NAIA Football National Championship
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Football National Championship is decided by a post-season playoff system featuring the best NAIA college football teams in the United States. Under sponsorship of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, the championship game has been played annually since 1956.[1] In 1970, NAIA football was divided into two divisions, Division I and Division II, with a championship game played in each division. In 1997, NAIA football was again consolidated into one division. The game is currently played at at Barron Stadium in Rome, Georgia.[2]
Champions by year
Over the years, the NAIA championship games were played under a variety of names:
- Aluminum Bowl (1956)
- Holiday Bowl (1957–1960, not to be confused with the NCAA Division I bowl of the same name)
- Camellia Bowl (1961–1963)
- Championship Bowl (1964–1976 and 1980–1996, Division I games only)
- Apple Bowl (1977, Division I game only)
- Palm Bowl (1978–1979, Division I games only)
Date |
Champion |
Score |
Defeated |
Site |
December 22, 1956 |
Montana State
St. Joseph's |
0–01 |
|
Little Rock, Arkansas |
December 21, 1957 |
Pittsburg State |
27–26 |
Hillsdale |
Saint Petersburg, Florida |
December 20, 1958 |
Northeastern State |
19–13 |
Arizona State College at Flagstaff |
Saint Petersburg, Florida |
December 19, 1959 |
Texas A&I |
20–7 |
Lenoir-Rhyne |
Saint Petersburg, Florida |
December 10, 1960 |
Lenoir-Rhyne |
15–14 |
Humboldt State |
Saint Petersburg, Florida |
December 9, 1961 |
Pittsburg State |
12–7 |
Linfield |
Sacramento, California |
1962 |
Central State |
28–13 |
Lenoir-Rhyne |
Sacramento, California |
December 14, 1963 |
St. John’s |
33–27 |
Prairie View A&M |
Sacramento, California |
1964 |
Concordia-Moorhead
Sam Houston State |
7–71 |
|
Augusta, Georgia |
December 11, 1965 |
St. John’s |
33–0 |
Linfield |
Augusta, Georgia |
1966 |
Waynesburg |
42–21 |
Wisconsin–Whitewater |
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
December 9, 1967 |
Fairmont State |
28–21 |
Eastern Washington |
Morgantown, West Virginia |
December 14, 1968 |
Troy State |
43–35 |
Texas A&I |
Montgomery, Alabama |
December 13, 1969 |
Texas A&I |
32–7 |
Concordia-Moorhead |
Kingsville, Texas |
December 12, 1970–I |
Texas A&I |
48–7 |
Wofford |
Greenville, South Carolina |
1970–II |
Westminster |
21–16 |
Anderson |
New Castle, Pennsylvania |
December 11, 1971–I |
Livingston |
14–12 |
Arkansas Tech |
Birmingham, Alabama |
1971–II |
California Lutheran |
30–14 |
Westminster |
Thousand Oaks, California |
1972-I |
East Texas State |
21–18 |
Carson-Newman |
Commerce, Texas |
1972–II |
Missouri Southern |
21–14 |
Northwestern (IA) |
Joplin, Missouri |
December 8, 1973–I |
Abilene Christian |
42–14 |
Elon |
Shreveport, Louisiana |
1973–II |
Northwestern (IA) |
10–3 |
Glenville State |
Huntington, West Virginia |
December 14, 1974–I |
Texas A&I |
34–23 |
Henderson State |
Kingsville, Texas |
1974–II |
Texas Lutheran |
42–0 |
Missouri Valley |
Seguin, Texas |
December 13, 1975–I |
Texas A&I |
37–0 |
Salem |
Kingsville, Texas |
1975–II |
Texas Lutheran |
34–8 |
California Lutheran |
Thousand Oaks, California |
December 11, 1976–I |
