| 1971 small college football rankings | |
|---|---|
No. 1: Delaware | |
| Small college football rankings (AP, UPI) | |
«1970 1972» |
The 1971 small college football rankings are rankings of college football teams representing smaller college and university teams during the 1971 college football season, including the 1971 NCAA College Division football season and the 1971 NAIA football season. Separate rankings were published by the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press International (UPI). The AP rankings were selected by a board of sports writers, and the UPI rankings were selected by a board of small-college coaches.
The 1971 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team (10–1), led by head coach Tubby Raymond, was rated No. 1 by both the AP and UPI. McNeese State (9–1–1) and Eastern Michigan (7–1–2) were ranked No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, by both the AP and the UPI.