American college 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
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Idaho $
4
–
1
–
0
8
–
3
–
0
No. 7 Boise State
4
–
2
–
0
10
–
2
–
0
Montana
3
–
2
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
Weber State
3
–
2
–
1
7
–
2
–
1
Idaho State
2
–
3
–
0
6
–
4
–
0
Northern Arizona
1
–
3
–
0
5
–
5
–
0
Montana State
0
–
5
–
1
2
–
7
–
1
Rankings from College Division AP Poll
1971 California Collegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Cal Poly $
3
–
0
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
Cal State Fullerton
3
–
1
–
0
7
–
4
–
0
Valley State
1
–
2
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Cal Poly Pomona
1
–
3
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
UC Riverside
0
–
2
–
0
2
–
7
–
1
1971 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Northern
Elizabeth City State xy$
7
–
2
–
0
7
–
3
–
0
Virginia Union
5
–
2
–
1
5
–
2
–
2
Virginia State
3
–
2
–
0
5
–
3
–
1
Norfolk State
2
–
3
–
0
3
–
6
–
0
Hampton
1
–
6
–
0
1
–
9
–
0
Saint Paul's (VA)
0
–
5
–
1
1
–
7
–
1
Southern
Winston-Salem State xy
6
–
3
–
0
6
–
4
–
0
Johnson C. Smith
3
–
2
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Fayetteville State
3
–
3
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Livingstone
3
–
3
–
0
4
–
6
–
0
Shaw
3
–
5
–
0
4
–
6
–
0
Championship: Elizabeth City State 33 , Winston-Salem State 22
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant Virginia State forfeited wins over Shaw and Virginia Union.
1971 College Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Southwestern (TN) +
3
–
1
–
0
5
–
2
–
0
Centre +
3
–
1
–
0
3
–
6
–
0
Washington and Lee
2
–
2
–
0
4
–
5
–
0
Washington University
1
–
3
–
0
4
–
5
–
0
Sewanee
1
–
3
–
0
2
–
6
–
0
+ – Conference co-champions
1971 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Carthage $^
8
–
0
–
0
9
–
0
–
1
Augustana (IL)
5
–
3
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Carroll (WI)
5
–
3
–
0
5
–
3
–
0
Illinois Wesleyan
5
–
3
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Elmhurst
4
–
4
–
0
4
–
5
–
0
Millikin
4
–
4
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
North Park
4
–
4
–
0
4
–
5
–
0
Wheaton (IL)
1
–
7
–
0
1
–
8
–
0
North Central (IL)
0
–
8
–
0
0
–
9
–
0
$ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant
1971 Far Western Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 11 UPI Chico State +
5
–
1
–
0
9
–
2
–
0
UC Davis +
5
–
1
–
0
9
–
1
–
0
Cal State Hayward
3
–
2
–
1
7
–
2
–
1
Humboldt State
3
–
3
–
0
7
–
4
–
0
Sacramento State
2
–
3
–
1
4
–
5
–
1
San Francisco State
2
–
4
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Sonoma State
0
–
6
–
0
2
–
8
–
0
+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from College Division poll
1971 Gulf South Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Livingston +^
5
–
1
–
0
11
–
1
–
0
Troy State +
5
–
1
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Jacksonville State
3
–
2
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Tennessee–Martin
3
–
3
–
0
5
–
5
–
0
Delta State
2
–
4
–
0
3
–
5
–
1
Florence State
0
–
6
–
0
1
–
10
–
0
Southeastern Louisiana
0
–
6
–
0
0
–
11
–
0
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
1971 Indiana Collegiate Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Saint Joseph's (IN) $
4
–
0
–
0
8
–
2
–
0
Valparaiso
3
–
1
–
0
8
–
2
–
0
Evansville
2
–
2
–
0
3
–
6
–
0
Indiana Central *
1
–
2
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
Butler
1
–
3
–
0
3
–
7
–
0
Wabash *
1
–
3
–
0
5
–
5
–
0
DePauw
0
–
4
–
0
1
–
8
–
0
$ – Conference champion * – ineligible for conference title
1971 Iowa Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Luther $
6
–
1
–
0
8
–
1
–
0
Buena Vista
5
–
2
–
0
6
–
2
–
0
William Penn
5
–
2
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Central (IA)
4
–
3
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Simpson
4
–
3
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Wartburg
3
–
4
–
0
4
–
5
–
0
Upper Iowa
0
–
6
–
1
2
–
6
–
1
Dubuque
0
–
6
–
1
1
–
7
–
1
1971 Mason–Dixon Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Hampden–Sydney $
4
–
0
–
0
10
–
1
–
0
Johns Hopkins *
2
–
0
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Bridgewater
3
–
1
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Western Maryland
1
–
3
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Randolph–Macon
1
–
3
–
0
4
–
5
–
0
