1972 NAIA Division I football season

American college football season

1972 NAIA Division I football season

Regular season| August–November 1972
Postseason| November 25–December 9, 1972
National Championship| Memorial Stadium
Commerce, TX
Champions| East Texas State

* ← 1971
* NAIA Division I football season
* 1973 →

The 1972 NAIA Division I football season was the 17th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA and the third season of the league's two-division structure.

The season was played from August to November 1972 and culminated in the 1972 NAIA Champion Bowl, played on December 9, 1972 in Commerce, Texas.[1]

East Texas State defeated Carson–Newman in the Division I Championship Bowl, 21–18, to win their first NAIA national title.[2]

## Conference realignment

[edit]

### Conference changes

[edit]

* This was the first season of play for the Great Plains Athletic Conference, which consisted of seven former members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference from Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska.

### Membership changes

[edit]

Team | 1971 conference | 1972 conference

|
|

Emporia State | Rocky Mountain | Great Plains
Fort Hays State | Rocky Mountain | Great Plains
Northern Colorado | Rocky Mountain | Great Plains
Nebraska–Omaha | Rocky Mountain | Great Plains
Pittsburg State | Rocky Mountain | Great Plains
Southern Colorado State | Rocky Mountain | Great Plains
Washburn | Rocky Mountain | Great Plains

## Conference standings

[edit]

1972 Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 6 Harding \+  | 5  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 10  | - | 1  | - | 0
Southern Arkansas \+  | 5  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 0
Arkansas Tech | 4  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 4  | - | 1
Ouachita Baptist | 3  | - | 2  | - | 1 |  |  | 6  | - | 3  | - | 1
Henderson State | 2  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
Arkansas–Monticello | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 8  | - | 0
State College of Arkansas | 0  | - | 5  | - | 1 |  |  | 2  | - | 7  | - | 1

* \+ - Conference co-champions

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 Carolinas Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 20 Presbyterian \+  | 4  | - | 0  | - | 1 |  |  | 7  | - | 2  | - | 1
Elon \+  | 4  | - | 0  | - | 1 |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 1
Newberry | 3  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 1
Catawba | 2  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 5  | - | 0
Lenoir Rhyne | 1  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
Guilford | 0  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 0  | - | 9  | - | 0
Mars Hill *  | 0  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 5  | - | 0

* \+ - Conference co-champions
* * – Did not compete for conference title

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 Evergreen Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 8 Central Washington $  | 6  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 9  | - | 1  | - | 0
Oregon College | 5  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 0
Southern Oregon | 3  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 5  | - | 0
Eastern Washington | 2  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 0
Eastern Oregon | 2  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 6  | - | 0
Western Washington | 2  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 7  | - | 0
Oregon Tech | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 1  | - | 9  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 Great Plains Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
Emporia State $  | 5  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
No. 11 Nebraska–Omaha | 4  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 0
Northern Colorado | 4  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 3  | - | 0
Southern Colorado | 3  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 0
Pittsburg State | 3  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 0
Washburn | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 0
Fort Hays State | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 1  | - | 8  | - | 1

* $ - Conference champion

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 Gulf South Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 5 Northwestern State $  | 6  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 0
No. 3 Livingston ^  | 5  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 1  | - | 2
No. 19 Jacksonville State | 4  | - | 1  | - | 1 |  |  | 7  | - | 2  | - | 1
Delta State | 5  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 1
Troy State | 2  | - | 3  | - | 1 |  |  | 4  | - | 5  | - | 1
Southeastern Louisiana | 2  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Nicholls State | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 8  | - | 0
Florence State | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 9  | - | 0
Tennessee–Martin | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 1  | - | 9  | - | 0
Mississippi College *  | 0  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 5  | - | 1

* $ - Conference champion
* ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
* – Did not compete for conference title

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 Lone Star Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 1 East Texas State $^  | 7  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 10  | - | 2  | - | 0
No. 12 Angelo State | 6  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 3  | - | 0
Southwest Texas State | 6  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 0
Howard Payne | 4  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 4  | - | 0
Texas A&I | 4  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
Sam Houston State | 4  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
Sul Ross | 3  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
Stephen F. Austin | 2  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 7  | - | 0
Tarleton State | 0  | - | 8  | - | 0 |  |  | 1  | - | 9  | - | 0
McMurry *  | 0  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 6  | - | 0
Abilene Christian *  | 0  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 8  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion
* ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
* – did not complete for conference title

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
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Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 10 North Carolina Central $  | 5  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 9  | - | 2  | - | 0
No. 13 North Carolina A&T | 4  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 0
Morgan State | 4  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 5  | - | 0
Maryland Eastern Shore | 4  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 5  | - | 0
Howard | 2  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 0
Delaware State | 2  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 4  | - | 0
South Carolina State | 0  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 1  | - | 9  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

