# 1970 NCAA College Division football season

The 1970 NCAA College Division football season was the 15th season of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the NCAA College Division level.

## Conference and program changes
### Conference changes

| School | 1969 Conference | 1970 Conference |
| Cal State Fullerton | New Program | CCAA |
| Central Michigan | IIAC | Independent |
| Eastern Illinois | IIAC | Independent |
| Fordham | Reactivated Program | Independent |
| Georgetown | Reactivated Program | Independent |
| Illinois State | IIAC | Independent |
| Saint Mary's | Reactivated Program | Independent |
| Western Illinois | IIAC | Independent |

## Conference standings

1970 Big Sky Conference football standings :
| 1970 Big Sky Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Montana $ 5 –0 –010 –1 –0 Idaho State 3 –2 –05 –5 –0 Boise State 2 –2 –08 –3 –0 Weber State 3 –3 –05 –5 –1 Idaho 2 –2 –04 –7 –0 Montana State 1 –5 –02 –8 –0 Northern Arizona 0 –4 –02 –8 –0 $ – Conference championBoise State's game against 1970 Long Beach State and Northern Arizona's game against 1970 New Mexico State Aggies counted in the conference standings. | 1970 California Collegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 20 Cal Poly $ 3 –0 –08 –2 –0 Cal State Fullerton 3 –1 –06 –4 –1 Valley State 1 –2 –04 –6 –0 Cal Poly Pomona 1 –3 –05 –5 –0 UC Riverside 0 –2 –04 –6 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from UPI small college poll | 1970 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Northern Morgan State x 5 –0 –08 –2 –0 No. 16 Virginia State y$ 5 –1 –08 –2 –0 Delaware State 4 –1 –06 –2 –0 Howard 3 –2 –07 –2 –0 Saint Paul's (VA) 1 –1 –03 –5 –0 Norfolk State 2 –3 –03 –6 –0 Virginia Union 1 –4 –03 –6 –0 Maryland Eastern Shore 1 –5 –01 –8 –0 Hampton 0 –5 –00 –9 –0 Southern No. 17 Johnson C. Smith xy 6 –0 –08 –2 –0 Elizabeth City State 4 –1 –06 –3 –0 North Carolina Central 3 –1 –05 –4 –0 Shaw 3 –2 –13 –5 –1 Fayetteville State 1 –3 –13 –5 –1 Livingstone 1 –4 –02 –7 –0 Winston-Salem State 1 –5 –03 –5 –0 North Carolina A&T 0 –3 –04 –6 –0 Championship: Virginia State 32, Johnson C. Smith 14 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participantRankings from NAIA Division I poll |
| 1970 College Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Southwestern (TN) + 3 –1 –07 –1 –0 Washington University + 3 –1 –05 –4 –0 Centre 2 –2 –04 –5 –0 Washington and Lee 1 –3 –02 –7 –0 Sewanee 1 –3 –02 –6 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1970 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 9 Carthage $ 7 –0 –17 –1 –1 Carroll (WI) 7 –1 –08 –1 –0 Illinois Wesleyan 5 –2 –15 –3 –1 Millikin 5 –3 –05 –4 –0 Elmhurst 4 –4 –04 –5 –0 Augustana (IL) 2 –5 –03 –6 –0 North Park 2 –5 –12 –6 –1 Wheaton (IL) 1 –6 –11 –7 –1 North Central (IL) 0 –8 –01 –8 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA Division II poll | 1970 Eastern Football Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Montclair State + 3 –1 –09 –1 –0 Southern Connecticut State + 3 –1 –05 –3 –1 Central Connecticut State 2 –1 –15 –3 –1 Bridgeport 1 –3 –04 –6 –0 Glassboro State 0 –3 –13 –4 –1 + – Conference co-champions |
