Champions Nebraska Cornhuskers Total # of teams 128 | Start date 1971 Number of bowls 12 | |
Preseason AP #1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Regular season September 10 – December 4, 1971 Bowl games December 18, 1971 – January 1, 1972 Heisman Pat Sullivan, Auburn QB People also search for 1970 college football season | ||
The 1971 NCAA University Division football season saw Coach Bob Devaney's Nebraska Cornhuskers repeat as national champions. Ranked a close second behind Notre Dame in the preseason poll, Nebraska moved up to first place the following week, remained there for the rest of 1971, and convincingly won the Orange Bowl 38–6 in a #1 vs. #2 game against Alabama.
Contents
- Rule changes
- Conference and program changes
- September
- October
- November
- December
- Conference standings
- Major bowls
- Other bowls
- College Division
- College Division final polls
- College Division bowls
- NAIA
- Heisman Trophy
- References
During the 20th century, the NCAA had no playoff for major college football in its University Division (now the Football Bowl Subdivision in Division I). The NCAA Football Guide, however, did note an "unofficial national champion" based on the top ranked teams in the "wire service" (AP and UPI) polls. The "writers' poll" by Associated Press (AP) was the most popular, followed by the "coaches' poll" by United Press International) (UPI). Prior to the 1974 season, the UPI issued its final poll before the bowls, but since the 1968 season, the AP Trophy was withheld until the postseason was completed. The AP poll in 1971 consisted of the votes of as many as 55 sportswriters, though not all of them voted in every poll. Those who cast votes would give their opinion of the ten best teams. Under a point system of 20 points for first place, 19 for second, etc., the "overall" ranking was determined.
Rule changes
Conference and program changes
September
In the preseason poll released on September 6, Notre Dame was ranked #1, with defending champion Nebraska was second. Nebraska had more first place votes (26) than Notre Dame (15), but fewer points overall (870 vs. 885). Texas, Michigan and USC rounded out the Top Five. The poll was 1.Notre Dame 2.Nebraska 3.Texas 4.Michigan 5.USC
September 10–11
On Friday night in Los Angeles, Alabama beat #5 USC, 17–10, marking a successful debut for Bear Bryant's new Wishbone offense. The next day, #2 Nebraska won its opener at home, 34–7 over Oregon. #4 Michigan won 21–6 at #20 Northwestern. Notre Dame and Texas did not start their seasons until the following week. In the poll that followed, Nebraska received 31 of the 50 first place votes, while Ohio State took USC's #5 spot.
The poll was 1.Nebraska 2.Notre Dame 3.Texas 4.Michigan 5.Ohio State
September 18
Nebraska beat Minnesota 35–7, and #3 Texas won its opener 28–10 at UCLA. #2 Notre Dame opened with 50–7 win over Northwestern, #4 Michigan shut out Virginia 56–0, and #6 Auburn beat UT-Chattanooga 60–7,; they moved up to #5, as idle Ohio State dropped to sixth.
Poll: 1.Nebraska 2.Notre Dame 3.Texas 4.Michigan 5.Auburn
September 25
Nebraska beat Texas A&M, 34–7, and #3 Texas beat Texas Tech 28–0. #2 Notre Dame narrowly won at Purdue, 8–7, and #4 Michigan beat visiting UCLA, 38–0. #6 Ohio State lost 20–14 to visiting #10 Colorado. #5 Auburn edged #9 Tennessee at home, 10–9. Michigan and Notre Dame traded places in the poll that followed.
Poll: 1.Nebraska 2.Michigan 3.Texas 4.Notre Dame 5.Auburn
October
October 2
Fifteen of the Top 20 teams remained unbeaten, including the Top 12. Nebraska handled Utah State in Lincoln, 42–6, while #2 Michigan registered its third straight shutout at home, beating Navy 46–0. #3 Texas defeated Oregon 35–7, #4 Notre Dame beat Michigan State 14–2, and fell to seventh in the next poll. #5 Auburn beat Kentucky 38–6, and #6 Colorado rose to fifth after beating Kansas State 31–21.
Poll: 1.Nebraska 2.Michigan 3.Texas 4.Auburn 5.Colorado
October 9
The top 9 teams improved their records to 4–0 or 5–0. In their first Big Eight conference game and first on the road, #1 Nebraska shut out Missouri 36–0. #3 Texas lost to #8 Oklahoma in their rivlary game at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, 48–27, while #2 Michigan won at Michigan State, 24–13. #4 Auburn beat Southern Miss 27–14, and #5 Colorado won 24–14 at Iowa State, but dropped in the poll to sixth, while #6 Alabama won 42–0 at Vanderbilt and rose to fourth. Texas dropped to tenth place, while Oklahoma rose to second.
