1977 VMI Keydets football team

1977 VMI Keydets football
SoCon co-champion
ConferenceSouthern Conference
Record7–4 (4–1 SoCon)
Head coach
Home stadiumAlumni Memorial Field
1977 Southern Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Chattanooga + 4 1 0 9 1 1
+ 4 1 0 7 4 0
The Citadel 3 2 0 5 6 0
Furman 3 2 1 4 5 2
Western Carolina 2 2 1 6 4 1
Appalachian State 1 4 0 2 9 0
Marshall 0 5 0 2 9 0
Davidson 0 0 0 4 6 0

The 1977 VMI Keydets football team was an American football team that represented the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon) during the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. In their seventh year under head coach Bob Thalman, the Keydets compiled an overall record of 7–4 with a mark of 4–1 in conference play, sharing the SoCon title with Chattanooga.[1][2]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 10William & Mary[n 1]W 23–138,100[4]
September 17at Army*L 14–2726,664[5]
September 24at East Carolina[n 1]L 13–1423,581[6]
October 8Richmond[n 1]
  • Alumni Memorial Field
  • Lexington, VA
W 25–06,800[7]
October 15The Citadel
  • Alumni Memorial Field
  • Lexington, VA
W 19–38,700[8]
October 22at Lehigh*L 20–3013,000[9]
October 29Davidson*
  • Alumni Memorial Field
  • Lexington, VA
W 21–04,700[10]
November 5at Virginia*W 30–621,000[11]
November 12at FurmanW 31–2810,000[12]
November 19Rhode Island*
  • Alumni Memorial Field
  • Lexington, VA
W 20–75,200[13]
November 26at Virginia Tech*L 7–2710,000[14]
  • *Non-conference game

[15][16]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c VMI's games against William & Mary, East Carolina, and Richmond were designated as conference games and counted in the SoCon standings.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Southern Conference". The Times and Democrat. Orangeburg, South Carolina. November 21, 1977. p. 13A. Retrieved August 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  2. ^ "SoCon 2024 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Southern Conference. p. 180. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  3. ^ "VMI clinches title by turning back Furman". Salisbury Evening Post. Salisbury, North Carolina. Associated Press. November 14, 1977. p. 3B. Retrieved July 16, 2025 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  4. ^ "Jones booms 5 field goals, VMI surprises W&M 23–13". Daily Press. September 11, 1977. Retrieved February 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Hall directs Army attack past stubborn VMI". The El Paso Times. September 18, 1977. Retrieved February 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Pirates nip VMI, 14–13". The Daily Times-News. September 25, 1977. Retrieved March 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "VMI 25, Richmond 0". The Tampa Times. October 9, 1977. Retrieved February 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "McNeal's return lifts VMI". The State. October 16, 1977. Retrieved February 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Larimer, Terry (October 23, 1977). "Lehigh turns tables on VMI". Sunday Call-Chronicle. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "VMI, Gibson thrash Cats". The Charlotte Observer. October 30, 1977. Retrieved February 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "VMI trounces Virginia for 'Big Five' crown". The Herald-Sun. November 6, 1977. Retrieved February 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "VMI outlasts Furman". The Danville Register. November 13, 1977. Retrieved February 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "VMI rips URI, 20–7". The Boston Globe. November 20, 1977. Retrieved February 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Virginia Tech clobbers VMI behind Fitzgerald". Hattiesburg American. November 27, 1977. Retrieved December 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "1977 Virginia Military Institute Keydets Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com". College Football at Sports-Reference.com.
  16. ^ "1977 VMI Keydets football schedule". VMI Athletics. Retrieved February 2, 2022.