# 1972 CFL season

The 1972 CFL season is considered to be the 19th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 15th Canadian Football League season.

## CFL news in 1972

The Canadian Football Hall of Fame was officially opened on November 28, 1972, in Hamilton. The Grey Cup game was played on AstroTurf at nearby Ivor Wynne Stadium.
The Western Conference Finals were now played under a single-elimination game. The Eastern Conference continued to play a two-game total-point series affair in their Conference Final round until the following season, when it adopted the West's single-game elimination in the Conference Final round as well.

## Regular season standings
### Final regular season standings

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points
Western Football Conference :
| Team | GP | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts |
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 401 | 300 | 20 |
| Edmonton Eskimos | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 380 | 368 | 20 |
| Saskatchewan Roughriders | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 330 | 283 | 16 |
| Calgary Stampeders | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 331 | 394 | 12 |
| BC Lions | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 254 | 380 | 10 |
Eastern Football Conference :
| Team | GP | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts |
| Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 372 | 262 | 22 |
| Ottawa Rough Riders | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 298 | 228 | 22 |
| Montreal Alouettes | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 246 | 353 | 8 |
| Toronto Argonauts | 14 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 254 | 298 | 6 |
* Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.
* Winnipeg and Hamilton have first round byes.

## Grey Cup playoffs

Note: All dates in 1972

### Conference Semi-Finals

Eastern Semi-Finals :
| Montreal Alouettes @ Ottawa Rough Riders |||
| Date | Away | Home |
| November 11 | Montreal Alouettes 11 | Ottawa Rough Riders 14 |
Western Semi-Finals :
| Saskatchewan Roughriders @ Edmonton Eskimos |||
| Date | Away | Home |
| November 12 | Saskatchewan Roughriders 8 | Edmonton Eskimos 6 |

### Conference Finals

Western Finals :
| Saskatchewan Roughriders @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers |||
| Date | Away | Home |
| November 19 | Saskatchewan Roughriders 27 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers 24 |
This game was especially notable for its final play. The game was tied and Saskatchewan attempted a last-second field goal to win, or at least score a single. The kick missed wide, and was recovered by Winnipeg in the end zone. As they were unable to run it out, they punted. The Saskatchewan player who fielded the punt attempted to score a single (winning the game) by punting it through the end zone again, but was unsuccessful, and the punt was fielded by Winnipeg, who punted it out again. The Saskatchewan returner was tackled, ending the play and presumably the game, but a Winnipeg penalty negated the play and gave Saskatchewan another chance. The second Saskatchewan field goal attempt, with no time on the clock, was successful.
Eastern Finals :
| Hamilton Tiger-Cats vs. Ottawa Rough Riders ||||
| Game | Date | Away | Home |
| 1 | November 18 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats 7 | Ottawa Rough Riders 19 |
| 2 | November 26 | Ottawa Rough Riders 8 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats 23 |
| Hamilton won total-point series 30–27 ||||

## Playoff bracket

| Division Semifinals | Division Semifinals | Division Semifinals | Division Finals | Division Finals | Division Finals | 60th Grey Cup | 60th Grey Cup | 60th Grey Cup |
| | | | E1 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 30 (7+23) | | | |
| East | East | East | E1 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 30 (7+23) | | | |
| East | East | East | E2 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 27 (19+8) | | | |
| E2 | Montreal Alouettes | 11 | E2 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 27 (19+8) | | | |
| E3 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 14 | | | | | | |
| E3 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 14 | | | | E1 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 13 |
| | | | | | | W3 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 10 |
| | | | W1 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 24 | | | |
| West | West | West | W1 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 24 | | | |
| West | West | West | W3 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 27 | | | |
| W2 | Edmonton Eskimos | 6 | W3 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 27 | | | |
| W3 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 8 | | | | | | |

### Grey Cup Championship

December 3
60th Annual Grey Cup Game: Ivor Wynne Stadium – Hamilton, Ontario :
| Western Champion | Eastern Champion |
| Saskatchewan Roughriders 10 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats 13 |
| The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are the 1972 Grey Cup Champions ||
| Chuck Ealey (QB), Hamilton Tiger-Cats – Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player. Ian Sunter (K), Hamilton Tiger-Cats – Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian. ||

