NAIA Football National Championship

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) 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 2019 game was played at the Eddie G. Robinson Stadium in Grambling, Louisiana.[2]

NAIA Football National Championship
In operation1956–present
Preceded bySmall college polls &
NAIA Division II Championship
Number of playoff teams16
Championship trophyTom Osborne Trophy
Television partner(s)ESPN3
Most playoff championshipsTexas A&I (7)
Current championMorningside (IA)
WebsiteNAIA Football

Texas A&I (now known as Texas A&M–Kingsville) have been the most prolific program with seven NAIA championships. Carroll (MT) are the most successful team still playing at the NAIA level, with 6 national titles.

Morningside (IA) are the current champions, having defeated Marian (IN) in the 2019 championship, 40-38.

Game name

Over the years, the NAIA championship games were played under a variety of names:

A separate NAIA Division II Football National Championship was played between 1970 and 1996, when there were two divisions at the NAIA level.

Results
YearChampionScoreRunner-upSiteWinning head coach(es)
1956Montana State
Saint Joseph's (IN)		0–0[lower-alpha 3]Little Rock, ArkansasTony Storti
Bob Jauron
1957Pittsburg State27–26HillsdaleSaint Petersburg, FloridaCarnie Smith
1958Northeastern State19–13Arizona State–FlagstaffSaint Petersburg, FloridaHarold "Tuffy" Stratton
1959Texas A&I20–7Lenoir–RhyneSaint Petersburg, FloridaGil Steinke
1960Lenoir–Rhyne15–14Humboldt StateSaint Petersburg, FloridaClarence Stasavich
1961Pittsburg State12–7LinfieldSacramento, CaliforniaCarnie Smith
1962Central State (OK)28–13Lenoir–RhyneSacramento, CaliforniaAl Blevins
1963Saint John's (MN)33–27Prairie View A&MSacramento, CaliforniaJohn Gagliardi
1964Concordia (MN)
Sam Houston State		7–7[lower-alpha 3]Augusta, GeorgiaJake Christiansen
Paul Pierce
1965Saint John's (MN)33–0LinfieldAugusta, GeorgiaJohn Gagliardi
1966Waynesburg42–21Wisconsin–WhitewaterTulsa, OklahomaCarl DePasqua
1967Fairmont State28–21Eastern WashingtonMorgantown, West VirginiaHarold "Deacon" Duvall
1968Troy State43–35Texas A&IMontgomery, AlabamaBilly Atkins
1969Texas A&I32–7Concordia (MN)Kingsville, TexasGil Steinke
1970Texas A&I48–7WoffordGreenville, South CarolinaGil Steinke
1971Livingston14–12Arkansas TechBirmingham, AlabamaMickey Andrews
1972East Texas State21–18Carson–NewmanCommerce, TexasErnest Hawkins
1973Abilene Christian42–14ElonShreveport, LouisianaWally Bullington
1974Texas A&I34–23Henderson StateKingsville, TexasGil Steinke
1975Texas A&I37–0SalemKingsville, TexasGil Steinke
1976Texas A&I26–0Central ArkansasKingsville, TexasGil Steinke
1977Abilene Christian24–7Southwestern Oklahoma StateSeattle, WashingtonDeWitt Jones
1978Angelo State34–14ElonMcAllen, TexasJim Hess
1979Texas A&I20–14Central State (OK)McAllen, TexasRon Harms
1980Elon17–10Northeastern StateBurlington, North CarolinaJerry Tolley
1981Elon3–0Pittsburg StateBurlington, North CarolinaJerry Tolley
1982Central State (OK)14–11Mesa StateEdmond, OklahomaGary Howard
1983Carson–Newman36–28Mesa StateGrand Junction, ColoradoKen Sparks
1984Carson–Newman
Central Arkansas		19–19[lower-alpha 3]Conway, ArkansasKen Sparks
Harold Horton
1985Hillsdale
Central Arkansas		10–10[lower-alpha 3]Conway, ArkansasDick Lowry
Harold Horton
1986Carson–Newman17–0CameronJefferson City, TennesseeKen Sparks
1987Cameron30–2Carson–NewmanLawton, OklahomaBrian Naber
1988Carson–Newman56–21Adams StateJefferson City, TennesseeKen Sparks
1989Carson–Newman34–20Emporia StateJefferson City, TennesseeKen Sparks
1990Central State (OH)38–16Mesa StateGrand Junction, ColoradoBilly Joe
1991Central Arkansas19–16Central State (OH)Wilberforce, OhioMike Isom
1992Central State (OH)19–16Gardner–WebbBoiling Springs, North CarolinaBilly Joe
1993East Central49–35Glenville StateAda, OklahomaHank Walbrick
1994Northeastern State13–12Arkansas–Pine BluffPine Bluff, ArkansasTom Eckert
1995Central State (OH)37–7Northeastern StateTahlequah, OklahomaRick Comegy
1996Southwestern Oklahoma State33–31Montana TechWeatherford, OklahomaPaul Sharp
1997Findlay14–7WillametteSavannah, TennesseeDick Strahm
1998Azusa Pacific17–14Olivet NazareneSavannah, TennesseeVic Shealy
1999Northwestern Oklahoma State34–26Georgetown (KY)Savannah, TennesseeTim Albin
2000Georgetown (KY)20–0Northwestern Oklahoma StateSavannah, TennesseeBill Cronin
2001Georgetown (KY)49–27Sioux FallsSavannah, TennesseeBill Cronin
2002Carroll (MT)28–7Georgetown (KY)Savannah, TennesseeMike Van Diest
2003Carroll (MT)41–28Northwestern Oklahoma StateSavannah, TennesseeMike Van Diest
2004Carroll (MT)15–13 (2 OT)Saint Francis (IN)Savannah, TennesseeMike Van Diest
2005Carroll (MT)27–10Saint Francis (IN)Savannah, TennesseeMike Van Diest
2006Sioux Falls23–19Saint Francis (IN)Savannah, TennesseeKalen DeBoer
2007Carroll (MT)17–9Sioux FallsSavannah, TennesseeMike Van Diest
2008Sioux Falls23–7Carroll (MT)Rome, GeorgiaKalen DeBoer
2009Sioux Falls25–22LindenwoodRome, GeorgiaKalen DeBoer
2010Carroll (MT)10–7Sioux FallsRome, GeorgiaMike Van Diest
2011Saint Xavier24–20Carroll (MT)Rome, GeorgiaMike Feminis
2012Marian30–27 (OT)MorningsideRome, GeorgiaTed Karras Jr.
2013Grand View35–23Cumberlands (KY)Rome, GeorgiaMike Woodley
2014Southern Oregon55–31MarianDaytona Beach, FloridaCraig Howard
2015Marian31–14Southern OregonDaytona Beach, FloridaMark Henninger
2016Saint Francis (IN)38–17BakerDaytona Beach, FloridaKevin Donley
2017Saint Francis (IN)24–13ReinhardtDaytona Beach, FloridaKevin Donley
2018Morningside35–28BenedictineDaytona Beach, FloridaSteve Ryan
2019Morningside40–38MarianGrambling, LouisianaSteve Ryan
  1. Not to be confused with the NCAA Division I bowl of the same name.
  2. Not to be confused with the NCAA Division I bowl of the same name.
  3. Game ended in a tie with both teams as co-champions.

