1977 NCAA Division II football season

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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]

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

More information School, 1975 Conference ...
School1975 Conference1976 Conference
Tennessee–ChattanoogaD-II IndependentSouthern (I-A)
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Conference standings

More information Conf., Overall ...
1977 Big Sky Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
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 State3–3–06–4–0
Weber State2–4–04–6–0
Idaho State2–4–03–8–0
Idaho2–4–03–8–0
Montana1–5–04–6–0
  • $ – 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
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Cal Poly $2–0–06–4–0
Cal State Northridge1–1–07–3–1
Cal Poly Pomona0–2–02–8–0
Cal State Los Angeles0–0–04–5–0
  • $ – Conference champion
1977 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. T–10 Winston-Salem State $8–0–011–1–0
Virginia Union7–1–010–1–0
Virginia State6–1–17–3–1
Hampton5–3–07–3–0
Norfolk State4–3–15–6–1
Livingstone4–4–04–6–0
Elizabeth City State3–5–04–6–0
Fayetteville State2–6–03–7–0
Johnson C. Smith2–6–03–7–0
Shaw1–7–02–8–0
Saint Paul's (VA)0–8–01–10–0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NCAA Division II AP Poll
1977 Far Western Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 3 UC Davis $^5–0–011–1–0
Chico State3–1–16–2–1
Cal State Hayward2–2–16–3–1
San Francisco State2–3–05–5–0
Humboldt State1–3–15–4–1
Sacramento State0–4–10–10–1
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from Associated Press poll
1977 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 18 Grand Valley State $4–1–07–3–0
Wayne State (MI)3–2–07–4–0
Hillsdale2–3–06–4–0
Northwood2–3–05–4–0
Saginaw Valley State2–3–06–5–0
Ferris State2–3–03–7–0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1977 Gulf South Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 9 Jacksonville State $^7–1–011–3–0
Tennessee–Martin6–2–08–3–0
Troy State6–2–06–4–0
Southeastern Louisiana5–3–06–4–0
Mississippi College4–4–06–4–0
North Alabama3–5–05–5–0
Delta State3–5–04–6–0
Nicholls State2–6–04–7–0
Livingston1–7–02–8–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
  • Jacksonville State's game against Tennessee Tech, Tennessee–Martin's games against Austin Peay and Murray State, Troy State's game against Northern Michigan, Southeastern Louisiana's game against Sam Houston State, Mississippi College's game against Ouachita Baptist, North Alabama's game against Austin Peay, Nicholls State's games against Cameron and Austin Peay, and Livingston's game against Alabama State were designated as conference games and counted in the Gulf South standings.
Rankings from AP Poll
1977 Indiana Collegiate Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Saint Joseph's (IN) +3–1–05–4–0
Butler +3–1–05–5–0
Indiana Central2–1–16–2–1
Valparaiso1–2–13–6–1
Evansville0–4–01–8–0
  • + – Conference co-champions
1977 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 4 South Carolina State $6–0–09–1–1
North Carolina A&T5–1–07–4–0
Delaware State4–2–07–4–0
Morgan State3–3–04–6–1
Howard2–4–05–5–0
Maryland Eastern Shore1–5–03–8–0
North Carolina Central0–6–01–10–0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from Associated Press poll
1977 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
SE Missouri State +4–1–17–3–1
Missouri-Rolla +4–1–17–3–1
NE Missouri State4–2–08–3–0
SW Missouri State3–2–16–3–1
NW Missouri State2–3–15–5–1
Central Missouri State2–4–03–7–0
Lincoln (MO)0–6–01–10–0
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
1977 North Central Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 North Dakota State $^6–0–19–2–1
Augustana (SD)4–3–07–4–0
Northern Iowa4–3–06–5–0
South Dakota State3–3–15–4–1
Nebraska–Omaha *2–2–33–6–2
North Dakota2–4–14–7–1
South Dakota *2–4–14–7–0
Morningside1–5–12–6–1
  • $ – 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
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Minnesota Morris $^7–0–010–2–0
Bemidji State5–2–06–4–0
Moorhead State5–2–06–4–0
Minnesota Duluth4–3–07–3–0
St. Cloud State4–3–05–6–0
Michigan Tech1–6–03–7–0
Winona State1–6–03–7–0
Southwest State (MN)1–6–01–8–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
1977 Ohio Valley Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Austin Peay $6–1–08–3–0
Tennessee Tech5–2–09–2–0
Eastern Kentucky4–3–05–5–0
Murray State4–3–06–5–0
Middle Tennessee3–4–03–8–0
Morehead State2–4–12–6–2
East Tennessee State2–5–03–8–0
Western Kentucky1–5–11–8–1
  • $ – Conference champion
1977 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
East Division
No. 4 Millersville xy5–0–08–2–0
Kutztown4–1–07–2–0
East Stroudsburg3–2–06–2–0
Bloomsburg2–3–04–5–0
Cheyney1–4–04–5–0
Mansfield0–5–02–6–1
West Division
No. 8 Clarion xy$5–0–19–0–1
Shippensburg4–2–06–4–0
Slippery Rock3–2–14–4–1
Lock Haven3–3–05–5–0
Indiana (PA)2–3–14–4–1
Edinboro2–3–13–6–1
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
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Division I
Florida A&M x5–0–011–0–0
Bethune–Cookman ^4–1–08–4–0
Albany State2–3–07–3–0
Morris Brown2–3–05–4–0
Alabama A&M1–4–02–9–0
Tuskegee1–4–03–7–0
Division II
Knoxville x6–1–08–3–0
Savannah State3–2–04–5–0
Clark (GA)3–2–03–5–0
Morehouse3–3–04–5–0
Lane2–2–02–6–0
Fort Valley State2–3–05–5–0
Miles2–3–02–8–0
Fisk0–5–00–9–0
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
1977 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Grambling State $6–0–010–1–0
Jackson State5–1–08–3–0
Texas Southern3–2–16–4–1
Mississippi Valley State2–4–05–5–0
Alcorn State2–4–03–8–0
Southern1–4–13–7–1
Prairie View A&M1–5–03–8–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • The Conference was a hybrid of Division I and II programs. Mississippi Valley State and Prairie View A&M were classified as Division II.[3][4] All the others were classified as Division I.
1977 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Northern Division
No. 9 West Virginia Wesleyan xy3–1–07–3–0
Salem x3–1–07–3–0
Shepherd x3–1–06–4–0
West Liberty State1–3–03–6–1
Fairmont State0–4–04–5–0
Southern Division
No. 4 Concord xy$^4–0–09–2–1
West Virginia Tech3–1–04–5–0
West Virginia State2–2–03–8–0
Glenville State1–3–01–8–0
Bluefield State0–4–02–7–0
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
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 UMass $5–0–08–3–0
Rhode Island4–1–06–5–0
New Hampshire3–2–08–2–0
Boston University1–4–03–7–0
Maine1–4–03–7–0
Connecticut1–4–01–10–0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from Associated Press poll
1977 NCAA Division II independents football records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Illinois College – 7–1–0
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
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
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Conference summaries

See also: List of NCAA Division II football seasons
More information Conference Champions ...
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

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Postseason

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

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