| 1970 Far Western Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Chico State + 3 –1 –08 –3 –0 Cal State Hayward + 3 –1 –07 –4 –0 UC Davis 2 –2 –06 –4 –0 Humboldt State 2 –2 –05 –5 –0 San Francisco State 0 –4 –00 –9 –1 Sonoma State * 0 –0 –04 –4 –1 Sacramento State * 0 –0 –04 –6 –0 + – Conference co-champions * – ineligible for conference championship | 1970 Gulf States Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Southwestern Louisiana $ 5 –0 –09 –2 –0 Northwestern State 3 –2 –07 –3 –0 Northeast Louisiana 3 –2 –05 –4 –0 McNeese State 2 –3 –05 –6 –0 Southeastern Louisiana 2 –3 –04 –6 –0 Louisiana Tech 0 –5 –02 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1970 Independent College Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Alfred $ 3 –0 –07 –1 –0 St. Lawrence 2 –1 –04 –4 –0 RPI 1 –2 –02 –7 –0 Hobart 0 –3 –00 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1970 Indiana Collegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Evansville $ 4 –0 –06 –3 –0 Saint Joseph's (IN) 3 –1 –07 –2 –0 Butler 2 –2 –03 –6 –1 Valparaiso 1 –3 –05 –3 –1 DePauw 0 –4 –04 –5 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1970 Iowa Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Luther $ 6 –1 –08 –2 –0 No. 17 Central (IA) 5 –2 –06 –2 –0 No. 18 Simpson (IA) 5 –2 –06 –2 –0 William Penn 5 –2 –06 –3 –0 Wartburg 3 –4 –03 –6 –0 Dubuque 2 –5 –02 –7 –0 Upper Iowa 1 –6 –01 –6 –1 Buena Vista 1 –6 –01 –7 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA Division II poll | 1970 Little Three Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Wesleyan $ 2 –0 –00 –5 –3 Amherst 1 –1 –03 –5 –0 Williams 0 –2 –03 –5 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| Template:1970 Maine Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings | 1970 Mason–Dixon Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Hampden–Sydney $ 4 –0 –09 –2 –0 Randolph–Macon 3 –1 –07 –2 –0 Towson State 2 –1 –06 –2 –0 Bridgewater 2 –2 –04 –5 –0 Western Maryland 1 –3 –04 –5 –0 Gallaudet 0 –2 –03 –4 –0 Johns Hopkins 0 –3 –05 –4 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1970 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Adrian + 4 –1 –06 –3 –0 Alma + 4 –1 –05 –3 –0 Hope 3 –2 –05 –4 –0 Albion 3 –2 –03 –6 –0 Kalamazoo 1 –4 –03 –5 –0 Olivet 0 –5 –00 –9 –0 + – Conference co-champions |
| 1970 Mid-South Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 2 Jacksonville State $ 5 –0 –010 –0 –0 Tennessee–Martin 4 –1 –07 –3 –0 Troy State 3 –2 –06 –4 –1 Delta State 2 –3 –03 –6 –1 Florence State 1 –4 –05 –5 –0 Livingston 0 –5 –04 –5 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA Division I poll | 1970 Middle Atlantic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Northern Division Susquehanna x 5 –1 –07 –3 –0 Albright 4 –2 –04 –5 –0 Upsala 3 –3 –13 –4 –1 Lycoming 3 –4 –03 –5 –0 Delaware Valley 1 –4 –01 –7 –0 Juniata 1 –6 –02 –6 –1 Wagner * 3 –1 –05 –3 –1 Wilkes * 0 –2 –13 –4 –1 Southern Division Moravian x 6 –1 –26 –1 –2 Muhlenberg 7 –2 –07 –2 –0 Johns Hopkins 5 –2 –05 –4 –0 Lebanon Valley 5 –2 –15 –3 –1 Western Maryland 3 –2 –04 –5 –0 Pennsylvania Military 4 –3 –05 –4 –0 Franklin & Marshall 3 –4 –03 –5 –0 Ursinus 3 –4 –03 –5 –0 Dickinson 2 –4 –12 –4 –1 Swarthmore 2 –6 –02 –6 –0 Haverford 0 –7 –00 –7 –0 x – Division champion/co-champions * – Ineligible due to insufficient conference games Rankings from AP Poll | 1970 Midwest Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 18 St. Olaf $ 8 –0 –09 –0 –0 Monmouth (IL) 7 –1 –08 –1 –0 Knox 5 –3 –06 –3 –0 Ripon 5 –3 –06 –3 –0 Grinnell 4 –4 –05 –4 –0 Cornell (IA) 3 –5 –04 –5 –0 Coe 2 –6 –03 –6 –0 Lawrence 2 –6 –03 –6 –0 Carleton 0 –8 –01 –8 –0 Beloit   –  0 –9 –0 $ – Conference championBeloit was allowed to compete with freshmen. Games with Beloit were not counted in the conference standings.Rankings from AP small college poll |
