The 1977 Widener Pioneers football team represented

Widener University Widener University is a private university in Chester, Pennsylvania. The university has three other campuses: two in Pennsylvania (Harrisburg and Exton) and one in Wilmington, Delaware. Founded as The Bullock School for Boys in 1821, the school ...

as a member of the

Middle Atlantic Conference The Middle Atlantic Conferences (MAC) is an umbrella organization of three athletic conferences that competes in the NCAA's Division III. The 18 member colleges are in the Mid-Atlantic United States. The organization is divided into two main con ...

(MAC) during the

1977 NCAA Division III football season The 1977 NCAA Division III football season -- part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division III level—began in August 1977, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Footba ...

. The team won the 1977 NCAA Division III national championship.

Season overview

In their ninth season under head coach

Bill Manlove William B. Manlove Jr. (born February 5, 1933) is a former American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Widener University from 1969 to 1991, at Delaware Valley College from 1992 to 1995, and at La Salle University from 1997 ...

, the Pride compiled an 11–1 record and won the NCAA Division III championship. The team lost to in the second game of the season – Widener's first home defeat since 1970. The Fordham loss was followed by a 10-game winning streak. In the NCAA Division III playoffs, the Pioneers shut out (17–0) on the road. In the semifinals, the Pioneers defeated as Chip Zawoiski carried a record 31 times for 171 rushing yards. In the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, Widener faced . The Pioneers won, 39–36, in a game that featured five lead changes. Widener ultimately pulled ahead with two fourth-quarter touchdowns on passes of 25 and 70 yards from Mark Walter to Walker Carter. The team played its home games in

Chester, Pennsylvania Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located within the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, it is the only city in Delaware County and had a population of 32,605 as of the 2020 census. Incorporated in 1682, Chester is ...

Statistical leaders and awards

The team's statistical leaders included senior tailback Chip Zawoiski with 1,576 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns and quarterback Mark Walter with 1,312 passing yards and 15 touchdowns. Zawoiski was named the MAC most valuable player (tying with John Green of Franklin Y Marshall), and coach Manlove received MAC Coach of the Year honors for the fourth consecutive year. A total of ten Widener players received first-team All-MAC honors: Zawoiski; split end Walker Carter; offensive tackle Bob Brewster; offensive guard Andy Martin; kicker John Ferko; defensive end Tim Erlacher; defensive tackle Jim "Bubba" Carter; linebackers Eddie Fulmer and Wayne Pierce; and defensive back Ted Kukawaski. The 1977 team was inducted as a group into the Widener Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.

Schedule

References

{{NCAA Division III football national champion navbox Widener Widener Pride football seasons NCAA Division III Football Champions Widener football