1977 NAIA Division I football season

The 1977 NAIA Division I football season was the 22nd season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the eighth season of play of the NAIA's top division for football.

1977 NAIA Division I football season
Regular seasonAugust–November 1977
PostseasonDecember 3–10, 1977
National ChampionshipKingdome
Seattle, WA
ChampionsAbilene Christian (2)

The season was played from August to November 1977 and culminated in the 1977 NAIA Division I Football National Championship. Known this year as the Apple Bowl, the title game was played on December 10, 1977 at the Kingdome in Seattle, Washington.[1][2] Abilene Christian defeated Southwestern Oklahoma State in the Apple Bowl, 24–7, to win their second NAIA national title.[3]

Conference realignment

Conference changes

Membership changes
Team1976 conference1977 conference
Chadron StateNebraska CollegeIndependent (NAIA)
Peru StateNebraska CollegeIndependent (NAIA)
Sul RossLone Star (NAIA Division I)TIAA (NAIA Division II)
Tarleton StateLone Star (NAIA Division I)TIAA (NAIA Division II)
Wayne StateNebraska CollegeCentral States

Conference standings
1977 Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 10 Henderson State $ 5 –1 –09 –2 –0
Central Arkansas 4 –2 –07 –3 –0
Southern Arkansas 3 –3 –06 –3 –1
Arkansas Tech 3 –3 –06 –4 –0
Arkansas–Monticello 2 –4 –04 –6 –1
Ouachita Baptist 2 –4 –04 –6 –0
Harding 2 –4 –04 –7 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1977 Central States Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 5 Kearney State $^ 7 –0 –08 –2 –1
Wayne State (NE) 5 –2 –07 –3 –0
No. 20 Missouri Western 4 –2 –18 –2 –1
Washburn 4 –2 –16 –3 –1
Missouri Southern 2 –5 –05 –5 –0
Emporia State 2 –5 –03 –7 –0
Fort Hays State 1 –5 –13 –7 –1
Pittsburg State 1 –5 –11 –8 –1
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1977 Evergreen Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 17 Oregon College $ 6 –0 –07 –2 –0
Western Washington 5 –1 –06 –4 –0
Eastern Washington 3 –3 –05 –4 –0
Central Washington 3 –3 –03 –6 –0
Southern Oregon 2 –4 –03 –6 –0
Eastern Oregon 1 –5 –02 –7 –0
Oregon Tech 1 –5 –02 –7 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1977 Lone Star Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Abilene Christian +^ 5 –1 –111 –1 –1
No. 3 Texas A&I + 5 –1 –18 –1 –1
No. 11 Angelo State 5 –2 –08 –2 –0
No. 15 Southwest Texas State 5 –2 –05 –4 –0
No. 13 East Texas State 4 –3 –07 –4 –0
Stephen F. Austin 2 –5 –02 –8 –0
Sam Houston State 1 –6 –01 –10 –0
Howard Payne 0 –7 –02 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1977 Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 SW Oklahoma State $^ 4 –0 –011 –1 –0
SE Oklahoma State 3 –1 –06 –3 –0
Northeastern State 2 –2 –04 –5 –1
East Central 1 –3 –05 –5 –0
NW Oklahoma State 0 –4 –04 –7 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1977 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Minnesota Morris $^ 7 –0 –010 –2 –0
Bemidji State 5 –2 –06 –4 –0
Moorhead State 5 –2 –06 –4 –0
Minnesota Duluth 4 –3 –07 –3 –0
St. Cloud State 4 –3 –05 –6 –0
Michigan Tech 1 –6 –03 –7 –0
Winona State 1 –6 –03 –7 –0
Southwest State (MN) 1 –6 –01 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
1977 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
East Division
No. 4 Millersville xy 5 –0 –08 –2 –0
Kutztown 4 –1 –07 –2 –0
East Stroudsburg 3 –2 –06 –2 –0
Bloomsburg 2 –3 –04 –5 –0
Cheyney 1 –4 –04 –5 –0
Mansfield 0 –5 –02 –6 –1
West Division
No. 8 Clarion xy$ 5 –0 –19 –0 –1
Shippensburg 4 –2 –06 –4 –0
Slippery Rock 3 –2 –14 –4 –1
Lock Haven 3 –3 –05 –5 –0
Indiana (PA) 2 –3 –14 –4 –1
