1970 NAIA Division I football season

American college football season

1970 NAIA Division I football season

Regular season| August–November 1970
Postseason| November 28–December 12, 1970
National Championship| Sirrine Stadium
Greenville, SC
Champions| Texas A&I (3)

* ← 1969
* NAIA Division I football season
* 1971 →

The 1970 NAIA Division I football season was the 15th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA. It was also the first of twenty-seven seasons that the NAIA split its football competition into two separate championships.

The season was played from August to November 1970 and culminated in the 1970 NAIA Champion Bowl, played on December 12, 1970 at Sirrine Stadium in Greenville, South Carolina.[1]

Texas A&I defeated Wofford in the Champion Bowl, 48–7, to win their third NAIA national title.[2]

## Conference realignment

[edit]

### Membership changes

[edit]

Team | 1969 conference | 1970 conference

|
|

Eastern Oregon | Oregon | Evergreen
Oregon College | Oregon | Evergreen
Oregon Tech | Oregon | Evergreen
Southern Oregon | Oregon | Evergreen

## Conference standings

[edit]

1970 Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
No. 15 Ouachita Baptist \+  | 5  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 8  | – | 2  | – | 0
Arkansas Tech \+  | 5  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 8  | – | 3  | – | 0
Southern Arkansas | 4  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 5  | – | 0
Harding | 3  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 5  | – | 0
Henderson State | 2  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 5  | – | 0
State College of Arkansas | 1  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 2  | – | 8  | – | 0
Arkansas A&M | 1  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 9  | – | 0

* \+ – Conference co-champions

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1970 Carolinas Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
Presbyterian $  | 5  | – | 0  | – | 0 |  |  | 8  | – | 3  | – | 0
Lenoir Rhyne | 4  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 7  | – | 4  | – | 0
Catawba | 2  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 5  | – | 0
Elon | 2  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 7  | – | 0
Newberry | 1  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 7  | – | 0
Guilford | 1  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 2  | – | 8  | – | 0

* $ – Conference champion

1970 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
Northern
Morgan State x  | 5  | – | 0  | – | 0 |  |  | 8  | – | 2  | – | 0
No. 16 Virginia State y$  | 5  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 8  | – | 2  | – | 0
Delaware State | 4  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 2  | – | 0
Howard | 3  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 7  | – | 2  | – | 0
Saint Paul's (VA) | 1  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 5  | – | 0
Norfolk State | 2  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 6  | – | 0
Virginia Union | 1  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 6  | – | 0
Maryland Eastern Shore | 1  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 8  | – | 0
Hampton | 0  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 0  | – | 9  | – | 0
Southern
No. 17 Johnson C. Smith xy  | 6  | – | 0  | – | 0 |  |  | 8  | – | 2  | – | 0
Elizabeth City State | 4  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 3  | – | 0
North Carolina Central | 3  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 4  | – | 0
Shaw | 3  | – | 2  | – | 1 |  |  | 3  | – | 5  | – | 1
Fayetteville State | 1  | – | 3  | – | 1 |  |  | 3  | – | 5  | – | 1
Livingstone | 1  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 2  | – | 7  | – | 0
Winston-Salem State | 1  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 5  | – | 0
North Carolina A&T | 0  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 6  | – | 0
Championship: Virginia State 32, Johnson C. Smith 14

* $ – Conference champion
* x – Division champion/co-champions
* y – Championship game participant

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1970 Evergreen Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
Central Washington $  | 5  | – | 0  | – | 0 |  |  | 7  | – | 3  | – | 0
Western Washington | 5  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 5  | – | 0
Oregon College | 4  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 5  | – | 0
Eastern Washington | 3  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 6  | – | 0
Eastern Oregon | 2  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 4  | – | 0
Whitworth | 2  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 2  | – | 7  | – | 0
Southern Oregon | 1  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 9  | – | 0
Oregon Tech | 0  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 0  | – | 9  | – | 0

* $ – Conference champion

1970 Lone Star Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
No. 1/7 Texas A&I $^  | 8  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 11  | – | 1  | – | 0
No. NR / T–20 Sam Houston State | 7  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 8  | – | 2  | – | 1
Sul Ross | 6  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 7  | – | 3  | – | 0
Angelo State | 6  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 4  | – | 0
Southwest Texas State | 4  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 5  | – | 0
Howard Payne | 4  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 5  | – | 0
East Texas State | 4  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 6  | – | 0
McMurry | 4  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 6  | – | 0
Tarleton State | 1  | – | 8  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 8  | – | 0
Stephen F. Austin | 1  | – | 8  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 9  | – | 0