Texas A&I |
26–0 |
Central Arkansas |
Kingsville, Texas |
1976–II |
Westminster |
20–13 |
Redlands |
Redlands, California |
1977-I |
Abilene Christian |
24–7 |
Southwestern Oklahoma |
Seattle, Washington |
1977–II |
Westminster |
17–9 |
California Lutheran |
Thousand Oaks, California |
December 16, 1978–I |
Angelo State |
34–14 |
Elon |
McAllen, Texas |
1978–II |
Concordia-Moorhead |
7–0 |
Findlay |
Findlay, Ohio |
December 15, 1979–I |
Texas A&I |
20–14 |
University of Central Oklahoma |
McAllen, Texas |
1979–II |
Findlay |
51–6 |
Northwestern (IA) |
Findlay, Ohio |
December 20, 1980–I |
Elon |
17–10 |
Northeastern State |
Burlington, North Carolina |
1980–II |
Pacific Lutheran University |
38–10 |
Wilmington |
Tacoma, Washington |
December 19, 1981–I |
Elon |
3–0 |
Pittsburg State |
Burlington, North Carolina |
1981–II |
Austin College
Concordia-Moorhead |
24–241 |
|
Sherman, Texas |
1982-I |
University of Central Oklahoma (then known as Central State) |
14–11 |
Mesa State |
Edmond, Oklahoma |
1982–II |
Linfield |
33–15 |
William Jewell |
McMinnville, Oregon |
December 17, 1983–I |
Carson-Newman |
36–28 |
Mesa State |
Grand Junction, Colorado |
1983–II |
Northwestern (IA) |
25–21 |
Pacific Lutheran |
Tacoma, Washington |
December 15, 1984–I |
Carson-Newman
Central Arkansas |
19–191 |
|
Conway, Arkansas |
1984–II |
Linfield |
33–22 |
Northwestern (IA) |
McMinnville, Oregon |
December 21, 1985–I |
Hillsdale
Central Arkansas |
10–101 |
|
Conway, Arkansas |
1985–II |
University of Wisconsin–La Crosse |
24–7 |
Pacific Lutheran |
Tacoma, Washington |
December 20, 1986–I |
Carson-Newman |
17–0 |
Cameron |
Jefferson City, Tennessee |
1986–II |
Linfield |
17–0 |
Baker |
McMinnville, Oregon |
December 19, 1987–I |
Cameron |
30–2 |
Carson-Newman |
Lawton, Oklahoma |
1987–II |
Pacific Lutheran
Vacant |
2 |
|
Tacoma, Washington |
December 17, 1988–I |
Carson-Newman |
56–21 |
Adams State |
Jefferson City, Tennessee |
1988–II |
Westminster |
21–14 |
Wisconsin–La Crosse |
New Wilmington, Pennsylvania |
December 16, 1989–I |
Carson-Newman |
34–20 |
Emporia State |
Jefferson City, Tennessee |
1989–II |
Westminster |
51–30 |
Wisconsin–La Crosse |
Canton, Ohio |
December 8, 1990–I |
Central State (Ohio) |
38–16 |
Mesa State |
Grand Junction, Colorado |
1990–II |
Peru State |
17–7 |
Westminster |
Omaha, Nebraska |
December 14, 1991–I |
Central Arkansas |
19–16 |
Central State(Ohio) |
Wilberforce, Ohio |
1991–II |
Georgetown |
28–20 |
Pacific Lutheran |
Georgetown, Kentucky |
December 12, 1992–I |
Central State (Ohio) |
19–16 |
Gardner-Webb |
Boiling Springs, North Carolina |
1992–II |
Findlay |
26–13 |
Linfield |
Portland, Oregon |
December 11, 1993–I |
East Central |
49–35 |
Glenville State |
Ada, Oklahoma |
1993–II |
Pacific Lutheran |
50–20 |
Westminster |
Portland, Oregon |
December 10, 1994–I |
Northeastern State |
13–12 |
Arkansas-Pine Bluff |
Pine Bluff, Arkansas |
1994–II |
Westminster |
27–7 |
Pacific Lutheran |
Portland, Oregon |
December 2, 1995–I |
Central State (Ohio) |
37–7 |
Northeastern State |
Tahlequah, Oklahoma |
1995–II |
Central Washington
Findlay |
21–21 1 |
|
Tacoma, Washington |
December 7, 1996–I |
Southwestern Oklahoma |
33–31 |
Montana Tech |
