1952 college football season

The 1952 college football season ended with Oklahoma halfback Billy Vessels winning the Heisman Trophy and Notre Dame halfback Johnny Lattner winning the Maxwell Award. Two teams claim the 1952 national championship:

Small college teams that compiled perfect seasons in 1952 included East Texas (11–0, Lone Star and Tangerine Bowl champion), Idaho State (8–0, Rocky Mountain champion), Peru State (10–0, part of 26-game winning streak), and Shippensburg (7–0, part of 20-game winning streak). Florida A&M (8–2) was selected by the Associated Negro Press as the black college national champion.

Individual statistical leaders in major college football for the 1952 season included Detroit quarterback Ted Marchibroda with 1,813 yards of total offense, Tulsa halfback Howard Waugh with 1,372 rushing yards, Georgia quarterback Zeke Bratkowski with 1,824 passing yards, Fordham end Ed Brown with 774 receiving yards, and Mississippi State quarterback Jackie Parker with 120 points scored.

Tulsa led the major colleges in total offense with an average of 466.6 yards per game. Tennessee led in total defense, giving up an average of only 166.7 yards per game..

Conference and program changes

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Conference changes

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Membership changes

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School1951 Conference1952 Conference
Arizona State–Flagstaff (NAU) LumberjacksBorderNMIC
Bowling Green FalconsIndependentMAC
Bradley BravesMissouri ValleyIndependent
Drake BulldogsMissouri ValleyIndependent
Loyola Marymount LionsIndependentDropped Program
San Francisco DonsIndependentDropped Program
Toledo RocketsIndependentMAC

September

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September 20 Maryland won at Missouri 13–10, and Texas won at LSU 35–14. In the preseason poll released on September 22, 1952, the Michigan State Spartans were rated first, followed by the Maryland Terrapins. Maryland actually had more first place votes 79 to 77, but MSU had an edge on points, 1720–1696. The remainder of the Top Five was No. 3 Georgia Tech (which beat The Citadel 54–6), No. 4 Oklahoma and No. 5 Illinois. Defending champion Tennessee was 6th. As the regular season progressed, a new poll would be issued on the Monday following the weekend's games.

On September 27 No. 1 Michigan State won at Michigan, 27–13.No. 2 Maryland beat Auburn 13–7 in Birmingham.No. 3 Georgia Tech narrowly beat Florida 17–14 and fell to 6th place in the next poll.No. 4 Oklahoma visited Colorado and was tied, 21–21. No. 5 Illinois, which beat Iowa State 33–7, rose to second place in the next poll. No. 8 California, which was 2–0–0 after a 28–14 win over Missouri, and No. 11 Texas (which had won at North Carolina 28–7), moved into the top five. The poll: No. 1 Michigan State, No. 2 Illinois, No. 3 Maryland, No. 4 California, and No. 5 Texas.

October

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October 4 No. 1 Michigan State narrowly defeated Oregon State 17–14 at Portland.No. 2 Illinois lost at No. 8 Wisconsin, 20–6, and would end up finishing 1952 with a losing (4–5–0) record. No. 3 Maryland beat Clemson 28–0. No. 4 California won at Minnesota, 49–13. No. 5 Texas lost 14-3 to No. 19 Notre Dame. No. 6 Georgia Tech, which beat SMU 20–7 in Dallas, returned to the Top Five. The next poll featured No. 1 Wisconsin, No. 2 Michigan State, No. 3 California, No. 4 Maryland, and No. 5 Georgia Tech.

October 11 The new No. 1, Wisconsin, lost at Columbus to unranked Ohio State, 23–14. No. 2 Michigan State beat visiting Texas A&M 48–6. No. 3 California beat Oregon at Portland, 41–7.No. 4 Maryland won at Georgia, 37–0. No. 5 Georgia Tech beat Tulane 14–0. No. 6 Duke, which won at South Carolina 33–7, was fifth in the next poll: No. 1 Michigan State, No. 2 Maryland, No. 3 California, No. 4 Georgia Tech, and No. 5 Duke.

October 18 No. 1 Michigan State beat visiting Syracuse 48–7. No. 2 Maryland beat No. 20 Navy 38–7. No. 3 California beat Santa Clara 27–7. No. 4 Georgia Tech beat Auburn 33–0. No. 5 Duke won at N.C. State, 57–0, but was still bounced out of the top five. No. 6 Oklahoma, which had won at No. 8 Kansas 42–20, was third in the next poll: No. 1 Michigan State, No. 2 Maryland, No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 4 California, and No. 5 Georgia Tech.

