PREVIOUS SEASON              NEXT SEASON

1970 Class AAA State Champions

Record: 10-0
Combined Statistics: Link

Head Coach: Bob Commings (2nd Year)
Record To-Date at Massillon: 17-2-1

Team Captains: Tom Cardinal, Steve Luke

All-Ohio: Mike Mauger (1st), Tim Ridgley (1st), Dennis Franklin (2nd), Steve Luke (3rd)

All-American Conference Standings:
Massillon (5-0)
Canton McKinley (3-1-1)
Niles (3-1-1)
Warren Harding (1-4)
Steubenville (1-4)
Alliance (1-4)

AP State Poll:
1. Massillon (10-0) (UPI State Champion, 2nd in National Poll) – defeated Canton McKinley
2. Upper Arlington (10-0)
3. Canton McKinley (8-1-1) – tied Niles; lost to Massillon
4. Sidney (10-0)
5. Cincinnati Moeller (9-1)
6. Lancaster (8-1-1)
7. Sandusky (9-1)
8. Warren Western Reserve (9-1)
9. Columbus Eastmoor (8-1)
10. Troy (10-0)

All-Time Record: 493-147-32
Series Record vs. Canton McKinley: 40-30-5

Noteworthy Items: (1) This was the last recognized Massillon AP Poll state championship. (2) Mike Mauger, who rushed for 1200 yards and scored 152 points, was named Ohio Back of the Year. (3) Akron St. Vincent scored a TD on their opening drive, the first against the Tigers in five games. Massillon responded quickly by scoring on every subsequent possession, taking a 42-7 halftime lead into the locker room. (4) Larry Harper returned the opening kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown against Canton McKinley to propel Massillon to a 28-0 victory. The Bulldogs were undefeated and ranked No. 3 in the state at the time. (5) Upper Arlington finished undefeated and had won the three previous state title, but finished second in the AP Poll. A potential post-season game against the two teams to benefit the families of the Marshall University plane crash was denied by the OHSAA.   (6) Several players received offers to play Division 1 football, including Mauger, Dennis Franklin, Steve Luke, Willie Spencer and Steve Studer.  Franklin (Detroit), Luke (Green Bay) and Spencer (New York Giants) went on to compete in the NFL.

Related Stories

• Dennis Franklin – A Leader On the Field
• “The Year of the Tiger” – 50 Years Later
• Steve Luke – Wall of Champions
• The Greatest Victories of All-Time – The 1970s
• Greatest Massillon Player Performance Series, Part 4 – Running Backs before the Spread Offense