1973 NAIA Division I football season

The 1973 NAIA Division I football season was the 18th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA and the fourth season of the league's two-division structure.

1973 NAIA Division I football season
Regular seasonAugust–November 1973
PostseasonDecember 1–8, 1973
National ChampionshipIndependence Stadium
Shreveport, LA
ChampionsAbilene Christian

The season was played from August to November 1973 and culminated in the 1973 NAIA Champion Bowl, played on December 8, 1973 at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana.[1]

Abilene Christian defeated Elon in the Champion Bowl, 42–14, to win their first NAIA national title.[2]

Conference realignment

Conference changes

Conference standings
1973 Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 7 Henderson State $ 6 –0 –010 –1 –0
No. T–17 Southern Arkansas 4 –2 –08 –2 –0
Harding 4 –2 –07 –3 –0
State College of Arkansas 3 –3 –06 –5 –0
Ouachita Baptist 2 –4 –05 –5 –0
Arkansas Tech 2 –4 –04 –7 –0
Arkansas–Monticello 0 –6 –02 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1973 Carolinas Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2/10 Elon $^ 4 –0 –012 –1 –0
Lenoir–Rhyne 2 –1 –05 –5 –1
Mars Hill 2 –2 –05 –6 –0
Catawba 1 –3 –05 –5 –0
Guilford 0 –3 –01 –9 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll and AP small college poll
1973 Evergreen Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 16 Central Washington $ 5 –1 –07 –2 –0
Eastern Oregon 4 –2 –07 –2 –0
Oregon College 4 –2 –06 –3 –0
Southern Oregon 4 –2 –06 –3 –0
Eastern Washington 2 –4 –05 –4 –0
Western Washington 1 –5 –01 –7 –0
Oregon Tech 1 –5 –01 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1973 Great Plains Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. T–17 Emporia State + 4 –1 –07 –2 –0
Northern Colorado + 4 –1 –07 –2 –0
Fort Hays State 2 –3 –05 –4 –0
Washburn 2 –3 –03 –6 –1
Pittsburg State 2 –3 –03 –7 –0
Southern Colorado 1 –4 –03 –7 –0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1973 Gulf South Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. T–17 Troy State $ 6 –1 –07 –2 –1
No. 4 Jacksonville State 5 –2 –07 –2 –0
Delta State 6 –3 –08 –3 –0
Livingston 4 –3 –16 –3 –1
Northwestern State 3 –4 –05 –6 –0
Mississippi College 3 –4 –04 –6 –0
Southeastern Louisiana 3 –4 –04 –6 –0
Florence State 3 –6 –04 –6 –0
Nicholls State 2 –7 –02 –9 –0
Tennessee–Martin 1 –5 –12 –8 –1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1973 Lone Star Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1/7 Abilene Christian $^ 9 –0 –011 –1 –0
No. 8 Howard Payne 8 –1 –08 –3 –0
Stephen F. Austin 6 –3 –09 –3 –0
East Texas State 6 –3 –07 –4 –0
Angelo State 5 –4 –05 –4 –2
Southwest Texas State 3 –6 –04 –6 –0
Sul Ross 3 –6 –03 –7 –0
Sam Houston State 2 –7 –02 –8 –0
Texas A&I 2 –7 –02 –8 –0
Tarleton State 1 –8 –01 –9 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll and AP small college poll
1973 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 11 St. Thomas (MN) + 6 –1 –09 –1 –0
No. 9 Minnesota–Duluth + 6 –1 –08 –1 –0
Augsburg 5 –2 –07 –2 –0
Gustavus Adolphus 4 –3 –05 –5 –0
Concordia–Moorhead 3 –4 –05 –5 –0
Saint John's (MN) 3 –4 –04 –4 –0
Hamline 1 –6 –03 –6 –0
Macalester 0 –7 –01 –9 –0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1973 Nebraska College Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Kearney State $ 3 –0 –06 –3 –0
Chadron State 2 –1 –07 –3 –0
Wayne State (NE) 1 –2 –05 –5 –0
Peru State 0 –3 –04 –6 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
1973 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Moorhead State $ 5 –1 –07 –3 –0
Michigan Tech 4 –2 –05 –4 –1
St. Cloud State 4 –2 –04 –6 –0
Bemidji State 2 –4 –05 –4 –0
Southwest State (MN) 2 –4 –04 –6 –0