Gallaudet *
0
–
1
–
0
1
–
7
–
1
Towson State
0
–
3
–
0
1
–
8
–
0
$ – Conference champion * – ineligible for conference title
1971 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Alma +
4
–
1
–
0
7
–
2
–
0
Adrian +
4
–
1
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Olivet
2
–
2
–
1
3
–
4
–
1
Kalamazoo
2
–
3
–
0
5
–
3
–
0
Hope
2
–
3
–
0
4
–
5
–
0
Albion
0
–
4
–
1
0
–
7
–
2
+ – Conference co-champions
1971 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 14 Toledo $
5
–
0
–
0
12
–
0
–
0
Bowling Green
4
–
1
–
0
6
–
4
–
0
Western Michigan
2
–
3
–
0
7
–
3
–
0
Miami
2
–
3
–
0
7
–
3
–
0
Ohio
2
–
3
–
0
5
–
5
–
0
Kent State
0
–
5
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Rankings from AP Poll
1971 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Morgan State $
5
–
0
–
1
6
–
4
–
1
North Carolina Central
5
–
1
–
0
7
–
2
–
0
North Carolina A&T
3
–
2
–
1
6
–
4
–
1
South Carolina State
3
–
2
–
1
6
–
3
–
1
Maryland Eastern Shore
1
–
4
–
1
1
–
5
–
2
Howard
1
–
5
–
0
4
–
5
–
0
Delaware State
1
–
5
–
0
1
–
8
–
0
1971 Middle Atlantic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Northern
Upsala x
4
–
3
–
0
5
–
3
–
0
Albright
3
–
3
–
1
3
–
5
–
1
Delaware Valley
3
–
4
–
0
4
–
4
–
0
Juniata
1
–
4
–
2
3
–
4
–
2
Lycoming
2
–
5
–
0
2
–
6
–
0
Susquehanna
0
–
5
–
1
3
–
6
–
1
Wilkes *
4
–
0
–
0
6
–
2
–
0
Wagner *
3
–
1
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Southern
Franklin & Marshall x
6
–
1
–
0
6
–
2
–
0
Western Maryland
4
–
1
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Johns Hopkins
5
–
2
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Moravian
6
–
3
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Lebanon Valley
5
–
3
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Pennsylvania Military
4
–
3
–
0
7
–
3
–
0
Ursinus
4
–
3
–
0
4
–
4
–
0
Muhlenberg
5
–
4
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Dickinson
3
–
4
–
0
3
–
5
–
0
Haverford
1
–
6
–
0
2
–
6
–
0
Swarthmore
0
–
8
–
0
0
–
8
–
0
x – Division champion/co-champions * – Ineligible due to insufficient conference games
1971 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Saint John's (MN) +
6
–
1
–
0
8
–
1
–
0
Gustavus Adolphus +
6
–
1
–
0
6
–
4
–
0
Minnesota–Duluth
5
–
2
–
0
6
–
3
–
1
Concordia (MN)
4
–
3
–
0
7
–
3
–
0
Hamline
4
–
3
–
0
7
–
3
–
0
St. Thomas (MN)
2
–
5
–
0
3
–
7
–
0
Macalester
1
–
6
–
0
1
–
7
–
1
Augsburg
0
–
7
–
0
1
–
8
–
0
+ – Conference co-champions
1971 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
NE Missouri State $
6
–
0
–
0
9
–
1
–
0
SE Missouri State
4
–
2
–
0
7
–
3
–
1
Lincoln (MO)
3
–
3
–
0
5
–
5
–
0
Missouri–Rolla
2
–
3
–
1
4
–
6
–
1
NW Missouri State
2
–
4
–
0
4
–
5
–
0
Central Missouri State
2
–
4
–
0
4
–
6
–
0
SW Missouri State
1
–
4
–
1
1
–
8
–
1
1971 New Jersey State Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Montclair State $
3
–
0
–
0
7
–
2
–
0
Jersey City State
1
–
2
–
0
5
–
2
–
0
Glassboro State
1
–
2
–
0
2
–
6
–
0
Trenton State
1
–
2
–
0
2
–
6
–
0
1971 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Ohio Wesleyan $
6
–
0
–
0
8
–
1
–
0
Baldwin–Wallace
4
–
1
–
0
9
–
1
–
0
Mount Union
3
–
1
–
0
7
–
2
–
0
Heidelberg
4
–
2
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Wooster
3
–
2
–
0
7
–
2
–
0
Denison
4
–
3
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Marietta
3
–
3
–
0
4
–
5
–
0
Wittenberg
2
–
2
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Capital
2
–
4
–
0
3
–
6
–
0
Otterbein
2
–
4
–
0
3
–
6
–
0
Kenyon
1
–
4
–
0
3
–
6
–
0
Muskingum
1
–
5
–
0
1
–
8
–
0
Oberlin
0
–
4
–
0
0
–
8
–
0
1971 Ohio Valley Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 6 AP / No. 12 UPI Western Kentucky $
6
–
1
–
0
8
–
2
–
0
Tennessee Tech
5
–
2
–
0
8
–
2
–
0
Middle Tennessee
5
–
2
–
0
7
–
4
–
0
Morehead State
4
–
3
–
0
7
–
3
–
0
Murray State
3
–
3
–
1
5
–
4
–
1
Eastern Kentucky
3
–
4
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Austin Peay
1
–
6
–
0
2
–
8
–
0
East Tennessee State
0
–
6
–
1
0
–
9
–
1
Rankings from College Division poll
1971 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Occidental $
3
–
1
–
0
3
–
6
–
0
Claremont-Mudd
3
–
2
–
0
7
–
2
–
0
Whittier
3
–
2
–
0
5
–
4
–
1
Pomona
3
–
2
–
0
4
–
5
–
0
La Verne
1
–
3
–
0
1
–
6
–
1
Redlands
1
–
4
–
0
2
–
8
–
0
1971 Southland Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 4 Louisiana Tech +
4
–
1
–
0
9
–
2
–
0
Trinity (TX) +
4
–
1
–
0
8
–
2
–
0
Lamar +
4
–
1
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
