1975 UC Riverside Highlanders football team

The 1975 UC Riverside Highlanders football team represented UC Riverside during the 1975 NCAA Division II football season.

1975 UC Riverside Highlanders football
CCAA champion
ConferenceCalifornia Collegiate Athletic Association
1975 record7–3 (4–0 CCAA)
Head coach
Home stadiumHighlander Stadium
1975 California Collegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L T  W L T
UC Riverside $ 4 –0 –0  7 –3 –0
Cal Poly 3 –1 –0  6 –4 –0
Cal Poly Pomona 2 –2 –0  6 –4 –1
Cal State Northridge 1 –3 –0  4 –6 –1
Cal State Los Angeles 0 –4 –0  1 –7 –1
  • $ – Conference champion

UC Riverside competed in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). The team was led by second-year head coach Bob Toledo. They played home games at Highlander Stadium in Riverside, California. The Highlanders finished the season as champion of the CCAA, with a record of seven wins and three losses (7–3, 4–0 CCAA). Overall, the team outscored its opponents 278–192 for the season.

Despite winning the conference championship for the second consecutive year, and in 3 of 4 seasons, on December 4, 1975 UC Riverside announced that they were discontinuing their football program. They primary reason given was lack of fan support (attendance).[1] The Highlanders played for 21 seasons (1955–1975).

Schedule
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendance
September 13at Northern Arizona*
L 30–34
September 20UC Davis[note 1]*
L 22–311,700[2]
September 27at Whittier*
W 41–02,000[3]
October 4at Santa Clara*
W 25–246,710[4]
October 11at Cal State Los Angeles
W 48–303,000[5]
October 18at Cal State Fullerton*
L 31–321,200[6]
October 25Cal Poly Pomona
  • Highlander Stadium
  • Riverside, California
W 24–20
November 1Cal Poly[note 2]
  • Highlander Stadium
  • Riverside, California
W 10–7
November 8Cal State Hayward[note 3]*
  • Highlander Stadium
  • Riverside, California
W 17–0
November 15at Cal State Northridge
W 30–142,900[7]
  • *Non-conference game

[8]

Team players in the NFL

The following 1975 UC Riverside players were selected in the 1976 NFL Draft or later. Dan Bunz & Calvin Sweeney transferred to other colleges as a result of the disbanding of the UC Riverside football program then were drafted out of that new school.[9][10][11]

PlayerPositionRoundOverallNFL team
Russ BolingerGuard – Tackle3681976 Detroit Lions
Butch JohnsonWide receiver3871976 Dallas Cowboys
Dan BunzLinebacker1241978 San Francisco 49ers
Calvin SweeneyWide receiver41101980 Pittsburgh Steelers

Notes
  1. The University of California, Davis sports teams were commonly called the “Cal Aggies” from 1924 until the mid 1970s.
  2. The official name of Cal Poly has been California Polytechnic State University since 1947. However, it is more commonly known as either Cal Poly San Luis Obispo or just Cal Poly.
  3. California State University, East Bay was known as California State University, Hayward from 1972 to 2004.

References
  1. "UC Riverside Quits Football". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. December 5, 1975. p. III-20. Retrieved March 19, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Long Beach Routs Fullerton". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. September 21, 1975. p. III-14. Retrieved March 15, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Aztecs Beat Utah State, 19-10". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. September 28, 1975. p. III-14. Retrieved March 15, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Lusk Scores Four TD's in Long Beach St. Win". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. October 5, 1975. p. III-16. Retrieved March 31, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "UC Riverside 48, Cal State L.A. 30". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. October 12, 1975. p. III-15. Retrieved February 13, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. Dave Distel (October 19, 1975). "Titans Get a Big Kick From Choukair". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. p. III-14. Retrieved February 7, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Brewer's 2 Touchdowns Spark 26-24 Win by 49ers". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. November 16, 1975. p. III-11. Retrieved February 23, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "1975 - California-Riverside". Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  9. "1976 NFL Draft". Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  10. "California-Riverside Players/Alumni". Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  11. "Draft History: California-Riverside". Retrieved March 18, 2017.
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