1972 NAIA Division II football season

Last updated

1972 NAIA Division II football season
Regular seasonAugust–November 1972
PostseasonNovember 25–December 9, 1972
National Championship Joplin, MO
Champions Missouri Southern

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.

Contents

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]

The Missouri Southern Lions defeated the Northwestern Red Raiders 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
ConfOverall
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 champion
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1972 Frontier Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Montana Tech + 3 1 06 3 0
Carroll (MT) + 3 1 04 3 0
Western Montana 2 2 03 5 0
Rocky Mountain 1 3 02 6 0
Eastern Montana 1 3 02 7 0
  • + Conference co-champions
1972 Gateway Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Northland + 1 0 2 ?  ? 0
Northwestern (WI) + 1 0 2 ?  ? 0
Lakeland 1 1 14 5 1
Milton 0 2 14 5 1
  • $ Conference champion
1972 Heart of America Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 11 Ottawa $ 6 1 09 1 0
No. T–18 Missouri Valley 5 2 08 2 0
No. T–18 Graceland 5 2 07 2 0
Central Methodist 5 2 07 3 0
William Jewell 4 3 06 5 0
Tarkio 2 5 02 7 0
College of Emporia 1 6 02 8 0
Baker 0 7 00 9 0
  • $ Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1972 Hoosier–Buckeye Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Bluffton $ 5 2 05 4 0
Findlay 4 2 15 3 1
Manchester (IN) 4 3 05 5 0
Wilmington (OH) 4 3 05 4 0
Taylor 3 2 23 4 2
Defiance 3 4 05 4 0
Anderson (IN) 2 4 14 4 1
Hanover 2 5 04 5 0
Earlham 1 6 02 8 0
  • $ Conference champion
1972 Iowa Conference football standings
ConfOverall
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 1 4 22 5 2
Upper Iowa 1 5 14 5 1
Wartburg 1 6 03 6 0
  • + Conference co-champions
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1972 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Friends $ 6 1 16 3 1
Sterling 5 2 15 3 1
St. Mary of the Plains 5 3 05 4 0
Bethany (KS) 4 3 14 4 1
Southwestern (KS) 4 4 04 5 0
Kansas Wesleyan 3 4 13 5 1
Tabor 3 5 03 6 0
Bethel (KS) 3 5 03 7 0
McPherson 1 7 01 9 0
  • $ Conference champion
1972 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
ConfOverall
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-champions
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1972 Midwest Conference football standings
ConfOverall
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
ConfOverall
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 champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1972 Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 3 Doane $^ 5 0 010 1 0
Concordia (NE) 4 1 07 2 0
Midland 3 2 07 2 0
Nebraska Wesleyan 2 3 04 5 0
Hastings 1 4 03 6 0
Dana 0 5 02 6 0
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1972 North Dakota College Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Minot State + 4 1 06 3 0
Valley City State + 4 1 05 4 0
Jamestown 3 2 05 4 0
Wahpeton Science 2 3 0 ?  ?  ?
Dickinson State 1 4 02 7 0
Mayville State 0 5 01 7 0
  • + Conference co-champions
1972 Northwest Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Linfield $ 6 0 06 3 0
No. 8 Pacific (OR) 5 1 08 1 0
Pacific Lutheran 4 2 06 3 0
Lewis & Clark 2 3 03 6 0
Willamette 2 4 03 6 0
College of Idaho 1 5 03 6 0
Whitman 0 5 00 8 0
Whitworth *   7 2 0
  • $ Conference champion
  • * Played only two conference games, ineligible for championship
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1972 South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Northern State $ 6 0 08 2 0
Huron 4 2 0 ?  ?  ?
Dakota State 3 3 04 5 0
Dakota Wesleyan 3 3 03 6 0
South Dakota Tech 3 3 03 6 0
South Dakota–Springfield 2 4 0 ?  ?  ?
Black Hills State 0 6 01 9 0
  • $ Conference champion
1972 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
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 champion
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1972 Tri-State Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Northwestern (IA) $^ 5 0 010 1 0
Westmar 4 1 05 4 0
Concordia (MN) 2 3 04 4 0
Bethel (MN) 2 3 03 6 0
Sioux Falls 1 4 05 4 0
Yankton 1 4 02 7 0
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1972 NAIA Division II independents football records
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 Missouri Southern ^   12 0 0
No. 12 Geneva   8 1 0
No. 7 Westminster (PA)   7 1 0
No. 4 Franklin (IN) ^   8 3 0
Cal Lutheran   5 5 0
Simon Fraser   4 5 0
Eureka   2 5 1
Missouri Western   3 7 0
Texas Lutheran   3 7 0
Iowa Wesleyan   2 6 1
Azusa Pacific   2 7 0
Georgetown (KY)   2 7 0
Austin   1 8 0
Waynesburg   1 8 0
Grove City   0 8 0
Oklahoma Panhandle State   0 11 0
  • ^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll

Postseason

Semifinals
November 25, 1972
Championship
December 9, 1972
Joplin, MO
      
Doane 6
Missouri Southern * 24
Missouri Southern* 21
Northwestern (IA) 14
Northwestern (IA) 13
Franklin (IN)* 6

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics</span> North American college athletics association

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to their student athletes. $1.3 billion in athletic scholarship financial aid is awarded to student athletes annually. For the 2023–24 season, it had 241 member institutions, of which two are in British Columbia, one in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the rest in the continental United States, with over 83,000 student-athletes participating. The NAIA, whose headquarters is in Kansas City, Missouri, sponsors 28 national championships. CBS Sports Network, formerly called CSTV, serves as the national media outlet for the NAIA. In 2014, ESPNU began carrying the NAIA Football National Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evansville Purple Aces</span> Sports teams the University of Evansville

The Evansville Purple Aces are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of the University of Evansville, located in Evansville, Indiana. The Aces athletic program is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference and competes at the NCAA's Division I level. Evansville's mascot is Ace Purple, and the school colors are purple, white and orange.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pittsburg State Gorillas football</span> Football team

The Pittsburg State Gorillas football team represents Pittsburg State University in collegiate level football. The Pittsburg State football team was formed in 1908, competes in NCAA Division II and is affiliated with the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA). The Gorillas play their home games at Carnie Smith Stadium, more commonly referred to as "The Jungle", in Pittsburg, Kansas. Pittsburg State has won more games than any other program in NCAA Division II history. It has won four national championships and 27 conference championships, including 13 conference titles in 20 seasons under former head coach Chuck Broyles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Missouri Southern Lions football</span>

The Missouri Southern Lions football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Missouri Southern State University located in the U.S. state of Missouri. The team competes in the NCAA Division II and are members of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The team plays its home games at the 7,000 seat Fred G. Hughes Stadium in Joplin, Missouri. Atiba Bradley was named the 14th head football coach in the history of Missouri Southern on February 5, 2021.

The 1972 NAIA Division I football season was the 17th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA and the third season of the league's two-division structure.

The 1976 NAIA Division I football season was the 21st season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the seventh season of play of the NAIA's top division for football.

The 1974 NAIA Division II football season was the 19th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA and the fifth season of play of the NAIA's lower division for football.

The 1973 NAIA Division II football season was the 18th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA and the fourth season of play of the NAIA's lower division for football.

The 1978 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1978 college football season in the United States and the 23rd season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the ninth season of play of the NAIA's lower division for football.

The 1979 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1979 college football season in the United States and the 24th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 10th season of play of the NAIA's lower division for football.

The 1982 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1982 college football season in the United States and the 27th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 13th season of play of the NAIA's lower division for football.

The 1984 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1984 college football season in the United States and the 29th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 15th season of play of the NAIA's lower division for football.

The 1988 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1988 college football season in the United States and the 33rd season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 19th season of play of the NAIA division II for football.

The 1989 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1989 college football season in the United States and the 34th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 20th season of play of the NAIA Division II for football.

The 1990 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1990 college football season in the United States and the 35th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 21st season of play of the NAIA division II for football.

The 1996 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1996 college football season in the United States and the 41st season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 27th season of play of the NAIA division II for football.

The 1991 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1991 college football season in the United States and the 36th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 22nd season of play of the NAIA's division II for football.

The 1992 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1992 college football season in the United States and the 37th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 23rd season of play of the NAIA division II for football.

The 1972 Missouri Southern Lions football team represented Missouri Southern State College during the 1972 NAIA Division II football season, and completed the 6th season of Lion football at the senior college level. The Lions played their home games in Joplin, Missouri. The 1972 team came off a 4–6 record from the prior season. The 1972 team was headed by coach Jim Frazier. The team finished the regular season with an undefeated 10–0 record and made the program's first appearance in the NAIA playoffs. They won their first NAIA Division II Football National Championship with a 21–14 win over Northwestern College.

The 2016 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level, began on September 1, 2016 and ended with the NCAA Division II Football Championship on December 17, 2016 at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas. Northwest Missouri State successfully defended its national title from the previous season by defeating North Alabama, 29–3.

References

  1. "NAIA Championship History" (PDF). NAIA. pp. 4–11. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2015. Retrieved November 22, 2015.