1972 NAIA Division I football season

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.

1972 NAIA Division I football season
Regular seasonAugust–November 1972
PostseasonNovember 25–December 9, 1972
National ChampionshipMemorial Stadium
Commerce, TX
ChampionsEast Texas State

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

Conference changes

Membership changes
Team1971 conference1972 conference
Emporia StateRocky MountainGreat Plains
Fort Hays StateRocky MountainGreat Plains
Northern ColoradoRocky MountainGreat Plains
Nebraska–OmahaRocky MountainGreat Plains
Pittsburg StateRocky MountainGreat Plains
Southern Colorado StateRocky MountainGreat Plains
WashburnRocky MountainGreat Plains

Conference standings
1972 Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 6 Harding + 5 –1 –010 –1 –0
Southern Arkansas + 5 –1 –08 –2 –0
Arkansas Tech 4 –2 –05 –4 –1
Ouachita Baptist 3 –2 –16 –3 –1
Henderson State 2 –4 –04 –6 –0
Arkansas–Monticello 1 –5 –02 –8 –0
State College of Arkansas 0 –5 –12 –7 –1
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 Carolinas Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 20 Presbyterian + 4 –0 –17 –2 –1
Elon + 4 –0 –17 –3 –1
Newberry 3 –2 –06 –4 –1
Catawba 2 –3 –05 –5 –0
Lenoir–Rhyne 1 –4 –05 –6 –0
Guilford 0 –5 –00 –9 –0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 Evergreen Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 8 Central Washington $ 6 –0 –09 –1 –0
Oregon College 5 –1 –06 –4 –0
Southern Oregon 3 –3 –04 –5 –0
Eastern Washington 2 –4 –03 –7 –0
Eastern Oregon 2 –4 –03 –6 –0
Western Washington 2 –4 –02 –7 –0
Oregon Tech 1 –5 –01 –9 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 Great Plains Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Emporia State $ 5 –1 –07 –4 –0
No. 11 Nebraska–Omaha 4 –2 –08 –2 –0
Northern Colorado 4 –2 –06 –3 –0
Southern Colorado 3 –3 –05 –5 –0
Pittsburg State 3 –3 –03 –7 –0
Washburn 1 –5 –03 –7 –0
Fort Hays State 1 –5 –01 –8 –1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 Gulf South Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 5 Northwestern State $ 6 –0 –08 –2 –0
No. 3 Livingston ^ 5 –1 –08 –1 –2
No. 19 Jacksonville State 4 –1 –17 –2 –1
Delta State 5 –2 –07 –3 –1
Troy State 2 –3 –14 –5 –1
Southeastern Louisiana 2 –4 –04 –7 –0
Nicholls State 1 –5 –03 –8 –0
Florence State 1 –5 –02 –9 –0
Tennessee–Martin 1 –5 –01 –9 –0
Mississippi College 0 –0 –04 –5 –1
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 Lone Star Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 East Texas State $^ 7 –1 –010 –2 –0
No. 12 Angelo State 6 –2 –08 –3 –0
Southwest Texas State 6 –2 –07 –3 –0
Howard Payne 4 –4 –05 –4 –0
Texas A&I 4 –4 –06 –5 –0
Sam Houston State 4 –4 –05 –6 –0
Sul Ross 3 –5 –05 –6 –0
Stephen F. Austin 2 –6 –02 –7 –0
Tarleton State 0 –8 –01 –9 –0
McMurry * 0 –0 –03 –6 –0
Abilene Christian * 0 –0 –03 –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
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 10 North Carolina Central $ 5 –1 –09 –2 –0
No. 13 North Carolina A&T 4 –2 –08 –2 –0
Morgan State 4 –2 –05 –5 –0
Maryland Eastern Shore 4 –2 –04 –5 –0
Howard 2 –4 –06 –4 –0
Delaware State 2 –4 –05 –4 –0
South Carolina State 0 –6 –01 –9 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Gustavus Adolphus $ 6 –1 –06 –4 –0
No. 14 Saint John's (MN) 5 –2 –07 –2 –0
Concordia–Moorhead 4 –3 –06 –3 –0
Minnesota–Duluth 4 –3 –05 –4 –0
St. Thomas (MN) 3 –4 –06 –4 –0
Augsburg 3 –4 –05 –4 –0
