Final NCAA football standings for 1972
| Atlantic Coast Conference | 
|  | CONFERENCE GAMES | 
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|  | CONFERENCE GAMES |  | 
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|  | W | L | T | PF | PA | STRK | W | L | T | PF | PA | COACH(ES) | 
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| #12 North Carolina | 11 | 1 | 0 | 324 | 210 | Won 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 149 | 72 | Bill Dooley | 
| #17 North Carolina State | 8 | 3 | 1 | 409 | 240 | Won 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 193 | 102 | Lou Holtz | 
| Maryland | 5 | 5 | 1 | 243 | 217 | Lost 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 142 | 104 | Jerry Claiborne | 
| Duke | 5 | 6 | 0 | 132 | 156 | Lost 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 71 | 67 | Mike McGee | 
| Clemson | 4 | 7 | 0 | 143 | 245 | Won 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 101 | 127 | Hootie Ingram | 
| Virginia | 4 | 7 | 0 | 199 | 276 | Won 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 89 | 168 | Don Lawrence | 
| Wake Forest | 2 | 9 | 0 | 88 | 339 | Lost 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 34 | 139 | Tom Harper | 
| Big Ten Conference | 
|  | CONFERENCE GAMES | 
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|  | CONFERENCE GAMES |  | 
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|  | W | L | T | PF | PA | STRK | W | L | T | PF | PA | COACH(ES) | 
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| #6 Michigan | 10 | 1 | 0 | 264 | 57 | Lost 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 162 | 34 | Bo Schembechler | 
| #9 Ohio State | 9 | 2 | 0 | 280 | 171 | Lost 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 199 | 97 | Woody Hayes | 
| Purdue | 6 | 5 | 0 | 245 | 135 | Won 1 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 196 | 61 | Bob DeMoss | 
| Michigan State | 5 | 5 | 1 | 158 | 156 | Won 1 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 136 | 68 | Duffy Daugherty | 
| Minnesota | 4 | 7 | 0 | 185 | 304 | Won 3 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 151 | 183 | Cal Stoll | 
| Indiana | 5 | 6 | 0 | 204 | 272 | Lost 1 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 131 | 205 | John Pont | 
| Illinois | 3 | 8 | 0 | 197 | 277 | Lost 1 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 149 | 156 | Bob Blackman | 
| Wisconsin | 4 | 7 | 0 | 152 | 229 | Lost 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 83 | 188 | John Jardine | 
| Iowa | 3 | 7 | 1 | 109 | 208 | Won 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 80 | 183 | Frank Lauterbur | 
| Northwestern | 2 | 9 | 0 | 146 | 290 | Lost 4 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 119 | 231 | Alex Agase | 
| Big Eight Conference | 
|  | CONFERENCE GAMES | 
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|  | CONFERENCE GAMES |  | 
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|  | W | L | T | PF | PA | STRK | W | L | T | PF | PA | COACH(ES) | 
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| #2 Oklahoma | 11 | 1 | 0 | 399 | 74 | Won 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 189 | 68 | Chuck Fairbanks | 
| #4 Nebraska | 9 | 2 | 1 | 501 | 97 | Won 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 281 | 57 | Bob Devaney | 
| #16 Colorado | 8 | 4 | 0 | 313 | 206 | Lost 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 158 | 145 | Eddie Crowder | 
| Oklahoma State | 6 | 5 | 0 | 259 | 203 | Lost 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 163 | 135 | Dave Smith | 
| Missouri | 6 | 6 | 0 | 219 | 311 | Lost 2 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 96 | 160 | Al Onofrio | 
| Iowa State | 5 | 6 | 1 | 319 | 238 | Lost 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 159 | 158 | Johnny Majors | 
| Kansas | 4 | 7 | 0 | 208 | 305 | Won 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 83 | 201 | Don Fambrough | 
| Kansas State | 3 | 8 | 0 | 169 | 407 | Lost 5 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 94 | 299 | Vince Gibson | 
| Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. | 
|  | CONFERENCE GAMES | 
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|  | CONFERENCE GAMES |  | 
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|  | W | L | T | PF | PA | STRK | W | L | T | PF | PA | COACH(ES) | 
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| San Diego State | 10 | 1 | 0 | 266 | 143 | Won 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 97 | 47 | Don Coryell | 
| Pacific | 8 | 3 | 0 | 232 | 176 | Won 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 76 | 58 | Chester Caddas | 
| Fresno State | 6 | 4 | 1 | 237 | 158 | Lost 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 53 | 80 | Darryl Rogers | 
| Long Beach State | 5 | 6 | 0 | 224 | 272 | Won 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 53 | 98 | Jim Strangeland | 
