| 1972 Big Ten Conference football season | |
|---|---|
| Sport | American football |
| Number of teams | 10 |
| Top draft pick | Dave Butz |
| Co-champions | Michigan, Ohio State |
| Runners-up | Purdue |
| Season MVP | Otis Armstrong |
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 6 Michigan + | 7 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 10 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 9 Ohio State + | 7 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan State | 5 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 3 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois | 3 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa | 2 | – | 6 | – | 1 | 3 | – | 7 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 2 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 1 | – | 8 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 9 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1972 Big Ten Conference football season was the 77th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1972 NCAA University Division football season.
The 1972 Michigan Wolverines football team, under coach Bo Schembechler, compiled a 10–1 record, tied for the Big Ten championship, led the conference in scoring defense (5.2 points allowed per game), and was ranked No. 6 in the final AP and Coaches Polls. Michigan won its first ten games with four conference shutouts, and was ranked No. 3 in the AP Poll prior to its 14–11 road loss to Ohio State. Defensive back Randy Logan and offensive tackle Paul Seymour were consensus first-team All-Americans. Schembecher won the first Big Ten Football Coach of the Year award.
The 1972 Ohio State Buckeyes football team, under head coach Woody Hayes, compiled a 9–2 record, tied with Michigan for the Big Ten championship, led the conference in scoring offense (25.5 points per game), and was ranked No. 9 in the final AP Poll. The Buckeyes received the conference's berth in the 1973 Rose Bowl and lost to national champion USC, 42–17. Linebacker Randy Gradishar was a consensus first-team All-American.
Purdue running back Otis Armstrong led the Big Ten with 1,361 rushing yards, received the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the conference's most valuable player, and was a consensus first-team All-American.