The 1972 Tangerine Bowl, part of the 1972 bowl game season, took place on December 29, 1972, at the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The competing teams were the Tampa Spartans, that competed as a College Division Independent, and the Kent State Golden Flashes, that competed as a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). In the game, Tampa took a 21–0 halftime lead, and then held off a Golden Flashes comeback to win 21–18.

The game featured two eventual College Football Hall of Fame coaches, Earle Bruce at Tampa and Don James at Kent State. Other players of note that played in the game included eventual Alabama head coach Nick Saban, Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel and Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Lambert for Kent State and eventual #1 NFL Draft pick John Matuszak for Tampa.

The Spartans entered their game against Bowling Green with an overall record of seven wins and two losses (7–2), and it was speculated the winner of the game would be invited to compete in the Tangerine Bowl. This was the case as a Falcons victory would give them the MAC championship and an automatic bid to the game thus making a rematch against the Spartans unlikely. Tampa did win the game 29–22, and on November 20, they accepted a bid to play in the Tangerine Bowl. The appearance marked the first for the Spartans in a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sanctioned bowl game and their first postseason appearance since their victory in the 1954 Cigar Bowl.

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