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

* $ - Conference champion

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 Nebraska College Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
Kearney State $  | 3  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 0
Chadron State | 2  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 0
Wayne State (NE) | 1  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 0
Peru State | 0  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion

1972 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

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

* $ - Conference champion

1972 Oklahoma Collegiate Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 7 Central State (OK) $^  | 7  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 9  | - | 2  | - | 0
No. T–16 Northeastern State | 6  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 0
No. 15 SW Oklahoma State | 5  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 3  | - | 0
SE Oklahoma State | 5  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 0
Langston | 5  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 5  | - | 0
East Central | 4  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Cameron | 2  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
NW Oklahoma State | 2  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 6  | - | 1
Panhandle | 0  | - | 8  | - | 0 |  |  | 0  | - | 11  | - | 0

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

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
East Division
West Chester xy  | 5  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 0
Millersville | 4  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 3  | - | 1
Bloomsburg | 4  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 5  | - | 0
Kutztown | 3  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 3  | - | 0
Cheyney | 2  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 3  | - | 0
East Stroudsburg | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 5  | - | 0
Mansfield | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 7  | - | 0
West Division
No. 18 Slippery Rock xy$  | 4  | - | 0  | - | 1 |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 1
Clarion | 4  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 3  | - | 0
Edinboro | 2  | - | 2  | - | 1 |  |  | 3  | - | 5  | - | 1
Lock Haven | 2  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 5  | - | 0
Shippensburg | 1  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 6  | - | 1
California (PA) | 1  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 6  | - | 0
No. 9 Indiana (PA) *  | 0  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 1  | - | 0
Championship: Slippery Rock 29, West Chester 27

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

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
Adams State $  | 5  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 3  | - | 0
Western State (CO) | 4  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 3  | - | 0
Southern Utah | 4  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 3  | - | 0
Colorado Mines | 3  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 5  | - | 0
Western New Mexico | 3  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 5  | - | 0
Westminster (UT) | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 6  | - | 0
Fort Lewis | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 6  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion

1972 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 4 / T–8 Grambling \+  | 5  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 11  | - | 2  | - | 0
Jackson State \+  | 5  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 3  | - | 0
Alcorn A&M | 4  | - | 1  | - | 1 |  |  | 5  | - | 3  | - | 1
Texas Southern | 3  | - | 2  | - | 1 |  |  | 5  | - | 4  | - | 1
Mississippi Valley State | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 5  | - | 0
Prairie View A&M | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 5  | - | 0
Southern | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 7  | - | 1

* \+ - Conference co-champions

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll and AP small college poll
1972 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
Shepherd $  | 5  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 0
Bluefield State | 5  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 2  | - | 0
West Liberty State | 5  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 2  | - | 0
Salem | 6  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 3  | - | 0
Glenville State | 5  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 3  | - | 0
West Virginia State | 4  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Concord | 2  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 6  | - | 0
Fairmont State | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 7  | - | 0
West Virginia Tech | 1  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 1  | - | 8  | - | 0
West Virginia Wesleyan | 1  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 7  | - | 0

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

1972 Wisconsin State University Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
Wisconsin–Oshkosh $  | 8  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 0
No. T–16 Wisconsin–La Crosse | 7  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 0
Wisconsin–Whitewater | 6  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 0
Wisconsin–Platteville | 4  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 0
Wisconsin–River Falls | 4  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
Wisconsin–Eau Claire | 2  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 0
Wisconsin–Stevens Point | 2  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 8  | - | 0
Wisconsin–Stout | 2  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 8  | - | 0
Wisconsin–Superior | 1  | - | 7  | - | 0 |  |  | 1  | - | 9  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 NAIA Division I independents football records |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 2 Carson–Newman ^  |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 10  | - | 2  | - | 0
Hillsdale |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 2  | - | 0
Wofford |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 0
Kentucky State |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
Eastern New Mexico |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 2  | - | 8  | - | 0
New Mexico Highlands |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 2  | - | 7  | - | 0

* ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll

## Postseason

[edit]

| Semifinals
November 25, 1972 | | | 1972 Champion Bowl
December 9, 1972
Commerce, TX |

|
|
|
|
|

|  |  |  | | |  |  |  |
| Livingston | 7 | |
| Carson–Newman* | 7† |
| | Carson–Newman | 18 |
|  |
| | | East Texas State* | 21 |
| Central State (OK) | 0 |

| East Texas State* | 54 |

* † The game ended in a tie, but Carson–Newman advanced based on having more total penetrations within the 20 yard line.

## See also

[edit]

* 1972 NAIA Division II football season
* 1972 NCAA University Division football season
* 1972 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. ^ "1972 Division I NAIA Football Playoffs". JonFMorse.com. Retrieved November 27, 2015.

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