1972 junior college football season
{{Short description|American junior college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox junior college football season
| year = 1972
| image =
| image_caption =
| number_of_teams =
| regular_season =
| postseason =
| championship = El Toro Bowl, Yuma, AZ (NJCAA)
| champions = Arizona Western (NJCAA)
}}
The 1972 junior college football season was the season of intercollegiate junior college football running from September to December 1972. Arizona Western won the NJCAA National Football Championship, defeating {{cfb link|year=1972|team=Fort Scott Greyhounds|title=Fort Scott}} in the El Toro Bowl in Yuma, Arizona.{{cite news|title=Matadors triumph in El Toro Bowl|newspaper=The Arizona Republic|date=November 26, 1972|pages=D1, D3|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-republic-matadors-triumph-in-el/145150643/|via=Newspapers.com}}
{{cfb link|year=1972|team=Fresno City Rams|title=Fresno City}} won the California state junior college large division playoffs, defeating {{cfb link|year=1972|team=Pasadena Lancers|title=Pasadena}} in the championship game at the Potato Bowl in Bakersfield, California, while {{cfb link|year=1972|team=Redwoods Corsairs|title=Redwoods}} won the California state junior college small division playoffs, beating {{cfb link|year=1972|team=West Hills Falcons|title=West Hills}} in the title game at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, California.{{cite news |author= |title=The Times Standard |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/pthe-times-standard/146007597/ |newspaper=Times-Standard |location=Eureka, California |date=December 3, 1972 |page=19 |access-date=April 24, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}{{cite news |author= |title=Fresno Upsets Pasadena To Win State JC Championship |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-modesto-bee/146007987/ |newspaper=The Modesto Bee |location=Modesto, California |agency=Associated Press |date=December 10, 1972 |page=B1 |access-date=April 24, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}
Conference standings
=California=
==Large division==
| cellpadding="5"
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1972 Camino Norte Conference football standings}} |valign="top" width=25em|{{1972 Golden Gate Conference football standings}} |valign="top" width=25em|{{1972 Metropolitan Conference football standings}} |
| valign="top" width=25em|{{1972 Mission Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1972 South Coast Conference (California) football standings}} |valign="top" width=25em|{{1972 Southern California Conference football standings}} |
| valign="top" width=25em|{{1972 Valley Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1972 Western State Conference football standings}} |
==Small division==
| cellpadding="5"
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1972 Central Conference football standings}} |valign="top" width=25em|{{1972 Coast Conference football standings}} |valign="top" width=25em|{{1972 Desert Conference football standings}} |
| valign="top" width=25em|{{1972 Golden Valley Conference football standings}} |
=NJCAA=
| cellpadding="5"
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1972 Arizona Junior College Athletic Conference football standings}} |valign="top" width=25em|{{1972 Coastal Football Conference standings}} |valign="top" width=25em|{{1972 Intermountain Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings}} |
| valign="top" width=25em|{{1972 Northwest Community College Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1972 Texas Junior College Football Federation standings}} |
California state playoffs
=Large division=
{{8TeamBracket
| seeds = no
| RD1 = Quarterfinals
November 25
| RD2 = Semifinals
December 2
| RD3 = Championship game
December 9
Potato Bowl—Bakersfield, California
| RD1-team1 = {{cfb link|year=1972|team=West Valley Vikings|title=West Valley}}
| RD1-score1 = 18
| RD1-team2 = {{cfb link|year=1972|team=Chabot Gladiators|title=Chabot}}
| RD1-score2 = 21
| RD1-team3 = {{cfb link|year=1972|team=Cerritos Falcons|title=Cerritos}}
| RD1-score3 = 10
| RD1-team4 = {{cfb link|year=1972|team=Fresno City Rams|title=Fresno City}}
| RD1-score4 = 12
| RD1-team5 = {{cfb link|year=1972|team=Saddleback Gauchos|title=Saddleback}}
| RD1-score5 = 24
| RD1-team6 = {{cfb link|year=1972|team=Rio Hondo Roadrunners|title=Rio Hondo}}
| RD1-score6 = 23
| RD1-team7 = {{cfb link|year=1972|team=West Los Angeles Oilers|title=West Los Angeles}}
| RD1-score7 = 13
| RD1-team8 = {{cfb link|year=1972|team=Pasadena Lancers|title=Pasadena}}
| RD1-score8 = 28
| RD2-team1 = Chabot
| RD2-score1 = 26
| RD2-team2 = Fresno City
| RD2-score2 = 39
| RD2-team3 = Saddleback
| RD2-score3 = 3
| RD2-team4 = Pasadena
| RD2-score4 = 7
| RD3-team1 = Fresno City
| RD3-score1 = 48
| RD3-team2 = Pasadena
| RD3-score2 = 14
}}
=Small division=
{{4TeamBracket
| seeds = no
| RD1 = Semifinals
November 25
| RD2 = Championship game
December 2
Diablo Valley College—Pleasant Hill, California
| RD1-team1 = {{cfb link|year=1971|team=MiraCosta Spartans|title=MiraCosta}}
| RD1-score1 = 18
| RD1-team2 = {{cfb link|year=1972|team=West Hills Falcons|title=West Hills}}
| RD1-score2 = 26
| RD1-team3 = {{cfb link|year=1972|team=Cabrillo Seahawks|title=Cabrillo}}
| RD1-score3 = 13
| RD1-team4 = {{cfb link|year=1972|team=Redwoods Corsairs|title=Redwoods}}
| RD1-score4 = 37
| RD2-team1 = West Hills
| RD2-score1 = 21
| RD2-team2 = Redwoods
| RD2-score2 = 41
}}
{{cite news |author= |title=State JC Grid Pairings |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/santa-maria-times/145813856/ |newspaper=Santa Maria Times |location=Santa Maria, California |agency=United Press International |date=November 21, 1972 |page=10 |access-date=April 24, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}{{cite news |author= |title=State JC playoffs |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/press-telegram/145815043/ |newspaper=Press-Telegram |location=Long Beach, California |date=November 26, 1972 |page=S2 |access-date=April 24, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}{{cite news |author= |title=Andrews Lead Pasadena to Final Playoff |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/146007819/ |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |location=Los Angeles, California |date=December 3, 1972 |page=14D |access-date=April 24, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}