1982 Plymouth State Panthers football team

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1982 Plymouth State Panthers football
NEFC champion
Lambert Trophy
ConferenceNew England Football Conference
Record10–0 (9–0 NEFC)
Head coach
Home stadiumPanther Field
Seasons
← 1981
1983 →
1982 New England Football Conference standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Plymouth State $ 9 0 0 10 0 0
Massachusetts Maritime 7 2 0 7 2 0
Maine Maritime 6 2 1 7 2 1
Bridgewater State 5 3 1 5 3 1
Nichols 5 4 0 5 4 0
Western New England 4 5 0 4 5 0
Framingham State 3 6 0 3 6 0
Western Connecticut State 2 7 0 2 7 0
Westfield State 2 7 0 2 7 0
Curry 1 8 0 1 8 0
  • $ – Conference champion

The 1982 Plymouth State Panthers football team was an American football team that represented Plymouth State University as a member of the New England Football Conference (NEFC) during the 1982 NCAA Division III football season. In their second year under head coach Jay Cottone, the Panthers compiled a perfect 10–0 record (9–0 against NEFC opponents), won the NEFC championship, outscored opponents by a total of 414 to 48, and received the Lambert Trophy as the best Division III team in the east.[1] The team had a nine-game winning streak at the end of the 1981 season and extended that streak to 19 games.[2][3][4] At the time, it was the longest active winning streak at any level of college football.[5]

The team gave up only 122.2 yards and 4.8 points per game on defense while the offense averaged 41.4 points per game.[1] Freshman running back Joe Dudek rushed for 1,094 yards on 123 carries (121.6 yards per game), scored 16 touchdowns, and was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.[6][7] Other statistical leaders included quarterback Kevin Bradley with 1,151 passing yards and Scott Anson with 37 catches for 529 receiving yards.[6]

The team played its home games at Panther Field in Plymouth, New Hampshire.

Schedule[edit]

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 11Norwich*Plymouth, NHW 53–143,924[8]
September 18NicholsPlymouth, NHW 47–01,949[9]
September 25at Western Connecticut State
W 46–0850[10]
October 1at Westfield StateWestfield, MAW 43–01,500[11]
October 9Massachusetts MaritimePlymouth, NHW 35–04,817[12]
October 16at Framingham StateFramingham, MAW 37–01,500[13]
October 23Maine MaritimePlymouth, NHW 34–02,143–4,628[14]
October 30at Western New EnglandSpringfield, MAW 28–61,200–2,100[15]
November 6Bridgewater StatePlymouth, NHW 35–151,814–2,133[16][17]
November 13at CurryMilton, MAW 56–13800–1,200[18]
  • *Non-conference game

[6]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "1982 Football Team". Plymouth State Athletic Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  2. ^ Lesley Visser (October 22, 1982). "Football is rockin at Plymouth State". The Boston Globe. p. 45, 48 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Jim Kenyon (November 5, 1982). "Football At The Top Of The Polls: Plymouth State Football Team Is Number One In The East". Valley News. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Ginny Apple (November 12, 1982). "Plymouth's Rock: Cottone Stresses Team Concept". The Hartford Courant. p. C12 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Plymouth rocks: Lynn is a cornerstone of the team with the nation's longest collegiate win streak". Daily Evening Item. October 22, 1982. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b c "Final 1982 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  7. ^ "Joe Dudek". National Footbal Foundation. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  8. ^ "Plymouth 53, Norwich 14". The Hartford Courant. September 12, 1982. p. D11 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Plymouth State rolls over Nichols". The Boston Globe. September 19, 1982. p. 56 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Plymouth St 46, W. Conn 0". The Day. September 26, 1982. p. C8 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Plymouth State stomps Owls, 43-0". Transcript Telegram. October 2, 1982. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Plymouth St. strolls along". The Boston Globe. October 10, 1982. p. 43 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Plymouth St. gets 5th straight shutout". The Boston Globe. October 17, 1982. p. 58 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Plymouth St. still perfect". The Boston Globe. October 24, 1982. p. 82 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Plymouth State rolls on". The Boston Globe. October 31, 1982. p. 52 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Plymouth State wins 18th straight". The Boston Globe. November 7, 1982. p. 83 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Plymouth State Still Unbeaten". Valley News. Associated Press. November 8, 1982. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Plymouth St. rips Curry". The Boston Globe. November 14, 1982. p. 50 – via Newspapers.com.