SW Louisiana
2
–
2
–
1
5
–
4
–
1
Arkansas State
1
–
3
–
1
4
–
4
–
1
Abilene Christian
1
–
4
–
0
5
–
5
–
0
Texas–Arlington
1
–
4
–
0
2
–
9
–
0
Rankings from AP Poll
1971 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Grambling $
5
–
1
–
0
9
–
2
–
0
Jackson State
4
–
1
–
1
9
–
1
–
1
No. 16 UPI Alcorn A&M
4
–
2
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Texas Southern
3
–
2
–
1
7
–
2
–
1
Prairie View A&M
2
–
4
–
0
3
–
7
–
0
Mississippi Valley State
1
–
5
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Southern
1
–
5
–
0
2
–
7
–
1
Rankings from College Division poll
1971 Yankee Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Connecticut +
3
–
1
–
1
5
–
3
–
1
UMass +
3
–
1
–
1
4
–
4
–
1
New Hampshire
3
–
2
–
0
4
–
4
–
1
Rhode Island
2
–
3
–
0
3
–
6
–
0
Vermont
2
–
3
–
0
2
–
7
–
0
Maine
1
–
4
–
0
2
–
6
–
0
+ – Conference co-champions
1971 NCAA College Division independents football records
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 1 Delaware
–
10
–
1
–
0
No. 5 Tennessee State
–
9
–
1
–
0
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
IUP
–
7
–
2
–
0
Appalachian State
–
7
–
3
–
1
Northern Michigan
–
7
–
3
–
0
Hawaii
–
7
–
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
Wayne State (MI)
–
4
–
4
–
0
Hofstra
–
5
–
6
–
0
Cortland
–
4
–
5
–
0
Northeastern
–
4
–
5
–
0
Portland State
–
4
–
5
–
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 Poll
Rankings [ ]
Main article: 1971 NCAA College Division football 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.
College Division 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.[1] [2]
United Press International (coaches) final poll
Published on November 24[3]
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
Associated Press (writers) final poll
Published on November 24[4]
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 ,[5] Delaware won by 50 points in a rout.[6] 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 .[7]
Bowl
Region
Location
Winning team
Losing team
Ref
Boardwalk
East
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Delaware
72
C.W. Post
22
[8]
Grantland Rice
Mideast
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Tennessee State
26
McNeese State
23
[9]
Pioneer
Midwest
Wichita Falls, Texas
Louisiana Tech
14
Eastern Michigan
3
[10]
Camellia
West
Sacramento, California
Boise State
32
Chico State
28
[11]
See also [ ]
References [ ]
^ "Delaware Named Best In Nation", Daily News (Huntingdon, Pa.), Nov. 24, 1971, p4
^ "North Dakota Number Nine", Daily Journal (Fergus Falls, Minnesota), Nov. 24, 1971, p12
^ UPI (November 24, 1971). "Final Small College Poll" . Palladium-Item . Richmond, Indiana. Retrieved February 24, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
^ "AP Football Poll: Small Colleges (final)" . Spokane Daily Chronicle . Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. November 24, 1971. p. 12 – via news.google.com.
^ "Little All-American backs battle in Boardwalk Bowl" . Spokesman-Review . Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. December 11, 1971. p. 22.
^ "East champs win handily in Boardwalk" . Spokesman-Review . Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. December 12, 1971. p. 9, sports.
^ "Eric Guthrie rallies Boise" . Spokesman-Review . (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. December 12, 1971. p. 9, sports.
^ "Delaware thrashes C.W. Post for eastern college supremacy" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . Idaho. Associated Press. December 12, 1971. p. 16.
^ "Gilliam sparks Tennessee State" . Spokesman-Review . Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. December 12, 1971. p. 9, sports.
^ "Louisiana Tech Pioneer winner" . Spokesman-Review . Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. December 12, 1971. p. 9, sports.
^ "Boise State uses fourth quarter rally to take Camellia Bowl win" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . Idaho. Associated Press. December 12, 1971. p. 15.
Pre-NCAA
1869
1870
1871
1872
1873
1874
1875
1876
1877
1878
1879
1880
1881
1882
1883
1884
1885
1886
1887
1888
1889
1890
1891
1892
1893
1894
1895
1896
1897
1898
1899
1900
1901
1902
1903
1904
1905
NCAA pre-divisional NCAA University Division
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
NCAA Division I NCAA Division I-A/FBS NCAA Division I-AA/FCS NCAA College Division NCAA Division II NCAA Division III