The 1975 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 September and concluded with the Division II Championship on December 13 at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, California.

Northern Michigan defeated Western Kentucky in the championship game, 16–14, to win their first Division II national title.[1][2]

Conference and program changes

School1974 Conference1975 Conference
Central Connecticut StateEasternIndependent
ElonConference Carolinas (NAIA)South Atlantic
Gardner–WebbNAIA IndependentSouth Atlantic
VermontYankeeDropped Program

Conference standings

1975 Big Sky Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 6 Boise State $^5–0–19–2–1
Idaho State4–2–07–3–0
Montana State4–2–05–5–0
Idaho2–2–24–5–2
Montana3–3–06–4–0
Weber State1–4–11–9–1
Northern Arizona0–6–01–9–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division II AP Poll
1975 California Collegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
UC Riverside $4–0–07–3–0
Cal Poly3–1–06–4–0
Cal Poly Pomona2–2–06–4–1
Cal State Northridge1–3–04–6–1
Cal State Los Angeles0–4–01–7–1
  • $ – Conference champion
1975 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Norfolk State $7–1–08–3–0
Johnson C. Smith6–1–08–3–0
Virginia Union6–1–07–4–0
Elizabeth City State5–3–05–4–0
Hampton5–3–05–5–0
Fayetteville State4–3–07–3–0
Livingstone3–3–17–3–1
Virginia State2–5–02–8–0
Winston-Salem State1–7–01–9–0
Shaw0–6–11–8–1
Saint Paul's (VA)0–7–02–8–0
  • $ – Conference champion
1975 Far Western Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
UC Davis $5–0–07–3–0
Humboldt State4–1–07–3–0
Sacramento State2–3–05–5–0
San Francisco State2–3–04–4–1
Chico State2–3–04–6–0
Cal State Hayward0–5–00–10–0
  • $ – Conference champion
1975 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Wayne State (MI) $3–1–08–3–0
No. 15 Grand Valley State3–1–17–2–1
Northwood3–1–15–4–1
Hillsdale3–2–07–4–0
Saginaw Valley State1–3–03–7–0
Ferris State0–5–00–10–0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1975 Gulf South Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Nicholls State $7–2–08–2–0
No. 6 Livingston ^6–2–010–3–0
No. 11 Jacksonville State5–3–07–3–0
Troy State5–3–06–4–0
Delta State5–4–06–4–0
North Alabama4–4–06–4–0
Mississippi College2–5–06–5–0
Southeastern Louisiana2–6–04–7–0
Tennessee–Martin1–7–02–8–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division II AP poll for Livingston and NAIA Division I poll for Jacksonville State
1975 Indiana Collegiate Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Butler $6–0–09–1–0
Indiana Central ^5–1–08–3–0
Evansville4–2–07–3–0
DePauw2–4–05–5–0
Valparaiso2–4–03–6–0
Saint Joseph's (IN)2–4–02–8–0
Wabash0–6–03–7–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
1975 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
South Carolina State +5–1–08–2–1
North Carolina A&T +5–1–08–3–0
Howard4–2–08–3–0
North Carolina Central3–2–15–4–1
Delaware State2–4–05–5–0
Morgan State1–4–14–5–1
Maryland Eastern Shore0–6–00–10–0
  • + – Conference co-champions
1975 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
SE Missouri State $6–0–07–4–0
NE Missouri State4–2–07–4–0
NW Missouri State3–3–07–3–0
SW Missouri State3–3–06–4–1
Central Missouri State2–4–05–5–0
Lincoln (MO)2–4–04–7–0
Missouri–Rolla1–5–01–8–2
  • $ – Conference champion
1975 North Central Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 7 North Dakota $^7–0–09–1–0
No. 10 Northern Iowa ^6–1–09–3–0
Augustana (SD)5–2–07–3–0
South Dakota State4–3–07–4–0
Mankato State2–5–03–6–0
Morningside2–5–03–6–0
South Dakota1–6–03–8–0
North Dakota State1–6–02–7–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AP Poll
1975 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 10 Minnesota Morris $6–0–08–1–0
St. Cloud State5–1–07–3–0
Michigan Tech4–2–07–2–0
Winona State3–3–05–4–0
Moorhead State2–4–02–7–0
Bemidji State1–5–02–7–0
Southwest State (MN)0–6–01–7–0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1975 Ohio Valley Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 3 Western Kentucky ^6–1–09–1–0
Tennessee Tech $6–1–08–3–0
No. 12 Eastern Kentucky5–2–08–2–1
Murray State3–3–14–5–1
Austin Peay3–4–03–8–0
Middle Tennessee2–5–04–7–0
East Tennessee State1–5–12–8–1
Morehead State1–6–03–7–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
  • WKU claims a co-championship,[3] while both the OVC[4] and Tennessee Tech[5] state it is not shared
Rankings from Associated Press poll
1975 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
East Division
East Stroudsburg xy$6–0–010–0–0
Millersville4–2–06–3–0
West Chester3–2–04–5–0
Kutztown3–3–03–5–1
Mansfield2–3–05–4–0
Cheyney2–4–04–6–0
Bloomsburg0–6–01–8–0
West Division
Edinboro xy6–0–08–3–0
IUP4–1–18–1–1
Clarion3–2–16–2–1
Shippensburg3–3–06–5–0
Slippery Rock3–3–04–5–0
Lock Haven1–5–01–8–0
California (PA)0–6–00–8–0
Championship: East Stroudsburg 24, Edinboro 20
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
1975 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Division I
Bethune–Cookman x4–1–010–1–0
Florida A&M4–1–09–2–0
Tuskegee3–2–05–5–0
Albany State3–2–03–6–0
Alabama A&M2–3–03–8–0
Alabama State1–4–05–6–0
Morris Brown0–5–03–6–0
Division II
Fisk x5–0–07–2–0
Fort Valley State4–0–16–0–2
Savannah State2–2–03–7–0
Lane2–2–02–6–0
Knoxville2–3–05–4–1
Miles2–3–04–6–0
Clark (GA)1–3–14–4–1
Morehouse0–5–00–9–0
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
1975 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 4 Grambling State *4–2–010–2–0
No. 9 Southern +4–2–09–3–0
No. 7 Jackson State +4–2–07–3–0
No. T–19 Alcorn State3–3–06–3–1
Mississippi Valley State3–3–06–4–0
Texas Southern2–4–04–6–0
Prairie View A&M1–5–03–7–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • * – Grambling State vacated a share of the conference championship.
Rankings from NCAA Division II AP poll for Grambling State and NAIA Division I poll for Southern and Jackson State
1975 Virginia College Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Madison $5–0–09–0–1
Virginia Union2–0–07–4–0
Hampden–Sydney4–1–07–2–0
Virginia State2–1–02–8–0
Randolph–Macon3–2–06–4–0
Hampton1–2–05–5–0
Saint Paul's (VA)1–2–02–8–0
Emory & Henry0–3–02–9–0
Washington and Lee0–3–01–8–1
Bridgewater0–4–02–7–0
  • $ – Conference champion
1975 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Northern Division
No. 3 Salem xy$^4–0–011–1–0
Shepherd2–2–08–3–0
Fairmont State2–2–06–4–0
West Liberty State2–2–03–4–2
West Virginia Wesleyan0–4–05–5–0
Southern Division
Concord xy4–0–06–5–0
West Virginia State2–2–03–6–1
Glenville State2–2–02–6–1
West Virginia Tech1–3–02–7–0
Bluefield State1–3–01–9–0
Championship: Salem 27, Concord 10
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
    Conference standings based on power ratings
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1975 Yankee Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 9 New Hampshire $^5–0–09–3–0
UMass4–1–08–2–0
Connecticut3–2–04–7–0
Boston University1–4–05–6–0
Maine1–4–04–6–0
Rhode Island1–4–02–8–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from Associated Press poll
1975 NCAA Division II independents football records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Northern Michigan ^ – 13–1–0
American International – 8–1–0
Lehigh ^ – 9–3–0
Delaware – 8–3–0
Portland State – 8–3–0
Akron – 7–4–0
Kentucky State – 7–4–0
UNLV – 7–4–0
Santa Clara – 6–5–0
Tennessee State – 5–4–0
Youngstown State – 5–4–0
Chattanooga – 5–5–1
Bucknell – 5–5–0
Indiana State – 5–5–0
Lafayette – 5–5–0
Southern Connecticut State – 5–5–0
Central Connecticut – 4–5–0
Central State (OH) – 4–6–0
Eastern Michigan – 4–6–0
Eastern Illinois – 3–5–2
Illinois College – 3–6–0
Northeastern – 3–6–0
Western Carolina – 3–7–0
Nevada – 3–8–0
Nebraska–Omaha – 2–9–0
Arkansas–Pine Bluff – 0–11–0
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AP Poll

