1971–72 NCAA football bowl games

1971–72 NCAA football bowl games
Season1971
Number of bowls12
Bowl gamesDecember 18, 1971 –
January 1, 1972
National Championship1972 Orange Bowl
Location of ChampionshipMiami Orange Bowl
Miami, Florida
ChampionsNebraska
Bowl record by conference
Conference Bowls Record Number of teams
in final AP poll
SEC 6 4–2 (0.667) 6
Big Eight 4 3–1 (0.750) 3
Independents 4 1–3 (0.250) 3
SWC 2 0–2 (0.000) 2
MAC 1 1–0 (1.000) 1
Missouri Valley 1 1–0 (1.000) 0
Pac-8 1 1–0 (1.000) 3
WAC 1 1–0 (1.000) 1
ACC 1 0–1 (0.000) 0
Big Ten 1 0–1 (0.000) 1
PCAA 1 0–1 (0.000) 0
SoCon 1 0–1 (0.000) 0

The 1971–72 NCAA football bowl games were a series of post-season games played in December 1971 and January 1972 to end the 1971 NCAA University Division football season. A total of 12 team-competitive games were played between December 18, 1971, and January 1, 1972. The Orange Bowl featured a matchup of the number-one and number-two ranked teams for the de facto national championship. Several all-star games followed.

A one-off charity game, the Mercy Bowl, was also played on December 11.

Schedule

Rankings are from AP poll, prior to the bowl games in question.[1]

Date Game Site TV Teams Results
Dec. 18 Sun Bowl Sun Bowl
El Paso, Texas
CBS No. 11 LSU (8–3)
Iowa State (8–3)
LSU 33
Iowa State 15
Pasadena Bowl Rose Bowl
Pasadena, California
Memphis State (4–6)
San Jose State (5–5–1)
Memphis State 28
San Jose State 9
Dec. 20 Liberty Bowl Memphis Memorial Stadium
Memphis, Tennessee
ABC No. 9 Tennessee (9–2)
No. 18 Arkansas (8–2–1)
Tennessee 14
Arkansas 13
Dec. 27 Fiesta Bowl Sun Devil Stadium
Tempe, Arizona
Mizlou No. 8 Arizona State (10–1)
Florida State (8–3)
Arizona State 45
Florida State 38
Dec. 28 Tangerine Bowl Tangerine Bowl
Orlando, Florida
No. 14 Toledo (11–0)
Richmond (5–5)
Toledo 28
Richmond 3
Dec. 30 Peach Bowl Fulton County Stadium
Atlanta, Georgia
Mizlou No. 17 Ole Miss (9–2)
Georgia Tech (6–5)
Ole Miss 41
Georgia Tech 18
Dec. 31 Gator Bowl Gator Bowl Stadium
Jacksonville, Florida
ABC No. 6 Georgia (10–1)
North Carolina (9–2)
Georgia 7
North Carolina 3
Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl Astrodome
Houston, Texas
HTN No. 7 Colorado (9–2)
No. 15 Houston (9–2)
Colorado 29
Houston 17
Jan. 1 Sugar Bowl Tulane Stadium
New Orleans, Louisiana
ABC No. 3 Oklahoma (10–1)
No. 5 Auburn (9–1)
Oklahoma 40
Auburn 22
Cotton Bowl Classic Cotton Bowl
Dallas, Texas
CBS No. 10 Penn State (10–1)
No. 12 Texas (8–2)
Penn State 30
Texas 6
Rose Bowl Rose Bowl
Pasadena, California
NBC No. 16 Stanford (8–3)
No. 4 Michigan (11–0)
Stanford 13
Michigan 12
Orange Bowl Miami Orange Bowl
Miami, Florida
NBC No. 1 Nebraska (12–0)
No. 2 Alabama (11–0)
Nebraska 38
Alabama 6

Source:[2]

Conference performance in bowl games

Conference Games Record Bowls
W L Pct. Won Lost
SEC 6 4 2 .667 Sun, Liberty, Peach, Gator Sugar, Orange
Big Eight 4 3 1 .750 Astro-Bluebonnet, Sugar, Orange Sun
Independents 4 1 3 .250 Cotton Fiesta, Peach, Astro-Bluebonnet
SWC 2 0 2 .000 Liberty, Cotton
MAC 1 1 0 1.000 Tangerine
Missouri Valley 1 1 0 1.000 Pasadena
Pac-8 1 1 0 1.000 Rose
WAC 1 1 0 1.000 Fiesta
ACC 1 0 1 .000 Gator
Big Ten 1 0 1 .000 Rose
PCAA 1 0 1 .000 Pasadena
SoCon 1 0 1 .000 Tangerine

See also

References

  1. ^ "1971 College Football Bowl Games". Sports Reference. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
  2. ^ "All-Time Bowl-Game Results And Attendance" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved May 1, 2024.