1977 Westminster Titans football team

The 1977 Westminster Titans football team was an American football team that represented Westminster College of Pennsylvania as an independent during the 1977 NAIA Division II football season. In their sixth season under head coach Joe Fusco, the Titans compiled an 11–0 record. They advanced to the NAIA Division II playoffs, defeating Concord (WV) (14–13) in the semifinal and Cal Lutheran (17–9) in the NAIA Division II National Championship Game.[1] With its victory in the championship game, the Titans extended their winning streak to 20 games, the longest streak in the nation.[2]

1977 Westminster Titans football
NAIA Division II national champion
ConferenceIndependent
Record11–0
Head coach
CaptainPaul O'Neill, Paul Rice, and Scott McLuckey
Home stadiumMemorial Field
1977 NAIA Division II independents football records
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 Westminster (PA) ^   –  11 –0 –0
No. 17 Illinois College   –  7 –1 –0
No. 2 Cal Lutheran ^   –  9 –2 –0
No. 10 Chadron State   –  8 –2 –0
No. 16 Franklin (IN)   –  8 –2 –0
No. 11 Waynesburg   –  7 –2 –0
Benedictine (KS)   –  7 –4 –0
Georgetown (KY)   –  6 –4 –0
Peru State   –  5 –5 –0
Azusa Pacific   –  4 –5 –0
Texas Lutheran   –  4 –6 –0
Simon Fraser   –  3 –5 –1
Iowa Wesleyan   –  2 –7 –0
Geneva   –  1 –8 –0
Oklahoma Panhandle State   –  1 –8 –0
  • ^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll

The Titans returned 31 lettermen from the 1976 national championship team. Paul O'Neil, Paul Rice, and Scott McLuckey were the team co-captains.[3]

Offensive tackle Paul O'Neil was selected as a second-team player on the 1977 College Division All-America college football team.[4] Eight Westminster players were selected as first-team players on the Pittsburgh Press' Small College All-District football team: O'Neil; quarterback Steve Kraus; split end Dave Hasson; offensive tackle Paul O'Neil, offensive guard Mark Humphrey; defensive end Dale Hoffman; defensive tackle Mark Claire; linebacker Frank Emanuele; and cornerback Steve Nelson.[5]

Schedule
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 10Millersville
W 28–7[6]
September 17at JuniataHuntingdon, PAW 30–0[7][8]
September 24Indiana (PA)
  • Memorial Field
  • New Wilmington, PA
W 21–6[9]
October 1Waynesburg
  • Memorial Field
  • New Wilmington, PA
W 17–15[10]
October 8at Grove CityGrove City, PAW 28–0[11]
October 15Frostburg State
  • Memorial Field
  • New Wilmington, PA
W 38–0[12]
October 22Bethany (WV)
  • Memorial Field
  • New Wilmington, PA
W 45–7[13]
October 29at GenevaBeaver Falls, PAW 30–0[14]
November 5Allegheny
  • Memorial Field
  • New Wilmington, PA
W 20–6[15]
November 26Concord (WV)
  • Memorial Field
  • New Wilmington, PA (NAIA Division II semifinal)
W 14–13[16]
December 3at Cal LutheranThousand Oaks, CA (NAIA Division II Championship Game)W 17–9[17][18]

NAIA playoffs

Semifinal vs. Concord

On November 26, Westminster defeated Concord (West Virginia) in the NAIA Division II semifinals by a 14–13 score at New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. Concord scored first when Lawrence Hamilton recovered a blocked punt and ran it back 40 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. Concord missed the extra point and led, 6–0. In the second quarter, Westminster tied the game at 6–6 when defensive back Steve Nelson intercepted a pass and returned it 43 yards for a touchdown. Westminster also missed its extra point attempt. With 9:40 remaining in the game, Concord retook the lead on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Jeff Broyles to Tony Lipscomb. The extra point was good, and Concord let, 13–6. With 5:05 remaining in the game, Westminster quarterback Steve Kraus threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end John Wilkie. Rather than kick for the one-point conversion, Westminster coach Joe Fusco called for a two-point conversion. Kraus completed a pass to Dave Hassen for the victory.[16]

Championship game at Cal Lutheran

On December 3, Westminster prevailed against undefeated Cal Lutheran, 17–9, before a crowd of 4,000 in the national championship game at Thousand Oaks, California. Cal Lutheran took a 9–0 lead in the third quarter on a pass from John Kindred to Harry Hedrick. The Titans lost their starting quarterback, Steve Kraus, to a separated shoulder in the third quarter and were also playing without its two top running backs and its top wide receiver. Sophomore halfback Frank Rondinelli led Westminster's comeback.. As he was being hit by a defender, he threw a 59-yard, wobbly touchdown pass to Bill Stiger. Minutes later, Rondinelli ran 37 yards up the middle for the game-winning touchdown. Westminster also intercepted three passes off Cal Lutheran quarterback Kindred.[17]

References
  1. "1977 Football Schedule". Westminster College. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  2. "Westminster's latest achievement just adds to lengthy tradition". New Castle News. December 6, 1977. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Westminster seeks return to playoffs". New Castle News. September 1, 1977. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "IUP's Schmidt Earns College Division Nod". The Indiana Gazette. December 8, 1977. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Titans top all-star selections". New Castle News. December 5, 1977. p. 23 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. Larry Kelly (September 12, 1977). "Titans defense 'keys' opening 28–7 victory: Stops Millersville cold". New Castle News. p. 27 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Juniata Is Blanked 30–0". The Daily News (Huntingdon, Pennsylvania). September 19, 1977. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Titans blank Juniata 30–0: Avenge last year's loss". New Castle News. September 19, 1977. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. Larry Kelly (September 26, 1977). "Titans manhandle Indians". New Castle News. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Late Surge Fails As Waynesburg Loses". The Morning Herald. October 3, 1977. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Westminster Stays Unbeaten, 28–0". Scrantonian Tribune. October 9, 1977. p. 55 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Perfection Reigns: Titans, 6–0; Frostburg, 0–7; Geneva, 0–6". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. October 17, 1977. p. 20 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Top=Ranked Titans Batter Bethany, 45–7". The Pittsburgh Press. October 23, 1977. p. D10 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Westminster Wins 17th In Row, 30–0". The Pittsburgh Press. October 30, 1977. p. D15 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "Westminster Bags 18th Straight, 20–6". The Pittsburgh Press. November 6, 1977. p. D13 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. "Westminster Wins NAIA Division 2 Semifinals". The Kane Republican. November 26, 1977. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. Scott Ostler (December 4, 1977). "Cal Lutheran Lets a National Title Get Away". Los Angeles Times. p. III-3 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. Larry Kelly (December 5, 1977). "Titans eye NAIA foe, then deliver KO punch". New Castle News. p. 23 – via Newspapers.com.
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