October 25 No. 1 Michigan State beat No. 17 Penn State 34–7. No. 2 Maryland beat LSU 34–6. No. 3 Oklahoma beat Kansas State 49–6. In Los Angeles, a matchup of unbeaten teams pitted No. 4 California (5–0–0) against the 5–0–0 and No. 7 USC Trojans. USC won 10–0. Cal would lose this and the next two games after its perfect start. No. 5 Georgia Tech beat Vanderbilt 30–0. The next poll: No. 1 Michigan State, No. 2 Maryland, No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 4 Georgia Tech, and No. 5 USC.

November

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November 1 No. 1 Michigan State narrowly won at No. 8 Purdue, 14–7. No. 2 Maryland won at Boston University, 34–7. No. 3 Oklahoma won at Iowa State 41–0. No. 4 Georgia Tech (6–0–0) faced unbeaten No. 6 Duke (also 6–0–0) and won 28–7. No. 5 USC was idle, and its place was taken by No. 7 UCLA, which handed No. 11 California a 28–7 defeat. The next poll: No. 1 Michigan State, No. 2 Maryland, No. 3 Georgia Tech, No. 4 Oklahoma, and No. 5 UCLA.

November 8 No. 1 Michigan State won at Indiana 41–14. No. 2 Maryland was idle. No. 3 Georgia Tech beat Army 45–6. No. 4 Oklahoma lost at No. 10 Notre Dame, 27–21, and dropped back out of the Top Five. No. 5 UCLA beat visiting Oregon State 57–0. No. 6 USC rose to fifth after a 54–7 win at Stanford. The next poll: No. 1. Michigan State, No. 2 Georgia Tech, No. 3 Maryland, No. 4 UCLA, and No. 5 USC.

November 15 Unbeaten No. 1 Michigan State hosted once-beaten (5–1–1) No. 6 Notre Dame and won 21–3. In Atlanta, unbeaten (8–0–0) No. 2 Georgia Tech faced once-beaten (7–1–0) No. 12 Alabama and won, 7–3. And on the road, unbeaten (7–0–0) No. 3 Maryland lost at unbeaten (6–0–2) No. 11 Mississippi, 21–14. No. 4 UCLA was idle. No. 5 USC beat No. 17 Washington 33–0. No. 8 Oklahoma, which had beaten Missouri 47–7, returned to the Top Five. The next poll: No. 1 Michigan State, No. 2 Georgia Tech, No. 3 UCLA, No. 4 USC, and No. 5 Oklahoma.

November 22 No. 1 Michigan State won 62–13 over Marquette to close its season unbeaten. No. 2 Georgia Tech also stayed unbeaten as it beat Florida State 30–0. No. 3 UCLA and No. 4 USC (both 8–0–0) met in Los Angeles, with USC winning 14–12 to take the crown of the Pacific Coast Conference and a trip to the Rose Bowl. No. 5 Oklahoma beat Nebraska 34–13. The new poll: No. 1 Michigan State, No. 2 USC, No. 3 Georgia Tech, No. 4 Oklahoma, and No. 5 UCLA.

November 29 No. 1 Michigan State had closed its season. No. 2 USC hosted No. 7 Notre Dame and lost 9–0. No. 3 Georgia Tech finished its season unbeaten (11–0–0) with a 23–9 win over Georgia. The Yellow Jackets were invited to the Sugar Bowl to face unbeaten, but twice tied (8–0–2) and No. 6 Mississippi, a conference rival whom they had not faced during the regular season. No. 4 Oklahoma closed its season at Oklahoma A&M, winning 54–7 to finish 8–1–1. In the final AP poll, released December 1, No. 1 Michigan State was the champion, followed by No. 2 Georgia Tech, No. 3 Notre Dame, No. 4 Oklahoma, and No. 5 USC.

Conference standings

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For this article, major conferences defined as those including at least one state flagship public university or a team ranked in the AP Poll.

