1973 NAIA Division I football season
Regular seasonAugust–November 1973
PostseasonDecember 1–8, 1973
National ChampionshipIndependence Stadium
Shreveport, LA
ChampionsAbilene Christian

The 1973 NAIA Division I football season was the 18th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA and the fourth season of the league's two-division structure.

The season was played from August to November 1973 and culminated in the 1973 NAIA Champion Bowl, played on December 8, 1973 at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana.[1]

Abilene Christian defeated Elon in the Champion Bowl, 42–14, to win their first NAIA national title.[2]

Conference realignment

Conference changes

Conference standings

1973 Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 7 Henderson State $ 6 –0 –010 –1 –0
No. T–17 Southern Arkansas 4 –2 –08 –2 –0
Harding 4 –2 –07 –3 –0
State College of Arkansas 3 –3 –06 –5 –0
Ouachita Baptist 2 –4 –05 –5 –0
Arkansas Tech 2 –4 –04 –7 –0
Arkansas–Monticello 0 –6 –02 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1973 Carolinas Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2/10 Elon $^ 4 –0 –012 –1 –0
Lenoir–Rhyne 2 –1 –05 –5 –1
Mars Hill 2 –2 –05 –6 –0
Catawba 1 –3 –05 –5 –0
Guilford 0 –3 –01 –9 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll and AP small college poll
1973 Evergreen Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 16 Central Washington $ 5 –1 –07 –2 –0
Eastern Oregon 4 –2 –07 –2 –0
Oregon College 4 –2 –06 –3 –0
Southern Oregon 4 –2 –06 –3 –0
Eastern Washington 2 –4 –05 –4 –0
Western Washington 1 –5 –01 –7 –0
Oregon Tech 1 –5 –01 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1973 Great Plains Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. T–17 Emporia State + 4 –1 –07 –2 –0
Northern Colorado + 4 –1 –07 –2 –0
Fort Hays State 2 –3 –05 –4 –0
Washburn 2 –3 –03 –6 –1
Pittsburg State 2 –3 –03 –7 –0
Southern Colorado 1 –4 –03 –7 –0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1973 Gulf South Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. T–17 Troy State $ 6 –1 –07 –2 –1
No. 4 Jacksonville State 5 –2 –07 –2 –0
Delta State 6 –3 –08 –3 –0
Livingston 4 –3 –16 –3 –1
Northwestern State 3 –4 –05 –6 –0
Mississippi College 3 –4 –04 –6 –0
Southeastern Louisiana 3 –4 –04 –6 –0
Florence State 3 –6 –04 –6 –0
Nicholls State 2 –7 –02 –9 –0
Tennessee–Martin 1 –5 –12 –8 –1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1973 Lone Star Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1/7 Abilene Christian $^ 9 –0 –011 –1 –0
No. 8 Howard Payne 8 –1 –08 –3 –0
Stephen F. Austin 6 –3 –09 –3 –0
East Texas State 6 –3 –07 –4 –0
Angelo State 5 –4 –05 –4 –2
Southwest Texas State 3 –6 –04 –6 –0
Sul Ross 3 –6 –03 –7 –0
Sam Houston State 2 –7 –02 –8 –0
Texas A&I 2 –7 –02 –8 –0
Tarleton State 1 –8 –01 –9 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll and AP small college poll
1973 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 11 St. Thomas (MN) + 6 –1 –09 –1 –0
No. 9 Minnesota–Duluth + 6 –1 –08 –1 –0
Augsburg 5 –2 –07 –2 –0
Gustavus Adolphus 4 –3 –05 –5 –0
Concordia–Moorhead 3 –4 –05 –5 –0
Saint John's (MN) 3 –4 –04 –4 –0
Hamline 1 –6 –03 –6 –0
Macalester 0 –7 –01 –9 –0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1973 Nebraska College Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Kearney State $ 3 –0 –06 –3 –0
Chadron State 2 –1 –07 –3 –0
Wayne State (NE) 1 –2 –05 –5 –0
Peru State 0 –3 –04 –6 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
1973 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Moorhead State $ 5 –1 –07 –3 –0
Michigan Tech 4 –2 –05 –4 –1
St. Cloud State 4 –2 –04 –6 –0
Bemidji State 2 –4 –05 –4 –0
Southwest State (MN) 2 –4 –04 –6 –0
Minnesota Morris 2 –4 –03 –6 –0
