Year |
Conference Champions[2] |
National Champion |
Payton Award[3] |
Buchanan Award[4] |
1978 |
Big Sky Conference – Northern Arizona
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State
Ohio Valley Conference – Western Kentucky
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Grambling State
Yankee Conference – Massachusetts
|
Florida A&M
{{1978 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
|
|
1979 |
Big Sky Conference – Montana State
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Morgan State
Ohio Valley Conference – Murray State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Alcorn State and Grambling State
Yankee Conference – Boston U and Massachusetts
|
Eastern Kentucky
{{1979 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
|
|
1980 |
Big Sky Conference – Boise State
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State
Ohio Valley Conference – Western Kentucky
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Grambling State and Jackson State
Yankee Conference – Boston U
|
Boise State
{{1980 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
|
|
1981 |
Big Sky Conference – Idaho State
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State
Yankee Conference – Massachusetts and Rhode Island
|
Idaho State
{{1981 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
|
|
1982[5] |
Big Sky Conference – Montana
Ivy League – Dartmouth, Harvard, and Penn
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky
Southern Conference – Furman
Southland Conference – Louisiana Tech
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State
Yankee Conference – Boston U, Connecticut, Maine, and Massachusetts
|
Eastern Kentucky
{{1982 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
|
|
1983 |
Big Sky Conference – Nevada
Ivy League – Harvard and Penn
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky
Southern Conference – Furman
Southland Conference – Northeast Louisiana and North Texas State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Grambling State
Yankee Conference – Boston U and Connecticut
|
Southern Illinois
{{1983 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
|
|
1984 |
Big Sky Conference – Montana State
Ivy League – Penn
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Bethune-Cookman
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky
Southern Conference – Chattanooga
Southland Conference – Louisiana Tech
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Alcorn State
Yankee Conference – Boston U and Rhode Island
|
Montana State
{{1984 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
|
|
1985 |
Big Sky Conference – Idaho
Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference[6] – Northern Iowa
Ivy League – Penn
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Delaware State
Ohio Valley Conference – Middle Tennessee
Southern Conference – Furman
Southland Conference – Arkansas State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Grambling State and Jackson State
Yankee Conference – Rhode Island
|
Georgia Southern
{{1985 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
|
|
1986 |
Big Sky Conference – Nevada
Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference – Eastern Illinois
Ivy League – Penn
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – North Carolina A&T
Ohio Valley Conference – Murray State
Patriot League – Holy Cross
Southern Conference – Appalachian State
Southland Conference – Arkansas State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State
Yankee Conference – Connecticut, Delaware, and Massachusetts
|
Georgia Southern
{{1986 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
|
|
1987 |
Big Sky Conference – Idaho
Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference – Northern Iowa
Ivy League – Harvard
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Howard
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky and Youngstown State
Patriot League – Holy Cross
Southern Conference – Appalachian State
Southland Conference – Northeast Louisiana
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State
Yankee Conference – Maine and Richmond
|
Northeast Louisiana
{{1987 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
Kenny Gamble – RB (Colgate) |
|
1988 |
Big Sky Conference – Idaho
Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference – Western Illinois
Ivy League – Cornell and Penn
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Bethune-Cookman, Delaware State, and Florida A&M
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky
Patriot League – Lafayette
Southern Conference – Furman and Marshall
Southland Conference – Northwestern State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State
Yankee Conference – Delaware and Massachusetts
|
Furman
{{1988 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
Dave Meggett – RB (Towson) |
|
1989 |
Big Sky Conference – Idaho
Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference – Southwest Missouri State
