1972 Auburn Tigers football team
Encyclopedia
The 1972 Auburn Tigers football team under the leadership of coach Ralph "Shug" Jordan
completed the regular season with a record of 9–1, earning them an invitation to the Gator Bowl against Colorado
, which they won by a score of 24–3. They completed the season with a record of 10–1 and ranked #5 in the AP poll and #7 in the UPI.
Five players were named all-SEC first team for 1972: defensive back
Dave Beck, tail back
Terry Henley
, offensive tackle Mac Lorendo, defensive end
Danny Sanspree, and defensive tackle Benny Sivley.
The famous Punt Bama Punt
game took place during the 1972 season, where Auburn, trailing Alabama 16–0 with 10 minutes left in the game, came back to win 17–16 after scoring a field goal followed by two blocked punts that were returned for touchdowns.
Ralph Jordan
James Ralph "Shug" Jordan was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach of football and basketball. He served as the head football coach at Auburn from 1951 to 1975, where he compiled a record of 176–83–6. He is the winningest coach in Auburn Tigers football...
completed the regular season with a record of 9–1, earning them an invitation to the Gator Bowl against Colorado
Colorado Buffaloes football
The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,...
, which they won by a score of 24–3. They completed the season with a record of 10–1 and ranked #5 in the AP poll and #7 in the UPI.
Five players were named all-SEC first team for 1972: defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
Dave Beck, tail back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Terry Henley
Terry Henley
Terry Henley is a retired professional American football player. Henley played college football for the Auburn Tigers and was named first-team All-SEC and second-team All-American by the Associated Press in 1972. He was signed as a free agent by the Atlanta Falcons in 1973 but was cut during...
, offensive tackle Mac Lorendo, defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
Danny Sanspree, and defensive tackle Benny Sivley.
The famous Punt Bama Punt
Punt Bama Punt
Punt Bama Punt is the nickname given to one of the most famous games of the college football rivalry between the Auburn Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide known as the Iron Bowl.The game was played on December 2, 1972 at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama...
game took place during the 1972 season, where Auburn, trailing Alabama 16–0 with 10 minutes left in the game, came back to win 17–16 after scoring a field goal followed by two blocked punts that were returned for touchdowns.