It concluded with two teams having claim to the major college national championship: Three small college teams also claimed national championships: Army halfback Pete Dawkins won the Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Award as the best player in college football.

Pacific fullback Dick Bass led all major college football players with 1,448 yards of total offense, 1,361 rushing yards, and 116 points scored.

On January 13, 1958, the eleven-man NCAA Rules Committee unanimously approved a resolution to allow teams to choose between kicking an extra point after a touchdown, or running or passing from the three-yard line for a two-point conversion.

[4][5] University of Michigan athletic director Fritz Crisler said at the meeting in Fort Lauderdale, "It's a progressive step which will make football more interesting for the spectators," adding that the rule "will add drama to what has been the dullest, most stupid play in the game.

"[6][7] In the preseason poll released on September 15, 1958, the Buckeyes of Ohio State University were the first place choice for 46 of 99 writers casting votes, followed by Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Michigan State and 1957's champion, Auburn.

[8] As the regular season progressed, a new poll would be issued on the Monday following the weekend's games.

On September 13, Kentucky beat Hawaii 51–0 in a game in Louisville, and attempted the 2-point conversion, but without success.

[9] One of the first successful 2-point conversions in an NCAA game happened when Iowa State Teachers College hosted Bradley University at Cedar Falls, Iowa on September 13.

Max Huffman carried the ball over twice on conversion attempts to give the Panthers of Iowa Teachers a 29–12 win over the Braves.

8 Texas Christian were among the winners, beating Memphis State (17–0) and Kansas (42–0) respectively, but the Top Five schools had not yet started play.

2 Auburn, which beat UT-Chattanooga 30–8 at home, moved up to the top spot.

2 Oklahoma sustained a 15–14 loss at Dallas in their annual meeting with the No.

10 Pittsburgh 22–8, rose in the polls, to put three Big Ten schools in the top five.

2 Auburn tied with Georgia Tech 7–7 in Atlanta and fell in the polls.

5 Michigan State began a five-game losing streak with a 14–6 defeat at Purdue.

October 25 For the top-ranked teams, a tie was only slightly better than a loss.

3 LSU beat Florida 10–7, and the win was enough to propel the Tigers to first place.

1 LSU Tigers crushed Tulane 62–0, scoring 56 points in the second half, to close their season 10–0–0.

2 Auburn defeated Alabama 14–8 in Birmingham to finish its season at 9–0–1, but they were on probation for recruiting violations and ineligible for a bowl game.

The Sooners (who had not lost a conference game since 1946) won the Big 7 title and headed to the Orange Bowl.

1 LSU Tigers, at 10–0–0, won the AP Trophy with 130 of the first place votes.

LSU finished the 1958 season as the only undefeated and untied team in college football.

Army, Air Force, and Auburn were also undefeated but they each had one game that ended in a tie.

[12] The United States Air Force Academy football team, nicknamed the Falcons, had a 9–0–1 record in only their second year of playing college football, and accepted a bid to face No.

[13] Thursday, January 1, 1959 Notably, the Tangerine Bowl initially extended a bid to Buffalo.

However, when the bowl organizers told the school that its two black players would not be allowed to play, the team unanimously voted to turn down the bid.

In 1958, United Press International (UPI) conducted a "small college" coaches' poll for the first time.

Mississippi Southern, which had beaten NC State and VPI en route to a 9–0 record,[18] was ranked first from start to finish.

[19] United Press International (coaches) final poll Published on December 4[20] The top teams in the NAIA football rankings were as follows: [21] The Heisman Trophy is given to the year's most outstanding player Source: [22][23] For the year 1958, the NCAA recognizes six published All-American teams as "official" designations for purposes of its consensus determinations.

The following chart identifies the NCAA-recognized consensus All-Americans and displays which first-team designations they received.