Winona State 2 –4 –03 –7 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
1973 Oklahoma Collegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 3 Langston $^ 8 –0 –011 –1 –0
No. 12 Northeastern State 6 –2 –07 –2 –0
SE Oklahoma State 5 –3 –06 –4 –0
Central State (OK) 5 –3 –06 –4 –1
Cameron 4 –4 –05 –5 –0
East Central 3 –4 –04 –7 –0
Panhandle 2 –6 –03 –7 –1
SW Oklahoma State 2 –6 –03 –7 –0
NW Oklahoma State 0 –7 –11 –8 –1
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1973 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
East Division
West Chester xy 4 –0 –05 –5 –0
East Stroudsburg 5 –1 –06 –1 –1
Millersville 4 –2 –07 –2 –0
Cheyney 3 –2 –05 –4 –0
Bloomsburg 2 –4 –04 –5 –0
Kutztown 1 –5 –02 –7 –0
Mansfield 0 –5 –01 –7 –0
West Division
No. T–20 Slippery Rock xy$ 5 –0 –08 –2 –0
Clarion 3 –2 –05 –4 –0
Edinboro 3 –2 –04 –4 –1
Lock Haven 2 –3 –02 –7 –0
California (PA) 1 –4 –03 –6 –0
Shippensburg 1 –4 –02 –7 –0
Indiana (PA) * 0 –0 –04 –5 –0
Championship: Slippery Rock 28, West Chester 14
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • * – Ineligible for conference title
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1973 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Western State (CO) $ 5 –1 –06 –3 –0
Adams State 4 –2 –06 –3 –0
Southern Utah 4 –2 –05 –4 –0
Fort Lewis 3 –3 –04 –5 –0
Western New Mexico 3 –3 –03 –5 –0
Westminster (UT) 2 –4 –03 –6 –0
Colorado Mines 0 –6 –00 –9 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
1973 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 5/7 Grambling +^ 5 –1 –010 –3 –0
No. 10 Jackson State + 5 –1 –09 –2 –0
No. T–20 Alcorn A&M 3 –2 –17 –2 –1
Southern 3 –3 –06 –4 –0
Texas Southern 2 –3 –15 –5 –1
Mississippi Valley State 2 –4 –03 –5 –0
Prairie View A&M 0 –6 –02 –6 –1
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll and AP small college poll
1973 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Northern Division
Fairmont State xy$ 3 –0 –06 –3 –1
West Liberty State 2 –1 –13 –5 –1
Salem 2 –2 –06 –4 –0
Shepherd 1 –2 –06 –4 –0
West Virginia Wesleyan 0 –3 –12 –6 –1
Southern Division
No. 2 Glenville State xy^ 4 –0 –010 –2 –0
Bluefield State 3 –1 –04 –5 –0
West Virginia State 2 –2 –05 –5 –0
West Virginia Tech 1 –3 –04 –5 –0
Concord 0 –4 –00 –9 –0
Championship: Fairmont State 21, Glenville State 7
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • ^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant
    Conference standings based on power ratings
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1973 Wisconsin State University Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 6 Wisconsin–La Crosse $^ 7 –1 –09 –2 –0
No. 14 Wisconsin–Platteville 6 –1 –18 –1 –1
Wisconsin–Whitewater 4 –2 –26 –2 –2
Wisconsin–Eau Claire 4 –4 –05 –5 –0
Wisconsin–Oshkosh 4 –4 –04 –6 –0
Wisconsin–River Falls 3 –4 –14 –5 –1
Wisconsin–Stevens Point 3 –5 –04 –6 –0
Wisconsin–Superior 2 –6 –02 –8 –0
Wisconsin–Stout 1 –7 –01 –9 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1973 NAIA Division I independents football records
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 15 Hillsdale   –  7 –2 –0
No. 13 Carson–Newman   –  6 –3 –0
Eastern New Mexico   –  6 –4 –0
Wofford   –  3 –6 –1
Kentucky State   –  3 –8 –0
Presbyterian   –  3 –8 –0
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll

Postseason

Semifinals
December 1, 1973 		1973 Champion Bowl
December 8, 1973
Shreveport, LA
      
Wisconsin–La Crosse 24
Elon* 35
Elon 14
Abilene Christian 42
Langston 6
Abilene Christian* 34

See also

References

  1. ↑ "NAIA Championship History" (PDF). NAIA. pp. 4–11. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
  2. ↑ "1973 Division I NAIA Football Playoffs". JonFMorse.com. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
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