1974 NCAA Division II football season

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1974 NCAA Division II football season
Regular seasonSeptember – November 1974
PlayoffsNovember – December 1974
National ChampionshipHughes Stadium
Sacramento, CA
ChampionCentral Michigan
  • ← 1973
  • NCAA Division II football seasons
  • 1975 →

The 1974 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began in September and concluded with the Division II Championship on December 14 at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, California.

Central Michigan defeated Delaware 54–15 in the Camellia Bowl to win their only Division II national title.[1][2] CMU moved up to Division I in 1975.

Conference standings[]

1974 Big Sky Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 5 Boise State $^ 6 – 0 – 0 10 – 2 – 0
Montana State 4 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Idaho 2 – 2 – 1 2 – 8 – 1
Montana 2 – 3 – 1 3 – 6 – 1
Northern Arizona 2 – 3 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Idaho State 2 – 4 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Weber State 1 – 5 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA College Division AP Poll
1974 California Collegiate Athletic Association football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
UC Riverside $ 4 – 0 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
Cal Poly 2 – 1 – 1 5 – 4 – 1
Cal Poly Pomona 1 – 1 – 2 5 – 3 – 2
Cal State Northridge 1 – 3 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
Cal State Los Angeles 0 – 3 – 1 5 – 4 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion
1974 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Norfolk State $ 8 – 0 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
Virginia Union 7 – 1 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
Livingstone 5 – 1 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
Johnson C. Smith 4 – 2 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Hampton 3 – 4 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Elizabeth City State 3 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Winston-Salem State 3 – 5 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Virginia State 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Shaw 2 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
Fayetteville State 2 – 6 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Saint Paul's (VA) 0 – 6 – 0 1 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1974 Far Western Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
UC Davis $ 5 – 0 – 0 9 – 1 – 0
San Francisco State 2 – 3 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Humboldt State 2 – 3 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
Chico State 2 – 3 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Cal State Hayward 2 – 3 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Sacramento State 2 – 3 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from College Division poll
1974 Gulf South Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Jacksonville State $ 7 – 1 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Delta State 7 – 2 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
Livingston 5 – 3 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
Southeastern Louisiana 5 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Troy State 4 – 4 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
North Alabama 4 – 4 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
Nicholls State 4 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Northwestern State 1 – 6 – 0 1 – 10 – 0
Tennessee–Martin 1 – 7 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
Mississippi College 0 – 7 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1974 Indiana Collegiate Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Butler $ 6 – 0 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
Evansville ^ 5 – 1 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
DePauw 4 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Indiana Central 2 – 4 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Wabash 2 – 4 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Valparaiso 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Saint Joseph's (IN) 0 – 6 – 0 0 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
1974 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
South Carolina State $ 5 – 1 – 0 8 – 4 – 0
Howard 4 – 1 – 1 8 – 2 – 1
North Carolina Central 4 – 1 – 1 7 – 2 – 2
Morgan State 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
North Carolina A&T 2 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Maryland Eastern Shore 1 – 5 – 0 2 – 6 – 0
Delaware State 0 – 6 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1974 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
NW Missouri State $ 5 – 1 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
Missouri–Rolla 4 – 1 – 1 6 – 4 – 1
SW Missouri State 4 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
SE Missouri State 4 – 2 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
NE Missouri State 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Central Missouri State 1 – 4 – 1 3 – 7 – 1
Lincoln (MO) * 0 – 6 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
1974 North Central Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
South Dakota + 5 – 2 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
North Dakota State + 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
North Dakota + 5 – 2 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
South Dakota State 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Mankato State 3 – 3 – 1 5 – 4 – 1
Northern Iowa 3 – 3 – 1 5 – 4 – 1
Augustana (SD) 2 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
Morningside 0 – 7 – 0 0 – 9 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
1974 Ohio Valley Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Eastern Kentucky $ 6 – 1 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
Murray State 5 – 2 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
Western Kentucky 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Tennessee Tech 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
East Tennessee State 3 – 3 – 1 4 – 6 – 1
Middle Tennessee 2 – 5 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
Austin Peay 1 – 5 – 1 3 – 7 – 1
Morehead State 1 – 6 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1974 Southland Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 2 Louisiana Tech $^ 5 – 0 – 0 11 – 1 – 0
Lamar 4 – 1 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
Arkansas State 3 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
McNeese State 2 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 1
Texas–Arlington 1 – 4 – 0 1 – 10 – 0
SW Louisiana 0 – 5 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AP Poll
1974 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 14 AP / #13 UPI Alcorn State +^   5 – 1     9 – 2  
No. 7 AP / #6 UPI Grambling State +   5 – 1     11 – 1  
Jackson State   4 – 2     7 – 3  
Southern   3 – 3     8 – 3  
Texas Southern   3 – 3     6 – 4  
Mississippi Valley State   1 – 5     5 – 5  
Prairie View A&M   0 – 6     0 – 10  
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – College Division playoff participant
Rankings from College Division poll
1974 Virginia College Athletic Association football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Virginia Union 2 – 0 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
Randolph–Macon 4 – 0 – 1 6 – 2 – 1
Hampden–Sydney 4 – 1 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Virginia State 2 – 1 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Madison 3 – 2 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Hampton 1 – 2 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Bridgewater 1 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Washington and Lee 0 – 2 – 1 1 – 8 – 1
Emory & Henry 0 – 3 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
Saint Paul's (VA) 0 – 3 – 0 1 – 8 – 0
1974 Yankee Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
UMass + 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Maine + 4 – 2 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
New Hampshire 3 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Rhode Island 3 – 3 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Boston University 3 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 1
Connecticut 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
Vermont 1 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
1974 NCAA Division II independents football records
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Central Michigan ^   –   12 – 1 – 0
No. 6 UNLV ^   –   12 – 1 – 0
No. 4 Delaware ^   –   12 – 2 – 0
Tennessee State   –   8 – 2 – 0
No. 12 Youngstown State ^   –   8 – 2 – 0
Santa Clara   –   7 – 3 – 0
Wayne State (MI)   –   7 – 3 – 0
Northeastern   –   6 – 4 – 0
Central State (OH)   –   6 – 5 – 0
Akron   –   5 – 5 – 0
Indiana State   –   5 – 5 – 0
Nevada   –   5 – 6 – 0
Portland State   –   5 – 6 – 0
American International   –   4 – 5 – 0
Eastern Michigan   –   4 – 6 – 1
Milwaukee   –   4 – 6 – 0
Northeast Louisiana   –   4 – 6 – 0
Eastern Illinois   –   3 – 6 – 1
Arkansas–Pine Bluff   –   3 – 5 – 0
Chattanooga   –   4 – 7 – 0
Nebraska–Omaha   –   3 – 7 – 0
Bucknell   –   2 – 8 – 0
Northern Michigan   –   0 – 10 – 0
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from Associated Press poll