Ivy League – Princeton and Yale
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Delaware State
Ohio Valley Conference – Middle Tennessee
Patriot League – Holy Cross
Southern Conference – Furman
Southland Conference – Stephen F. Austin
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State
Yankee Conference – Connecticut, Maine, and Villanova
|
Georgia Southern
{{1989 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
John Friesz – QB (Idaho) |
|
1990 |
Big Sky Conference – Nevada
Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference – Northern Iowa
Ivy League – Cornell and Dartmouth
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Florida A&M
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky and Middle Tennessee
Patriot League – Holy Cross
Southern Conference – Furman
Southland Conference – Northeast Louisiana
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State
Yankee Conference – Massachusetts
|
Georgia Southern
{{1990 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
Walter Dean – RB (Grambling State) |
|
1991 |
Big Sky Conference – Nevada
Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference[7] – Northern Iowa
Ivy League – Dartmouth
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – North Carolina A&T
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky
Patriot League – Holy Cross
Southern Conference – Appalachian State
Southland Conference – McNeese State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Alabama State
Yankee Conference – Delaware, New Hampshire, and Villanova
|
Youngstown State
{{1991 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
Jamie Martin – QB (Weber State) |
|
1992 |
Big Sky Conference – Eastern Washington and Idaho
Gateway Football Conference – Northern Iowa
Ivy League – Dartmouth and Princeton
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – North Carolina A&T
Ohio Valley Conference – Middle Tennessee
Patriot League – Lafayette
Southern Conference – The Citadel
Southland Conference – Northeast Louisiana
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Alcorn State
Yankee Conference – Delaware
|
Marshall
{{1992 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
Michael Payton – QB (Marshall) |
|
1993 |
American West Conference[8] – Southern Utah and UC Davis
Big Sky Conference – Montana
Gateway Football Conference – Northern Iowa
Ivy League – Penn
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference[9] – Iona
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Howard
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky
Patriot League – Lehigh
Pioneer Football League – Dayton
Southern Conference – Georgia Southern
Southland Conference – McNeese State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Southern
Yankee Conference – Boston University
|
Youngstown State
{{1993 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
Doug Nussmeier – QB (Idaho) |
|
1994 |
American West Conference – Cal Poly
Big Sky Conference – Boise State
Gateway Football Conference – Northern Iowa
Ivy League – Penn
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Marist and St. John's
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky
Patriot League – Lafayette
Pioneer Football League – Butler and Dayton
Southern Conference – Marshall
Southland Conference – North Texas
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Alcorn State and Grambling State
Yankee Conference – New Hampshire
|
Youngstown State
{{1994 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
Steve McNair – QB (Alcorn State) |
|
1995 |
American West Conference – Sacramento State
Big Sky Conference – Montana
Gateway Football Conference – Eastern Illinois and Northern Iowa
Ivy League – Princeton
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Florida A&M
Ohio Valley Conference – Murray State
Patriot League – Lehigh
Pioneer Football League – Drake
Southern Conference – Appalachian State
Southland Conference – McNeese State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State
Yankee Conference – Delaware
|
Montana
{{1995 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
Dave Dickenson – QB (Montana) |
Dexter Coakley – LB (Appalachian State) |
1996 |
Big Sky Conference – Montana
Gateway Football Conference – Northern Iowa
Ivy League – Dartmouth
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Florida A&M
Northeast Conference – Monmouth and Robert Morris
Ohio Valley Conference – Murray State
Patriot League – Bucknell
Pioneer Football League – Dayton
Southern Conference – Marshall
Southland Conference – Troy State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State
Yankee Conference[10] – William & Mary
|
Marshall
{{1996 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
Archie Amerson – RB (Northern Arizona) |
Dexter Coakley – LB (Appalachian State) |
1997 |
Atlantic 10 Conference – Villanova
Big Sky Conference – Eastern Washington
Gateway Football Conference – Western Illinois
Ivy League – Harvard
