The 1967 NCAA University Division football season was the last one in which college football's champion was crowned before the bowl games. During the 20th century, the NCAA had no playoff for the major college football teams in the University Division, later known as Division I-A and now as the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The NCAA Football Guide, however, did note an "unofficial national champion" based on the top-ranked teams in the "wire service" (AP and UPI) polls. The "writers' poll" by Associated Press (AP) was the most popular, followed by the "coaches' poll" by United Press International (UPI). In 1967, both AP and UPI issued their final polls at the close of the regular season, but before teams competed in bowl games. The Associated Press presented the "AP Trophy" to the winner. The AP poll in 1967 consisted of the votes of many sportswriters, though not all of them voted in every poll. Those who cast votes would give their opinion of the ten best teams. Under a point system of 10 points for first place, 9 for second, etc., the "overall" ranking was determined.

Rule changes

Conference and program changes

Prior to this season, Idaho and Pacific were demoted to the College Division. After two years, both returned to the University Division in 1969.

September

In the preseason poll released on September 11, first place went to the defending champion Notre Dame Fighting Irish, followed by the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide, the No. 3 Michigan State Spartans, No. 4 Texas, and No. 5 Miami. Pacific-8 (still officially called the AAWU until the following season) teams USC and UCLA were seventh and eighth, and Colorado of the Big 8 was tenth. Joining Alabama from the SEC were No. 6 Georgia and No. 9 Tennessee.

October

November

The final regular season poll featured No. 1 USC, No. 2 Tennessee, No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 4 Indiana, and No. 5 Notre Dame. No. 6 Wyoming was the only major team to go unbeaten (10–0), and the Cowboys prepared to play LSU in the Sugar Bowl. No. 7 Oregon State had played three teams that were ranked 1st or 2nd when they played them (UCLA, USC, and Purdue) and went 2–0–1 in those games, but their 13–6 loss to Washington on October 7 kept the "Giant Killers" out of the Rose Bowl. The poll was rounded out by No. 8 Alabama, No. 9 Purdue, and No. 10 Penn State. A few more games were played after the final poll, but none of them resulted in losses for ranked teams. On December 2, No. 2 Tennessee defeated Vanderbilt 41−14, while the Vols' Orange Bowl opponent, No. 3 Oklahoma, won 38–14 over Oklahoma State. No. 8 Alabama played Auburn in its annual game at Birmingham, won 7–3, and prepared to face SWC champion Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl.

Conference standings

Bowl games

Major bowls

Monday, January 1, 1968 In the final AP poll, 9–1 USC had been the top choice of the writers for the AP Trophy, with 36 of the 49 first place votes, and Tennessee followed with 11. Though there was no No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup, the Rose and Orange bowls featured the four top-ranked teams, with No. 1 USC meeting No. 4 Indiana at Pasadena, and No. 2 Tennessee facing No. 3 Oklahoma at Miami. The Sugar Bowl, at that time, did not automatically get the SEC champion. Ultimately, the New Orleans game featured the Wyoming Cowboys (10–0) of the Western Athletic Conference, against the LSU Tigers. LSU had finished sixth in the ten-team SEC, behind Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and Georgia. But LSU justified their selection by knocking off Wyoming, 20–13. In the Cotton Bowl, unranked Texas A&M upset No. 8 Alabama 20–16. USC then went out and claimed the national title with a 14–3 over Indiana in the Rose Bowl. Effectively eliminated from finishing No. 1 after USC's win, No. 2 Tennessee went out and lost in the Orange Bowl to No. 3 Oklahoma, 26–24.

Other bowls

Awards and honors

Heisman Trophy voting

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

All-Americans

Statistical leaders

Player scoring most points: Leroy Keyes, Purdue, 114.

Footnotes