1972 in Sports - American Football

American Football

• December 23 - In the first Pittsburgh Steelers playoff game in 25 years (and the franchises first playoff win), rookie Franco Harris salvages and converts into a touchdown a final seconds Terry Bradshaw incomplete pass in what has been called the greatest play in NFL history--The Immaculate Reception--to beat the Oakland Raiders 13-7.
• Super Bowl VI – Dallas Cowboys won 24–3 over the Miami Dolphins
• 1971 NCAA Division I-A national football championship – Nebraska Cornhuskers win 38–6 over the University of Alabama Crimson Tide to claim back-to-back National Championship titles on 1 January 1972.
• Oklahoma Sooners beat Auburn Tigers 40–22 in Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day.
• Stanford beats Michigan 13–12 in Rose Bowl.
• Penn St. Nittany Lions beats Texas Longhorns 30–6 in Cotton Bowl.
• Georgia Tech beats Iowa St. 31–30 in Liberty Bowl.
• Arizona St. beats Missouri 49–35 in Fiesta Bowl.
• University of Tampa beats Kent St. 21–18 in Tangerine Bowl.
• North Carolina St. beats West Virginia 49–13 in Peach Bowl.
• North Carolina beats Texas Tech 32–28 in Sun Bowl.
• Tennessee beats LSU 24–17 in Bluebonnet Bowl.
• Auburn beats Colorado 24–3 in Gator Bowl.
• Oklahoma beats Penn St. 14–0 in Sugar Bowl played on New Year's Eve.