 10–21
November 6Ole Miss
  • Tampa Stadium
  • Tampa, FL
L 27–2820,939
November 13East Carolina
  • Tampa Stadium
  • Tampa, FL
W 43–717,092
November 20at VanderbiltL 7–10
November 27Florida A&M
  • Tampa Stadium
  • Tampa, FL
W 56–1444,000

References

  1. "Tampa picks Florida aide". St. Petersburg Times. January 8, 1971. p. 1C. Retrieved October 5, 2012 via Google News Archives.
  2. Cardon, Mark (September 19, 1971). "Tampa loses debut 28–20". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. p. 1C. Retrieved October 5, 2012 via Google News Archives.
  3. Cardon, Mark (October 24, 1971). "Villanova upsets Spartans". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. p. 1C. Retrieved October 5, 2012 via Google News Archives.
  4. Barefield, Ron (November 7, 1971). "Tampa bid fails, Rebs win 28–27". Lakeland Ledger. p. 1B. Retrieved October 5, 2012 via Google News Archives.
  5. "Spartans crush Carolina eleven". Ocala Star-Banner. Associated Press. November 14, 1971. p. 2D. Retrieved October 5, 2012 via Google News Archives.
  6. "Tampa saves winning season against FAMU". Lakeland Ledger. November 28, 1971. p. 2B. Retrieved October 5, 2012 via Google News Archives.
  7. Duffy, Tom (January 22, 1972). "Prestige up, but Tampa coachless". St. Petersburg Times. p. 2C. Retrieved October 5, 2012 via Google News Archives.
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