NAIA Division II football national championship

NAIA Division II football national championship
NAIA Logo
In operation1970–1996
Preceded byNAIA Championship
Succeeded byNAIA Championship
Number of playoff teams8
Most playoff championshipsWestminster (PA) (6)
WebsiteNAIA Football

The NAIA Division II football national championship was a post-season playoff system featuring the best NAIA Division II college football teams in the United States. It was played annually between 1970 and 1996 when NAIA football play was divided into two divisions based on school enrollment size; the NAIA Division I football national championship was played separately. It was typically held at the home field of the higher-seeded team. The championship was discontinued in 1997 after the two divisions were consolidated once again. The singular NAIA football national championship has been held every year since.[1]

Westminster (PA) was the most successful team at the Division II level, winning the national title six times.

Results

Date Champion Score Runner-up Site Winning head coach(es)
December 5, 1970 Westminster (PA) 21–16 Anderson (IN) New Castle, Pennsylvania Harold Burry
December 4, 1971 Cal Lutheran 30–14 Westminster (PA) Thousand Oaks, California Bob Shoup
December 2, 1972 Missouri Southern 21–14 Northwestern (IA) Joplin, Missouri Jim Frazier
December 1, 1973 Northwestern (IA) 10–3 Glenville State Huntington, West Virginia Larry Korver
December 7, 1974 Texas Lutheran 42–0 Missouri Valley Seguin, Texas Jim Wacker
December 6, 1975 Texas Lutheran 34–8 Cal Lutheran Thousand Oaks, California Jim Wacker
December 4, 1976 Westminster (PA) 20–13 Redlands Redlands, California Joe Fusco
December 3, 1977 Westminster (PA) 17–9 Cal Lutheran Thousand Oaks, California Joe Fusco
December 9, 1978 Concordia (MN) 7–0 Findlay Findlay, Ohio Jim Christopherson
December 8, 1979 Findlay 51–6 Northwestern (IA) Findlay, Ohio Dick Strahm
December 13, 1980 Pacific Lutheran 38–10 Wilmington Tacoma, Washington Frosty Westering
December 12, 1981 Austin
Concordia (MN)		 24–241 Sherman, Texas Larry Kramer
Jim Christopherson
December 11, 1982 Linfield 33–15 William Jewell McMinnville, Oregon[2][3] Ad Rutschman
December 10, 1983 Northwestern (IA) 25–21 Pacific Lutheran Tacoma, Washington Larry Korver
December 8, 1984 Linfield 33–22 Northwestern (IA) McMinnville, Oregon Ad Rutschman
December 13, 1985 Wisconsin–La Crosse 24–7 Pacific Lutheran Tacoma, Washington Roger Harring
December 13, 1986 Linfield 17–0 Baker McMinnville, Oregon Ad Rutschman
December 13, 1987 Pacific Lutheran
Wisconsin–Stevens Point (forfeited)		 16–162 Tacoma, Washington Frosty Westering
D. J. LeRoy
December 10, 1988 Westminster (PA) 21–14 Wisconsin–La Crosse New Wilmington, Pennsylvania Joe Fusco
December 16, 1989 Westminster (PA) 51–30 Wisconsin–La Crosse Canton, Ohio Joe Fusco
December 15, 1990 Peru State 17–7 Westminster (PA) Omaha, Nebraska Tom Shea
December 21, 1991 Georgetown (KY) 28–20 Pacific Lutheran Georgetown, Kentucky Kevin Donley
December 19, 1992 Findlay 26–13 Linfield Portland, Oregon Dick Strahm
December 18, 1993 Pacific Lutheran 50–20 Westminster (PA) Portland, Oregon Frosty Westering
December 17, 1994 Westminster (PA) 27–7 Pacific Lutheran Portland, Oregon Gene Nicholson
December 16, 1995 Central Washington
Findlay		 21–21 1 Tacoma, Washington Jeff Zenisek
Dick Strahm
December 21, 1996 Sioux Falls 47–25 Western Washington Savannah, Tennessee Bob Young

Notes

1 Game ended in a tie and teams are co-champions

2 Pacific Lutheran and the 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 two ineligible players.[4] Pacific Lutheran is considered a co-champion with the other position vacated.

Championships by school

  • Only includes titles won at the Division II level.
  • Programs that no longer compete in NAIA are indicated in italics with a pink background.
Team Championships Winning years
Westminster (PA) 6 1970, 1976, 1977, 1988, 1989, 1994
Findlay (OH) 3 1979, 1992, 1995
Pacific Lutheran 3 1980, 1987, 1993
Linfield 3 1982, 1984, 1986
Northwestern (IA) 2 1973, 1983
Concordia–Moorhead 2 1978, 1981
Texas Lutheran 2 1974, 1975
Sioux Falls 1 1996
Central Washington 1 1995
Georgetown (KY) 1 1991
Peru State 1 1990
Wisconsin–La Crosse 1 1985
Austin 1 1981
Missouri Southern 1 1972
Cal Lutheran 1 1971

See also

References

  1. ^ "NAIA Football Championship History". National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
  2. ^ Turcotte, Steve (December 12, 1982). "Linfield wins NAIA title in familiar fashion, 33-15". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 3B.
  3. ^ "Mueller leads Linfield to title". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Associated Press. December 12, 1982. p. 6B.
  4. ^ "Surprise: Lutes are champs after all". The News Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. May 10, 1988. p. C1. Retrieved November 28, 2021 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.