Major conference standings

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1952 Big Seven Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 4 Oklahoma $501811
Missouri510550
Nebraska321541
Kansas330730
Colorado222622
Iowa State150360
Kansas State060190
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
1952 Big Ten Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 11 Wisconsin +411631
No. 18 Purdue +411432
No. 17 Ohio State520630
Michigan420540
Minnesota312432
Illinois250450
Northwestern250261
Iowa250270
Indiana150270
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll
1952 Border Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Arizona State $400630
Texas Tech211371
Arizona320640
Hardin–Simmons221532
Texas Western231551
New Mexico A&M121261
West Texas State140360
Arizona State–Flagstaff010340
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Mid-American Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Cincinnati $300811
Miami (OH)410810
Ohio520622
Bowling Green220720
Kent State220540
Western Michigan140440
Western Reserve140540
Toledo140450
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Middle Three Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Lehigh +100540
Rutgers +100441
Lafayette020090
  • + – Conference co-champions
1952 Missouri Valley Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Houston $300820
No. 12 Tulsa310821
Oklahoma A&M220370
Detroit130270
Wichita030361
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
1952 North Central Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Iowa State Teachers $510620
North Dakota State420540
South Dakota321431
South Dakota State321441
Morningside330530
North Dakota240360
Augustana (SD)060090
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Pacific Coast Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 5 USC $6001010
No. 6 UCLA510810
Washington620730
California330730
Washington State340460
Stanford250550
Oregon250271
Idaho130441
Oregon State160270
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
1952 Skyline Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Utah $500631
New Mexico510720
Colorado A&M520640
Wyoming430540
BYU340460
Utah State340371
Montana150271
Denver070370
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Southeastern Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Georgia Tech $7001200
No. 8 Tennessee501821
No. 7 Ole Miss402812
No. 9 Alabama4201020
Georgia430740
No. 15 Florida330830
Mississippi State340540
Tulane350550
No. 20 Kentucky132542
LSU250370
Vanderbilt141352
Auburn070280
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
1952 Southern Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 16 Duke $500820
Wake Forest510541
West Virginia510720
William & Mary410450
George Washington421531
VPI440560
Furman221631
Washington and Lee340370
VMI231361
NC State240370
South Carolina240550
North Carolina120260
The Citadel131351
Davidson160270
Richmond060190
Maryland  720
Clemson  261
  • $ – Conference champion
  • † League sanctions prevented Maryland and Clemson from conference participation
Rankings from AP Poll
1952 Southwest Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 10 Texas $600920
Rice420550
SMU321451
TCU222442
Baylor132442
Texas A&M141361
Arkansas150280
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
1952 Yankee Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Connecticut +310530
Maine +310430
Rhode Island +310710
UMass120431
Vermont010250
New Hampshire040241
  • + – Conference co-champions

Independents

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1952 Eastern college football independents records
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Rochester  800
Hofstra  810
No. 19 Princeton  810
Franklin & Marshall  710
Villanova  711
Holy Cross  820
Yale  720
Penn State  721
No. 14 Syracuse  730
Bucknell  630
Colgate  630
Pittsburgh  630
Carnegie Tech  430
Harvard  540
Boston University  541
Penn  432
Army  441
Boston College  441
Tufts  341
Drexel  340
Fordham  251
NYU  251
Columbia  261
Brown  270
Cornell  270
Dartmouth  270
Temple  271
Buffalo  170
Rankings from AP Poll
1952 Midwestern college football independents records
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 Michigan State  900
No. 3 Notre Dame  721
Carthage  520
Youngstown  431
Wabash  540
Dayton  650
Baldwin–Wallace  440
Wayne  440
Bradley  450
John Carroll  450
Washington University  450
Rose Poly  341
Xavier  460
Marquette  351
Drake  270
Rankings from AP Poll
1952 Southern college football independents records
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Maryland State  910
Mississippi Southern  1020
Virginia  820
Sewanee  720
No. 17 Navy  621
Arkansas State  830
Tampa  831
Chattanooga  730
Northeast Louisiana State  540
Delaware  440
Louisville  350
Miami (FL)  470
Marshall  272
Memphis State  270
Florida State  181
Rankings from AP Poll
1952 Western college football independents records
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Fresno State  820
Pacific (CA)  731
San Jose State  630
La Verne  531
Hawaii  552
Cal Poly San Dimas  440
Nevada  220
Santa Clara  261