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Georgetown
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Hampton
Northeast Conference – Robert Morris
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky
Patriot League – Colgate
Pioneer Football League – Dayton
Southern Conference – Georgia Southern
Southland Conference – McNeese State and Northwestern State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Southern
|
Youngstown State
{{1997 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
Brian Finneran – WR (Villanova) |
Chris McNeil – DE (North Carolina A&T) |
1998 |
Atlantic 10 Conference – Richmond
Big Sky Conference – Montana
Gateway Football Conference – Western Illinois
Ivy League – Penn
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Fairfield and Georgetown
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Florida A&M and Hampton
Northeast Conference – Monmouth and Robert Morris
Ohio Valley Conference – Tennessee State
Patriot League – Lehigh
Pioneer Football League – Drake
Southern Conference – Georgia Southern
Southland Conference – Northwestern State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Southern
|
Massachusetts
{{1998 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
Jerry Azumah – RB (New Hampshire) |
James Milton – LB (Western Illinois) |
1999 |
Atlantic 10 Conference – James Madison and Massachusetts
Big Sky Conference – Montana
Gateway Football Conference – Illinois State
Ivy League – Brown and Yale
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – North Carolina A&T
Northeast Conference – Robert Morris
Ohio Valley Conference – Tennessee State
Patriot League – Colgate and Lehigh
Pioneer Football League – Dayton
Southern Conference – Appalachian State, Furman, and Georgia Southern
Southland Conference – Stephen F. Austin and Troy State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Southern
|
Georgia Southern
{{1999 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
Adrian Peterson – RB (Georgia Southern) |
Al Lucas – DT (Troy State) |
2000 |
Atlantic 10 Conference – Delaware and Richmond
Big Sky Conference – Montana
Gateway Football Conference – Western Illinois
Ivy League – Penn
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Florida A&M
Northeast Conference – Robert Morris
Ohio Valley Conference – Western Kentucky
Patriot League – Lehigh
Pioneer Football League – Dayton, Drake, and Valparaiso
Southern Conference – Georgia Southern
Southland Conference – Troy State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Grambling State
|
Georgia Southern
{{2000 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
Louis Ivory – RB (Furman) |
Edgerton Hartwell – LB (Western Illinois) |
2001 |
Atlantic 10 Conference – Hofstra, Maine, Villanova, and William & Mary
Big Sky Conference – Montana
Gateway Football Conference – Northern Iowa
Ivy League – Harvard
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Florida A&M
Northeast Conference – Sacred Heart
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Illinois
Patriot League – Lehigh
Pioneer Football League – Dayton
Southern Conference – Furman and Georgia Southern
Southland Conference – McNeese State and Sam Houston State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Grambling State
|
Montana
{{2001 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
Brian Westbrook – RB (Villanova) |
Derrick Lloyd – LB (James Madison) |
2002 |
Atlantic 10 Conference – Maine and Northeastern
Big Sky Conference – Idaho State, Montana, and Montana State
Big South Conference[11] – Gardner-Webb
Gateway Football Conference – Western Illinois and Western Kentucky
Ivy League – Penn
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Bethune-Cookman
Northeast Conference – Albany
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Illinois and Murray State
Patriot League – Colgate and Fordham
Pioneer Football League – Dayton
Southern Conference – Georgian Southern
Southland Conference – McNeese State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Grambling State
|
Western Kentucky
{{2002 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
Tony Romo – QB (Eastern Illinois) |
Rashean Mathis – FS (Bethune-Cookman) |
2003 |
Atlantic 10 Conference – Delaware and Massachusetts
Big Sky Conference – Montana, Montana State, and Northern Arizona
Big South Conference – Gardner-Webb
Gateway Football Conference – Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois
Ivy League – Penn
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – North Carolina A&T
Northeast Conference – Albany and Monmouth
Ohio Valley Conference – Jacksonville State
Patriot League – Colgate
Pioneer Football League – Valparaiso
Southern Conference – Wofford
Southland Conference – McNeese State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Southern
|
Delaware
{{2003 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
Jamaal Branch – RB (Colgate) |
Jared Allen – DE (Idaho State) |
2004 |
Atlantic 10 Conference – Delaware, James Madison, and William & Mary