Conference summaries[]

See also: List of NCAA Division II football seasons
Conference Champion(s)
Big Sky Conference Boise State
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Norfolk State
Far Western Football Conference UC Davis
Gulf South Conference Jacksonville State
Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association Northwest Missouri State
North Central Conference North Dakota State, North Dakota, and South Dakota
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Division II) Tuskegee
Yankee Conference Maine and Massachusetts

Postseason[]

1974 NCAA Division II Football Championship
Teams8
Finals Site
Champion
  • Central Michigan
  • (1st title, 1st title game)
Runner-up
Semifinalists
  • Louisiana Tech
  • UNLV
Winning coach
  • Roy Kramer
  • 1st championship

The 1974 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the second single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of NCAA Division II college football.

The four quarterfinal games were played on campus and all four host teams advanced. The semifinals were the Pioneer Bowl in Wichita Falls, Texas, and the Grantland Rice Bowl in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The championship game was the Camellia Bowl, held at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, California for the second consecutive year. The Central Michigan Chippewas defeated the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens 54–14 to win their first national title.[1][3] After opening with a home loss to Division I Kent State, CMU won twelve straight to finish as D-II champions.[1]

Playoff bracket[]

First round
Campus sites

November 30 		Semifinals
Pioneer Bowl
Grantland Rice Bowl
December 7 		Championship
Camellia Bowl
Hughes Stadium
Sacramento, CA
December 14
         
Central Michigan * 20
Boise State 6
Central Michigan 35
Louisiana Tech 14
Louisiana Tech * 10
Western Carolina 7
Central Michigan 54
Delaware 14
UNLV * 35
Alcorn State 22
UNLV 11
Delaware 49
Delaware * 35
Youngstown State 14

* Denotes host institution

Rankings[]

Main article: 1974 NCAA College Division football rankings

In 1974, United Press International (UPI) and the Associated Press (AP) ranked teams in their College Division or "small college" polls – which had started in 1958 and 1960, respectively – for the final time. UPI published their final poll at the end of the regular season, while the AP waited until postseason games had been completed. UPI's number one selection was the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, who during the regular season were 10–0 while outscoring opponents 294–103. The Bulldogs later lost in the playoffs to the Central Michigan Chippewas, winners of the tournament. AP's number one selection was the Chippewas, who were 9–1 during the regular season and finished with an overall record of 12–1 while outscoring opponents 450–127.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Central Michigan destroys Delaware". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 15, 1974. p. 6D.
  2. ^ "1974 NCAA Division II National Football Championship Bracket" (PDF). NCAA. NCAA.org. p. 13. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  3. ^ "1974 NCAA Division II Football Championship Bracket" (PDF). NCAA. NCAA.org. p. 13. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
  4. ^ "Louisiana Tech Wins UPI Football Title". The Minneapolis Star. Minneapolis, MN. November 27, 1974. p. 2D. Retrieved July 30, 2021 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  5. ^ "A.P. final small college football ranking". Great Bend Tribune. Great Bend, Kansas. Associated Press. December 24, 1974. p. 3. Retrieved July 30, 2021 – via Newspapers.com open access.
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