Weatherford, Oklahoma |
1996–II |
Sioux Falls |
47–25 |
Western Washington University |
Savannah, Tennessee |
1997 |
Findlay |
14–7 |
Willamette |
Savannah, Tennessee |
1998 |
Azusa Pacific |
17–14 |
Olivet Nazarene |
Savannah, Tennessee |
1999 |
Northwestern Oklahoma State |
34–26 |
Georgetown |
Savannah, Tennessee |
2000 |
Georgetown |
20–0 |
Northwestern Oklahoma State |
Savannah, Tennessee |
2001 |
Georgetown |
49–27 |
Sioux Falls |
Savannah, Tennessee |
2002 |
Carroll |
28–7 |
Georgetown |
Savannah, Tennessee |
2003 |
Carroll |
41–28 |
Northwestern Oklahoma State |
Savannah, Tennessee |
2004 |
Carroll |
15–13 |
Saint Francis (IN) |
Savannah, Tennessee |
2005 |
Carroll |
27–10 |
Saint Francis (IN) |
Savannah, Tennessee |
2006 |
Sioux Falls |
23–19 |
Saint Francis (IN) |
Savannah, Tennessee |
2007 |
Carroll |
17–9 |
Sioux Falls |
Savannah, Tennessee |
2008 |
Sioux Falls |
23–7 |
Carroll |
Rome, Georgia |
2009 |
Sioux Falls |
25–22 |
Lindenwood |
Rome, Georgia |
2010 |
Carroll |
10–7 |
Sioux Falls |
Rome, Georgia |
2011 |
Saint Xavier University |
24–20 |
Carroll |
Rome, Georgia |
1 Game ended in a tie and teams are co champions.
2 Pacific Lutheran (WA) and the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point played to a 16–16 tie in the championship game. Wisconsin–Stevens Point forfeited its entire 1987 schedule because of the use of an ineligible student-athlete. Pacific Lutheran is considered a co-champion with the other position vacated.
Championships by school
Team |
Championships |
Winning years |
Texas A&I |
7 |
1959, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979 |
Carroll |
6 |
2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2010 |
Westminster |
6 |
1970, 1976, 1977, 1988, 1989, 1994 |
Carson-Newman |
5 |
1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989 |
Findlay |
4 |
1979, 1992, 1995, 1997 |
Sioux Falls |
4 |
1996, 2006, 2008, 2009 |
Central Arkansas |
3 |
1984, 1985, 1991 |
Central State |
3 |
1990, 1992, 1995 |
Concordia-Moorhead |
3 |
1964, 1978, 1981 |
Georgetown |
3 |
1991, 2000, 2001 |
Linfield |
3 |
1982, 1984, 1986 |
Pacific Lutheran |
3 |
1980, 1987, 1993 |
Abilene Christian |
2 |
1973, 1977 |
Central State |
2 |
1962, 1982 |
Elon |
2 |
1980, 1981 |
Northeastern State |
2 |
1958, 1994 |
Northwestern (IA) |
2 |
1973, 1983 |
Pittsburg State |
2 |
1957, 1961 |
St. John's |
2 |
1963, 1965 |
Texas Lutheran |
2 |
1974, 1975 |
Angelo State |
1 |
1978 |
Austin |
1 |
1981 |
Azusa Pacific |
1 |
1998 |
California Lutheran |
1 |
1971 |
Cameron |
1 |
1987 |
Central Washington |
1 |
1995 |
East Central |
1 |
1993 |
East Texas State |
1 |
1972 |
Fairmont State |
1 |
1967 |
Hillsdale |
1 |
1985 |
Lenoir-Rhyne |
1 |
1960 |
Livingston |
1 |
1971 |
Missouri Southern |
1 |
1972 |
Montana State |
1 |
1956 |
Northwestern Oklahoma |
1 |
1999 |
Peru State |
1 |
1990 |
Sam Houston State |
1 |
1964 |
Saint Xavier University |
1 |
2011 |
St. Joseph's |
1 |
1956 |
Southwestern Oklahoma |
1 |
1996 |
Waynesburg |
1 |
1966 |
Wisconsin–La Crosse |
1 |
1985 |
Vacated |
1 |
1987 |
See also
References
External links
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Non-football conferences |
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