1977 NCAA Division II football season
Regular seasonAugust – November 1977
PlayoffsNovember 26 –
December 10, 1977
National ChampionshipPioneer Bowl
Memorial Stadium
Wichita Falls, TX
ChampionLehigh

The 1977 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began in August 1977 and concluded with the championship game on December 10 at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas. The Lehigh Engineers defeated the Jacksonville State Gamecocks 33–0 in the Pioneer Bowl to win their first Division II national title.[1]

This was the last season prior to the creation of Division I-AA, now named Division I-Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), which debuted in 1978.[2]

Conference realignment

Conference changes

Membership changes

School1975 Conference1976 Conference
Tennessee–ChattanoogaD-II IndependentSouthern (I-A)

Conference standings

1977 Big Sky Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. T–5 Boise State $ 6 –0 –09 –2 –0
No. T–5 Northern Arizona ^ 5 –1 –09 –3 –0
Montana State 3 –3 –06 –4 –0
Weber State 2 –4 –04 –6 –0
Idaho State 2 –4 –03 –8 –0
Idaho 2 –4 –03 –8 –0
Montana 1 –5 –04 –6 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
  • Boise State concluded its regular season after the NCAA Division II playoffs started; runner-up Northern Arizona was awarded playoff bid.
Rankings from NCAA Division II AP Poll
1977 California Collegiate Athletic Association football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Cal Poly $ 2 –0 –06 –4 –0
Cal State Northridge 1 –1 –07 –3 –1
Cal Poly Pomona 0 –2 –02 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
1977 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. T–10 Winston-Salem State $ 8 –0 –011 –1 –0
Virginia Union 7 –1 –010 –1 –0
Virginia State 6 –1 –17 –3 –1
Hampton 5 –3 –07 –3 –0
Norfolk State 4 –3 –15 –6 –1
Livingstone 4 –4 –04 –6 –0
Elizabeth City State 3 –5 –04 –6 –0
Fayetteville State 2 –6 –03 –7 –0
Johnson C. Smith 2 –6 –03 –7 –0
Shaw 1 –7 –02 –8 –0
Saint Paul's (VA) 0 –8 –01 –10 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NCAA Division II AP Poll
1977 Far Western Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 3 UC Davis $^ 5 –0 –011 –1 –0
Chico State 3 –1 –16 –2 –1
Cal State Hayward 2 –2 –16 –3 –1
San Francisco State 2 –3 –05 –5 –0
Humboldt State 1 –3 –15 –4 –1
Sacramento State 0 –4 –10 –10 –1
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from Associated Press poll
1977 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 18 Grand Valley State $ 4 –1 –07 –3 –0
Wayne State (MI) 3 –2 –07 –4 –0
Hillsdale 2 –3 –06 –4 –0
Northwood 2 –3 –05 –4 –0
Saginaw Valley State 2 –3 –06 –5 –0
Ferris State 2 –3 –03 –7 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1977 Gulf South Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 9 Jacksonville State $^ 7 –1 –011 –3 –0
Tennessee–Martin 6 –2 –08 –3 –0
Troy State 6 –2 –06 –4 –0
Southeastern Louisiana 5 –3 –06 –4 –0
Mississippi College 4 –4 –06 –4 –0
North Alabama 3 –5 –05 –5 –0
Delta State 3 –5 –04 –6 –0
Nicholls State 2 –6 –04 –7 –0
Livingston 1 –7 –02 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AP Poll
1977 Indiana Collegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Saint Joseph's (IN) + 3 –1 –05 –4 –0
Butler + 3 –1 –05 –5 –0
Indiana Central 2 –1 –16 –2 –1
Valparaiso 1 –2 –13 –6 –1
Evansville 0 –4 –01 –8 –0
  • + – Conference co-champions
1977 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 4 South Carolina State $ 6 –0 –09 –1 –1
North Carolina A&T 5 –1 –07 –4 –0
Delaware State 4 –2 –07 –4 –0
Morgan State 3 –3 –04 –6 –1
Howard 2 –4 –05 –5 –0
Maryland Eastern Shore 1 –5 –03 –8 –0
North Carolina Central 0 –6 –01 –10 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from Associated Press poll
1977 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
SE Missouri State + 4 –1 –17 –3 –1
Missouri-Rolla + 4 –1 –17 –3 –1
NE Missouri State 4 –2 –08 –3 –0
SW Missouri State 3 –2 –16 –3 –1
NW Missouri State 2 –3 –15 –5 –1
Central Missouri State 2 –4 –03 –7 –0
Lincoln (MO) 0 –6 –01 –10 –0
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
1977 North Central Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 North Dakota State $^ 6 –0 –19 –2 –1
