1973 small college football rankings | |
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No. 1: Tennessee State | |
Small college football rankings (AP, UPI) | |
«1972 1974» |
The 1973 small college football rankings are rankings of college football teams representing smaller college and university teams during the 1973 NCAA Division II, Division III, and NAIA football seasons. Separate rankings were published by the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press International (UPI). The AP rankings were selected by a board of sports writers, and the UPI rankings were selected by a board of small-college coaches.
Instead of using the polls to crown a national champion, 1973 was the first year for the Division II and III playoffs. The final UPI poll was released before the playoffs, and the final AP poll was released after the playoffs.
The 1973 Tennessee State Tigers football team (10–0) was rated No. 1 by both the AP and UPI. Louisiana Tech (12–1) was ranked No. 2 by the AP and No. 3 by the UPI and then defeated Western Kentucky in the NCAA Division II championship game. Wittenberg (12–0) was ranked No. 4 by the AP and No. 5 by the UPI and went on to defeat Juniata in the NCAA Division III championship game/Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl.
Increase in ranking | ||
Decrease in ranking | ||
Not ranked previous week | ||
(#–#) | Win–loss record | |
(Italics) | Number of first place votes | |
т | Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |
Week 1 Sept 19 [1] | Week 2 Sept 26 [2] | Week 3 Oct 3 [3] | Week 4 Oct 10 [4] | Week 5 Oct 17 [5] | Week 6 Oct 24 [6] | Week 7 Oct 31 [7] | Week 8 Nov 7 [8] | Week 9 Nov 14 [9] | Week 10 Nov 21 [10] | Week 11 Nov 28 [11] | Week Postseason [12] | ||
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1. | Delaware (2–0) (23) | Delaware (3–0) (30) | Delaware (4–0) (27) | Delaware (5–0) (39) | Delaware (6–0) (32) | Tennessee State (6–0) (27) | Tennessee State (7–0) (28) | Tennessee State (8–0) (28) | Tennessee State (9–0) (26) | Tennessee State (10–0) (31) | Tennessee State (10–0) (25) | Tennessee State (10–0) (17) | 1. |
2. | Grambling (2–0) (3) | Grambling (3–0) (5) | Grambling (4–0) (7) | Tennessee State (4–0) (1) | Tennessee State (5–0) (4) | Delaware (6–1) (5) | Hawaii (6–0) (6) | Hawaii (7–0) (5) | Hawaii (8–0) (4) | Western Kentucky (10–0) (3) | Western Kentucky (10–0) (4) | Louisiana Tech (12–1) (21) | 2. |
3. | Tennessee State (2–0) (1) | South Dakota (3–0) (1) | South Dakota (4–0) (7) | Cal Poly (3–0) | Cal Poly (4–0) | Hawaii (5–0) (2) | Western Kentucky (7–0) (2) | Western Kentucky (8–0) (3) | Western Kentucky (9–0) (3) | Louisiana Tech (10–1) (1) | Louisiana Tech (10–1) | Western Kentucky (12–1) | 3. |
4. | South Dakota State (2–0) (2) | Tennessee State (3–0) | Eastern Michigan (4–0) | Hawaii (4–0) | Hawaii (4–0) | Cal Poly (5–0) (6) | Cal Poly (6–0) (5) | Cal Poly (7–0) (3) | Cal Poly (8–0) (4) | Wittenberg (10–0) (2) | Wittenberg (10–0) (2) | Wittenberg (12–0) (1) | 4. |
5. | North Dakota State (3–0) (4) | Eastern Michigan (3–0) (1) | Cal Poly (3–0) | Boise State (4–0) | Grambling (5–1) | Western Kentucky (6–0) (2) | South Dakota (7–1) | Louisiana Tech (8–1) (1) | Louisiana Tech (9–1) | Grambling (9–2) | Grambling (9–2) | Boise State (10–3) т | 5. |