| San Jose State | 4 | 7 | 0 | 197 | 287 | Lost 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 96 | 92 | Dewey King | 
| Ivy League | 
|  | CONFERENCE GAMES | 
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|  | CONFERENCE GAMES |  | 
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|  | W | L | T | PF | PA | STRK | W | L | T | PF | PA | COACH(ES) | 
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| Dartmouth | 7 | 1 | 1 | 260 | 168 | Won 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 219 | 147 | Jake Crouthamel | 
| Yale | 7 | 2 | 0 | 283 | 157 | Won 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 228 | 143 | Carmen Cozza | 
| Pennsylvania | 6 | 3 | 0 | 263 | 203 | Lost 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 178 | 164 | Harry Gamble | 
| Cornell | 6 | 3 | 0 | 228 | 183 | Won 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 155 | 154 | Jack Musick | 
| Harvard | 4 | 4 | 1 | 198 | 186 | Lost 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 146 | 144 | Joseph Restic | 
| Columbia | 3 | 5 | 1 | 143 | 124 | Won 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 96 | 118 | Frank Navarro | 
| Princeton | 3 | 5 | 1 | 120 | 161 | Lost 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 87 | 120 | Jake McCandless | 
| Brown | 1 | 8 | 0 | 172 | 301 | Lost 6 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 131 | 250 | Len Jardine | 
| Missouri Valley Conference | 
|  | CONFERENCE GAMES | 
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|  | CONFERENCE GAMES |  | 
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|  | W | L | T | PF | PA | STRK | W | L | T | PF | PA | COACH(ES) | 
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| #18 Louisville | 9 | 1 | 0 | 309 | 91 | Won 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 172 | 37 | Lee Corso | 
| Drake | 7 | 5 | 0 | 287 | 200 | Lost 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 145 | 64 | Jack Wallace | 
| West Texas A&M | 5 | 5 | 0 | 217 | 198 | Won 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 113 | 84 | Gene Mayfield | 
| Tulsa | 4 | 7 | 0 | 195 | 269 | Won 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 104 | 106 | Claude Gibson, F.A. Dry | 
| Memphis | 5 | 5 | 1 | 265 | 254 | Tied 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 121 | 81 | Fred Pancoast | 
| Wichita State | 6 | 5 | 0 | 156 | 228 | Won 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 88 | 161 | Bob Seaman | 
| New Mexico State | 2 | 9 | 0 | 193 | 400 | Lost 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 80 | 136 | Jim Wood | 
| North Texas | 1 | 10 | 0 | 148 | 354 | Lost 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 84 | 238 | Rod Rust | 
| Mid-America Conference | 
|  | CONFERENCE GAMES | 
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|  | CONFERENCE GAMES |  | 
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|  | W | L | T | PF | PA | STRK | W | L | T | PF | PA | COACH(ES) | 
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| Kent State | 6 | 5 | 1 | 191 | 196 | Lost 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 111 | 56 | Don James | 
| Bowling Green State | 6 | 3 | 1 | 184 | 127 | Lost 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 75 | 42 | Don Nehlen | 
| Western Michigan | 7 | 3 | 1 | 229 | 201 | Won 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 81 | 100 | William Doolittle | 
| Miami (Ohio) | 7 | 3 | 0 | 232 | 116 | Won 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 107 | 87 | Bill Mallory | 
| Toledo | 6 | 5 | 0 | 196 | 210 | Lost 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 94 | 118 | John Murphy | 
| Ohio University | 3 | 8 | 0 | 185 | 321 | Lost 6 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 76 | 141 | Bill Hess | 
| Pac Eight Conference | 
|  | CONFERENCE GAMES | 
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|  | CONFERENCE GAMES |  | 
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|  | W | L | T | PF | PA | STRK | W | L | T | PF | PA | COACH(ES) | 
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| #1 Southern California | 12 | 0 | 0 | 467 | 134 | Won 12 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 243 | 58 | John McKay | 
| #15 UCLA | 8 | 3 | 0 | 351 | 239 | Lost 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 242 | 137 | Pepper Rodgers | 
| Washington | 8 | 3 | 0 | 208 | 204 | Lost 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 128 | 160 | Jim Owens | 
| #19 Washington State | 7 | 4 | 0 | 274 | 241 | Won 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 168 | 160 | Jim Sweeney | 
| California | 3 | 8 | 0 | 228 | 314 | Won 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 163 | 208 | Mike White | 
| Stanford | 6 | 5 | 0 | 266 | 183 | Won 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 132 | 135 | Jack Christiansen | 
