# 1977 NCAA Division II football season

The 1977 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began in August 1977 and concluded with the championship game on December 10 at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas. The Lehigh Engineers defeated the Jacksonville State Gamecocks 33–0 in the Pioneer Bowl to win their first Division II national title.
This was the last season prior to the creation of Division I-AA, now named Division I-Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), which debuted in 1978.

## Conference realignment
### Conference changes

* This was the final season at the Division II level for the members of five conferences: the Big Sky Conference, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, Ohio Valley Conference, Southwestern Athletic Conference, and Yankee Conference. After the end of play, each conference and its members, alongside seven independent teams, would transition to the newly established Division I-AA level of college football.

### Membership changes

| School | 1975 Conference | 1976 Conference |
| Tennessee–Chattanooga | D-II Independent | Southern (I-A) |

## Conference standings

1977 Big Sky Conference football standings :
| 1977 Big Sky Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. T–5 Boise State $ 6 –0 –09 –2 –0 No. T–5 Northern Arizona ^ 5 –1 –09 –3 –0 Montana State 3 –3 –06 –4 –0 Weber State 2 –4 –04 –6 –0 Idaho State 2 –4 –03 –8 –0 Idaho 2 –4 –03 –8 –0 Montana 1 –5 –04 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantBoise State concluded its regular season after the NCAA Division II playoffs started; runner-up Northern Arizona was awarded playoff bid.Rankings from NCAA Division II AP Poll | 1977 California Collegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Cal Poly $ 2 –0 –06 –4 –0 Cal State Northridge 1 –1 –07 –3 –1 Cal Poly Pomona 0 –2 –02 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1977 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. T–10 Winston-Salem State $ 8 –0 –011 –1 –0 Virginia Union 7 –1 –010 –1 –0 Virginia State 6 –1 –17 –3 –1 Hampton 5 –3 –07 –3 –0 Norfolk State 4 –3 –15 –6 –1 Livingstone 4 –4 –04 –6 –0 Elizabeth City State 3 –5 –04 –6 –0 Fayetteville State 2 –6 –03 –7 –0 Johnson C. Smith 2 –6 –03 –7 –0 Shaw 1 –7 –02 –8 –0 Saint Paul's (VA) 0 –8 –01 –10 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NCAA Division II AP Poll |
| 1977 Far Western Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 3 UC Davis $^ 5 –0 –011 –1 –0 Chico State 3 –1 –16 –2 –1 Cal State Hayward 2 –2 –16 –3 –1 San Francisco State 2 –3 –05 –5 –0 Humboldt State 1 –3 –15 –4 –1 Sacramento State 0 –4 –10 –10 –1 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from Associated Press poll | 1977 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 18 Grand Valley State $ 4 –1 –07 –3 –0 Wayne State (MI) 3 –2 –07 –4 –0 Hillsdale 2 –3 –06 –4 –0 Northwood 2 –3 –05 –4 –0 Saginaw Valley State 2 –3 –06 –5 –0 Ferris State 2 –3 –03 –7 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA Division II poll | 1977 Gulf South Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 9 Jacksonville State $^ 7 –1 –011 –3 –0 Tennessee–Martin 6 –2 –08 –3 –0 Troy State 6 –2 –06 –4 –0 Southeastern Louisiana 5 –3 –06 –4 –0 Mississippi College 4 –4 –06 –4 –0 North Alabama 3 –5 –05 –5 –0 Delta State 3 –5 –04 –6 –0 Nicholls State 2 –6 –04 –7 –0 Livingston 1 –7 –02 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from AP Poll |
| 1977 Indiana Collegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Saint Joseph's (IN) + 3 –1 –05 –4 –0 Butler + 3 –1 –05 –5 –0 Indiana Central 2 –1 –16 –2 –1 Valparaiso 1 –2 –13 –6 –1 Evansville 0 –4 –01 –8 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1977 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 4 South Carolina State $ 6 –0 –09 –1 –1 North Carolina A&T 5 –1 –07 –4 –0 Delaware State 4 –2 –07 –4 –0 Morgan State 3 –3 –04 –6 –1 Howard 2 –4 –05 –5 –0 Maryland Eastern Shore 1 –5 –03 –8 –0 North Carolina Central 0 –6 –01 –10 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from Associated Press poll | 1977 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T SE Missouri State + 4 –1 –17 –3 –1 Missouri-Rolla + 4 –1 –17 –3 –1 NE Missouri State 4 –2 –08 –3 –0 SW Missouri State 3 –2 –16 –3 –1 NW Missouri State 2 –3 –15 –5 –1 Central Missouri State 2 –4 –03 –7 –0 Lincoln (MO) 0 –6 –01 –10 –0 + – Conference co-champions^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant |
| 1977 North Central Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 1 North Dakota State $^ 6 –0 –19 –2 –1 Augustana (SD) 4 –3 –07 –4 –0 Northern Iowa 4 –3 –06 –5 –0 South Dakota State 3 –3 –15 –4 –1 Nebraska–Omaha * 2 –2 –33 –6 –2 North Dakota 2 –4 –14 –7 –1 South Dakota * 2 –4 –14 –7 –0 Morningside 1 –5 –12 –6 –1 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant * – Nebraska–Omaha and South Dakota split two head-to-head games, which counted as a tie for each team in the conference standings. Rankings from AP Poll | 1977 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall 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 Ohio Valley Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Austin Peay $ 6 –1 –08 –3 –0 Tennessee Tech 5 –2 –09 –2 –0 Eastern Kentucky 4 –3 –05 –5 –0 Murray State 4 –3 –06 –5 –0 Middle Tennessee 3 –4 –03 –8 –0 Morehead State 2 –4 –12 –6 –2 East Tennessee State 2 –5 –03 –8 –0 Western Kentucky 1 –5 –11 –8 –1 $ – Conference champion |
| 1977 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall 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 championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participantRankings from NAIA Division I poll | 1977 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Division I Florida A&M x 5 –0 –011 –0 –0 Bethune–Cookman ^ 4 –1 –08 –4 –0 Albany State 2 –3 –07 –3 –0 Morris Brown 2 –3 –05 –4 –0 Alabama A&M 1 –4 –02 –9 –0 Tuskegee 1 –4 –03 –7 –0 Division II Knoxville x 6 –1 –08 –3 –0 Savannah State 3 –2 –04 –5 –0 Clark (GA) 3 –2 –03 –5 –0 Morehouse 3 –3 –04 –5 –0 Lane 2 –2 –02 –6 –0 Fort Valley State 2 –3 –05 –5 –0 Miles 2 –3 –02 –8 –0 Fisk 0 –5 –00 –9 –0 x – Division champion/co-champions^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant | 1977 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Grambling State $ 6 –0 –010 –1 –0 Jackson State 5 –1 –08 –3 –0 Texas Southern 3 –2 –16 –4 –1 Mississippi Valley State 2 –4 –05 –5 –0 Alcorn State 2 –4 –03 –8 –0 Southern 1 –4 –13 –7 –1 Prairie View A&M 1 –5 –03 –8 –0 $ – Conference championThe Conference was a hybrid of Division I and II programs. Mississippi Valley State and Prairie View A&M were classified as Division II. All the others were classified as Division I. |
| 1977 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall 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 championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participant^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant Conference standings based on power ratingsRankings from NAIA Division II poll | 1977 Yankee Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 2 UMass $ 5 –0 –08 –3 –0 Rhode Island 4 –1 –06 –5 –0 New Hampshire 3 –2 –08 –2 –0 Boston University 1 –4 –03 –7 –0 Maine 1 –4 –03 –7 –0 Connecticut 1 –4 –01 –10 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from Associated Press poll | 1977 NCAA Division II independents football records vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 8 Lehigh ^   –  12 –2 –0 UNLV   –  9 –2 –0 Kentucky State   –  8 –2 –1 No. T–5 Nevada   –  8 –3 –0 Central Connecticut   –  7 –3 –0 Northern Michigan ^   –  7 –3 –0 Youngstown State   –  7 –3 –0 Portland State   –  7 –4 –0 Delaware   –  6 –3 –1 Akron   –  6 –4 –1 American International   –  5 –4 –1 West Chester   –  5 –5 –0 Central State (OH)   –  5 –6 –0 Arkansas–Pine Bluff   –  4 –5 –1 Bucknell   –  4 –5 –0 Cal State Los Angeles   –  4 –5 –0 Southern Connecticut State   –  4 –6 –0 Northeastern   –  3 –6 –1 Northern Colorado   –  3 –7 –0 Santa Clara   –  2 –7 –1 Eastern Illinois   –  1 –10 –0 ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from Associated Press poll |