Minor conferences

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ConferenceChampion(s)Record
California Collegiate Athletic AssociationCal Poly–San Luis Obispo4–0
Central Church College ConferenceConcordia (NE)3–0
Central Intercollegiate Athletics AssociationVirginia State7–0
Central Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceKansas State Teachers (Emporia State)5–0
College Conference of IllinoisLake Forest
Millikin
3–0–1
Evergreen ConferencePacific Lutheran5–0–1
Far Western ConferenceHumboldt State College3–0
Frontier ConferenceCarroll (MT)4–0
Gulf Coast ConferenceNorth Texas State2–0
Indiana Collegiate ConferenceButler
Valparaiso
3–1
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceBuena Vista2–1
Kansas Collegiate Athletic ConferenceMcPherson6–0
Lone Star ConferenceEast Texas State Teachers5–0
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic AssociationAlbion5–0
Mid-American ConferenceCincinnati3–0
Midwest Collegiate Athletic ConferenceCoe6–0
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceGustavus Adolphus
Concordia–Moorhead
6–0
Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic AssociationNortheast Missouri State
Northwest Missouri State
4–1
Nebraska College ConferencePeru State7–0
New Mexico Intercollegiate ConferenceEastern New Mexico
Panhandle A&M
4–1
North Central Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceIowa State Teachers (Northern Iowa)5–1
North Dakota College Athletic ConferenceJamestown College
Minot State Teachers
Valley City State
5–1
Ohio Athletic ConferenceHeidelberg5–1
Ohio Valley ConferenceTennessee Tech
Western Kentucky State
4–1
Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic ConferenceNortheastern State College (OK)5–0
Oregon Collegiate ConferenceOregon College
Pacific Northwest ConferenceCollege of Idaho
Pacific (OR)
4–0–1
Pennsylvania State Athletic ConferenceWest Chester State Teachers5–0
Rocky Mountain Athletic ConferenceIdaho State College5–0
South Dakota Intercollegiate ConferenceNorthern State Teachers4–1
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceWhittier4–0
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceBethune–Cookman
Florida A&M
5–1
4–1
Southwestern Athletic ConferencePrairie View A&M College6–0
State Teacher's College Conference of MinnesotaMankato State Teachers
Moorhead State Teachers
St. Cloud State Teachers
3–1
Texas Collegiate Athletic ConferenceAbilene Christian4–0
Wisconsin State College ConferenceNorth: Wisconsin State–La Crosse
South: Wisconsin State–Platteville
5–0
4–0