Augustana (SD) 4 –3 –07 –4 –0
Northern Iowa 4 –3 –06 –5 –0
South Dakota State 3 –3 –15 –4 –1
Nebraska–Omaha * 2 –2 –33 –6 –2
North Dakota 2 –4 –14 –7 –1
South Dakota * 2 –4 –14 –7 –0
Morningside 1 –5 –12 –6 –1
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
  • * – Nebraska–Omaha and South Dakota split two head-to-head games, which counted as a tie for each team in the conference standings.
Rankings from AP Poll
1977 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Minnesota Morris $^ 7 –0 –010 –2 –0
Bemidji State 5 –2 –06 –4 –0
Moorhead State 5 –2 –06 –4 –0
Minnesota Duluth 4 –3 –07 –3 –0
St. Cloud State 4 –3 –05 –6 –0
Michigan Tech 1 –6 –03 –7 –0
Winona State 1 –6 –03 –7 –0
Southwest State (MN) 1 –6 –01 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
1977 Ohio Valley Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Austin Peay $ 6 –1 –08 –3 –0
Tennessee Tech 5 –2 –09 –2 –0
Eastern Kentucky 4 –3 –05 –5 –0
Murray State 4 –3 –06 –5 –0
Middle Tennessee 3 –4 –03 –8 –0
Morehead State 2 –4 –12 –6 –2
East Tennessee State 2 –5 –03 –8 –0
Western Kentucky 1 –5 –11 –8 –1
  • $ – Conference champion
1977 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
East Division
No. 4 Millersville xy 5 –0 –08 –2 –0
Kutztown 4 –1 –07 –2 –0
East Stroudsburg 3 –2 –06 –2 –0
Bloomsburg 2 –3 –04 –5 –0
Cheyney 1 –4 –04 –5 –0
Mansfield 0 –5 –02 –6 –1
West Division
No. 8 Clarion xy$ 5 –0 –19 –0 –1
Shippensburg 4 –2 –06 –4 –0
Slippery Rock 3 –2 –14 –4 –1
Lock Haven 3 –3 –05 –5 –0
Indiana (PA) 2 –3 –14 –4 –1
Edinboro 2 –3 –13 –6 –1
California (PA) 0 –6 –02 –8 –0
Championship: Clarion 25, Millersville 24
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1977 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Division I
Florida A&M x 5 –0 –011 –0 –0
Bethune–Cookman ^ 4 –1 –08 –4 –0
Albany State 2 –3 –07 –3 –0
Morris Brown 2 –3 –05 –4 –0
Alabama A&M 1 –4 –02 –9 –0
Tuskegee 1 –4 –03 –7 –0
Division II
Knoxville x 6 –1 –08 –3 –0
Savannah State 3 –2 –04 –5 –0
Clark (GA) 3 –2 –03 –5 –0
Morehouse 3 –3 –04 –5 –0
Lane 2 –2 –02 –6 –0
Fort Valley State 2 –3 –05 –5 –0
Miles 2 –3 –02 –8 –0
Fisk 0 –5 –00 –9 –0
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
1977 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Grambling State $ 6 –0 –010 –1 –0
Jackson State 5 –1 –08 –3 –0
Texas Southern 3 –2 –16 –4 –1
Mississippi Valley State 2 –4 –05 –5 –0
Alcorn State 2 –4 –03 –8 –0
Southern 1 –4 –13 –7 –1
Prairie View A&M 1 –5 –03 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
1977 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Northern Division
No. 9 West Virginia Wesleyan xy 3 –1 –07 –3 –0
Salem x 3 –1 –07 –3 –0
Shepherd x 3 –1 –06 –4 –0
West Liberty State 1 –3 –03 –6 –1
Fairmont State 0 –4 –04 –5 –0
Southern Division
No. 4 Concord xy$^ 4 –0 –09 –2 –1
West Virginia Tech 3 –1 –04 –5 –0
West Virginia State 2 –2 –03 –8 –0
Glenville State 1 –3 –01 –8 –0
Bluefield State 0 –4 –02 –7 –0
Championship: Concord 33, West Virginia Wesleyan 17
  • $ – 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
1977 Yankee Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 UMass $ 5 –0 –08 –3 –0
Rhode Island 4 –1 –06 –5 –0
New Hampshire 3 –2 –08 –2 –0
Boston University 1 –4 –03 –7 –0
Maine 1 –4 –03 –7 –0
Connecticut 1 –4 –01 –10 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from Associated Press poll
1977 NCAA Division II independents football records
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 8 Lehigh ^   –  12 –2 –0
UNLV   –  9 –2 –0
Kentucky State   –  8 –2 –1
No. T–5 Nevada   –  8 –3 –0
Central Connecticut   –  7 –3 –0
Northern Michigan ^   –  7 –3 –0
Youngstown State   –  7 –3 –0
Portland State   –  7 –4 –0
Delaware   –  6 –3 –1
Akron   –  6 –4 –1
American International   –  5 –4 –1
West Chester   –  5 –5 –0
Central State (OH)   –  5 –6 –0
Arkansas–Pine Bluff   –  4 –5 –1
Bucknell   –  4 –5 –0
Cal State Los Angeles   –  4 –5 –0
Southern Connecticut State   –  4 –6 –0
Northeastern   –  3 –6 –1
Northern Colorado   –  3 –7 –0
Santa Clara   –  2 –7 –1
Eastern Illinois   –  1 –10 –0
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from Associated Press poll