Minnesota Morris 2 –4 –03 –6 –0
Winona State 2 –4 –03 –7 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
1973 Oklahoma Collegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 3 Langston $^ 8 –0 –011 –1 –0
No. 12 Northeastern State 6 –2 –07 –2 –0
SE Oklahoma State 5 –3 –06 –4 –0
Central State (OK) 5 –3 –06 –4 –1
Cameron 4 –4 –05 –5 –0
East Central 3 –4 –04 –7 –0
Panhandle 2 –6 –03 –7 –1
SW Oklahoma State 2 –6 –03 –7 –0
NW Oklahoma State 0 –7 –11 –8 –1
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1973 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
East Division
West Chester xy 4 –0 –05 –5 –0
East Stroudsburg 5 –1 –06 –1 –1
Millersville 4 –2 –07 –2 –0
Cheyney 3 –2 –05 –4 –0
Bloomsburg 2 –4 –04 –5 –0
Kutztown 1 –5 –02 –7 –0
Mansfield 0 –5 –01 –7 –0
West Division
No. T–20 Slippery Rock xy$ 5 –0 –08 –2 –0
Clarion 3 –2 –05 –4 –0
Edinboro 3 –2 –04 –4 –1
Lock Haven 2 –3 –02 –7 –0
California (PA) 1 –4 –03 –6 –0
Shippensburg 1 –4 –02 –7 –0
Indiana (PA) * 0 –0 –04 –5 –0
Championship: Slippery Rock 28, West Chester 14
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • * – Ineligible for conference title
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1973 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Western State (CO) $ 5 –1 –06 –3 –0
Adams State 4 –2 –06 –3 –0
Southern Utah 4 –2 –05 –4 –0
Fort Lewis 3 –3 –04 –5 –0
Western New Mexico 3 –3 –03 –5 –0
Westminster (UT) 2 –4 –03 –6 –0
Colorado Mines 0 –6 –00 –9 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
1973 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 5/7 Grambling +^ 5 –1 –010 –3 –0
No. 10 Jackson State + 5 –1 –09 –2 –0
No. T–20 Alcorn A&M 3 –2 –17 –2 –1
Southern 3 –3 –06 –4 –0
Texas Southern 2 –3 –15 –5 –1
Mississippi Valley State 2 –4 –03 –5 –0
Prairie View A&M 0 –6 –02 –6 –1
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll and AP small college poll
1973 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Northern Division
Fairmont State xy$ 3 –0 –06 –3 –1
West Liberty State 2 –1 –13 –5 –1
Salem 2 –2 –06 –4 –0
Shepherd 1 –2 –06 –4 –0
West Virginia Wesleyan 0 –3 –12 –6 –1
Southern Division
No. 2 Glenville State xy^ 4 –0 –010 –2 –0
Bluefield State 3 –1 –04 –5 –0
West Virginia State 2 –2 –05 –5 –0
West Virginia Tech 1 –3 –04 –5 –0
Concord 0 –4 –00 –9 –0
Championship: Fairmont State 21, Glenville State 7
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • ^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant
    Conference standings based on power ratings
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1973 Wisconsin State University Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 6 Wisconsin–La Crosse $^ 7 –1 –09 –2 –0
No. 14 Wisconsin–Platteville 6 –1 –18 –1 –1
Wisconsin–Whitewater 4 –2 –26 –2 –2
Wisconsin–Eau Claire 4 –4 –05 –5 –0
Wisconsin–Oshkosh 4 –4 –04 –6 –0
Wisconsin–River Falls 3 –4 –14 –5 –1
Wisconsin–Stevens Point 3 –5 –04 –6 –0
Wisconsin–Superior 2 –6 –02 –8 –0
Wisconsin–Stout 1 –7 –01 –9 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1973 NAIA Division I independents football records
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 15 Hillsdale   –  7 –2 –0
No. 13 Carson–Newman   –  6 –3 –0
Eastern New Mexico   –  6 –4 –0
Wofford   –  3 –6 –1
Kentucky State   –  3 –8 –0
Presbyterian   –  3 –8 –0
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll

Postseason
Semifinals
December 1, 1973 		1973 Champion Bowl
December 8, 1973
Shreveport, LA
      
Wisconsin–La Crosse 24
Elon* 35
Elon 14
Abilene Christian 42
Langston 6
Abilene Christian* 34

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. "1973 Division I NAIA Football Playoffs". JonFMorse.com. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
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