# 1972 NCAA College Division football season

The 1972 NCAA College Division football season was the 17th and final season of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the NCAA College Division level.

## Conference realignment
### Membership changes

| School | 1971 conference | 1972 conference |
| Newark State | New program | New Jersey State |
| William Paterson | New program | New Jersey State |

## Conference standings

1972 Big Sky Conference football standings :
| 1972 Big Sky Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Montana State $ 5 –1 –08 –3 –0 Idaho State 4 –1 –07 –3 –0 Boise State 3 –3 –07 –4 –0 Montana 3 –3 –03 –8 –0 Idaho 2 –3 –04 –7 –0 Weber State 2 –4 –05 –5 –0 Northern Arizona 0 –4 –03 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1972 California Collegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 3/3 Cal Poly + 3 –0 –08 –1 –1 UC Riverside + 3 –0 –09 –1 –0 Cal State Fullerton 2 –2 –07 –4 –0 Cal State Northridge 1 –3 –06 –5 –0 Cal Poly Pomona 0 –4 –04 –6 –0 + – Conference co-championsRankings from AP/UPI small college polls | 1972 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Northern Virginia State xy$ 5 –0 –08 –3 –0 Virginia Union 3 –2 –06 –3 –0 Elizabeth City State 3 –2 –05 –5 –0 Norfolk State 3 –2 –03 –7 –0 Hampton 1 –4 –01 –10 –0 Saint Paul's (VA) 0 –5 –00 –9 –0 Southern Johnson C. Smith xy 4 –0 –06 –5 –0 Winston-Salem State 3 –1 –05 –4 –0 Fayetteville State 2 –2 –06 –3 –0 Shaw 1 –3 –03 –5 –0 Livingstone 0 –4 –02 –8 –0 Championship: Virginia State 17, Johnson C. Smith 6 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participant |
| 1972 College Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Centre $ 3 –0 –04 –5 –0 Southwestern (TN) 1 –2 –04 –4 –0 Sewanee 1 –2 –03 –5 –0 Washington and Lee 1 –2 –03 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1972 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 6 Carthage $ 7 –1 –08 –1 –0 No. 16 Millikin 6 –2 –07 –2 –0 Augustana (IL) 5 –3 –06 –3 –0 Carroll (WI) 5 –3 –06 –3 –0 Elmhurst 5 –3 –06 –3 –0 Illinois Wesleyan 4 –4 –04 –5 –0 North Park 2 –5 –12 –6 –1 Wheaton (IL) 1 –7 –01 –8 –0 North Central (IL) 0 –7 –10 –7 –2 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA Division II poll | 1972 Eastern Football Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Glassboro State + 2 –1 –07 –2 –0 Central Connecticut State + 2 –1 –05 –5 –0 Montclair State 1 –2 –06 –4 –0 Southern Connecticut State 1 –2 –04 –6 –0 + – Conference co-champions |
| 1972 Far Western Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T UC Davis $ 5 –0 –06 –2 –2 Humboldt State 4 –1 –07 –3 –0 Chico State 2 –3 –04 –5 –0 Cal State Hayward 2 –3 –02 –8 –0 San Francisco State 1 –4 –03 –8 –0 Sacramento State 1 –4 –02 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1972 Gulf South Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 5 Northwestern State $ 6 –0 –08 –2 –0 No. 3 Livingston ^ 5 –1 –08 –1 –2 No. 19 Jacksonville State 4 –1 –17 –2 –1 Delta State 5 –2 –07 –3 –1 Troy State 2 –3 –14 –5 –1 Southeastern Louisiana 2 –4 –04 –7 –0 Nicholls State 1 –5 –03 –8 –0 Florence State 1 –5 –02 –9 –0 Tennessee–Martin 1 –5 –01 –9 –0 Mississippi College 0 –0 –04 –5 –1 $ – Conference champion^ – NAIA Division I playoff participantRankings from NAIA Division I poll | 1972 Independent College Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Alfred $ 3 –0 –07 –1 –0 Ithaca 2 –0 –05 –4 –0 Hobart 3 –2 –07 –2 –0 St. Lawrence 1 –2 –05 –4 –0 RIT 0 –2 –04 –5 –0 RPI 0 –3 –01 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1972 Indiana Collegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Butler + 5 –1 –05 –5 –0 Evansville + 4 –1 –05 –5 –0 Wabash 2 –2 –04 –6 –0 Indiana Central 2 –3 –04 –6 –0 Valparaiso 2 –3 –06 –4 –0 Saint Joseph's (IN) 2 –3 –04 –4 –1 DePauw 1 –5 –02 –7 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1972 Iowa Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 5 William Penn + 6 –1 –010 –1 –0 No. T–14 Buena Vista + 6 –1 –07 –2 –0 Central (IA) 5 –2 –06 –3 –0 Dubuque 3 –3 –15 –4 –1 Luther 3 –4 –03 –6 –0 Simpson (IA) 1 –4 –22 –5 –2 Upper Iowa 1 –5 –14 –5 –1 Wartburg 1 –6 –03 –6 –0 + – Conference co-championsRankings from NAIA Division II poll | 1972 Little Three Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Williams $ 2 –0 –07 –1 –0 Amherst 1 –1 –07 –1 –0 Wesleyan 0 –2 –04 –4 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1972 Maine Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Colby $ 2 –0 –07 –1 –0 Bowdoin 1 –1 –02 –5 –0 Bates 0 –2 –01 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1972 Mason–Dixon Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Hampden–Sydney $ 3 –1 –08 –2 –0 Randolph–Macon 2 –1 –17 –2 –1 Johns Hopkins 1 –1 –06 –3 –0 Western Maryland 2 –2 –03 –6 –1 Towson State 1 –2 –01 –9 –0 Bridgewater 0 –2 –14 –4 –1 Gallaudet 0 –0 –02 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1972 Metropolitan Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T C. W. Post $ 3 –0 –06 –3 –0 Wagner 2 –1 –07 –3 –0 Hofstra 1 –2 –05 –6 –0 Merchant Marine 0 –3 –05 –4 –0 Fordham * 0 –0 –05 –5 –0 $ – Conference champion * – Did not complete for conference title |
| 1972 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 8 Alma + 4 –1 –08 –1 –0 Adrian + 4 –1 –05 –4 –0 Hope 3 –1 –16 –2 –1 Olivet 2 –3 –03 –6 –0 Kalamazoo 1 –3 –12 –5 –1 Albion 0 –5 –02 –7 –0 + – Conference co-championsRankings from NAIA Division II poll | 1972 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 10 North Carolina Central $ 5 –1 –09 –2 –0 No. 13 North Carolina A&T 4 –2 –08 –2 –0 Morgan State 4 –2 –05 –5 –0 Maryland Eastern Shore 4 –2 –04 –5 –0 Howard 2 –4 –06 –4 –0 Delaware State 2 –4 –05 –4 –0 South Carolina State 0 –6 –01 –9 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA Division I poll | 1972 Middle Atlantic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Northern Division Albright x 7 –0 –08 –1 –0 Juniata 5 –1 –06 –3 –0 Wilkes 4 –2 –04 –5 –0 Delaware Valley 4 –4 –04 –4 –0 Upsala 3 –4 –03 –5 –0 Susquehanna 2 –4 –03 –6 –0 Lycoming 2 –5 –02 –6 –0 Wagner * 2 –1 –07 –3 –0 Southern Division Franklin & Marshall x 8 –0 –09 –0 –0 Widener 6 –1 –08 –1 –0 Johns Hopkins 5 –2 –06 –3 –0 Ursinus 5 –3 –05 –3 –0 Dickinson 4 –3 –04 –4 –0 Lebanon Valley 4 –5 –04 –5 –0 Moravian 3 –6 –03 –7 –0 Muhlenberg 2 –7 –01 –8 –0 Swarthmore 1 –7 –00 –7 –0 Western Maryland 0 –5 –03 –6 –1 Haverford † 0 –7 –00 –0 –0 x – Division champion/co-champions * – Ineligible due to insufficient conference games † – Haverford forfeited all games on schedule; opponents received conference victory but overall record not affected. |