Conference summaries

ConferenceChampion(s)
Big Sky ConferenceBoise State
Central Intercollegiate Athletic AssociationNorfolk State
Far Western Football ConferenceUC Davis
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceWayne State (MI)
Gulf South ConferenceNicholls State
Indiana Collegiate ConferenceButler
Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic AssociationSoutheast Missouri State
North Central ConferenceNorth Dakota
Northern Intercollegiate ConferenceMinnesota–Morris
Pennsylvania State Athletic ConferenceEast Stroudsburg State
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Division II)Bethune-Cookman
Yankee ConferenceNew Hampshire

Postseason

The 1975 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the third single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of NCAA Division II college football.

The four quarterfinal games were played on campus and all four host teams lost. The semifinals were the Pioneer Bowl in Wichita Falls, Texas, and the Grantland Rice Bowl in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The championship game was the Camellia Bowl, held at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, California for the third and final time. The Northern Michigan Wildcats defeated the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 16–14 to win their first national title. Of all current members of Division II, as of 2015, Northern Michigan was the first to win the playoff national championship. They went from winless (0–10) in 1974 to 13–1 and national champions in 1975,[2] led by sophomore quarterback Steve Mariucci,[6] later a head coach in the NFL for nine seasons.

Playoff bracket

First round
Campus sites

November 29 		Semifinals
Pioneer Bowl
Grantland Rice Bowl
December 6 		Championship
Camellia Bowl
Hughes Stadium
Sacramento, CA
December 13
         
Northern Michigan 24
Boise State * 21
Northern Michigan 28
Livingston 26
Livingston 34
North Dakota * 14
Northern Michigan 16
Western Kentucky 14
Western Kentucky 14
Northern Iowa * 12
Western Kentucky 14
New Hampshire 3
New Hampshire 35
Lehigh * 21

* Denotes host institution

See also

References

  1. ↑ "1975 NCAA Division II National Football Championship Bracket" (PDF). NCAA. NCAA.org. p. 13. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Winless in '74, then a title in '75". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. December 14, 1975. p. 10B.
  3. ↑ "2017 WKU Football Media Guide" (PDF). wkusports.com. Western Kentucky Athletics. p. 164.
  4. ↑ "2017 Ohio Valley Conference Media Guide" (PDF). ovcsports.com. p. 82.
  5. ↑ "2014 Tennessee Tech Football Guide". ttusports.com. Tennessee Tech Athletics. p. 166.
  6. ↑ "Fumbles cost Boise 24-21". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. Associated Press. November 30, 1975. p. 3B.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_NCAA_Division_II_football_season