1956 NCAA College Division football season

1956 NCAA College Division football season
Regular season	September 22 – December 1, 1956
Number of bowls	3
Bowl games	December 1, 1956 – January 1, 1957
Champion(s)	Tennessee State (black)
College Division football seasons

The 1956 NCAA College Division football season saw the NCAA split member schools into two divisions: larger schools were part of the University Division, later known as NCAA Division I, and smaller schools were placed in the College Division, later split into NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III.

Champions

Black college championship

The Tennessee State Tigers (9–0) and the Florida A&M Rattlers (8–0) were considered to be the #1 and #2 teams "among the nation's Negro grid powers". The teams from the two historically black universities played at the Orange Bowl stadium in Miami, which hosted the Orange Blossom Classic as well as the New Year's Day, historically white universities, Orange Bowl game. A crowd of 41,808 watched Tennessee State win 41–39.

Conference champions

Conference	Champion(s)	Record
California Collegiate Athletic Association	none
Far Western Conference	Humboldt State Northern Branch San Francisco State	4–1 4–1 4–1
Mid-American Conference	Bowling Green	5–0–1
Ohio Valley Conference	Middle Tennessee State	5–0

Conference standings

1956 California Collegiate Athletic Association football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Fresno State 2 – 0 – 0 8 – 2 – 0 San Diego State 2 – 1 – 0 4 – 3 – 2 Santa Barbara 1 – 1 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Los Angeles State 0 – 1 – 0 3 – 5 – 1 Cal Poly 0 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 No champion named for the 1956 season	1956 Central Intercollegiate Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T St. Benedict's $ 4 – 1 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Pittsburg State 3 – 1 – 1 7 – 2 – 1 Southwestern (KS) 3 – 1 – 1 4 – 4 – 2 Washburn 3 – 2 – 0 3 – 6 – 0 Emporia State 1 – 4 – 0 2 – 6 – 1 Fort Hays State 0 – 5 – 1 1 – 8 – 0 $ – Conference champion	1956 Far Western Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Humboldt State + 4 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0 Cal Aggies + 4 – 1 – 0 7 – 2 – 0 San Francisco State + 4 – 1 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Chico State 1 – 3 – 1 2 – 6 – 1 Sacramento State 1 – 4 – 0 3 – 5 – 1 Nevada 0 – 4 – 1 0 – 7 – 1 + – Conference co-champions
1956 Gulf Coast Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T North Texas State + 2 – 0 – 1 7 – 2 – 1 Trinity (TX) + 2 – 0 – 1 5 – 3 – 1 Abilene Christian 1 – 2 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Midwestern (TX) 0 – 3 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 + – Conference co-champions	1956 Gulf States Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Southeastern Louisiana $ 4 – 1 – 0 6 – 3 – 0 Northwestern State 3 – 1 – 1 6 – 2 – 2 Louisiana Tech 3 – 1 – 1 4 – 3 – 2 Northeast Louisiana State 2 – 3 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 McNeese State 2 – 3 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Southwestern Louisiana 1 – 4 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 $ – Conference champion	1956 Hoosier Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Hanover $ 6 – 0 – 0 8 – 1 – 0 Anderson (IN) 5 – 1 – 0 6 – 2 – 0 Indiana Central 4 – 2 – 0 4 – 5 – 0 Franklin (IN) 3 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Manchester (IN) 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 6 – 0 Taylor 1 – 5 – 0 3 – 6 – 0 Earlham 0 – 6 – 0 1 – 7 – 0 $ – Conference champion
