# 1971 NCAA College Division football season

The 1971 NCAA College Division football season was the 16th season of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the NCAA College Division level.

## Conference standings

1971 Big Sky Conference football standings :
| 1971 Big Sky Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Idaho $ 4 –1 –08 –3 –0 No. 7 Boise State 4 –2 –010 –2 –0 Montana 3 –2 –06 –5 –0 Weber State 3 –2 –17 –2 –1 Idaho State 2 –3 –06 –4 –0 Northern Arizona 1 –3 –05 –5 –0 Montana State 0 –5 –12 –7 –1 $ – Conference championRankings from AP small college poll | 1971 California Collegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Cal Poly $ 3 –0 –06 –5 –0 Cal State Fullerton 3 –1 –07 –4 –0 Valley State 1 –2 –04 –7 –0 Cal Poly Pomona 1 –3 –06 –5 –0 UC Riverside 0 –2 –02 –7 –1 $ – Conference champion | 1971 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Northern Elizabeth City State xy$ 7 –2 –07 –3 –0 Virginia Union 5 –2 –15 –2 –2 Virginia State 3 –2 –05 –3 –1 Norfolk State 2 –3 –03 –6 –0 Hampton 1 –6 –01 –9 –0 Saint Paul's (VA) 0 –5 –11 –7 –1 Southern Winston-Salem State xy 6 –3 –06 –4 –0 Johnson C. Smith 3 –2 –05 –4 –0 Fayetteville State 3 –3 –05 –4 –0 Livingstone 3 –3 –04 –6 –0 Shaw 3 –5 –04 –6 –0 Championship: Elizabeth City State 33, Winston-Salem State 22 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participantVirginia State forfeited wins over Shaw and Virginia Union. |
| 1971 College Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Southwestern (TN) + 3 –1 –05 –2 –0 Centre + 3 –1 –03 –6 –0 Washington and Lee 2 –2 –04 –5 –0 Washington University 1 –3 –04 –5 –0 Sewanee 1 –3 –02 –6 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1971 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 3 Carthage $^ 8 –0 –09 –0 –1 Augustana (IL) 5 –3 –05 –4 –0 Carroll (WI) 5 –3 –05 –3 –0 Illinois Wesleyan 5 –3 –05 –4 –0 Elmhurst 4 –4 –04 –5 –0 Millikin 4 –4 –05 –4 –0 North Park 4 –4 –04 –5 –0 Wheaton (IL) 1 –7 –01 –8 –0 North Central (IL) 0 –8 –00 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NAIA Division II playoff participantRankings from NAIA Division II poll | 1971 Eastern Football Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Bridgeport $ 4 –0 –010 –1 –0 Montclair State 3 –1 –07 –2 –0 Southern Connecticut State 2 –2 –05 –4 –0 Central Connecticut State 1 –3 –07 –3 –0 Glassboro State 0 –4 –02 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1971 Far Western Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 11 Chico State + 5 –1 –09 –2 –0 UC Davis + 5 –1 –09 –1 –0 Cal State Hayward 3 –2 –17 –2 –1 Humboldt State 3 –3 –07 –4 –0 Sacramento State 2 –3 –14 –5 –1 San Francisco State 2 –4 –05 –6 –0 Sonoma State 0 –6 –02 –8 –0 + – Conference co-championsRankings from UPI small college poll | 1971 Gulf South Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 1 Livingston +^ 5 –1 –011 –1 –0 Troy State + 5 –1 –06 –3 –0 Jacksonville State 3 –2 –06 –3 –0 Tennessee–Martin 3 –3 –05 –5 –0 Delta State 2 –4 –03 –5 –1 Florence State 0 –6 –01 –10 –0 Southeastern Louisiana 0 –6 –00 –11 –0 + – Conference co-champions^ – NAIA Division I playoff participantRankings from NAIA Division I poll | 1971 Independent College Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Alfred $ 3 –0 –08 –0 –0 St. Lawrence 1 –2 –05 –3 –0 Hobart 1 –2 –05 –4 –0 RPI 1 –2 –04 –5 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1971 Indiana Collegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Saint Joseph's (IN) $ 4 –0 –08 –2 –0 Valparaiso 3 –1 –08 –2 –0 Evansville 2 –2 –03 –6 –0 Butler 1 –3 –03 –7 –0 DePauw 0 –4 –01 –8 –0 Indiana Central * 0 –0 –06 –5 –0 Wabash * 0 –0 –05 –5 –0 $ – Conference champion * – ineligible for conference title | 1971 Iowa Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Luther $ 6 –1 –08 –1 –0 Buena Vista 5 –2 –06 –2 –0 William Penn 5 –2 –06 –3 –0 Central (IA) 4 –3 –06 –3 –0 Simpson (IA) 4 –3 –05 –4 –0 Wartburg 3 –4 –04 –5 –0 Upper Iowa 0 –6 –12 –6 –1 Dubuque 0 –6 –11 –7 –1 $ – Conference champion | 1971 Little Three Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Williams $ 2 –0 –07 –1 –0 Amherst 1 –1 –06 –2 –0 Wesleyan 0 –2 –03 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1971 Maine Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Bowdoin $ 2 –0 –03 –4 –0 Colby 1 –1 –04 –4 –0 Bates 0 –2 –00 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1971 Mason–Dixon Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Hampden–Sydney $ 4 –0 –010 –1 –0 Johns Hopkins * 2 –0 –06 –3 –0 Bridgewater 3 –1 –06 –3 –0 Western Maryland 1 –3 –05 –4 –0 Randolph–Macon 1 –3 –04 –5 –0 Gallaudet * 0 –1 –01 –7 –1 Towson State 0 –3 –01 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion * – ineligible for conference title | 1971 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 10 Alma + 4 –1 –07 –2 –0 Adrian + 4 –1 –05 –4 –0 Olivet 2 –2 –13 –4 –1 Kalamazoo 2 –3 –05 –3 –0 Hope 2 –3 –04 –5 –0 Albion 0 –4 –10 –7 –2 + – Conference co-championsRankings from NAIA Division II poll |
| 1971 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Morgan State $ 5 –0 –16 –4 –1 North Carolina Central 5 –1 –07 –2 –0 North Carolina A&T 3 –2 –16 –4 –1 South Carolina State 3 –2 –16 –3 –1 Maryland Eastern Shore 1 –4 –11 –5 –2 Howard 1 –5 –04 –5 –0 Delaware State 1 –5 –01 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1971 Middle Atlantic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Northern Division Upsala x 4 –3 –05 –3 –0 Albright 3 –3 –13 –5 –1 Delaware Valley 3 –4 –04 –4 –0 Juniata 1 –4 –23 –4 –2 Lycoming 2 –5 –02 –6 –0 Susquehanna 0 –5 –13 –6 –1 Wilkes * 4 –0 –06 –2 –0 Wagner * 3 –1 –05 –4 –0 Southern Division Franklin & Marshall x 6 –1 –06 –2 –0 Western Maryland 4 –1 –05 –4 –0 Johns Hopkins 5 –2 –06 –3 –0 Moravian 6 –3 –06 –3 –0 Lebanon Valley 5 –3 –05 –4 –0 Pennsylvania Military 4 –3 –07 –3 –0 Ursinus 4 –3 –04 –4 –0 Muhlenberg 5 –4 –05 –4 –0 Dickinson 3 –4 –03 –5 –0 Haverford 1 –6 –02 –6 –0 Swarthmore 0 –8 –00 –8 –0 x – Division champion/co-champions * – Ineligible due to insufficient conference games | 1971 Midwest Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Monmouth (IL) + 7 –1 –08 –1 –0 St. Olaf + 7 –1 –08 –1 –0 Cornell (IA) 5 –3 –06 –3 –0 Lawrence 5 –3 –06 –3 –0 Knox 4 –4 –05 –4 –0 Ripon 4 –4 –05 –4 –0 Coe 2 –6 –03 –6 –0 Grinnell 1 –7 –02 –8 –0 Carleton 1 –7 –01 –8 –0 Beloit   –  1 –8 –0 + – Conference co-championsBeloit was allowed to compete with freshmen. Games with Beloit were not counted in the conference standings. |
| 1971 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 7 Saint John's (MN) + 6 –1 –08 –1 –0 Gustavus Adolphus + 6 –1 –06 –4 –0 Minnesota–Duluth 5 –2 –06 –3 –1 Concordia-Moorhead 4 –3 –07 –3 –0 Hamline 4 –3 –07 –3 –0 St. Thomas (MN) 2 –5 –03 –7 –0 Macalester 1 –6 –01 –7 –1 Augsburg 0 –7 –01 –8 –0 + – Conference co-championsRankings from NAIA Division I poll | 1971 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T NE Missouri State $ 6 –0 –09 –1 –0 SE Missouri State 4 –2 –07 –3 –1 Lincoln (MO) 3 –3 –05 –5 –0 Missouri–Rolla 2 –3 –14 –6 –1 NW Missouri State 2 –4 –04 –5 –0 Central Missouri State 2 –4 –04 –6 –0 SW Missouri State 1 –4 –11 –8 –1 $ – Conference champion | 1971 New Jersey State Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Montclair State $ 3 –0 –07 –2 –0 Jersey City State 1 –2 –05 –2 –0 Glassboro State 1 –2 –02 –6 –0 Trenton State 1 –2 –02 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1971 North Central Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 9 North Dakota $ 5 –1 –06 –3 –1 North Dakota State 4 –2 –07 –2 –0 Northern Iowa 4 –2 –04 –5 –0 Morningside 3 –3 –06 –4 –0 South Dakota 3 –3 –03 –7 –0 South Dakota State 2 –4 –03 –7 –0 Augustana (SD) 0 –6 –01 –8 –1 $ – Conference championRankings from AP small college poll | 1971 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Moorhead State $ 6 –0 –07 –1 –1 Michigan Tech 5 –1 –08 –1 –0 Minnesota Morris 3 –2 –14 –4 –1 Bemidji State 3 –2 –13 –5 –1 St. Cloud State 2 –4 –02 –7 –0 Winona State 1 –5 –01 –9 –0 Southwest State (MN) 0 –6 –00 –10 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1971 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Ohio Wesleyan $ 6 –0 –08 –1 –0 Baldwin–Wallace 4 –1 –09 –1 –0 Mount Union 3 –1 –07 –2 –0 Heidelberg 4 –2 –06 –3 –0 Wooster 3 –2 –07 –2 –0 Denison 4 –3 –05 –4 –0 Marietta 3 –3 –04 –5 –0 Wittenberg 2 –2 –05 –4 –0 Capital 2 –4 –03 –6 –0 Otterbein 2 –4 –03 –6 –0 Kenyon 1 –4 –03 –6 –0 Muskingum 1 –5 –01 –8 –0 Oberlin 0 –4 –00 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1971 Ohio Valley Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 6/12 Western Kentucky $ 6 –1 –08 –2 –0 Tennessee Tech 5 –2 –08 –2 –0 Middle Tennessee 5 –2 –07 –4 –0 Morehead State 4 –3 –07 –3 –0 Murray State 3 –3 –15 –4 –1 Eastern Kentucky 3 –4 –05 –6 –0 Austin Peay 1 –6 –02 –8 –0 East Tennessee State 0 –6 –10 –9 –1 $ – Conference championRankings from AP/UPI small college polls | 1971 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T East Division West Chester xy$ 