| 1972 Midwest Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Monmouth (IL) $ 8 –0 –09 –0 –0 Cornell (IA) 6 –2 –06 –3 –0 Knox 5 –3 –06 –3 –0 St. Olaf 5 –3 –06 –3 –0 Ripon 5 –3 –05 –3 –0 Coe 5 –3 –05 –4 –0 Carleton 3 –5 –03 –5 –0 Lawrence 1 –6 –11 –6 –1 Grinnell 1 –7 –02 –7 –0 Beloit 0 –7 –10 –8 –1 $ – Conference champion | 1972 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Gustavus Adolphus $ 6 –1 –06 –4 –0 No. 14 Saint John's (MN) 5 –2 –07 –2 –0 Concordia–Moorhead 4 –3 –06 –3 –0 Minnesota–Duluth 4 –3 –05 –4 –0 St. Thomas (MN) 3 –4 –06 –4 –0 Augsburg 3 –4 –05 –4 –0 Hamline 3 –4 –05 –4 –0 Macalester 0 –7 –00 –9 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA Division I poll | 1972 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Lincoln (MO) + 5 –1 –09 –1 –0 NW Missouri State + 5 –1 –07 –3 –0 SE Missouri State 4 –2 –05 –4 –1 NE Missouri State 2 –3 –16 –4 –1 SW Missouri State 2 –4 –04 –6 –0 Central Missouri State 1 –4 –13 –7 –1 Missouri–Rolla 1 –5 –02 –9 –0 + – Conference co-champions |
| 1972 New England Football Conference standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Maine Maritime $ 3 –1 –05 –3 –0 Plymouth State 3 –1 –14 –2 –1 Curry 4 –2 –05 –3 –0 Nichols 3 –2 –05 –2 –1 Bridgewater State 2 –2 –04 –5 –0 Boston State 1 –3 –11 –6 –1 New England College 0 –5 –00 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1972 New Jersey State Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Jersey City State + 4 –1 –08 –1 –0 Glassboro State + 4 –1 –07 –2 –0 Montclair State + 3 –1 –06 –4 –0 Trenton State 2 –3 –02 –6 –1 William Paterson 1 –4 –02 –7 –0 Newark State 0 –4 –02 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1972 North Central Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. T–6 North Dakota + 6 –1 –010 –1 –0 No. T–6 South Dakota + 6 –1 –09 –1 –0 North Dakota State + 6 –1 –08 –2 –0 Mankato State 3 –4 –06 –5 –0 Northern Iowa 3 –4 –04 –5 –0 South Dakota State 2 –5 –06 –5 –0 Morningside 1 –6 –02 –8 –0 Augustana (SD) 1 –6 –02 –8 –0 + – Conference co-championsRankings from AP small college poll |
| 1972 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Michigan Tech $ 6 –0 –08 –1 –0 Minnesota Morris 5 –1 –08 –2 –0 Moorhead State 4 –2 –07 –3 –0 St. Cloud State 3 –3 –05 –5 –0 Southwest State (MN) 2 –4 –03 –7 –0 Bemidji State 1 –5 –02 –7 –0 Winona State 0 –6 –02 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1972 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Blue Division Muskingum xy 4 –0 –05 –5 –0 Denison 2 –1 –17 –1 –1 Ohio Wesleyan 1 –2 –13 –5 –1 Marietta 1 –3 –04 –5 –0 Otterbein 1 –3 –02 –7 –0 Red Division Heidelberg xy$ 5 –0 –011 –0 –0 Baldwin–Wallace 3 –2 –07 –2 –0 Wittenberg 3 –2 –05 –4 –0 Capital 3 –2 –04 –5 –0 Wooster 1 –4 –02 –6 –0 Mount Union 0 –5 –01 –8 –0 Not competing for championship Kenyon   –  7 –0 –1 Oberlin   –  2 –7 –0 Championship: Heidelberg 24, Muskingum 0 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participant | 1972 Ohio Valley Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 8 Tennessee Tech $ 7 –0 –010 –2 –0 Western Kentucky 5 –2 –07 –3 –0 Middle Tennessee 4 –2 –17 –3 –1 Morehead State 3 –3 –13 –6 –1 Eastern Kentucky 3 –4 –05 –6 –0 Murray State 2 –5 –04 –6 –0 East Tennessee State 2 –5 –03 –7 –0 Austin Peay 1 –6 –03 –8 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from UPI small college poll |