6. | Eastern Michigan (2–0) (2) | Hawaii (2–0) (1) | Hawaii (3–0) (1) | Grambling (4–1) | Western Kentucky (5–0) | South Dakota (6–1) | Louisiana Tech (7–1) | Wittenberg (8–0) (2) | Wittenberg (9–0) (2) | Hawaii (8–1) т | Elon (11–0) (1) | Abilene Christian (11–1) т | 6. |
7. | Cal Poly (1–0) [note 1] | Ashland (3–0) | Tennessee State (3–0) (1) | Louisiana Tech (4–1) | South Dakota (5–1) | Wittenberg (6–0) (1) | Wittenberg (7–0) (2) | Elon (9–0) (1) | Grambling (8–2) | Elon (11–0) (2) т | Boise State (9–2) | Grambling (10–3) | 7. |
8. | North Dakota (2–0) | Cal Poly (2–0) | Boise State (3–0) | South Dakota (4–1) | Louisiana Tech (5–1) | Louisiana Tech (6–1) | North Dakota State (8–1) (1) | Grambling (7–2) | Elon (10–0) (1) | Boise State (8–2) (1) | Abilene Christian (9–1) | Cal Poly (9–1) | 8. |
9. | Ashland (2–0) | Louisiana Tech (2–1) | Louisiana Tech (3–1) | Eastern Michigan (4–1) | Wittenberg (5–0) | Grambling (6–1) | Boise State (6–1) | UNLV (6–2) | UNLV (7–2) | Cal Poly (8–1) | Cal Poly (9–1) | Hawaii (9–2) | 9. |
10. | Boise State (1–0) | Boise State (2–0) | Carson–Newman (3–0) | North Dakota State (5–1) | North Dakota State (6–1) | North Dakota State (7–1) | Delaware (6–2) | North Dakota State (8–2) | Boise State (7–2) | Abilene Christian (9–1) (1) | South Dakota (8–2) | Elon (12–1) | 10. |
11. | Hawaii (1–0) (2) т | Carson–Newman (3–0) | Jacksonville State (3–0) | Western Kentucky (4–0) | Boise State (4–1) | Boise State (5–1) | Elon (8–0) (1) | Boise State (6–2) | North Dakota State (8–3) | South Dakota (8–2) | Hawaii (8–2) | South Dakota (8–3) | 11. |
12. | Louisiana Tech (1–1) (1) т | McNeese State (2–0) (1) | North Dakota State (4–1) | Carson–Newman (4–0) | Eastern Michigan (4–1) | UNLV (6–1) | UNLV (6–2) | Carson–Newman (7–1) | South Dakota (8–2) | Delaware (8–3) | Delaware (8–3) | Jacksonville State (7–2) | 12. |
13. | McNeese State (1–0) | Northwestern State (3–0) [note 2] | Western Kentucky (3–0) | Wittenberg (4–0) | UNLV (5–1) [note 3] | Elon (7–0) (1) | Grambling (6–2) | South Dakota (7–2) | Abilene Christian (8–1) | North Dakota State (8–2) | North Dakota State (8–2) | Delaware (8–3) | 13. |
14. | Carson–Newman (2–0) | North Dakota (1–2) т | Manual (1–0–2) | North Dakota (3–2) | Elon (6–0) | Western Illinois (4–2) (1) | Carson–Newman (6–1) | Delaware (6–3) | Delaware (7–3) | Langston (10–0) | Langston (11–0) (1) | North Dakota State (8–2) | 14. |
15. | Jackson State (2–0) (1) | North Dakota State (3–1) т | North Dakota (2–2) | Jacksonville State (3–1) | Carson–Newman (4–1) | Carson–Newman (5–1) | Eastern Michigan (5–2) | Montana State (7–2) | McNeese State (6–3) | Jacksonville State (7–2) | Jacksonville State (7–2) | Langston (11–1) | 15. |
Week 1 Sept 19 [13] | Week 2 Sept 26 [14] | Week 3 Oct 3 [15] | Week 4 Oct 10 [16] | Week 5 Oct 17 [17] | Week 6 Oct 24 [18] | Week 7 Oct 31 [19] | Week 8 Nov 7 [20] | Week 9 Nov 14 [21] | Week 10 Nov 21 [22] | Week 11 Nov 28 [23] | Week Postseason [24] | ||
Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped: 14 Northeast Louisiana | Dropped:
| Dropped: 12 Eastern Michigan | Dropped: 14 Western Illinois | Dropped: 15 Eastern Michigan | Dropped:
| Dropped:
| None | None |
Week Sept 19 [25] | Week 1 Sept 26 [26] | Week 2 Oct 3 [27] | Week 3 Oct 10 [28] | Week 4 Oct 17 [29] | Week 5 Oct 24 [30] | Week 6 Oct 31 [31] | Week 7 Nov 7 [32] | Week 8 Nov 14 [33] | Week 9 Nov 21 [34] | Week 10 Nov 28 [35] | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Delaware (2–0) (24) | Delaware (3–0) (26) | Delaware (4–0) (19) | Delaware (5–0) (24) | Delaware (6–0) (27) | Tennessee State (6–0) (20) | Tennessee State (7–0) (21) | Tennessee State (8–0) (23) | Tennessee State (9–0) (20) | Tennessee State (10–0) (25) | Tennessee State (10–0) (27) | 1. |
2. | Grambling (2–0) | Grambling (3–0) (2) | Grambling (4–0) (4) | Tennessee State (4–0) (1) | Tennessee State (5–0) (3) | Hawaii (5–0) (6) | Hawaii (6–0) (5) | Hawaii (7–0) (6) | Hawaii (8–0) (6) | Western Kentucky (10–0) (4) | Western Kentucky (10–0) (3) | 2. |
3. | South Dakota (2–0) (2) | South Dakota (3–0) (1) | South Dakota (4–0) (3) | Hawaii (4–0) (1) | Hawaii (4–0) (1) | Cal Poly (5–0) (2) | Cal Poly (6–0) (3) | Western Kentucky (7–0) (2) | Western Kentucky (9–0) (4) | Louisiana Tech (8–1) (1) | Louisiana Tech (9–1) (1) | 3. |
4. | Hawaii (1–0) (1) | Hawaii (2–0) (2) | Eastern Michigan (4–0) (3) | Boise State (4–0) (5) | Cal Poly (4–0) | Western Kentucky (5–0) (2) | Western Kentucky (6–0) (2) | Cal Poly (7–0) (1) | Cal Poly (8–0) (3) | Wittenberg (9–0) | Abilene Christian (9–1) | 4. |
5. | Tennessee State (2–0) | Eastern Michigan (3–0) | Hawaii (3–0) (3) | Cal Poly (3–0) | Western Kentucky (4–0) (2) | Delaware (6–1) (1) | Louisiana Tech (6–1) | Louisiana Tech (7–1) | Louisiana Tech (7–1) (1) | Abilene Christian (9–1) | Wittenberg (9–0) | 5. |
6. | North Dakota State (3–0) | Tennessee State (3–0) | Cal Poly (3–0) | Western Kentucky (3–0) (1) | Grambling (5–1) | Louisiana Tech (5–1) | Boise State (6–1) (1) | Wittenberg (8–0) | Wittenberg (9–0) | Elon (11–0) | Elon (11–0) | 6. |
7. | Eastern Michigan (2–0) | Cal Poly (2–0) (1) | Tennessee State (3–0) | Grambling (4–1) | Louisiana Tech (4–1) | Grambling (6–1) | South Dakota (7–1) | Elon (9–0) (1) | Elon (10–0) (1) | Hawaii (8–1) | Grambling (9–2) | 7. |
8. | Cal Poly (1–0) (1) | Ashland (3–0) | Boise State (3–0) | Louisiana Tech (3–1) | Boise State (4–1) | Boise State (5–1) (1) | North Dakota State (6–1) | Abilene Christian (7–1) | Abilene Christian (8–1) | Boise State (8–2) | Boise State (9–2) | 8. |
9. | Ashland (2–0) | Northwestern State (3–0) (1) | Western Kentucky (3–0) (1) | North Dakota State (4–1) | South Dakota (5–1) | South Dakota (6–1) | Wittenberg (7–0) | Montana State (7–2) (1) | Grambling (8–2) | Grambling (9–2) | Cal Poly (9–1) | 9. |
10. | Northwestern State (2–0) | Boise State (2–0) | Louisiana Tech (2–1) | Carson–Newman (4–0) | UNLV (4–1) | North Dakota State (6–1) | Elon (8–0) (1) | Grambling (7–2) | UNLV (8–2) | Cal Poly (8–1) | Delaware (8–3) | 10. |
11. | North Dakota (1–1) | Louisiana Tech (1–1) | North Dakota State (3–1) | Wittenberg (4–0) т | Elon (6–0) | UNLV (5–1) | Abilene Christian (6–1) | Boise State (6–2) | Boise State (7–2) | Jacksonville State (7–2) | Jacksonville State (7–2) | 11. |
12. | Carson–Newman (2–0) | Carson–Newman (3–0) | Wittenberg (3–0) | Troy State (4–0–1) т | Wittenberg (5–0) | Elon (7–0) (1) | Montana State (6–2) (1) | Howard Payne (8–1) | Jacksonville State (6–2) | C.W. Post (9–1) | Langston (10–0) | 12. |