Minor conference standings

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1952 Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Southern State (AR) $5001010
Henderson State320440
Ozarks221521
Arkansas A&M221341
Arkansas Tech140170
Arkansas State Teachers140180
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 California Collegiate Athletic Association football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Cal Poly $400730
Santa Barbara310820
San Diego State220450
Los Angeles State130440
Pepperdine040270
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Central Church College Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Concordia (NE) $300630
Dana210340
Tarkio120170
York (NE)030260
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 4 Virginia State $700810
No. 11 North Carolina A&T520640
St. Augustine's520720
No. 19 North Carolina College420440
No. 20 Morgan State420441
Johnson C. Smith420520
No. 17 Howard521621
West Virginia State530640
No. 21 Hampton440450
Lincoln (PA)231531
Winston-Salem State240440
Delaware State150170
Bluefield State150170
Virginia Union160180
Saint Paul's (VA)060080
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from Associated Negro Press[3]
1952 Central Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Emporia State $500730
St. Benedict's320540
Washburn320450
Pittsburg State221541
Fort Hays State032162
Southwestern (KS)041171
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 College Conference of Illinois football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Lake Forest +301611
Millikin +301611
Wheaton (IL)410710
Augustana (IL)320350
Illinois Wesleyan220251
Elmhurst130340
Illinois College140250
North Central (IL)050061
  • + – Conference co-champions
1952 Evergreen Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Pacific Lutheran $501521
Western Washington411521
Puget Sound420531
Whitworth420431
Central Washington240440
Eastern Washington150170
UBC060080
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Far Western Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Humboldt State $300710
Cal Aggies210270
San Francisco State100360
Chico State130160
Southern Oregon030350
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Hoosier Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Hanover $600612
Earlham420620
Franklin (IN)420530
Indiana Central330530
Anderson (IN)240351
Manchester (IN)240440
Taylor060090
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Gulf Coast Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
North Texas State $200730
Midwestern (TX)110650
Trinity (TX)020460
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Gulf States Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Louisiana Tech +302612
Southeastern Louisiana +302612
Southwestern Louisiana +302522
McNeese State230730
Louisiana College041371
Northwestern State041171
  • + – Conference co-champions
1952 Indiana Collegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Butler +311531
Valparaiso +311531
Indiana State212413
Ball State320351
Evansville230270
Saint Joseph's (IN)050080
  • + – Conference co-champions
1952 Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Central Michigan $600720
Western Illinois510720
Michigan State Normal321531
Northern Illinois State240360
Southern Illinois240260
Illinois State Normal141162
Eastern Illinois150270
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Iowa Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Northern Division
Buena Vista xy$210550
Luther210350
Upper Iowa120330
Wartburg120250
Southern Division
Iowa Wesleyan xy400710
Dubuque310440
Simpson220350
Parsons130440
Central (IA)040170
Championship: Buena Vista 13, Iowa Wesleyan 7
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
1952 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
McPherson $600801
Ottawa510810
Bethany (KS)330540
College of Emporia231351
Baker231251
Kansas Wesleyan240540
Bethel (KS)060270
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Lone Star Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
East Texas State $5001100
Southwest Texas State410720
Sam Houston State230640
Sul Ross230460
Lamar Tech140270
Stephen F. Austin140270
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Mason–Dixon Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Randolph–Macon $301531
Hampden–Sydney211531
Johns Hopkins120440
Western Maryland120440
Bridgewater120240
Gallaudet010140
  • $ – Conference champion
  • Conference standings were based on the Dickinson Scoring System.
1952 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Albion $500710
Hope410450
Alma230440
Kalamazoo230341
Adrian140351
Hillsdale140350
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Mid-Ohio League football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Ohio Northern $500720
Findlay410610
Bluffton320540
Defiance230440
Cedarville140???
Ashland050080
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Midlands Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
St. Norbert $400600
Loras310810
St. Ambrose220450
Lewis031251
Saint Joseph's (IN)031081
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Midwest Athletic Association football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Lincoln (MO) +401801
No. 3 Texas Southern +2011001
No. 6 Tennessee A&I210820
No. 12 Grambling111731
No. 14 Central State (OH)120440
Jackson021351
No. 23 Kentucky State040461
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from Associated Negro Press[4]
1952 Midwest Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Coe $600710
Lawrence610710
Monmouth (IL)420620
St. Olaf420530
Carleton340350
Knox340350
Ripon240340
Cornell (IA)160260
Grinnell070080
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Gustavus Adolphus +600710
Concordia (MN) +600720
Hamline420620
Saint John's (MN)330530
St. Thomas (MN)330350
Macalester221241
Augsburg240350
Saint Mary's (MN)051151
Minnesota–Duluth060071
  • + – Conference co-champions
1952 Minnesota Teachers College Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Moorhead State +310520
St. Cloud State +310540
Mankato State +310440
Winona State130161
Bemidji State040240
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • Bemidji State forfeited a conference win over Winona State because of an ineligible player.