| 1972 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T East Division West Chester xy 5 –0 –07 –3 –0 Millersville 4 –2 –05 –3 –1 Bloomsburg 4 –2 –05 –5 –0 Kutztown 3 –3 –06 –3 –0 Cheyney 2 –3 –06 –3 –0 East Stroudsburg 1 –5 –04 –5 –0 Mansfield 1 –5 –02 –7 –0 West Division No. 18 Slippery Rock xy$ 4 –0 –18 –2 –1 Clarion 4 –1 –06 –3 –0 Edinboro 2 –2 –13 –5 –1 Lock Haven 2 –3 –04 –5 –0 Shippensburg 1 –4 –03 –6 –1 California (PA) 1 –4 –02 –6 –0 No. 9 Indiana (PA) * 0 –0 –08 –1 –0 Championship: Slippery Rock 29, West Chester 27 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participant * – Ineligible for conference title Rankings from NAIA Division I poll | 1972 Presidents' Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Thiel $ 6 –1 –07 –2 –0 John Carroll 5 –2 –07 –3 –0 Allegheny 5 –2 –05 –4 –0 Carnegie Mellon 4 –3 –04 –5 –0 Bethany (WV) 3 –4 –04 –5 –0 Case Western Reserve 3 –4 –04 –5 –0 Hiram 2 –5 –03 –6 –0 Washington & Jefferson 0 –7 –00 –8 –1 $ – Conference champion | 1972 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 17 Whittier $ 5 –0 –07 –2 –1 Redlands 4 –1 –05 –5 –0 La Verne 3 –2 –06 –3 –0 Claremont-Mudd 1 –4 –03 –6 –0 Occidental 1 –4 –02 –7 –0 Pomona-Pitzer 1 –4 –02 –7 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA Division II poll |
| 1972 Southland Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 2 Louisiana Tech $ 5 –0 –012 –0 –0 UT Arlington 4 –1 –05 –6 –0 No. T–10 McNeese State 3 –2 –08 –3 –0 Lamar 3 –2 –08 –3 –0 SW Louisiana 1 –4 –05 –6 –0 Arkansas State 1 –4 –04 –7 –0 Abilene Christian 1 –5 –03 –8 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from AP small college poll | 1972 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 4 / T–8 Grambling + 5 –1 –011 –2 –0 Jackson State + 5 –1 –08 –3 –0 Alcorn A&M 4 –1 –15 –3 –1 Texas Southern 3 –2 –15 –4 –1 Mississippi Valley State 1 –5 –05 –5 –0 Prairie View A&M 1 –5 –05 –5 –0 Southern 1 –5 –02 –7 –1 + – Conference co-championsRankings from NAIA Division I poll and AP small college poll | 1972 Wisconsin State University Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Wisconsin–Oshkosh $ 8 –0 –08 –2 –0 No. T–16 Wisconsin–La Crosse 7 –1 –08 –2 –0 Wisconsin–Whitewater 6 –2 –07 –3 –0 Wisconsin–Platteville 4 –4 –06 –4 –0 Wisconsin–River Falls 4 –4 –04 –6 –0 Wisconsin–Eau Claire 2 –6 –03 –7 –0 Wisconsin–Stevens Point 2 –6 –02 –8 –0 Wisconsin–Stout 2 –6 –02 –8 –0 Wisconsin–Superior 1 –7 –01 –9 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA Division I poll |
| 1972 Yankee Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T UMass $ 5 –0 –09 –2 –0 Connecticut 4 –1 –04 –5 –0 Vermont 3 –2 –04 –5 –0 New Hampshire 2 –3 –04 –5 –0 Maine 1 –4 –03 –6 –0 Rhode Island 0 –5 –03 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1972 NCAA College Division independents football records vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 4 Ashland   –  11 –0 –0 Bridgeport   –  11 –0 –0 No. 1 Delaware   –  10 –0 –0 No. 5 Tennessee State   –  11 –1 –0 Colorado College   –  8 –1 –0 Tampa   –  10 –2 –0 Trinity (TX)   –  8 –2 –0 Western Carolina   –  7 –2 –1 Hawaii   –  8 –3 –0 Indiana State   –  7 –3 –0 Northeastern   –  6 –2 –0 Bucknell   –  6 –3 –0 Cortland   –  6 –3 –0 San Diego   –  6 –3 –1 Arkansas–Pine Bluff   –  4 –2 –1 Eastern Michigan   –  6 –4 –0 Milwaukee   –  6 –4 –0 Samford   –  5 –3 –2 Lake Forest   –  4 –3 –1 Nevada   –  6 –5 –0 Central Michigan   –  5 –5 –1 Rose-Hulman   –  5 –5 –0 Santa Clara   –  4 –4 –1 Akron   –  3 –4 –2 St. Norbert   –  4 –5 –0 Saint Mary's   –  3 –4 –0 Kentucky State   –  4 –6 –0 Drexel   –  3 –6 –0 Northeast Louisiana   –  3 –7 –0 Portland State   –  3 –8 –0 Wayne State (MI)   –  2 –5 –1 Boston University   –  2 –8 –0 Northern Michigan   –  2 –8 –0 Saint Peter's   –  2 –8 –0 Chattanooga   –  2 –9 –0 Southern Illinois   –  1 –8 –1 Eastern Illinois   –  1 –9 –0 Madison   –  0 –4 –1 UNLV   –  1 –10 –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 polls