| 1970 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Concordia–Moorhead $ 6 –1 –07 –2 –1 No. 14 Gustavus Adolphus 5 –2 –08 –2 –0 Saint John's (MN) 5 –2 –06 –3 –0 Minnesota–Duluth 4 –2 –17 –2 –1 Hamline 3 –4 –06 –4 –0 Macalester 2 –4 –13 –5 –1 Augsburg 1 –6 –01 –8 –0 St. Thomas (MN) 1 –6 –01 –9 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA Division I poll | 1970 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Central Missouri State + 5 –1 –09 –1 –0 NE Missouri State + 5 –1 –07 –2 –0 SE Missouri State 4 –2 –05 –5 –0 Lincoln (MO) 3 –3 –07 –3 –0 Missouri–Rolla 2 –3 –16 –3 –1 SW Missouri State 1 –4 –12 –7 –1 NW Missouri State 0 –6 –02 –8 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1970 New Jersey State Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Montclair State $ 3 –0 –09 –1 –0 Glassboro State 2 –1 –03 –4 –1 Jersey City State 1 –2 –05 –3 –0 Trenton State 0 –3 –02 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1970 North Central Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 3 North Dakota State $ 6 –0 –09 –0 –1 North Dakota 4 –1 –15 –3 –1 South Dakota 3 –2 –14 –4 –2 Augustana (SD) 3 –3 –04 –6 –0 Morningside 2 –4 –03 –5 –0 Northern Iowa 1 –5 –02 –8 –0 South Dakota State 1 –5 –02 –8 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from AP small college poll | 1970 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Michigan Tech + 5 –1 –08 –1 –0 Minnesota Morris + 5 –1 –07 –2 –0 St. Cloud State + 5 –1 –06 –3 –0 Moorhead State 3 –3 –04 –4 –1 Winona State 1 –5 –02 –7 –0 Bemidji State 1 –5 –01 –8 –0 Southwest State (MN) 1 –5 –01 –8 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1970 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Capital + 6 –0 –08 –1 –0 No. 17 Wittenberg + 5 –0 –09 –0 –0 Wooster 5 –1 –07 –2 –0 Muskingum 5 –1 –07 –2 –0 Mount Union 4 –1 –08 –1 –0 Denison 3 –4 –05 –4 –0 Marietta 3 –4 –04 –5 –0 Baldwin–Wallace 2 –3 –06 –3 –0 Kenyon 2 –4 –05 –4 –0 Heidelberg 2 –5 –03 –6 –0 Hiram 2 –5 –02 –6 –0 Otterbein 2 –5 –02 –7 –0 Ohio Wesleyan 1 –5 –02 –7 –0 Oberlin 0 –5 –02 –6 –0 + – Conference co-championsRankings from AP small college poll |
| 1970 Ohio Valley Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 12/9 Western Kentucky $ 5 –1 –18 –1 –1 Eastern Kentucky 5 –2 –08 –2 –0 East Tennessee State 4 –1 –27 –1 –2 Morehead State 4 –3 –06 –4 –0 Middle Tennessee 3 –3 –16 –3 –1 Austin Peay 2 –5 –03 –7 –0 Tennessee Tech 2 –5 –04 –6 –0 Murray State 1 –6 –04 –6 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from AP/UPI small college polls | 1970 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T East Division West Chester xy 5 –0 –07 –4 –0 East Stroudsburg 4 –2 –05 –4 –0 Kutztown 4 –2 –05 –3 –0 Bloomsburg 3 –3 –05 –3 –0 Millersville 3 –3 –04 –5 –0 Mansfield 1 –5 –02 –7 –0 Cheyney 0 –5 –00 –9 –0 West Division No. 3 Edinboro xy$^ 5 –0 –09 –1 –0 Clarion 3 –2 –05 –3 –0 California (PA) 3 –2 –05 –4 –0 Slippery Rock 2 –3 –04 –5 –0 Shippensburg 2 –3 –03 –5 –0 Lock Haven 0 –5 –01 –7 –0 Championship: Edinboro 14, West Chester 34 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participant^ – NAIA Division II playoff participantpoll=NAIA Division II pollRankings from AP Poll | 1970 Presidents' Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Washington & Jefferson $ 5 –0 –00 –7 –1 Bethany (WV) 3 –2 –06 –2 –0 John Carroll 2 –2 –12 –5 –1 Allegheny 2 –3 –02 –5 –0 Case Western Reserve 1 –3 –12 –5 –1 Thiel 1 –4 –02 