1971 College Football Season

NATIONAL CHAMPION

AP TITLE
CHAMPIONNebraska13–0 overall
HEISMANPat SullivanAuburn · QB
#1 PICKWalt PatulskiNotre Dame · Buffalo Bills, 1972 draft

MAJOR BOWL RESULTS

6 BOWL GAMES
DATEBOWLRESULT
Jan 1, 1972Sugar BowlOklahoma 40, Auburn 22
Jan 1, 1972Rose BowlStanford 13, Michigan 12
Jan 1, 1972Orange BowlNebraska 38, Alabama 6
Jan 1, 1972Cotton BowlPenn State 30, Texas 6
Dec 30, 1971Peach BowlOle Miss 41, Georgia Tech 18
Dec 27, 1971Fiesta BowlArizona State 45, Florida State 38

1971 STANDINGS

13 CONFERENCES + INDEPENDENTS

ACC

North Carolina finished atop the 1971 ACC standings at 6–0 in conference play (9–3 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
North Carolina6–09–3UGA 7–3 UNC
Clemson4–25–6–
Wake Forest2–36–5–
Duke2–36–5–
Virginia2–33–8–
NC State2–43–8–
Maryland1–42–9–

BIG 8

Nebraska finished atop the 1971 Big 8 standings at 7–0 in conference play (13–0 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Nebraska7–013–0NEB 38–6 ALA
Oklahoma6–111–1OU 40–22 AUB
Colorado5–210–2COLO 29–17 HOU
Iowa State4–38–4LSU 33–15 ISU
Kansas State2–55–6–
Kansas2–54–7–
Oklahoma State2–54–6–1–
Missouri0–71–10–

BIG SKY

Boise State finished atop the 1971 Big Sky standings at 1–0.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Boise State0–01–0

BIG TEN

Michigan finished atop the 1971 Big Ten standings at 8–0 in conference play (11–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Michigan8–011–1STAN 13–12 MICH
Northwestern6–37–4–
Michigan State5–36–5–
Ohio State5–36–4–
Illinois5–35–6–
Wisconsin3–54–6–1–
Minnesota3–54–7–
Purdue3–53–7–
Indiana2–63–8–
Iowa1–81–10–

MAC

Toledo finished atop the 1971 MAC standings at 5–0 in conference play (11–0 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Toledo5–011–0TOL 28–3 RICH
Bowling Green4–15–3–
Western Michigan2–36–3–
Ohio2–35–5–
Miami (OH)2–35–3–
Kent State0–52–8–

OVC

Middle Tennessee finished atop the 1971 OVC standings at 1–0.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Middle Tennessee0–01–0

PACIFIC 8

Stanford finished atop the 1971 Pacific 8 standings at 6–1 in conference play (9–3 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Stanford6–19–3STAN 13–12 MICH
Washington4–37–3–
California4–36–5–
USC3–2–16–4–1–
Oregon State3–35–6–
Oregon2–45–6–
Washington State2–54–7–
UCLA1–4–12–7–1–

PACIFIC COAST ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

San José State finished atop the 1971 Pacific Coast Athletic Association standings at 4–1 in conference play (2–6–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
San José State4–12–6–1MEM 28–9 SJSU
Fresno State3–24–1–
San Diego State2–34–4–

SEC

Alabama finished atop the 1971 SEC standings at 7–0 in conference play (11–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Alabama7–011–1NEB 38–6 ALA
Georgia5–111–1UGA 7–3 UNC
Auburn5–19–2OU 40–22 AUB
Tennessee4–29–2TENN 14–13 ARK
Ole Miss4–28–2MISS 41–18 GT
LSU3–29–3LSU 33–15 ISU
Florida1–64–7–
Vanderbilt1–53–6–1–
Kentucky1–63–8–
Mississippi State1–72–9–

SOUTHERN

East Carolina finished atop the 1971 Southern standings at 3–2 in conference play (4–5 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALL
East Carolina3–24–5

SOUTHLAND

Louisiana Tech finished atop the 1971 Southland standings at 1–1.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Louisiana Tech0–01–1

SOUTHWEST

Texas finished atop the 1971 Southwest standings at 6–1 in conference play (8–3 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Texas6–18–3PSU 30–6 TEX
Arkansas5–1–18–3–1TENN 14–13 ARK
TCU5–25–4–1–
Texas A&M4–34–6–
SMU3–44–7–
Texas Tech2–54–7–
Rice2–4–13–7–1–
Baylor0–71–9–

WESTERN ATHLETIC

Arizona State finished atop the 1971 Western Athletic standings at 7–0 in conference play (11–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Arizona State7–011–1ASU 45–38 FSU
New Mexico5–16–3–2–
Arizona3–35–6–
Wyoming3–45–6–
BYU3–45–6–
Utah3–43–8–
Colorado State1–43–7–
UTEP1–62–6–

INDEPENDENTS

Penn State finished atop the 1971 independents at 11–1.

TEAMOVERALLBOWL
Penn State11–1PSU 30–6 TEX
Houston9–3COLO 29–17 HOU
Boston College9–2–
Florida State8–4ASU 45–38 FSU
Notre Dame8–2–
Utah State8–3–
West Virginia7–4–
Southern Miss6–5–
Air Force6–4–
Army6–4–
Georgia Tech6–6MISS 41–18 GT
South Carolina6–5–
Cincinnati5–4–
Memphis5–6MEM 28–9 SJSU
Syracuse5–5–1–
Virginia Tech4–7–
Louisville4–3–1–
Hawai'i4–2–
Miami4–7–
Temple4–2–1–
Rutgers4–7–
Tulane3–8–
New Mexico State3–5–1–
Navy3–8–
Northern Illinois3–5–1–
Pittsburgh3–8–
Tulsa3–7–
Delaware2–1–
North Texas2–8–
UConn1–2–
Marshall1–8–
Massachusetts1–2–
UL Monroe1–0–
Akron1–0–
App State1–0–1–
Ball State0–1–1–
UNLV0–1–

OTHER POSTSEASON RESULTS

6 GAMES
DATEBOWLRESULT
Dec 31, 1971Postseason gameColorado 29, Houston 17
Dec 31, 1971Postseason gameGeorgia 7, North Carolina 3
Dec 28, 1971Postseason gameToledo 28, Richmond 3
Dec 20, 1971Postseason gameTennessee 14, Arkansas 13
Dec 18, 1971Postseason gameLSU 33, Iowa State 15
Dec 18, 1971Postseason gameMemphis 28, San José State 9