Edinboro 2 –3 –13 –6 –1
California (PA) 0 –6 –02 –8 –0
Championship: Clarion 25, Millersville 24
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1977 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 12 Western State (CO) $ 8 –1 –08 –1 –0
No. 14 Mesa 7 –1 –18 –1 –1
Southern Utah 7 –2 –08 –2 –0
Fort Lewis 6 –2 –16 –2 –1
Westminster (UT) 5 –4 –05 –4 –0
Adams State 3 –6 –03 –7 –0
Colorado Mines 2 –7 –03 –7 –0
Southern Colorado * 2 –7 –03 –7 –0
New Mexico Highlands 2 –7 –02 –8 –0
Western New Mexico 2 –7 –02 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • * – Southern Colorado forfeited three conference wins, over Western State, Southern Utah, and Westminster
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1977 South Atlantic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 7 Elon $ 6 –1 –09 –2 –0
Mars Hill 5 –2 –07 –3 –0
No. 19 Presbyterian 5 –2 –07 –3 –1
No. 18 Gardner–Webb 5 –2 –07 –4 –0
Lenoir–Rhyne 3 –4 –05 –5 –1
Carson–Newman 2 –5 –03 –7 –0
Catawba 1 –6 –03 –7 –0
Newberry 1 –6 –02 –7 –1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1977 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Northern Division
No. 9 West Virginia Wesleyan xy 3 –1 –07 –3 –0
Salem x 3 –1 –07 –3 –0
Shepherd x 3 –1 –06 –4 –0
West Liberty State 1 –3 –03 –6 –1
Fairmont State 0 –4 –04 –5 –0
Southern Division
No. 4 Concord xy$^ 4 –0 –09 –2 –1
West Virginia Tech 3 –1 –04 –5 –0
West Virginia State 2 –2 –03 –8 –0
Glenville State 1 –3 –01 –8 –0
Bluefield State 0 –4 –02 –7 –0
Championship: Concord 33, West Virginia Wesleyan 17
  • $ – 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
1977 Wisconsin State University Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 6 Wisconsin–Stevens Point $^ 7 –0 –18 –2 –1
Wisconsin–Whitewater 6 –2 –07 –4 –0
Wisconsin–La Crosse 5 –2 –16 –2 –2
Wisconsin–Platteville 5 –3 –07 –3 –0
Wisconsin–Oshkosh 3 –5 –05 –5 –0
Wisconsin–Eau Claire 3 –5 –05 –6 –0
Wisconsin–River Falls 3 –5 –04 –6 –0
Wisconsin–Stout 2 –6 –02 –8 –0
Wisconsin–Superior 1 –7 –01 –9 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1977 NAIA Division I independents football records
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 9 Cameron   –  7 –1 –1
No. 16 Kentucky State   –  8 –2 –1
Wofford   –  7 –3 –1
Langston   –  4 –5 –0
Eastern New Mexico   –  4 –6 –0
Guilford   –  3 –7 –0
Liberty Baptist   –  3 –7 –0
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll

Conference champions
Conference Champion Record
Arkansas Henderson State 6–0
Central States Kearney State 7–0
Evergreen Oregon College 6–0
Lone Star Abilene Christian
Texas A&I		 5–1–1
NIC Minnesota–Morris 7–0
Oklahoma Southwestern Oklahoma State 4–0
PSAC Clarion State 5–0–1
RMAC Western State 8–1
South Atlantic Elon 6–1
SWAC Grambling State 6–0
WVIAC Concord 7–1–1
Wisconsin State Wisconsin–Stevens Point 7–0–1

Postseason
Semifinals
December 3, 1977 		1977 Apple Bowl
December 10, 1977
Seattle, WA
      
Wisconsin–Stevens Point 7
Abilene Christian* 35
Abilene Christian 24
Southwestern Oklahoma State 7
Kearney State 7
Southwestern Oklahoma State* 21

See also

References
  1. "NAIA Championship History" (PDF). NAIA. pp. 4–11. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2015. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  2. "Spokane Daily Chronicle - Google News Archive Search".
  3. "1977 Division I NAIA Football Playoffs". JonFMorse.com. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  4. "NAIA Football Regular Season Records" (PDF). NAIA. pp. 20–23. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
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