Hamline 3 –4 –05 –4 –0
Macalester 0 –7 –00 –9 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 Nebraska College Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Kearney State $ 3 –0 –08 –2 –0
Chadron State 2 –1 –08 –2 –0
Wayne State (NE) 1 –2 –03 –7 –0
Peru State 0 –3 –03 –7 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
1972 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Michigan Tech $ 6 –0 –08 –1 –0
Minnesota Morris 5 –1 –08 –2 –0
Moorhead State 4 –2 –07 –3 –0
St. Cloud State 3 –3 –05 –5 –0
Southwest State (MN) 2 –4 –03 –7 –0
Bemidji State 1 –5 –02 –7 –0
Winona State 0 –6 –02 –7 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
1972 Oklahoma Collegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 7 Central State (OK) $^ 7 –1 –09 –2 –0
No. T–16 Northeastern State 6 –2 –08 –2 –0
No. 15 SW Oklahoma State 5 –3 –08 –3 –0
SE Oklahoma State 5 –3 –06 –4 –0
Langston 5 –3 –07 –5 –0
East Central 4 –4 –04 –7 –0
Cameron 2 –6 –04 –6 –0
NW Oklahoma State 2 –6 –03 –6 –1
Panhandle 0 –8 –00 –11 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
East Division
West Chester xy 5 –0 –07 –3 –0
Millersville 4 –2 –05 –3 –1
Bloomsburg 4 –2 –05 –5 –0
Kutztown 3 –3 –06 –3 –0
Cheyney 2 –3 –06 –3 –0
East Stroudsburg 1 –5 –04 –5 –0
Mansfield 1 –5 –02 –7 –0
West Division
No. 18 Slippery Rock xy$ 4 –0 –18 –2 –1
Clarion 4 –1 –06 –3 –0
Edinboro 2 –2 –13 –5 –1
Lock Haven 2 –3 –04 –5 –0
Shippensburg 1 –4 –03 –6 –1
California (PA) 1 –4 –02 –6 –0
No. 9 Indiana (PA) * 0 –0 –08 –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
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Adams State $ 5 –1 –06 –3 –0
Western State (CO) 4 –2 –06 –3 –0
Southern Utah 4 –2 –06 –3 –0
Colorado Mines 3 –3 –04 –5 –0
Western New Mexico 3 –3 –03 –5 –0
Westminster (UT) 1 –5 –03 –6 –0
Fort Lewis 1 –5 –02 –6 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
1972 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 4 / T–8 Grambling + 5 –1 –011 –2 –0
Jackson State + 5 –1 –08 –3 –0
Alcorn A&M 4 –1 –15 –3 –1
Texas Southern 3 –2 –15 –4 –1
Mississippi Valley State 1 –5 –05 –5 –0
Prairie View A&M 1 –5 –05 –5 –0
Southern 1 –5 –02 –7 –1
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll and AP small college poll
1972 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Shepherd $ 5 –0 –07 –3 –0
Bluefield State 5 –1 –07 –2 –0
West Liberty State 5 –2 –07 –2 –0
Salem 6 –3 –06 –3 –0
Glenville State 5 –3 –06 –3 –0
West Virginia State 4 –3 –04 –7 –0
Concord 2 –6 –03 –6 –0
Fairmont State 1 –5 –02 –7 –0
West Virginia Tech 1 –6 –01 –8 –0
West Virginia Wesleyan 1 –6 –02 –7 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • Conference standings based on power ratings
1972 Wisconsin State University Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Wisconsin–Oshkosh $ 8 –0 –08 –2 –0
No. T–16 Wisconsin–La Crosse 7 –1 –08 –2 –0
Wisconsin–Whitewater 6 –2 –07 –3 –0
Wisconsin–Platteville 4 –4 –06 –4 –0
Wisconsin–River Falls 4 –4 –04 –6 –0
Wisconsin–Eau Claire 2 –6 –03 –7 –0
Wisconsin–Stevens Point 2 –6 –02 –8 –0
Wisconsin–Stout 2 –6 –02 –8 –0
Wisconsin–Superior 1 –7 –01 –9 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 NAIA Division I independents football records
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW 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
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

References
  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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