5 –0 –09 –1 –0 East Stroudsburg 4 –2 –06 –3 –0 Millersville 4 –2 –06 –3 –0 Kutztown 4 –2 –04 –5 –0 Bloomsburg 2 –4 –04 –5 –0 Mansfield 1 –5 –03 –6 –0 Cheyney 0 –5 –01 –8 –0 West Division No. 5 Edinboro xy 5 –0 –09 –1 –0 Slippery Rock 4 –1 –07 –2 –0 Clarion 3 –2 –06 –3 –0 Lock Haven 2 –3 –04 –4 –0 California (PA) 1 –4 –01 –8 –0 Shippensburg 0 –5 –02 –6 –0 Championship: West Chester 35, Edinboro 14 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participantRankings from NAIA Division II poll | 1971 Presidents' Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T John Carroll $ 4 –1 –04 –5 –0 Thiel 3 –2 –05 –3 –0 Washington & Jefferson 3 –2 –00 –5 –3 Allegheny 2 –3 –04 –4 –0 Bethany (WV) 2 –3 –03 –5 –1 Case Western Reserve 1 –4 –03 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1971 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Occidental $ 3 –1 –03 –6 –0 Claremont-Mudd 3 –2 –07 –2 –0 Whittier 3 –2 –05 –4 –1 Pomona 3 –2 –04 –5 –0 La Verne 1 –3 –01 –6 –1 Redlands 1 –4 –02 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1971 Southland Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 4 Louisiana Tech + 4 –1 –09 –2 –0 Trinity (TX) + 4 –1 –08 –2 –0 Lamar + 4 –1 –05 –6 –0 SW Louisiana 2 –2 –15 –4 –1 Arkansas State 1 –3 –14 –4 –1 UT Arlington 1 –4 –02 –9 –0 Abilene Christian 0 –4 –05 –5 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from AP small college poll | 1971 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 9 Grambling $ 5 –1 –09 –2 –0 Jackson State 4 –1 –19 –1 –1 No. 16 Alcorn A&M 4 –2 –06 –3 –0 Texas Southern 3 –2 –17 –2 –1 Prairie View A&M 2 –4 –03 –7 –0 Mississippi Valley State 1 –5 –04 –7 –0 Southern 1 –5 –02 –7 –1 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA Division I poll for Grambling and UPI small college poll for Alcorn A&M |
| 1971 Wisconsin State University Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 11 Wisconsin–Platteville + 7 –1 –09 –1 –0 No. 14 Wisconsin–La Crosse + 7 –1 –08 –2 –0 Wisconsin–Superior 6 –2 –06 –4 –0 Wisconsin–Eau Claire 4 –4 –06 –4 –0 Wisconsin–Oshkosh 4 –4 –04 –6 –0 Wisconsin–Stout 3 –5 –05 –5 –0 Wisconsin–River Falls 2 –6 –03 –7 –0 Wisconsin–Whitewater 2 –6 –03 –7 –0 Wisconsin–Stevens Point 1 –7 –01 –9 –0 + – Conference co-championsWisconsin–Whitewater forfeited five games.Rankings from NAIA Division I poll | 1971 Yankee Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Connecticut + 3 –1 –15 –3 –1 UMass + 3 –1 –14 –4 –1 New Hampshire 3 –2 –04 –4 –1 Rhode Island 2 –3 –03 –6 –0 Vermont 2 –3 –02 –7 –0 Maine 1 –4 –02 –6 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1971 NCAA College Division independents football records vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 1 Delaware   –  10 –1 –0 No. 5 Tennessee State   –  9 –1 –0 No. 2 McNeese State   –  9 –1 –1 Colorado College   –  7 –1 –0 No. 8 Akron   –  8 –2 –0 Samford   –  8 –2 –0 No. 3 Eastern Michigan   –  7 –1 –2 Arkansas AM&N   –  7 –2 –0 Indiana (PA)   –  7 –2 –0 Kentucky State   –  8 –3 –0 Appalachian