## CFL Leaders

* CFL Passing Leaders
* CFL Rushing Leaders
* CFL Receiving Leaders

## 1972 CFL All-Stars
### Offence

* QB – Don Jonas, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* RB – George Reed, Saskatchewan Roughriders
* RB – Mack Herron, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* RB – Dave Buchanan, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* TE – Peter Dalla Riva, Montreal Alouettes
* TE – Tony Gabriel, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* WR – Garney Henley, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* WR – Jim Young, BC Lions
* C – Bob Swift, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* OG – Bob Lueck, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* OG – Jack Abendschan, Saskatchewan Roughriders
* OT – Bill Frank, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* OT – Ed George, Montreal Alouettes

### Defence

* DT – Jim Stillwagon, Toronto Argonauts
* DT – John Helton, Calgary Stampeders
* DE – Bill Baker, Saskatchewan Roughriders
* DE – Wayne Smith, Ottawa Rough Riders
* LB – Dave Gasser, Edmonton Eskimos
* LB – Ray Nettles, BC Lions
* LB – Jerry Campbell, Ottawa Rough Riders
* DB – Al Brenner, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* DB – Johnny Williams, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* DB – Grady Cavness, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* DB – Dick Adams, Ottawa Rough Riders
* DB – Marv Luster, Toronto Argonauts

## 1972 Eastern All-Stars
### Offence

* QB – Chuck Ealey, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* RB – Ike Brown, Montreal Alouettes
* RB – Moses Denson, Montreal Alouettes
* RB – Dave Buchanan, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* TE – Peter Dalla Riva, Montreal Alouettes
* TE – Tony Gabriel, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* WR – Garney Henley, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* WR – Eric Allen, Toronto Argonauts
* C – Paul Desjardins, Toronto Argonauts
* OG – Ed Chalupka, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* OG – Jon Hohman, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* OT – Bill Danychuk, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* OT – Ed George, Montreal Alouettes

### Defence

* DT – Jim Stillwagon, Toronto Argonauts
* DT – Rudy Sims, Ottawa Rough Riders
* DE – George Wells, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* DE – Jim Corrigall, Toronto Argonauts
* DE – Wayne Smith, Ottawa Rough Riders
* LB – Mike Widger, Montreal Alouettes
* LB – Gene Mack, Toronto Argonauts
* LB – Jerry Campbell, Ottawa Rough Riders
* DB – Al Brenner, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* DB – Johnny Williams, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* DB – Rod Woodward, Ottawa Rough Riders
* DB – Dick Adams, Ottawa Rough Riders
* DB – Marv Luster, Toronto Argonauts

## 1972 Western All-Stars
### Offence

* QB – Don Jonas, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* RB – George Reed, Saskatchewan Roughriders
* RB – Mack Herron, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* RB – Tom Campana, Saskatchewan Roughriders
* TE – Tyrone Walls, Edmonton Eskimos
* WR – Gerry Shaw, Calgary Stampeders
* WR – Jim Thorpe, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* WR – Jim Young, BC Lions
* C – Bob Swift, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* OG – Bob Lueck, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* OG – Jack Abendschan, Saskatchewan Roughriders
* OG – Larry Watkins, Edmonton Eskimos
* OT – Bill Frank, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* OT – Charlie Turner, Edmonton Eskimos

### Defence

* DT – Joe Critchlow, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* DT – John Helton, Calgary Stampeders
* DT – John LaGrone, Edmonton Eskimos
* DE – Bill Baker, Saskatchewan Roughriders
* DE – Jim Heighton, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* LB – Dave Gasser, Edmonton Eskimos
* LB – Ray Nettles, BC Lions
* LB – Mickey Doyle, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* DB – Frank Andruski, Calgary Stampeders
* DB – Bruce Bennett, Saskatchewan Roughriders
* DB – Grady Cavness, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* DB – Dick Dupuis, Edmonton Eskimos
* DB – Gene Lakusiak, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* DB – Larry Robinson, Calgary Stampeders

## 1972 CFL Awards

* CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Garney Henley (WR), Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Jim Young (WR), BC Lions
* CFL's Most Outstanding Lineman Award – John Helton (DT), Calgary Stampeders
* CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award – Chuck Ealey (QB), Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* CFL's Coach of the Year – Jack Gotta, Ottawa Rough Riders
* Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy (Eastern MVP) – Garney Henley (WR), Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy (Western MVP) - Mack Herron (RB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* Gruen Trophy (Eastern Rookie of the Year) - Bob Richardson (OL), Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy (Western Rookie of the Year) - Walt McKee (K/P), Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* DeMarco–Becket Memorial Trophy (Western Outstanding Lineman) - John Helton (DT), Calgary Stampeders