| Oregon | 4 | 7 | 0 | 194 | 285 | Won 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 108 | 184 | Dick Enright | 
| Oregon State | 2 | 9 | 0 | 131 | 295 | Lost 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 76 | 218 | Dee Andros | 
| Southeastern Conference | 
|  | CONFERENCE GAMES | 
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|  | CONFERENCE GAMES |  | 
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|  | W | L | T | PF | PA | STRK | W | L | T | PF | PA | COACH(ES) | 
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| #7 Alabama | 10 | 2 | 0 | 406 | 150 | Lost 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 258 | 97 | Paul "Bear" Bryant | 
| #5 Auburn | 10 | 1 | 0 | 209 | 141 | Won 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 120 | 103 | Ralph "Shug" Jordan | 
| #11 Louisiana State | 9 | 2 | 1 | 252 | 145 | Lost 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 114 | 75 | Charles McClendon | 
| #8 Tennessee | 10 | 2 | 0 | 297 | 100 | Won 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 94 | 44 | Bill Battle | 
| Georgia | 7 | 4 | 0 | 174 | 163 | Won 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 82 | 96 | Vince Dooley | 
| Florida | 5 | 5 | 1 | 218 | 144 | Lost 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 121 | 76 | Doug Dickey | 
| Mississippi | 5 | 5 | 0 | 192 | 142 | Won 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 124 | 104 | Billy Kinard | 
| Kentucky | 3 | 8 | 0 | 131 | 232 | Lost 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 45 | 141 | John Ray | 
| Mississippi State | 4 | 7 | 0 | 197 | 254 | Lost 3 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 81 | 202 | Charley Shira | 
| Vanderbilt | 3 | 8 | 0 | 129 | 243 | Lost 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 60 | 161 | Bill Pace | 
| Southern Conference | 
|  | CONFERENCE GAMES | 
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|  | CONFERENCE GAMES |  | 
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|  | W | L | T | PF | PA | STRK | W | L | T | PF | PA | COACH(ES) | 
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| East Carolina | 9 | 2 | 0 | 269 | 176 | Lost 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 161 | 67 | Sonny Randle | 
| Richmond | 6 | 4 | 0 | 183 | 150 | Won 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 132 | 60 | Frank Jones | 
| William & Mary | 5 | 6 | 0 | 261 | 191 | Lost 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 167 | 72 | Jim Root | 
| Citadel | 5 | 6 | 0 | 192 | 183 | Won 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 154 | 132 | Jimmy "Red" Parker | 
| Davidson | 3 | 7 | 1 | 202 | 343 | Lost 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 118 | 160 | Dave Fagg | 
| Virginia Military | 2 | 9 | 0 | 150 | 295 | Won 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 69 | 158 | Bob Thalman | 
| Furman | 2 | 9 | 0 | 152 | 309 | Lost 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 99 | 213 | Bob King | 
| Appalachian State | 5 | 5 | 1 | 239 | 232 | Lost 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 55 | 93 | Jim Brakefield | 
| Southwestern Conference | 
|  | CONFERENCE GAMES | 
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|  | CONFERENCE GAMES |  | 
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|  | W | L | T | PF | PA | STRK | W | L | T | PF | PA | COACH(ES) | 
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| #3 Texas | 10 | 1 | 0 | 271 | 121 | Won 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 204 | 59 | Darrell Royal | 
| Texas Tech | 8 | 4 | 0 | 282 | 188 | Lost 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 98 | 110 | Jim Carlen | 
| Southern Methodist | 7 | 4 | 0 | 269 | 154 | Won 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 127 | 111 | Hayden Fry | 
| Arkansas | 6 | 5 | 0 | 228 | 227 | Won 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 131 | 137 | Frank Broyles | 
| Rice | 5 | 5 | 1 | 196 | 238 | Lost 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 111 | 167 | Al Conover | 
| Baylor | 5 | 6 | 0 | 180 | 156 | Won 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 122 | 109 | Grant Teaff | 
| Texas Christian | 5 | 6 | 0 | 213 | 245 | Lost 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 109 | 173 | Billy Tohill | 
| Texas A&M | 3 | 8 | 0 | 165 | 243 | Lost 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 91 | 127 | Emory Bellard | 
| Western Athletic Conference | 
|  | CONFERENCE GAMES | 
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|  | CONFERENCE GAMES |  | 
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|  | W | L | T | PF | PA | STRK | W | L | T | PF | PA | COACH(ES) | 
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| #13 Arizona State | 10 | 2 | 0 | 562 | 296 | Won 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 304 | 152 | Frank Kush | 