1952 Missouri College Athletic Union football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Missouri Valley $400640
William Jewell3101011
Culver–Stockton220250
Central (MO)130170
Tarkio *040160
  • $ – Conference champion
  • * – Forfeited to Missouri Valley and William Jewell
1952 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
NE Missouri State +410710
NW Missouri State +410630
Missouri–Rolla320350
SE Missouri State230440
SW Missouri State140360
Central Missouri State140160
  • + – Conference co-champions
1952 Montana Collegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Carroll (MT) $400820
Rocky Mountain310???
Montana Mines220???
Western Montana130???
Eastern Montana040050
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Nebraska College Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Peru State $7001000
Hastings520620
Doane430450
Nebraska Wesleyan430550
Kearney State340540
Wayne State (NE)340450
Chadron State250360
Midland070270
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 New Mexico Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Eastern New Mexico +410711
Panhandle A&M +410730
New Mexico Military221???
Adams State221251
New Mexico Western230430
New Mexico Highlands050170
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 North Dakota Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Minot State +510620
Jamestown +510520
Valley City State +510530
Ellendale411421
Dickinson State330530
Mayville State231231
Wahpeton Science150250
Bismarck JC150150
Bottineau060060
  • + – Conference co-champions
1952 North State Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Lenoir Rhyne $600810
East Carolina411632
Catawba411451
Appalachian State240261
Western Carolina140280
Guilford140170
Elon150361
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Northwest Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Pacific (OR) +401701
College of Idaho +401711
Willamette320522
Linfield230531
Lewis & Clark140161
Whitman050360
  • + – Conference co-champions
1952 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Heidelberg $510810
Wooster411711
Muskingum520630
Ohio Wesleyan520630
Denison420440
Hiram330530
Akron221261
Capital230440
Oberlin230350
Wittenberg240540
Otterbein250260
Kenyon130330
Marietta140251
Mount Union140170
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Ohio Valley Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Western Kentucky +410910
Tennessee Tech +410920
Murray State320440
Middle Tennessee220650
Eastern Kentucky031341
Morehead State041161
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Oklahoma Collegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Northeastern State $500910
Central State (OK)320440
East Central320450
SE Oklahoma State230440
SW Oklahoma State230360
NW Oklahoma State050360
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Oregon Collegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Oregon College $300330
Oregon Tech210730
Eastern Oregon120350
Portland State030090
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Pennsylvania State Teachers College Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
West Chester $500700
Shippensburg500700
Clarion400900
Bloomsburg211521
Slippery Rock220431
Kutztown330340
Lock Haven430530
California (PA)221341
East Stroudsburg130440
Millersville340340
Indiana (PA)140440
Edinboro140340
Mansfield150260
Cheyney030150
  • $ – Conference champion
  • Conference standings were based on the Saylor system of ratings.
1952 Rocky Mountain Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Idaho State $500800
Colorado College410720
Colorado State–Greeley320530
Colorado Mines230450
Montana State140250
Western State (CO)050260
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Smoky Mountain Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Emory and Henry $100820
Carson–Newman010370
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Northern State $410610
Huron620620
Yankton420520
Black Hills320530
Southern State430430
Dakota Wesleyan330340
South Dakota Mines240250
General Beadle140140
Sioux Falls060070
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Whittier $400910
Occidental310440
Pomona220250
[[{{{school}}}|Redlands]]130270
[[{{{school}}}|Caltech]]040070
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 5 Prairie View A&M $600720
No. 10 [[{{{school}}}|Southern]]510920
No. 13 [[{{{school}}}|Texas College]]321431
[[{{{school}}}|Arkansas AM&N]]222362
[[{{{school}}}|Wiley]]240450
[[{{{school}}}|Langston]]141261
[[{{{school}}}|Bishop]]060280
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from Associated Negro Press[5]
1952 Texas Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Abilene Christian $400631
[[{{{school}}}|McMurry]]310441
[[{{{school}}}|Texas A&I]]130380
[[{{{school}}}|Howard Payne]]130360
[[{{{school}}}|Austin]]130270
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 Virginia Little Six Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Hampden–Sydney $201531
Emory and Henry110820
Randolph–Macon111531
Bridgewater020240
  • $ – Conference champion
1952 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
[[{{{school}}}|Fairmont State]] $500600
[[{{{school}}}|Morris Harvey]]400630
[[{{{school}}}|West Virginia Tech]]310630
[[{{{school}}}|Davis & Elkins]]430450
[[{{{school}}}|Potomac State]]221321
[[{{{school}}}|Glenville State]]330330
[[{{{school}}}|Concord]]331341
[[{{{school}}}|West Liberty State]]250270
[[{{{school}}}|Salem]]070070
[[{{{school}}}|Shepherd]] *110531
[[{{{school}}}|Bethany (WV)]] *010160
  • $ – Conference champion
  • * – Did not qualify for conference standings
    Conference standings based on power ratings
1952 Wisconsin State College Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Northern Division
[[{{{school}}}|La Crosse State]] x+400810
[[{{{school}}}|River Falls State]]211521
[[{{{school}}}|Superior State]]220231
[[{{{school}}}|Stout Institute]]130350
[[{{{school}}}|Eau Claire State]]031251
Southern Division
[[{{{school}}}|Platteville State]] x+400510
[[{{{school}}}|Stevens Point State]]310710
[[{{{school}}}|Oshkosh State]]220230
[[{{{school}}}|Whitewater State]]130240
[[{{{school}}}|Milwaukee State]]040080
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • x – Division champion/co-champions