State   –  7 –3 –1 Northern Michigan   –  7 –3 –0 Hawaii   –  7 –4 –0 Ashland   –  6 –4 –0 Santa Clara   –  6 –4 –0 Southern Illinois   –  6 –4 –0 Tampa   –  6 –5 –0 UNLV   –  5 –4 –1 Bucknell   –  5 –5 –0 Central Michigan   –  5 –5 –0 Milwaukee   –  5 –5 –0 Nevada   –  5 –5 –0 St. Norbert   –  5 –5 –0 Wayne State (MI)   –  4 –4 –0 Hofstra   –  5 –6 –0 Cortland   –  4 –5 –0 Northeastern   –  4 –5 –0 Portland State   –  4 –5 –0 Chicago   –  3 –4 –0 Northeast Louisiana   –  4 –6 –1 Eastern Illinois   –  4 –6 –0 Indiana State   –  4 –6 –0 Saint Mary's   –  3 –5 –0 Rose-Hulman   –  3 –6 –0 Boston University   –  3 –7 –0 Drexel   –  2 –6 –0 Chattanooga   –  2 –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

Delaware, who during the regular season had defeated Rutgers, Villanova, and Boston University, averaged 40 points per game, and had a 9–1 record, was ranked first by both UPI and AP; both polls also ranked McNeese State (9–0–1) second, and Eastern Michigan (7–0–2) third.
| Rank | School | Record | No. 1 votes | Total points |
| 1 | Delaware | 9–1 | 20 | 306 |
| 2 | McNeese State | 9–0–1 | 5 | 267 |
| 3 | Eastern Michigan | 7–0–2 | 3 | 238 |
| 4 | Tennessee State | 8–1 | 1 | 185 |
| 5 | C.W. Post | 8–1 | | 130 |
| 6 | Arkansas Tech | 11–0 | | 95 |
| 7 | Samford | 8–1 | | 78 |
| 8 | Northern Colorado | 8–1–1 | 2 | 75 |
| 9 | Louisiana Tech | 8–2 | | 74 |
| 10 | Howard Payne | 9–1–1 | | 48 |
| Rank | School | Record | No. 1 votes | Total points |
| 1 | Delaware | 9–1 | 9 | 256 |
| 2 | McNeese State | 9–0–1 | 3 | 233 |
| 3 | Eastern Michigan | 7–0–2 | | 201 |
| 4 | Louisiana Tech | 8–2 | | 153 |
| 5 | Tennessee State | 8–1 | 1 | 150 |
| 6 | Western Kentucky | 8–2 | | 96 |
| 7 | Boise State | 9–2 | | 92 |
| 8 | Akron | 8–2 | | 91 |
| 9 | North Dakota | 6–3–1 | | 72 |
| 10 | Arkansas Tech | 11–0 | | 46 |

## Bowl games

The postseason consisted of four bowl games as regional finals, all played on December 11. This was the first year for the Pioneer Bowl; it succeeded the Pecan Bowl, which had been played in Arlington, Texas.
Top-ranked Delaware met C.W. Post in the Boardwalk Bowl; played indoors at Convention Hall, Delaware won by 50 points in a rout. The next two teams in the polls both lost; Eastern Michigan was defeated by Louisiana Tech in the Pioneer Bowl, and McNeese State fell to Tennessee State—led by future National Football League quarterback Joe Gilliam—in the Grantland Rice Bowl. Out west in the Camellia Bowl, Boise State mounted a 25–0 fourth quarter comeback to defeat Chico State.
| Bowl | Region | Location | Winning team | Winning team | Losing team | Losing team |
| Boardwalk | East | Atlantic City, New Jersey | Delaware | 72 | C.W. Post | 22 |
| Grantland Rice | Mideast | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Tennessee State | 26 | McNeese State | 23 |
| Pioneer | Midwest | Wichita Falls, Texas | Louisiana Tech | 14 | Eastern Michigan | 3 |
| Camellia | West | Sacramento, California | Boise State | 32 | Chico State | 28 |