* $ – Conference champion
* ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll and AP small college poll
1970 Mid-South Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

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|
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|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
No. 2 Jacksonville State $  | 5  | – | 0  | – | 0 |  |  | 10  | – | 0  | – | 0
Tennessee–Martin | 4  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 7  | – | 3  | – | 0
Troy State | 3  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 4  | – | 1
Delta State | 2  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 6  | – | 1
Florence State | 1  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 5  | – | 0
Livingston | 0  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 5  | – | 0

* $ – Conference champion

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1970 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
Concordia–Moorhead $  | 6  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 7  | – | 2  | – | 1
No. 14 Gustavus Adolphus | 5  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 8  | – | 2  | – | 0
Saint John's (MN) | 5  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 3  | – | 0
Minnesota–Duluth | 4  | – | 2  | – | 1 |  |  | 7  | – | 2  | – | 1
Hamline | 3  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 4  | – | 0
Macalester | 2  | – | 4  | – | 1 |  |  | 3  | – | 5  | – | 1
Augsburg | 1  | – | 6  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 8  | – | 0
St. Thomas (MN) | 1  | – | 6  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 9  | – | 0

* $ – Conference champion

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1970 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
Michigan Tech \+  | 5  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 8  | – | 1  | – | 0
Minnesota Morris \+  | 5  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 7  | – | 2  | – | 0
St. Cloud State \+  | 5  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 3  | – | 0
Moorhead State | 3  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 4  | – | 1
Winona State | 1  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 2  | – | 7  | – | 0
Bemidji State | 1  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 8  | – | 0
Southwest State (MN) | 1  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 8  | – | 0

* \+ – Conference co-champions

1970 Northwest Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
No. 8 Linfield $  | 6  | – | 0  | – | 0 |  |  | 8  | – | 1  | – | 0
Pacific Lutheran | 4  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 3  | – | 0
Lewis & Clark | 4  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 4  | – | 0
Willamette | 3  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 4  | – | 0
Whitman | 3  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 5  | – | 0
College of Idaho | 1  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 2  | – | 7  | – | 0
Pacific (OR) | 0  | – | 6  | – | 0 |  |  | 0  | – | 8  | – | 0

* $ – Conference champion

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1970 Oklahoma Collegiate Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
No. 9 SW Oklahoma State $  | 7  | – | 0  | – | 1 |  |  | 8  | – | 1  | – | 1
No. 10 Northeastern State | 6  | – | 1  | – | 1 |  |  | 8  | – | 1  | – | 1
No. 11 Central State (OK) | 6  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 9  | – | 2  | – | 0
Cameron | 6  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 8  | – | 2  | – | 1
East Central | 4  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 4  | – | 0
NW Oklahoma State | 2  | – | 5  | – | 1 |  |  | 4  | – | 5  | – | 1
Panhandle | 2  | – | 6  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 7  | – | 0
Langston | 1  | – | 7  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 10  | – | 0
SE Oklahoma State | 0  | – | 7  | – | 1 |  |  | 0  | – | 9  | – | 1

* $ – Conference champion

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1970 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
Mountain Division
Western New Mexico xy  | 5  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 4  | – | 0
Southern Utah x  | 5  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 3  | – | 0
Adams State | 4  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 3  | – | 2
Westminster (UT) | 3  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 6  | – | 0
Western State (CO) | 2  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 2  | – | 7  | – | 0
Fort Lewis | 1  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 8  | – | 0
Colorado Mines | 1  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 9  | – | 0
Plains Division
No. 20 Pittsburg State xy$  | 4  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 9  | – | 2  | – | 0
Northern Colorado x  | 4  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 7  | – | 2  | – | 0
Nebraska–Omaha | 4  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 5  | – | 1
Fort Hays State | 2  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 5  | – | 0
Southern Colorado | 1  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 5  | – | 0
Emporia State | 1  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 8  | – | 0
Washburn *  | 0  | – | 0  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 3  | – | 2
Championship: Pittsburg State 52, Western New Mexico 6