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1970 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Claremont-Mudd + 3 –1 –08 –1 –0 Redlands + 3 –1 –06 –4 –0 Pomona 2 –2 –06 –3 –0 Whittier 2 –2 –04 –6 –0 Occidental 0 –4 –02 –7 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1970 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Division I No. 4 Tuskegee x 4 –1 –09 –1 –0 Florida A&M x 4 –1 –05 –5 –0 Alabama State 3 –2 –06 –4 –0 Morris Brown 3 –2 –04 –5 –0 Alabama A&M 2 –3 –04 –5 –0 Albany State 2 –3 –04 –6 –0 Bethune–Cookman 1 –4 –05 –4 –0 South Carolina State 1 –4 –03 –6 –0 Division II Fort Valley State x 4 –1 –07 –2 –0 Fisk x 4 –1 –05 –2 –0 Savannah State 3 –2 –03 –5 –0 Lane 3 –2 –03 –7 –0 Morehouse 1 –4 –03 –6 –0 Clark (GA) 1 –4 –02 –6 –0 Knoxville 1 –4 –01 –6 –0 x – Division champion/co-championsRankings from NAIA Division II poll | 1970 Southland Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 1 Arkansas State $ 4 –0 –011 –0 –0 No. 14 Abilene Christian 3 –1 –09 –2 –0 Trinity (TX) 2 –2 –05 –6 –0 Lamar Tech 1 –3 –03 –7 –0 UT Arlington 0 –4 –00 –10 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from AP small college poll |
| 1970 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 7/9 Alcorn A&M $ 6 –0 –08 –1 –0 No. 13/16 Grambling 5 –1 –09 –2 –0 Texas Southern 4 –2 –06 –3 –0 Southern 2 –3 –15 –5 –1 Prairie View A&M 2 –3 –14 –5 –1 Jackson State 1 –5 –04 –7 –0 Mississippi Valley State 0 –6 –01 –8 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA Division I poll and AP small college poll | 1970 Wisconsin State University Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 3 Platteville State $^ 8 –0 –010 –1 –0 Eau Claire State 5 –3 –06 –4 –0 Whitewater State 5 –3 –06 –4 –0 Oshkosh State 5 –3 –05 –5 –0 Superior State 5 –3 –05 –5 –0 La Crosse State 4 –3 –15 –4 –1 Stout State 2 –6 –03 –7 –0 Stevens Point State 1 –6 –11 –8 –1 River Falls State 0 –8 –01 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NAIA Division I playoff participantRankings from NAIA Division I poll | 1970 Yankee Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Connecticut $ 4 –0 –14 –4 –2 UMass 3 –1 –14 –5 –1 New Hampshire 3 –2 –05 –3 –0 Rhode Island 3 –2 –03 –5 –0 Maine 1 –4 –03 –5 –0 Vermont 0 –5 –00 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1970 NCAA College Division independents football records vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 4 Tampa   –  10 –1 –0 No. 5 Tennessee State   –  10 –0 –0 No. 11 Delaware   –  9 –2 –0 Hawaii   –  9 –2 –0 Northern Michigan   –  8 –2 –0 No. 19 Eastern Michigan   –  7 –2 –1 Akron   –  7 –3 –0 Central Michigan   –  7 –3 –0 Temple   –  7 –3 –0 Drake   –  7 –4 –0 Wayne State (MI)   –  6 –2 –0 Arkansas AM&N   –  6 –3 –0 Southern Illinois   –  6 –3 –0 St. Norbert   –  6 –3 –0 Nevada   –  6 –3 –1 Portland State   –  6 –4 –0 UNLV   –  6 –4 –0 Boston University   –  5 –4 –0 Cortland   –  5 –4 –0 Indiana (PA)   –  5 –4 –0 Santa Clara   –  5 –4 –1 Lafayette   –  6 –5 –0 Colorado College   –  4 –4 –0 Drexel   –  4 –4 –0 Hofstra   –  5 –5 –0 Indiana State   –  5 –5 –0 Samford   –  5 –5 –0 Wabash   –  3 –3 –2 Saint Mary's   –  3 –4 –0 Ashland   –  4 –6 –0 Bucknell   –  4 –6 –0 Lehigh   –  4 –6 –0 Rose Poly   –  3 –5 –1 Northeastern   –  3 –5 –0 Indiana Central   –  3 –6 –0 Lake Forest   –  3 –6 –0 Kentucky State   –  3 –6 –0 Chicago   –  2 –5 –0 Chattanooga   –  3 –8 –0 Parsons   –  2 –7 –0 Eastern Illinois   –  2 –8 –0 Milwaukee   –  1 –9 –0 Rankings from AP small college poll |