Both the UPI and AP panels ranked Delaware (10–0) first, followed by Louisiana Tech (11–0), and Cal Poly (8–0–1). Louisiana Tech later defeated Tennessee Tech in the Grantland Rice Bowl, while Cal Poly lost to North Dakota in the Camellia Bowl. Delaware declined an invitation to face UMass (7–2) in the Boardwalk Bowl, and did not play in the postseason.
| Rank | School | Record | No. 1 votes | Total points |
| 1 | Delaware | 10–0 | 21 | 334 |
| 2 | Louisiana Tech | 11–0 | 12 | 310 |
| 3 | Cal Poly | 8–0–1 | 1 | 239 |
| 4 | South Dakota | 9–1 | 1 | 193 |
| 5 | Tennessee State | 9–1 | | 184 |
| 6 | North Dakota | 9–1 | | 148 |
| 7 | Ashland | 11–0 | | 104 |
| 8 | Tennessee Tech | 10–1 | | 98 |
| 9 | Grambling | 8–2 | | 68 |
| 10 | Carson–Newman | 9–1 | | 46 |
| Rank | School | Record | No. 1 votes | Total points |
| 1 | Delaware | 10–0 | 9 | 272 |
| 2 | Louisiana Tech | 11–0 | 4 | 237 |
| 3 | Cal Poly | 8–0–1 | | 197 |
| 4 | Ashland | 11–0 | 1 | 195 |
| 5 | Tennessee State | 8–1 | | 164 |
| T6 | South Dakota | 9–1 | 1 | 144 |
| T6 | North Dakota | 9–1 | | 144 |
| T8 | Grambling | 8–2 | | 76 |
| T8 | Western Carolina | 7–2–1 | | 76 |
| T10 | Carson–Newman | 9–1 | | 55 |
| T10 | McNeese State | 8–2 | | 55 |

## Bowl games

The postseason consisted of four bowl games as regional finals, all played on December 10.
| Bowl | Region | Location | Winning team | Winning team | Losing team | Losing team |
| Boardwalk | East | Atlantic City, New Jersey | UMass | 35 | UC Davis | 14 |
| Grantland Rice | Mideast | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Louisiana Tech | 35 | Tennessee Tech | 0 |
| Pioneer | Midwest | Wichita Falls, Texas | Tennessee State | 29 | Drake | 7 |
| Camellia | West | Sacramento, California | North Dakota | 38 | Cal Poly | 21 |

### Black college national championship

Grambling defeated North Carolina Central in the inaugural Pelican Bowl to capture the black college football national championship.