Rankings

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Bowl games

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As late as 1952, many colleges, and some football conferences, did not participate in postseason bowl games. No. 1 Michigan State had joined the Big Ten conference in 1950 for football, but as part of the terms of membership, was ineligible to play in a bowl game until the 1953 season. No. 3 Notre Dame had a policy against playing in postseason games.[6] No. 4 Oklahoma was a member of the Big 7 conference (which later, as the Big 8 and Big 12, would send its best team to the Orange Bowl), and that conference banned post-season games. The Oklahoma University Board of Regents considered a motion to allow the team to accept an invitation from the Orange Bowl, and passed a resolution that stated that "Oklahoma belongs to the Big Seven Conference and has followed its rules in the past and should follow them in the future.".[7] Thus, three of the nation's four "top teams" did not play in a bowl game. The exception was Georgia Tech, which played as the SEC champ in the Sugar Bowl. In a forerunner of the SEC championship game, the two best teams in the conference met, with No. 7 Ole Miss accepting the invitation to play against Tech.

Bowl gameWinning teamLosing team
Sugar BowlNo. 2 Georgia Tech24No. 7 Ole Miss7
Rose BowlNo. 5 USC7No. 11 Wisconsin0
Cotton BowlNo. 10 Texas16No. 8 Tennessee0
Orange BowlNo. 9 Alabama61No. 14 Syracuse6
Gator BowlNo. 15 Florida14No. 12 Tulsa13
Refrigerator BowlWestern Kentucky34Arkansas State19
Sun BowlPacific (CA)26Mississippi Southern7
Tangerine BowlEast Texas State33Tennessee Tech0

Heisman Trophy voting

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The Heisman Trophy is given to the year's most outstanding player

PlayerSchoolPosition1st2nd3rdTotal
Billy VesselsOklahomaHB989149525
Jack ScarbathMarylandQB705743367
Paul GielMinnesotaHB763825329
Donn MoomawUCLAC/LB543231257
Johnny LattnerNotre DameHB354558253
Paul CameronUCLAHB403528218
Jim SearsUSCHB382117173
Don McAuliffeMichigan StateHB262928164
Don HeinrichWashingtonQB192840153
Tom CatlinOklahomaC252623150

Source: [8][9]

Statistical leaders

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Individual

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Total offense

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The following players were the individual leaders in total offense among major college football players during the 1952 season:
1. Ted Marchibroda, Detroit, 1,813 yards
2. Zeke Bratkowski, Georgia, 1,774 yards
3. Tommy O'Connell, Illinois, 1,724 yards
4. Don Heinrich, Washington, 1,652 yards
5. Chuck Maloy, Holy Cross, 1,589 yards
6. Gene Rossi, Cincinnati, 1,588 yards
7. Ronnie Morris, Tulsa, 1,571 yards
8. Dick Shinaut, Texas Western, 1,527 yards
9. John Borton, Ohio State, 1,512 yards
10. Bill Brehany, VMI, 1,497 yards
[10]

Passing

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The following players were the individual leaders in pass completions among major college football players during the 1952 season:
1. Don Heinrich, Washington, 137 of 270 (50.7%), 1,647 yards, 17 interceptions, 13 touchdowns
2. Tommy O'Connell, Illinois, 133 of 224 (59.4%), 1,761 yards, 17 interceptions, 12 touchdowns
3. Zeke Bratkowski, Georgia, 131 of 262 (50.0%), 1,824 yards, 16 interceptions, 12 touchdowns
4. Chuck Maloy, Holy Cross, 126 of 288 (43.8%), 1,514 yards, 16 interceptions, 13 touchdowns
5. John Borton, Ohio State, 115 of 196 (58.7%), 1,555 yards, 6 interceptions, 15 touchdowns
6. Jim Haluska, Wisconsin, 112 of 199 (56.3%), 1,410 yards, 18, 12 touchdowns
7. Roger Franz, Fordham, 105 of 216 (48.6%), 1,392 yards, 12 interceptions, 6 touchdowns
8. Dale Samuels, Purdue, 104 of 185 (56.2%), 1,131 yards, 6 interceptions, 10 touchdowns
9. Ted Marchibroda, Detroit, 103 of 240 (42.9%), 1,637 yards, 13 interceptions, 9 touchdowns
10. Dick Shinaut, Texas Western, 100 of 170 (58.8%), 1,559 yards, 8 interceptions, 12 touchdowns
[11]

Rushing

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The following players were the individual leaders in rushing yards among major college football players during the 1952 season:
1. Howard Waugh, Tulsa, 1,372 yards on 164 carries (8.37 average)
2. Billy Vessels, Oklahoma, 1,072 yards on 161 carries (6.66 average)
3. Buck McPhail, Oklahoma, 1,018 yards on 161 carries (6.32 average)
4. Bobby Marlow, Alabama, 950 yards on 176 carries (5.40 average)
5. Dick Clasby, Harvard, 950 yards on 205 carries (4.63 average)
6. Alan Ameche, Wisconsin, 946 yards on 205 carries (4.61 average)
7. Williams, Hardin-Simmons, 898 yards on 180 carries (4.99 average)
8. Gene Filipski, Villanova, 889 yards on 138 carries (6.44 average)
9. Dick Curran, Arizona State, 870 yards on 114 carries (7.63 average)
10. Johnny Olszewski, California, 845 yards on 160 carries (5.28 average)
[12]

