They were led by head coach Ernest Hawkins, who was in his ninth season at East Texas State.
The Lions played their home games at Memorial Stadium and were members of the Lone Star Conference.
In the semifinal round the Lions faced the top-ranked team in the nation, the Central State Bronchos of Oklahoma.
The Lions routed Central State, 54–0 in the earning them a spot in Champion Bowl against the second-ranked Carson–Newman.
On a bitterly cold December day in front of a packed Memorial Stadium, Hawkins's Lions defeated Carson–Newman, 21–18, to claim the national title.