The 1972 NAIA Division II football season was the 17th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA and the third season of play of the NAIA's lower division for football.
The season was played from August to November 1972 and culminated in the 1972 NAIA Division II Football National Championship , played on December 9, 1972, in Joplin, Missouri on the campus of Missouri Southern State College .[1]
Missouri Southern defeated Northwestern (IA) in the championship game, 21–14, to win their first NAIA national title. As of 2015, this was the earliest championship to feature a team that remains a NAIA member.
Conference standings [ ]
1972 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Carthage $
7
–
1
–
0
8
–
1
–
0
Millikin
6
–
2
–
0
7
–
2
–
0
Augustana (IL)
5
–
3
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Carroll (WI)
5
–
3
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Elmhurst
5
–
3
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Illinois Wesleyan
4
–
4
–
0
4
–
5
–
0
North Park
2
–
5
–
1
2
–
6
–
1
Wheaton (IL)
1
–
7
–
0
1
–
8
–
0
North Central (IL)
0
–
7
–
1
0
–
7
–
2
1972 Hoosier–Buckeye Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Bluffton $
5
–
2
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Findlay
4
–
2
–
1
5
–
3
–
1
Manchester (IN)
4
–
3
–
0
5
–
5
–
0
Wilmington (OH)
4
–
3
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Taylor
3
–
2
–
2
3
–
4
–
2
Defiance
3
–
4
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Anderson (IN)
2
–
4
–
1
4
–
4
–
1
Hanover
2
–
5
–
0
4
–
5
–
0
Earlham
1
–
6
–
0
2
–
8
–
0
1972 Iowa Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
William Penn +
6
–
1
–
0
9
–
1
–
0
Buena Vista +
6
–
1
–
0
7
–
2
–
0
Central (IA)
5
–
2
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Dubuque
3
–
3
–
1
5
–
4
–
1
Luther
3
–
4
–
0
3
–
6
–
0
Simpson
1
–
4
–
2
2
–
5
–
2
Upper Iowa
1
–
5
–
1
4
–
5
–
1
Wartburg
1
–
6
–
0
3
–
6
–
0
+ – Conference co-champions
1972 Northwest Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Linfield $
6
–
0
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Pacific (OR)
5
–
1
–
0
8
–
1
–
0
Pacific Lutheran
4
–
2
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Lewis & Clark
2
–
3
–
0
3
–
6
–
0
Willamette
2
–
4
–
0
3
–
6
–
0
College of Idaho
1
–
5
–
0
3
–
6
–
0
Whitman
0
–
5
–
0
0
–
8
–
0
Whitworth *
–
7
–
2
–
0
$ – Conference champion * Played only two conference games, ineligible for championship
1972 Tri-State Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Northwestern (IA) $^
5
–
0
–
0
10
–
1
–
0
Westmar
4
–
1
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Concordia (MN)
2
–
3
–
0
4
–
4
–
0
Bethel (MN)
2
–
3
–
0
3
–
6
–
0
Sioux Falls
1
–
4
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Yankton
1
–
4
–
0
2
–
7
–
0
$ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant
Postseason [ ]
See also [ ]
References [ ]
Seasons
Championships
Division I
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
Division II
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
Records & statistics