Conference summaries

Conference Champions

Big Sky Conference – Boise State
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Winston-Salem State
Far Western Football Conference – UC Davis
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Grand Valley State
Gulf South Conference – Jacksonville State
Indiana Collegiate Conference – St. Joseph's and Butler
Lone Star Conference – Abilene Christian and Texas A&I
Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Missouri–Rolla and Southeast Missouri State
North Central Conference – North Dakota State
Northern Intercollegiate Conference – Minnesota–Morris
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference – Clarion
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference – Western State (CO)
South Atlantic Conference – Elon
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Division II) – Florida A&M
Yankee Conference – UMass

Postseason

1977 NCAA Division II Football Championship
Teams8
Finals Site
Champion
  • Lehigh
  • (1st title, 1st title game)
Runner-up
Semifinalists
Winning coach

The 1977 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the fifth single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of Division II college football. The championship game was held at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas for the second time.

Playoff bracket

First round
Campus sites

November 26 		Semifinals
Campus sites
Knute Rockne Bowl
Grantland Rice Bowl
December 3 		Championship
Pioneer Bowl
Memorial Stadium
Wichita Falls, TX
December 10
         
UC Davis* 34
Bethune–Cookman 16
UC Davis* 30
Lehigh 39
Lehigh 30
UMass* 23
Lehigh 33
Jacksonville State 0
North Dakota State* 20
Northern Michigan 6
North Dakota State 7
Jacksonville State* 31
Jacksonville State 35
Northern Arizona* 0

* Denotes host institution

  • Northern Arizona was the Big Sky runner-up; champion Boise State had a scheduling conflict.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "1977 NCAA Division II National Football Championship Bracket" (PDF). NCAA. NCAA.org. p. 13. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Big schools win battle". St. Petersburg Independent. (Florida). Associated Press. January 13, 1978. p. 5C.
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