## Conference summaries

* Conference Champions
* Big Sky Conference – Boise State
* Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Winston-Salem State
* Far Western Football Conference – UC Davis
* Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Grand Valley State
* Gulf South Conference – Jacksonville State
* Indiana Collegiate Conference – St. Joseph's and Butler
* Lone Star Conference – Abilene Christian and Texas A&I
* Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Missouri–Rolla and Southeast Missouri State
* North Central Conference – North Dakota State
* Northern Intercollegiate Conference – Minnesota–Morris
* Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference – Clarion
* Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference – Western State (CO)
* South Atlantic Conference – Elon
* Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Division II) – Florida A&M
* Yankee Conference – UMass

## Postseason

The 1977 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the fifth single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of Division II college football. The championship game was held at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas for the second time.

### Playoff bracket

| First round Campus sites November 26 | First round Campus sites November 26 | First round Campus sites November 26 | Semifinals Campus sites Knute Rockne Bowl Grantland Rice Bowl December 3 | Semifinals Campus sites Knute Rockne Bowl Grantland Rice Bowl December 3 | Semifinals Campus sites Knute Rockne Bowl Grantland Rice Bowl December 3 | Championship Pioneer Bowl Memorial Stadium Wichita Falls, TX December 10 | Championship Pioneer Bowl Memorial Stadium Wichita Falls, TX December 10 | Championship Pioneer Bowl Memorial Stadium Wichita Falls, TX December 10 |
| UC Davis* | UC Davis* | 34 | | | | | | |
| Bethune–Cookman | Bethune–Cookman | 16 | | | | | | |
| Bethune–Cookman | Bethune–Cookman | 16 | UC Davis* | UC Davis* | 30 | | | |
| | | | Lehigh | Lehigh | 39 | | | |
| Lehigh | Lehigh | 30 | Lehigh | Lehigh | 39 | | | |
| UMass* | UMass* | 23 | | | | | | |
| UMass* | UMass* | 23 | | | | Lehigh | Lehigh | 33 |
| | | | | | | Jacksonville State | Jacksonville State | 0 |
| North Dakota State* | North Dakota State* | 20 | | | | | | | Jacksonville State | Jacksonville State | 0 |
| Northern Michigan | Northern Michigan | 6 | | | | | | |
| Northern Michigan | Northern Michigan | 6 | North Dakota State | North Dakota State | 7 | | | |
| | | | Jacksonville State* | Jacksonville State* | 31 | | | |
| Jacksonville State | Jacksonville State | 35 | Jacksonville State* | Jacksonville State* | 31 | | | |
| Northern Arizona* | Northern Arizona* | 0 | | | | | | |
* Denotes host institution
* Northern Arizona was the Big Sky runner-up; champion Boise State had a scheduling conflict.