The 1971–72 NCAA football bowl games were a series of post-season games played in November and December 1971 and January 1972 to end the 1971 NCAA University Division football season and 1971 NCAA College Division football season. A total of 20 team-competitive games were played between November 26, 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.
DateGameSiteTVTeamsResultsKnute Rockne BowlBoardwalk HallAtlantic City, New JerseyBridgeport (9–1)Hampden-Sydney (10–0)Bridgeport 17Hampden-Sydney 12Amos Alonzo Stagg BowlGarrett–Harrison StadiumPhenix City, AlabamaSamford (7–1)Ohio Wesleyan (8–0)Samford 20Ohio Wesleyan 10Azelea ClassicLadd StadiumMobile, AlabamaJackson State (8–1–1)Alabama A&M (5–5)Jackson State 40Alabama A&M 21Orange Blossom ClassicMiami Orange BowlMiami, FloridaFlorida A&M (5–5)Kentucky State (7–3)Florida A&M 27Kentucky State 9Boardwalk BowlBoardwalk HallAtlantic City, New JerseyABCNo. 1 Delaware (9–1)C.W. Post (8–1)Delaware 72C.W. Post 22Grantland Rice BowlBREC Memorial StadiumBaton Rouge, LouisianaABCNo. 5 Tennessee State (8–1)No. 2 McNeese State (9–0–1)Tennessee State 26McNeese State 23Pioneer BowlMemorial StadiumWichita Falls, TexasABCNo. 4 Louisiana Tech (8–2)No. 3 Eastern Michigan (7–0–2)Louisiana Tech 14Eastern Michigan 3Camellia BowlHughes StadiumSacramento, CaliforniaABCNo. 7 Boise State (9–2)Chico State (9–1)Boise State 32Chico State 28Sun BowlSun BowlEl Paso, TexasCBSNo. 11 LSU (8–3)Iowa State (8–3)LSU 33Iowa State 15Pasadena BowlRose BowlPasadena, CaliforniaMemphis State (4–6)San Jose State (5–5–1)Memphis State 28San Jose State 9Liberty BowlMemphis Memorial StadiumMemphis, TennesseeABCNo. 9 Tennessee (9–2)No. 18 Arkansas (8–2–1)Tennessee 14Arkansas 13Fiesta BowlSun Devil StadiumTempe, ArizonaMizlouNo. 8 Arizona State (10–1)Florida State (8–3)Arizona State 45Florida State 38Tangerine BowlTangerine BowlOrlando, FloridaNo. 14 Toledo (11–0)Richmond (5–5)Toledo 28Richmond 3Peach BowlFulton County StadiumAtlanta, GeorgiaMizlouNo. 17 Ole Miss (9–2)Georgia Tech (6–5)Ole Miss 41Georgia Tech 18Gator BowlGator Bowl StadiumJacksonville, FloridaABCNo. 6 Georgia (10–1)North Carolina (9–2)Georgia 7North Carolina 3Astro-Bluebonnet BowlAstrodomeHouston, TexasHTNNo. 7 Colorado (9–2)No. 15 Houston (9–2)Colorado 29Houston 17Sugar BowlTulane StadiumNew Orleans, LouisianaABCNo. 3 Oklahoma (10–1)No. 5 Auburn (9–1)Oklahoma 40Auburn 22Cotton Bowl ClassicCotton BowlDallas, TexasCBSNo. 10 Penn State (10–1)No. 12 Texas (8–2)Penn State 30Texas 6Rose BowlRose BowlPasadena, CaliforniaNBCNo. 16 Stanford (8–3)No. 4 Michigan (11–0)Stanford 13Michigan 12Orange BowlMiami Orange BowlMiami, FloridaNBCNo. 1 Nebraska (12–0)No. 2 Alabama (11–0)Nebraska 38Alabama 6 Source:
Conference performance in bowl games ConferenceGamesRecordBowls W L Pct.Won Lost SEC 6 Sun, Liberty, Peach, Gator Sugar, Orange Big Eight 4 Astro-Bluebonnet, Sugar, Orange Sun Independents 4 Cotton Fiesta, Peach, Astro-Bluebonnet SWC 2 Liberty, Cotton MAC 1 Tangerine Missouri Valley 1 Pasadena Pac-8 1 Rose WAC 1 Fiesta ACC 1 Gator Big Ten 1 Rose PCAA 1 Pasadena SoCon 1 Tangerine
See also 1971 NCAA University Division football rankings
References