Big Sky Conference – Eastern Washington and Montana
Big South Conference – Coastal Carolina
Gateway Football Conference – Southern Illinois
Great West Football Conference – Cal Poly
Ivy League – Harvard
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Hampton and South Carolina State
Northeast Conference – Central Connecticut State and Monmouth
Ohio Valley Conference – Jacksonville State
Patriot League – Lafayette and Lehigh
Pioneer Football League – Drake
Southern Conference – Furman and Georgia Southern
Southland Conference – Northwestern State and Sam Houston State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Alabama State
|
James Madison
{{2004 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
Lang Campbell – QB (William & Mary) |
Jordan Beck – LB (Cal Poly) |
2005 |
Atlantic 10 Conference – New Hampshire and Richmond
Big Sky Conference – Eastern Washington, Montana, and Montana State
Big South Conference – Charleston Southern and Coastal Carolina
Gateway Football Conference – Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois, and Youngstown State
Great West Football Conference – Cal Poly and UC Davis
Ivy League – Brown
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Hampton
Northeast Conference – Central Connecticut State and Stony Brook
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Illinois
Patriot League – Colgate and Lafayette
Pioneer Football League – San Diego
Southern Conference – Appalachian State
Southland Conference – Nicholls State and Texas State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Grambling State
|
Appalachian State
{{2005 Division I-AA football playoff navbox}} |
Erik Meyer – QB (Eastern Washington) |
Chris Gocong – DE (Cal Poly) |
2006 |
Atlantic 10 Conference[12] – Massachusetts
Big Sky Conference – Montana
Big South Conference – Coastal Carolina
Gateway Football Conference – Youngstown State
Great West Football Conference – North Dakota State
Ivy League – Princeton and Yale
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne and Marist
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Hampton
Northeast Conference – Monmouth
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Illinois and Tennessee-Martin
Patriot League – Colgate, Lafayette, and Lehigh
Pioneer Football League – San Diego
Southern Conference – Appalachian State
Southland Conference – McNeese State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Alabama A&M
|
Appalachian State
{{2006 Division I FCS playoff navbox}} |
Ricky Santos – QB (New Hampshire) |
Kyle Shotwell – LB (Cal Poly) |
2007 |
Big Sky Conference – Montana
Big South Conference – Liberty
Colonial Athletic Association – Massachusetts and Richmond
Gateway Football Conference[13] – Northern Iowa
Great West Football Conference[14] – South Dakota State
Ivy League – Harvard
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Duquesne, Iona, and Marist
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Delaware State
Northeast Conference – Albany
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky
Patriot League – Fordham
Pioneer Football League – Dayton and San Diego
Southern Conference – Appalachian State and Wofford
Southland Conference – McNeese State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State
|
Appalachian State
{{2007 Division I FCS playoff navbox}} |
Jayson Foster – QB (Georgia Southern) |
Kroy Biermann – DE (Montana) |
2008 |
Big Sky Conference – Montana and Weber State
Big South Conference – Liberty
Colonial Athletic Association – James Madison
Great West Conference – Cal Poly
Ivy League – Brown and Harvard
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State
Missouri Valley Football Conference – Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois
Northeast Conference – Albany
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky
Patriot League – Colgate
Pioneer Football League – Jacksonville
Southern Conference – Appalachian State
Southland Conference – Texas State
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Grambling State
|
Richmond
{{2008 Division I FCS playoff navbox}} |
Armanti Edwards – QB (Appalachian State) |
Greg Peach – DE (Eastern Washington) |
2009 |
Big Sky Conference – Montana
Big South Conference – Liberty and Stony Brook
Colonial Athletic Association – Richmond and Villanova
Great West Conference – UC Davis
Ivy League – Pennsylvania
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State
Missouri Valley Football Conference – Southern Illinois
Northeast Conference – Central Connecticut State
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Illinois
Patriot League – Holy Cross
Pioneer Football League – Butler and Dayton
Southern Conference – Appalachian State
Southland Conference – McNeese State and Stephen F. Austin
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Prairie View A&M
|
Villanova
{{2009 Division I FCS playoff navbox}} |
Armanti Edwards – QB (Appalachian State) |
Arthur Moats – DE (James Madison) |