1956 Indiana Collegiate Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Saint Joseph's (IN) $^ 6 – 0 – 0 8 – 1 – 1 Butler 5 – 1 – 0 6 – 2 – 0 Valparaiso 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 Evansville 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0 Ball State 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 4 – 0 DePauw 1 – 5 – 0 1 – 6 – 1 Indiana State 0 – 6 – 0 2 – 6 – 0 $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA playoff (Aluminum Bowl) participant	1956 Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Central Michigan $ 6 – 0 – 0 9 – 0 – 0 Western Illinois 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0 Eastern Michigan 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 4 – 0 Illinois State Normal 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 4 – 1 Southern Illinois 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0 Eastern Illinois 2 – 4 – 0 2 – 7 – 0 Northern Illinois State 0 – 6 – 0 1 – 8 – 0 $ – Conference champion	1956 Iowa Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Central (IA) $ 7 – 1 – 0 7 – 1 – 0 Simpson 5 – 2 – 1 5 – 2 – 1 Luther 5 – 2 – 1 5 – 3 – 1 Iowa Wesleyan 5 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Buena Vista 4 – 4 – 0 4 – 4 – 1 Dubuque 3 – 3 – 2 3 – 3 – 2 Parsons 3 – 5 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Upper Iowa 1 – 6 – 1 2 – 6 – 2 Wartburg 0 – 7 – 1 0 – 7 – 1 $ – Conference champion
1956 Lone Star Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Sam Houston State $ 6 – 0 – 0 10 – 0 – 0 Texas A&I 5 – 1 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Southwest Texas State 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0 Stephen F. Austin 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Lamar Tech 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 4 – 1 East Texas State 1 – 5 – 0 2 – 8 – 0 Sul Ross 0 – 6 – 0 1 – 9 – 0 $ – Conference champion	1956 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Hillsdale $ 6 – 0 – 0 9 – 0 – 0 Kalamazoo 5 – 1 – 0 5 – 3 – 0 Hope 4 – 2 – 0 4 – 4 – 0 Albion 3 – 3 – 0 3 – 5 – 0 Adrian 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 5 – 0 Alma 1 – 5 – 0 2 – 7 – 0 Olivet 0 – 6 – 0 0 – 8 – 0 $ – Conference champion	1956 Mid-American Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Bowling Green $ 5 – 0 – 1 8 – 0 – 1 Miami (OH) 4 – 0 – 1 7 – 1 – 1 Kent State 4 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 0 Marshall 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 6 – 0 Ohio 2 – 4 – 0 2 – 7 – 0 Western Michigan 1 – 4 – 0 2 – 7 – 0 Toledo 1 – 5 – 0 1 – 7 – 1 $ – Conference champion
1956 Mid-Ohio League football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Bluffton $ 5 – 0 – 0 8 – 1 – 0 Findlay 4 – 1 – 0 7 – 2 – 0 Wilmington (OH) 3 – 2 – 0 3 – 4 – 0 Ashland 2 – 3 – 0 3 – 5 – 0 Ohio Northern 0 – 4 – 1 0 – 7 – 1 Defiance 0 – 4 – 1 0 – 8 – 1 $ – Conference champion	1956 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T St. Thomas (MN) $ 7 – 0 – 0 8 – 0 – 0 Concordia (MN) 5 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0 Macalester 4 – 3 – 0 5 – 3 – 0 Gustavus Adolphus 4 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0 Minnesota–Duluth 3 – 4 – 0 3 – 4 – 0 Saint John's (MN) 2 – 4 – 1 3 – 4 – 1 Augsburg 2 – 4 – 1 2 – 5 – 1 Hamline 0 – 7 – 0 1 – 7 – 0 $ – Conference champion	1956 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Central Missouri State + 4 – 1 – 0 7 – 2 – 0 Missouri–Rolla + 4 – 1 – 0 6 – 3 – 0 NE Missouri State 3 – 2 – 0 3 – 5 – 0 SW Missouri State 3 – 2 – 0 3 – 6 – 0 NW Missouri State 1 – 4 – 0 2 – 7 – 0 SE Missouri State 0 – 5 – 0 2 – 7 – 0 + – Conference co-champions