* $ – Conference champion
* x – Division champion/co-champions
* y – Championship game participant
* * – Washburn was ineligible for conference title

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1970 South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
Black Hills State \+  | 5  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 8  | – | 2  | – | 0
Northern State \+  | 5  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 4  | – | 0
South Dakota Tech \+  | 5  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 4  | – | 0
Dakota State | 3  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 4  | – | 0
Dakota Wesleyan | 2  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 6  | – | 0
Huron | 1  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 6  | – | 0
Southern State (SD) | 0  | – | 6  | – | 0 |  |  | 0  | – | 9  | – | 0

* $ – Conference champion

1970 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
No. 7/9 Alcorn A&M $  | 6  | – | 0  | – | 0 |  |  | 8  | – | 1  | – | 0
No. 13/16 Grambling | 5  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 9  | – | 2  | – | 0
Texas Southern | 4  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 3  | – | 0
Southern | 2  | – | 3  | – | 1 |  |  | 5  | – | 5  | – | 1
Prairie View A&M | 2  | – | 3  | – | 1 |  |  | 4  | – | 5  | – | 1
Jackson State | 1  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 7  | – | 0
Mississippi Valley State | 0  | – | 6  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 8  | – | 0

* $ – Conference champion

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll and AP small college poll
1970 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
No. 6 West Liberty State $  | 7  | – | 0  | – | 1 |  |  | 8  | – | 1  | – | 1
No. 12 Bluefield State | 5  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 7  | – | 1  | – | 0
Salem | 5  | – | 3  | – | 1 |  |  | 5  | – | 3  | – | 1
West Virginia State | 4  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 5  | – | 0
Shepherd | 2  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 5  | – | 0
Glenville State | 4  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 5  | – | 0
Concord | 3  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 6  | – | 0
Fairmont State | 2  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 6  | – | 0
West Virginia Wesleyan | 0  | – | 5  | – | 1 |  |  | 0  | – | 7  | – | 1
West Virginia Tech | 0  | – | 6  | – | 1 |  |  | 1  | – | 7  | – | 1

* $ – Conference champion
* Conference standings based on power ratings

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1970 Wisconsin State University Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
No. 3 Platteville State $^  | 8  | – | 0  | – | 0 |  |  | 10  | – | 1  | – | 0
Eau Claire State | 5  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 4  | – | 0
Whitewater State | 5  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 4  | – | 0
Oshkosh State | 5  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 5  | – | 0
Superior State | 5  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 5  | – | 0
La Crosse State | 4  | – | 3  | – | 1 |  |  | 5  | – | 4  | – | 1
Stout State | 2  | – | 6  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 7  | – | 0
Stevens Point State | 1  | – | 6  | – | 1 |  |  | 1  | – | 8  | – | 1
River Falls State | 0  | – | 8  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 8  | – | 0

* $ – Conference champion
* ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1970 NAIA Division I independents football records |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
No. 4/6 Wofford ^  |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 11  | – | 1  | – | 0
No. 18/NR Hillsdale |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 9  | – | 2  | – | 0
No. 5/NR New Mexico Highlands ^  |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 9  | – | 2  | – | 0
No. 19/19 Eastern Michigan |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 7  | – | 2  | – | 1
La Verne |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 5  | – | 4  | – | 0
Appalachian State |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 6  | – | 5  | – | 0
Carson–Newman |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 4  | – | 6  | – | 0
Kentucky State |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 3  | – | 6  | – | 0
Eastern New Mexico |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 2  | – | 8  | – | 0

* $ – Conference champion
* ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll and AP small college poll

## Postseason

[edit]

| Semifinals
November 28, 1970 | | | 1970 Champion Bowl
December 12, 1970
Greenville, SC |

|
|
|
|
|

|  |  |  | | |  |  |  |
| Platteville State | 0 | |
| Texas A&I* | 16 |
| | Texas A&I | 48 |
|  |
| | | Wofford | *7 |
| New Mexico Highlands | 23 |

| Wofford* | 28 |

## See also

[edit]

* 1970 NAIA Division II football season
* 1970 NCAA University Division football season
* 1970 NCAA College Division football season

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "NAIA Championship History" (PDF). NAIA. pp. 4–11\. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
2. ^ "1970 Division I NAIA Football Playoffs". JonFMorse.com. Retrieved November 27, 2015.

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