## Rankings

College Division teams (also referred to as "small college") were ranked in polls by the AP (a panel of writers) and by UPI (coaches). The national champion(s) for each season were determined by the final poll rankings, published at or near the end of the regular season, before any bowl games were played.

### Small college final polls

In 1970, both UPI and AP ranked Arkansas State (10–0) number one. The 34 coaches on the UPI board ranked Tampa second, followed by Montana, while the AP panel ranked Montana second, followed by North Dakota State. Arkansas State went on to beat Central Missouri State in the Pecan Bowl, 38–21, while Montana lost to North Dakota State in the Camellia Bowl, 31–16.
| Rank | School | Record | No. 1 votes | Total points |
| 1 | Arkansas State | 10–0 | 21 | 318 |
| 2 | Tampa | 10–1 | 8 | 279 |
| 3 | Montana | 10–0 | 3 | 272 |
| 4 | North Dakota State | 8–0–1 | | 201 |
| 5 | Tennessee State | 10–0 | 1 | 173 |
| 6 | Long Beach State | 9–2 | | 140 |
| 7 | Wofford | 10–0 | 1 | 125 |
| 8 | Delaware | 8–2 | | 89 |
| 9 | Western Kentucky | 8–1–1 | | 55 |
| 10 | Hawaii | 9–1 | | 46 |
| Rank | School | Record | No. 1 votes | Total points |
| 1 | Arkansas State | 10–0 | 4 | 201 |
| 2 | Montana | 10–0 | 3 | 162 |
| 3 | North Dakota State | 8–0–1 | | 147 |
| 4 | Tampa | 10–1 | 2 | 146 |
| 5 | Tennessee State | 10–0 | | 131 |
| 6 | Wofford | 11–0† | 2 | 109 |
| 7 | Texas A&I | 10–1 | 1 | 99 |
| 8 | Jacksonville State | 9–0 | | 87 |
| 9 | Alcorn A&M | 9–1 | | 87 |
| 10 | Southwestern Louisiana | 9–2 | | 73 |

## Bowl games

The postseason consisted of four bowl games as regional finals, all played on December 12.
| Bowl | Region | Location | Winning team | Winning team | Losing team | Losing team |
| Boardwalk | East | Atlantic City, New Jersey | Delaware | 38 | Morgan State | 23 |
| Grantland Rice | Mideast | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Tennessee State | 26 | Southwestern Louisiana | 25 |
| Pecan | Midwest | Arlington, Texas | Arkansas State | 38 | Central Missouri State | 21 |
| Camellia | West | Sacramento, California | North Dakota State | 31 | Montana | 16 |
This was the final year for the Pecan Bowl; it was succeeded by the Pioneer Bowl in Wichita Falls in 1971.