The poll: 1.Nebraska 2.Oklahoma 3.Michigan 4.Alabama 5.Auburn
October 16
Top-ranked Nebraska crushed Kansas 55–0, raising its record to 6–0 and outscoring its opposition 238–27. #2 Oklahoma beat visiting #6 Colorado 45–17 and #3 Michigan beat Illinois 35–6. #4 Alabama beat #14 Tennessee 32–15 at Birmingham and #5 Auburn won over Georgia Tech in Atlanta, 31–14. Eight teams had records of 5–0 or 6–0.
The next poll: 1.Nebraska 2.Oklahoma 3.Michigan 4.Alabama 5.Auburn 6.Notre Dame 7.Penn State 8.Georgia.
October 23
Seven of the top 8 teams stayed unbeaten, playing unranked opponents. #1 Nebraska allowed Oklahoma State to reach double digits, but easily won at Stillwater, 41–13. #2 Oklahoma decimated Kansas State 75–28 in Manhattan. #3 Michigan won 35–7 at Minnesota, #4 Alabama hosted Houston, and #5 Auburn beat Clemson 35–13. #6 Notre Dame lost to visiting USC, 28–14. #7 Penn State walloped visiting TCU 66–14, #8 Georgia beat Kentucky at home, 34–0.
Poll: 1.Nebraska 2.Oklahoma 3.Michigan 4.Alabama 5.Auburn 6.Penn State 7.Georgia
October 30
Number one Nebraska handed visiting #9 Colorado a 31–7 defeat, and #2 Oklahoma beat Iowa State 43–12. #3 Michigan rolled over Indiana 61–7, and #4 Alabama beat Mississippi State 41–10 at Jackson. #5 Auburn beat Florida 40–7, #6 Penn State won 35–7 at West Virginia, and #7 Georgia recorded its third consecutive shutout, 24–0 at South Carolina.
All of the aforementioned games were overshadowed by the tragic death of TCU head coach Jim Pittman, who suffered a massive heart attack during the Horned Frogs' rivalry game with Baylor in Waco. TCU somehow overcame its grief to oust the Bears 34–27. Pittman was in his first season at Fort Worth after five seasons at Tulane, where he guided the Green Wave to an 8–4 record in his final season of 1970, capped off by a 17–3 victory over Colorado in the Liberty Bowl. The top seven all stayed unbeaten and the poll was unchanged:
1.Nebraska 2.Oklahoma 3.Michigan 4.Alabama 5.Auburn 6.Penn State 7.Georgia
November
November 6
Nebraska beat Iowa State 37–0 and #2 Oklahoma won 20-3 at Missouri. #3 Michigan crushed Iowa, 63–7, and #4 Alabama won at #18 LSU, 14–7. #5 Auburn beat Mississippi State 30–21, #6 Penn State won 63–27 over Maryland, and #7 Georgia beat Florida at Jacksonville. As the Top 7 teams extended their undefeated records, the poll stayed unchanged:
1.Nebraska 2.Oklahoma 3.Michigan 4.Alabama 5.Penn State 6.Auburn 7.Georgia (all undefeated)
November 13
Nebraska won at Kansas State 44–17, and #2 Oklahoma beat Kansas 56–10. #3 Michigan narrowly won at Purdue, 20–17, and #4 Alabama defeated the visiting Miami Hurricanes, 31–3. #5 Auburn (8–0) and #7 Georgia (9–0) met at Athens, with the Auburn winning a decisive 35–20 victory. #6 Penn State beat North Carolina State 35–3.
Poll: 1.Nebraska 2.Oklahoma 3.Michigan 4.Alabama 5.Auburn 6.Penn State (all undefeated)
November 20
Four of the top five teams were idle. #1 Nebraska (10–0) and #2 Oklahoma (10–0) prepared for their Thanksgiving Day meeting in Norman, while #4 Alabama and #5 Auburn prepared for their season closer in the Iron Bowl in Birmingham. #3 Michigan (10–0) defeated Ohio State, 10–7, to win the Big 10 title and earn the Rose Bowl berth, and #6 Penn State won at Pittsburgh 55–18.
Poll: 1.Nebraska 2.Oklahoma 3.Michigan 4.Alabama 5.Auburn 6.Penn State (all undefeated)
November 25–27
As the regular season neared its close, Big Eight rivals Nebraska and Oklahoma were unbeaten, as were SEC rivals Alabama and Auburn, and Big Ten champ Michigan. On Thanksgiving Day, #1 Nebraska (10–0) and #2 Oklahoma (9–0) met on the Sooners' field in a game that would determine the Big Eight title, the #1 ranking, and a trip to the Orange Bowl in Miami. In the decade's Game of the Century, Nebraska won a classic back-and-forth battle 35–31; Husker I-back Jeff Kinney scored his fourth and game-deciding touchdown with 98 seconds left, capping a 5½-minute, 74-yard drive. The loss dropped Oklahoma behind the unbeatens into fifth place in the polls.