13. | Western Kentucky (1–0) | North Dakota State (3–1) | Carson–Newman (3–0) | South Dakota (4–1) | North Dakota State (5–1) | Troy State (6–0–1) | Delaware (6–2) | UNLV (6–2) | Howard Payne (9–1) | Delaware | Hawaii (8–2) | 13. |
14. | McNeese State (1–0) (1) | Western Kentucky (2–0) | Northern Colorado (3–0) | Elon (5–0) (1) | Troy State (5–0–1) | Wittenberg (6–0) | Grambling (6–2) | Connecticut (6–2) | Connecticut (7–2) | Langston (10–0) | C.W. Post (10–1) | 14. |
15. | Bridgeport (1–0) (1) | Jacksonville State (3–0) | Jacksonville State (3–0) | East Texas State (4–1) | Eastern Michigan (4–1) | Abilene Christian (5–1) | Emporia State (7–0) | Jacksonville State (5–2) | C.W. Post (8–1) | Nebraska–Omaha (7–2–1) | South Dakota (8–2) | 15. |
16. | Idaho State (1–1) | Montana State (3–2) | 16. | |||||||||
17. | Jacksonville State (2–0) | UNLV (4–1) | 17. | |||||||||
18. | Arkansas State (2–0) | Emporia State (4–0) | 18. | |||||||||
19. | Louisiana Tech (0–1) | Eastern Michigan (4–1) | 19. | |||||||||
20. | UMass (1–1) [note 4] | St. Thomas (MN) (5–0) | 20. | |||||||||
Week Sept 19 [36] | Week 1 Sept 26 [37] | Week 2 Oct 3 [38] | Week 3 Oct 10 [39] | Week 4 Oct 17 [40] | Week 5 Oct 24 [41] | Week 6 Oct 31 [42] | Week 7 Nov 7 [43] | Week 8 Nov 14 [44] | Week 9 Nov 21 [45] | Week 10 Nov 28 [46] | ||
Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped: 15 Eastern Michigan | Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped: 9 Montana State | Dropped:
| Dropped: 15 Nebraska–Omaha |
Jet magazine ranked the top 1973 teams from historically black colleges and universities based on a poll of coaches and conference commissioners.
The poll was published on December 6. [47]
The 1973 Western Kentucky football team represented Western Kentucky University during the inaugural 1973 NCAA Division II football season. The team came off an 7–3 record from the prior season and was led by coach Jimmy Feix. They finished the regular season undefeated and won the Ohio Valley Conference championship. The Hilltoppers made the initial NCAA Division II Football Championship, winning their first two playoff games, including a win over Grambling in the Grantland Rice Bowl, before falling in the championship game to Louisiana Tech in the Camellia Bowl. Their rankings in the final polls were UPI 2 and AP 3.
The 1959 small college football rankings are rankings of college football teams representing smaller college and university teams during the 1959 college football season and the 1959 NAIA football season. The rankings were prepared and published by United Press International (UPI). The Associated Press (AP) did not begin publishing small-college rankings until 1960.
The 1960 small college football rankings are rankings of college football teams representing smaller college and university teams during the 1960 college football season. Separate rankings were published by the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press International (UPI). The AP rankings were selected by a board of experts, and the UPI rankings were selected by a board of 47 small-college coaches from throughout the country.