Championships by school
See also: List of NAIA National Football Championship Series appearances by team
TeamChampionshipsWinning years
Texas A&I (Texas A&M–Kingsville)71959, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979
Carroll62002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2010
Carson–Newman51983, 1984,[lower-alpha 1] 1986, 1988, 1989
Central Arkansas31984,[lower-alpha 1] 1985,[lower-alpha 1] 1991
Central State (OH)31990, 1992, 1995
Sioux Falls32006, 2008, 2009
Pittsburg State21957, 1961
Saint John's (MN)21963, 1965
Abilene Christian21973, 1977
Elon21980, 1981
Central State (OK) (Central Oklahoma)21962, 1982
Northeastern State21958, 1994
Georgetown (KY)22000, 2001
Marian22012, 2015
Saint Francis (IN)22016, 2017
Morningside22018, 2019
Montana State11956[lower-alpha 1]
Saint Joseph's (IN)11956[lower-alpha 1]
Lenoir–Rhyne11960
Concordia–Moorhead11964[lower-alpha 1]
Sam Houston State11964[lower-alpha 1]
Waynesburg11966
Fairmont State11967
Troy State11968
Livingston11971
East Texas State (Texas A&M–Commerce)11972
Angelo State11978
Hillsdale11985[lower-alpha 1]
Cameron11987
East Central (OK)11993
Southwestern Oklahoma11996
Findlay (OH)11997
Azusa Pacific11998
Northwestern Oklahoma11999
Saint Xavier12011
Grand View12013
Southern Oregon12014
  1. Shared title

See also

References
  1. "NAIA Football Championship History". National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Retrieved April 7, 2008. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. "Visitor Info: Football National Championship". July 29, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
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