Later that weekend, #4 Alabama (10–0) and #5 Auburn (9–0) played their annual season-ender at Birmingham, with Alabama handing the Tigers their first loss, 31-7; as a result of this impressive win, Alabama jumped over Michigan. As SEC champion, Alabama was invited to, but not obligated to play in, the Sugar Bowl; they deferred and accepted a bid to play top-ranked Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. Auburn went to the Sugar Bowl instead, to face Oklahoma in a meeting of conference runners-up. #6 Penn State was idle, but moved up two places.
The next poll: 1.Nebraska 2.Alabama 3.Michigan 4.Penn State 5.Oklahoma
December
December 4
Nebraska (11–0) had NCAA permission to play a twelfth game... in Hawaii; they beat the Rainbows 45–3 and ended the regular season at 12–0. #4 Penn State (10–0) faced #12 Tennessee (8–2), but lost, 31–11. #5 Oklahoma's season ender was in state at Stillwater against Oklahoma State, which the Sooners easily won 58–14. The final regular season poll:
1.Nebraska 2.Alabama 3.Michigan 4.Oklahoma 5.Auburn. 6. Colorado
Conference standings
The following is an incomplete list of conference standings:
Major bowls
Saturday, January 1, 1972
^ Last game in which Stanford used nickname "Indians"; it was changed to "Cardinals" early in 1972, and to the singular "Cardinal" in 1981.
With #1 Nebraska slated to play #2 Alabama in the Orange Bowl on New Year's night, there was little suspense as to which game or games would decide the national title. #3 Michigan held out the slim hope that, if they handily defeated Stanford while Nebraska or Alabama barely won or tied, they could leapfrog both teams into the top position. For the second year in a row in the Rose Bowl, underdog Stanford rallied to defeat the undefeated Big Ten champion, besting Michigan 13–12 on a last second field goal by Rod Garcia. (He had missed all five of his kicks (four field goals and an extra point) when Stanford was upset by San Jose State on November 13, by the same score.)
In the final game of the day, Nebraska walloped Alabama in the Orange Bowl 38–6 to claim its second straight national title. Earlier in the day at the Sugar Bowl, Oklahoma intercepted Heisman Trophy winner Pat Sullivan three times and easily handled Auburn 40–22,and regained the runner-up ranking in the final poll. With bowl losses by #2 Alabama, #3 Michigan, and #5 Auburn, sixth-ranked Colorado, winner of the Bluebonnet Bowl, rose to third. The Big Eight occupied the top three spots in the final AP poll, with Nebraska receiving all 55 first place votes; Oklahoma was second, and Colorado (whose only losses were to Nebraska and Oklahoma) climbed to third. This was the first time that two teams from the same conference topped the final poll, and it remains as the only time that a conference had the top three.
- Nebraska, 1100 (55), 13–0
- Oklahoma, 990, 11–1
- Colorado, 746, 10–2
- Alabama, 674, 11–1
- Penn State, 666, 11–1
- Michigan, 479, 11–1
- Georgia, 471, 11–1
- Arizona State, 414, 11–1
- Tennessee, 379, 10–2
- Stanford, 347, 9–3
Source
Other bowls
College Division
Prior to 1973, the NCAA was divided into two divisions, University and College. 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 named best by UPI's 32 member coach board. They were followed by McNeese State (LA) (9–0–1), Eastern Michigan (7–0–2), Tennessee State (8–1), and C.W. Post (NY) (8–1). The AP writers' panel final poll in late November had the top three the same, with Louisiana Tech fourth and Tennessee State fifth.
College Division bowls
The postseason consisted of four bowls as regional finals, all played on December 11.
Top-ranked Delaware met C.W. Post in the Boardwalk Bowl. Played indoors at Convention Hall, Delaware won by fifty points in a rout, 72–22, scoring thirty in the fourth quarter. The next two teams in the polls both lost; Louisiana Tech defeated Eastern Michigan 14–3 in the Pioneer Bowl, and future NFL quarterback Joe Gilliam led Tennessee State to a 26–23 win over McNeese State in the Grantland Rice Bowl. Out west in the Camellia Bowl, seventh-ranked Boise State mounted a 25–0 fourth quarter comeback to defeat Chico State, 32–28.
This was the first year for the Pioneer Bowl; it succeeded the Pecan Bowl which had been played in Arlington.
NAIA
In the NAIA playoffs, Livingston (now West Alabama) beat Arkansas Tech 14-12 (Div. I) and California Lutheran beat Westminster 30-14 (Div. II)
Heisman Trophy
- Pat Sullivan, QB - Auburn, 1,597 points
- Ed Marinaro, RB - Cornell, 1,445
- Greg Pruitt, RB - Oklahoma, 586 - (only junior in top 10)
- Johnny Musso, RB - Alabama, 365
- Lydell Mitchell, RB - Penn State, 251
- Jack Mildren, QB - Oklahoma, 208
- Jerry Tagge, QB - Nebraska, 168
- Chuck Ealey, QB - Toledo, 137
- Walt Patulski, DE - Notre Dame, 121
- Eric Allen, RB - Michigan State, 109
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