1956 North Central Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Morningside $ 4 – 1 – 1 6 – 1 – 1 Augustana (SD) 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0 South Dakota 4 – 2 – 0 4 – 4 – 0 North Dakota State 3 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 South Dakota State 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0 North Dakota 2 – 4 – 0 2 – 6 – 0 Iowa State Teachers 0 – 5 – 1 2 – 5 – 1 $ – Conference champion	1956 Ohio Valley Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Middle Tennessee $ 5 – 0 – 0 7 – 2 – 0 Murray State 4 – 1 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 Western Kentucky 2 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Tennessee Tech 2 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 1 Eastern Kentucky 2 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0 Morehead State 0 – 5 – 0 2 – 6 – 0 $ – Conference champion	1956 Presidents' Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Wayne State (MI) $ 3 – 0 – 1 4 – 2 – 1 John Carroll 2 – 0 – 1 4 – 1 – 2 Western Reserve 1 – 2 – 0 4 – 3 – 0 Case Tech 0 – 4 – 0 1 – 6 – 0 $ – Conference champion
1956 Rocky Mountain Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Montana State $^ 5 – 0 – 0 9 – 0 – 1 Idaho State 3 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0 Colorado State–Greeley 3 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Western State (CO) 2 – 3 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Colorado Mines 1 – 4 – 0 3 – 6 – 0 Colorado College 1 – 4 – 0 2 – 7 – 0 $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA playoff participant	1956 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Texas Southern + 5 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0 Wiley + 5 – 1 – 0 6 – 3 – 1 Southern 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Prairie View A&M 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Langston 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Arkansas AM&N 0 – 5 – 1 2 – 6 – 1 Texas College 0 – 5 – 1 2 – 6 – 1 + – Conference co-champions	1956 Yankee Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Connecticut $ 3 – 0 – 1 6 – 2 – 1 Maine 3 – 1 – 0 5 – 2 – 0 New Hampshire 2 – 1 – 1 3 – 4 – 1 Vermont 1 – 2 – 0 2 – 5 – 0 UMass 1 – 3 – 0 2 – 5 – 1 Rhode Island 1 – 4 – 0 2 – 6 – 0 $ – Conference champion
1956 NCAA College Division independents football records Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Alfred   –   8 – 0 – 0 Northern Michigan   –   7 – 0 – 1 St. Norbert   –   8 – 1 – 0 Carthage   –   8 – 2 – 0 Tampa   –   7 – 2 – 0 Cal Poly San Dimas   –   6 – 2 – 0 Mississippi Southern   –   7 – 2 – 1 Wabash   –   6 – 2 – 1 Hawaii   –   7 – 3 – 0 Hofstra   –   7 – 3 – 0 Xavier   –   7 – 3 – 0 Franklin & Marshall   –   5 – 2 – 1 Louisville   –   6 – 3 – 0 Pepperdine   –   6 – 3 – 0 Washington University   –   6 – 3 – 0 La Verne   –   6 – 4 – 0 Buffalo   –   5 – 3 – 0 Drexel   –   5 – 3 – 0 Long Beach State   –   5 – 3 – 0 Delaware   –   5 – 3 – 1 Memphis State   –   5 – 4 – 1 Arkansas State   –   5 – 4 – 0 Chattanooga   –   5 – 4 – 0 Baldwin–Wallace   –   4 – 5 – 0 Washington & Jefferson   –   3 – 4 – 1 Rose Poly   –   3 – 4 – 0 Bucknell   –   3 – 5 – 0 Carnegie Tech   –   3 – 5 – 0 Temple   –   3 – 5 – 0 Howard (AL)   –   2 – 5 – 2 Sewanee   –   1 – 6 – 1 UC Riverside   –   1 – 6 – 0

Postseason

Burley Bowl

The Memphis State Tigers faced off against the East Tennessee State Buccaneers in the Burley Bowl in Johnson City, Tennessee.

Refrigerator Bowl

The Refrigerator Bowl in Evansville, Indiana featured the Ohio Valley Conference champion Middle Tennessee State against the undefeated Lone Star Conference champion Sam Houston State.

Tangerine Bowl

The 1957 Tangerine Bowl featured College Division Independent Mississippi Southern (later known as Southern Miss) against the West Texas State Buffaloes from the University-division Border Conference.

Undefeated teams

Other schools that finished their seasons unbeaten and untied were Lenoir Rhyne College, New Haven Teachers College, Hillsdale College, Central Michigan University, Kearney State College, Redlands College, Westminster College (Pennsylvania), St. Thomas (Minn.) College, Alfred University and Milton College (Wisconsin).