The 1966 small college football rankings are rankings of college football teams representing smaller college and university teams during the 1966 college football season, including the 1966 NCAA College Division football season and the 1966 NAIA football season. Separate rankings were published by the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press International (UPI). The AP rankings were selected by a board of sports writers, and the UPI rankings were selected by a board of small-college coaches.
The 1964 small college football rankings are rankings of college football teams representing smaller college and university teams during the 1964 college football season, including the 1964 NCAA College Division football season and the 1964 NAIA football season. Separate rankings were published by the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press International (UPI). The AP rankings were selected by a board of sports writers, and the UPI rankings were selected by a board of small-college coaches.
The 1965 small college football rankings are rankings of college football teams representing smaller college and university teams during the 1965 college football season, including the 1965 NCAA College Division football season and the 1965 NAIA football season. Separate rankings were published by the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press International (UPI). The AP rankings were selected by a board of sports writers, and the UPI rankings were selected by a board of small-college coaches.
The 1967 small college football rankings are rankings of college football teams representing smaller college and university teams during the 1967 college football season, including the 1967 NCAA College Division football season and the 1967 NAIA football season. Separate rankings were published by the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press International (UPI). The AP rankings were selected by a board of sports writers, and the UPI rankings were selected by a board of small-college coaches.
The 1968 small college football rankings are rankings of college football teams representing smaller college and university teams during the 1968 college football season, including the 1968 NCAA College Division football season and the 1968 NAIA football season. Separate rankings were published by the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press International (UPI). The AP rankings were selected by a board of sports writers, and the UPI rankings were selected by a board of small-college coaches.
The 1969 small college football rankings are rankings of college football teams representing smaller college and university teams during the 1969 college football season, including the 1969 NCAA College Division football season and the 1969 NAIA football season. Separate rankings were published by the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press International (UPI). The AP rankings were selected by a board of sports writers, and the UPI rankings were selected by a board of small-college coaches.
The 1962 small college football rankings are rankings of college football teams representing smaller college and university teams during the 1962 college football season, including the 1962 NCAA College Division football season and the 1962 NAIA football season. Separate rankings were published by the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press International (UPI). The AP rankings were selected by a board of eight sports writers, and the UPI rankings were selected by a board of small-college coaches from throughout the country.
The 1963 small college football rankings are rankings of college football teams representing smaller college and university teams during the 1963 college football season, including the 1963 NCAA College Division football season and the 1963 NAIA football season. Separate rankings were published by the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press International (UPI). The AP rankings were selected by a board of sports writers, and the UPI rankings were selected by a board of small-college coaches.
The 1970 small college football rankings are rankings of college football teams representing smaller college and university teams during the 1970 college football season, including the 1970 NCAA College Division football season and the 1970 NAIA football season. Separate rankings were published by the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press International (UPI). The AP rankings were selected by a board of sports writers, and the UPI rankings were selected by a board of small-college coaches.
The 1971 small college football rankings are rankings of college football teams representing smaller college and university teams during the 1971 college football season, including the 1971 NCAA College Division football season and the 1971 NAIA football season. Separate rankings were published by the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press International (UPI). The AP rankings were selected by a board of sports writers, and the UPI rankings were selected by a board of small-college coaches.
The 1972 small college football rankings are rankings of college football teams representing smaller college and university teams during the 1972 college football season, including the 1972 NCAA College Division football season and the 1972 NAIA football season. Separate rankings were published by the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press International (UPI). The AP rankings were selected by a board of sports writers, and the UPI rankings were selected by a board of small-college coaches.
The 1974 small college football rankings were conducted via polls of head football coaches by United Press International (UPI) and via polls of sportswriters and broadcasters by the Associated Press (AP).
The 1975 NCAA Division II football rankings are from United Press International and from Associated Press. The 1975 NCAA Division II football season was the first year UPI published a Division II poll. 1975 was also the 16th year AP published a "College Division" poll.
The 1966 NCAA College Division football season was the 11th season of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the NCAA College Division level.
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.
The UPI small college football rankings was a system used by the United Press International (UPI) from 1958 to 1974 to rank the best small college football teams in the United States.
The AP small college football rankings was a system used by the Associated Press (AP) from 1960 to 1974 to rank the best small college football teams in the United States.