| Brigham Young | 7 | 4 | 0 | 251 | 227 | Won 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 159 | 120 | Lavell Edwards | 
| Utah | 6 | 5 | 0 | 354 | 336 | Won 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 270 | 178 | Bill Meek | 
| Arizona | 4 | 7 | 0 | 226 | 271 | Lost 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 172 | 132 | Bob Weber | 
| Wyoming | 4 | 7 | 0 | 223 | 309 | Won 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 142 | 163 | Fritz Shurmur | 
| New Mexico | 3 | 8 | 0 | 208 | 327 | Lost 5 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 116 | 188 | Rudy Feldman | 
| Colorado State | 1 | 10 | 0 | 128 | 413 | Lost 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 88 | 173 | Jerry Wampfler | 
| Texas-El Paso | 2 | 8 | 0 | 172 | 345 | Lost 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 119 | 264 | Bobby Dobbs, Tommy Hudspeth | 
| Major Independents | 
|  | CONFERENCE GAMES | 
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|  | CONFERENCE GAMES |  | 
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|  | W | L | T | PF | PA | STRK | W | L | T | PF | PA | COACH(ES) | 
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| #10 Penn State | 10 | 2 | 0 | 358 | 189 | Lost 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Joe Paterno | 
| Tampa | 10 | 2 | 0 | 299 | 132 | Won 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |  | 
| Utah State | 8 | 3 | 0 | 329 | 230 | Won 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Chuck Mills | 
| #14 Notre Dame | 8 | 3 | 0 | 289 | 192 | Lost 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Ara Parseghian | 
| West Virginia | 8 | 4 | 0 | 415 | 289 | Lost 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Bobby Bowden | 
| Rutgers | 7 | 4 | 0 | 290 | 172 | Won 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | John Bateman | 
| Florida State | 7 | 4 | 0 | 287 | 224 | Lost 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Larry Jones | 
| #20 Georgia Tech | 7 | 4 | 1 | 284 | 226 | Won 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Bill Fulcher | 
| Northern Illinois | 7 | 4 | 0 | 198 | 141 | Won 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Jerry Ippoliti | 
| Houston | 6 | 4 | 1 | 325 | 202 | Won 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Bill Yeoman | 
| Air Force | 6 | 4 | 0 | 303 | 183 | Lost 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Ben Martin | 
| Virginia Tech | 6 | 4 | 1 | 307 | 253 | Won 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Charlie Coffey | 
| Army | 6 | 4 | 0 | 160 | 282 | Won 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Tom Cahill | 
| Holy Cross | 5 | 4 | 1 | 187 | 182 | Lost 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Ed Doherty | 
| Temple | 5 | 4 | 0 | 164 | 176 | Won 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Wayne Hardin | 
| Colgate | 5 | 4 | 1 | 219 | 269 | Lost 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Neil Wheelwright | 
| Tulane | 6 | 5 | 0 | 212 | 165 | Lost 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Bennie Ellender | 
| Miami (Florida) | 5 | 6 | 0 | 214 | 170 | Lost 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Fran Curci | 
| Texas-Arlington | 5 | 6 | 0 | 164 | 225 | Won 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | John Symank | 
| Syracuse | 5 | 6 | 0 | 141 | 229 | Lost 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Ben Schwartzwalder | 
| Dayton | 4 | 6 | 1 | 172 | 181 | Lost 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | John McVay | 
| Boston College | 4 | 7 | 0 | 240 | 258 | Won 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Joe Yukica | 
| South Carolina | 4 | 7 | 0 | 214 | 232 | Lost 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Paul Dietzel | 
| Navy | 4 | 7 | 0 | 181 | 257 | Lost 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Rick Forzano | 
| Idaho | 4 | 7 | 0 | 165 | 278 | Won 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Don Robbins | 
| Southern Mississippi | 3 | 7 | 1 | 182 | 231 | Tied 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | P.W. "Bear" Underwood | 
| Xavier | 2 | 8 | 0 | 108 | 246 | Lost 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Thomas Cecchini | 
| Marshall | 2 | 8 | 0 | 93 | 254 | Won 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Jack Lengyel | 
| Villanova | 2 | 9 | 0 | 140 | 217 | Lost 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Louis Ferry | 
| Tennessee-Chattanooga | 2 | 9 | 0 | 94 | 207 | Lost 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Harold Wilkes | 
| Cincinnati | 2 | 9 | 0 | 138 | 323 | Lost 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Ray Callahan | 
| Southern Illinois | 1 | 8 | 1 | 55 | 181 | Lost 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Dick Towers | 
| Pittsburgh | 1 | 10 | 0 | 193 | 350 | Lost 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Carl DePasqua |