Receiving

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The following players were the individual leaders in receptions among major college football players during the 1952 season:
1. Ed Brown, Fordham, 57 receptions,774 yards, 6 touchdowns
2. Joe McClaran, Drake, 47 receptions, 666 yards, 6 touchdowns
3. Jack Carroll, Holy Cross, 46 receptions, 609 yards, 4 touchdowns
4. Rocky Ryan, Illinois, 45 receptions, 714 yards, 5 touchdowns
5. Rex Smith, Illinois, 45 receptions, 642 yards, 4 touchdowns
6. Al Ward, Columbia, 43 receptions, 615 yards, 3 touchdowns
7. Bernie Flowers, Purdue, 43 receptions, 603 yards, 7 touchdowns
8. Black, Washington, 42 receptions, 637 yards, 7 touchdowns
9. Monte Brethauer, Oregon, 41 receptions, 486 yards, 2 touchdowns
10. Jim Byron, VMI, 40 receptions, 755 yards, 8 touchdowns
[13]

Scoring

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The following players were the individual leaders in scoring among major college football players during the 1952 season:
1. Jackie Parker, Mississippi State, 120 points (16 TD, 24 PAT)
2. Billy Vessels, Oklahoma, 108 points (18 TD)
3. Bob Haner, Villanova, 99 points
4. Buford Long, Florida, 84 points (14 TD)
[14]

Team

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Total offense

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The following teams were the leaders in total offense in major college football during the 1952 season:
1. Tulsa, 466.6 yards per game
2. San Jose State, 430.1 yards per game
3. Michigan State, 428.7 yards per game
4. Princeton, 428.0 yards per game
5. Oklahoma, 425.5 yards per game
6. Wisconsin, 388.6 yards per game
7. Cincinnati, 388.2 yards per game
8. Texas, 386.5 yards per game
9. Ole Miss, 383.1 yards per game
10. West Virginia, 377.2 yards per game
10. Maryland, 377.2 yards per game
[15]

Total defense

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The following teams were the leaders in total defense in major college football during the 1952 season:
1. Tennessee, 166.7 yards per game
2. Georgia Tech, 173.2 yards per game
3. USC, 177.5 yards per game
4. Virginia, 196.3 yards per game
5. Maryland, 200.9 yards per game
6. Navy, 209.3 yards per game
7. West Virginia, 211.2 yards per game
8. Duke, 212.1 yards per game
9. Wake Forest, 214.2 yards per game
10. Houston, 215.0 yards per game
[16]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "1952 Preseason AP Football Poll". CollegePollArchive.com. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  2. ^ 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2018. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  3. ^ "Press Syndicate Rates Fla. Top Eleven". Baltimore Afro-American. December 20, 1952. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Press Syndicate Rates Fla. Top Eleven". Baltimore Afro-American. December 20, 1952. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Press Syndicate Rates Fla. Top Eleven". Baltimore Afro-American. December 20, 1952. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Bowl Scramble Underway Across Nation Today," Las Cruces (N.M.) Sun-News, Nov. 8, 1952, p8
  7. ^ "Oklahoma U. Regents Turn Down Bowl Offer," Albuquerque Journal, Nov. 21, 1952, p14
  8. ^ "Vessels voted Heisman Trophy". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. November 26, 1952. p. 17.
  9. ^ "Scribes pick Bill Vessels". Youngstown Vindicator. Associated Press. November 26, 1952. p. 17.
  10. ^ Official Collegiate Football Record Book. National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1954. p. 75.
  11. ^ Official Collegiate Football Record Book. National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1953. p. 78.
  12. ^ Official Collegiate Football Record Book. National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1953. p. 77.
  13. ^ Official Collegiate Football Record Book. National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1953. p. 79.
  14. ^ "Parker Grabs Scoring Title; Vessels Second". Morning Press. December 18, 1952. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Official Collegiate Football Record Book. National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1953. p. 82.
  16. ^ Official Collegiate Football Record Book. National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1953. p. 83.