1986 NCAA Division II football season

1986 NCAA Division II football season
Regular seasonAugust – November 1986
PlayoffsNovember 29 – December 13, 1986
National ChampionshipBraly Municipal Stadium
Florence, AL
ChampionNorth Dakota State (3)
Harlon Hill TrophyJeff Bentrim, North Dakota State

The 1986 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began in August 1986, and concluded with the NCAA Division II Football Championship on December 13, 1986, at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama, hosted by the University of North Alabama. The championship would remain hosted in Florence for the next twenty-eight seasons through 2013 before moving to Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kansas. The North Dakota State Bison defeated the South Dakota Coyotes, 27–7, to win their third Division II national title.[1]

The first Harlon Hill Trophy, given to the best player in Division II, was awarded to Jeff Bentrim, quarterback for North Dakota State.

Conference changes and new programs

Indiana Central University changed its name to the University of Indianapolis.[2]

School 1985 Conference 1986 Conference
Southern Utah RMAC Western

Conference standings

1986 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Northern
No. 5 Virginia Union xy$^ 7 – 0 – 0 11 – 1 – 0
Virginia State 5 – 2 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Elizabeth City State 3 – 3 – 1 4 – 5 – 1
Norfolk State 3 – 4 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
Hampton 2 – 4 – 1 3 – 6 – 1
Saint Paul's (VA) 0 – 7 – 0 1 – 8 – 1
Southern
Winston-Salem State xy 7 – 0 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
North Carolina Central 6 – 1 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Johnson C. Smith 4 – 3 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Livingstone 2 – 4 – 1 3 – 5 – 2
Fayetteville State 1 – 5 – 1 2 – 7 – 1
Bowie State 0 – 7 – 0 0 – 9 – 0
Championship: Virginia Union 14, Winston-Salem State 7
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1986 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 3 Hillsdale $^ 5 – 0 – 0 10 – 2 – 0
No. 17 Grand Valley State 4 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
Saginaw Valley State 3 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Ferris State 2 – 3 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Northwood 1 – 4 – 0 1 – 8 – 0
Wayne State (MI) 0 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll for Hillsdale and NCAA Division II Football Committee poll for Grand Valley State
1986 Gulf South Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 3 Troy State $^ 8 – 0 – 0 10 – 2 – 0
No. 13 Valdosta State 7 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
Mississippi College 5 – 3 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Delta State 4 – 3 – 1 6 – 4 – 1
Jacksonville State 4 – 3 – 1 5 – 4 – 1
West Georgia 2 – 6 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Livingston 2 – 6 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
Tennessee–Martin 2 – 6 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
North Alabama 1 – 7 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1986 Heartland Collegiate Conference standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Ashland $^ 6 – 0 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
Indianapolis 5 – 1 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Butler 3 – 3 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Valparaiso 3 – 3 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Saint Joseph's (IN) 2 – 4 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Franklin (IN) 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Evansville 0 – 6 – 0 2 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
1986 Lone Star Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
West Texas State $ 6 – 0 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
No. 8 Texas A&I 4 – 2 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
No. T–10 Abilene Christian 4 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Eastern New Mexico 3 – 3 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
Angelo State 3 – 3 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
East Texas State 1 – 5 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
Howard Payne 0 – 6 – 0 0 – 10 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1986 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Central Missouri State $ 5 – 0 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
SE Missouri State 4 – 1 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
NE Missouri State 3 – 2 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Missouri–Rolla 2 – 3 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
NW Missouri State 1 – 4 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
Lincoln (MO) 0 – 5 – 0 1 – 10 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1986 North Central Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 North Dakota State $^ 9 – 0 – 0 13 – 0 – 0
No. 6 South Dakota ^ 8 – 1 – 0 11 – 3 – 0
Mankato State 6 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 1
South Dakota State 5 – 4 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Nebraska–Omaha 4 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
St. Cloud State 4 – 5 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Augustana (SD) 3 – 6 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Northern Colorado 3 – 6 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
North Dakota 2 – 7 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
Morningside 1 – 8 – 0 1 – 10 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1986 Northern California Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 2 UC Davis $^ 5 – 0 – 0 10 – 1 – 0
Chico State 4 – 1 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Cal State Hayward 3 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Sonoma State 2 – 3 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
San Francisco State 1 – 4 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
Humboldt State 0 – 5 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1986 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 11 Minnesota Morris $ 5 – 0 – 1 7 – 1 – 2
No. 17 Northern State 5 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
Bemidji State 3 – 2 – 1 6 – 4 – 1
Winona State 2 – 3 – 1 3 – 7 – 1
Moorhead State 2 – 4 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Southwest State (MN) 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
Minnesota Duluth 0 – 6 – 0 0 – 11 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • Minnesota Duluth forfeited 8 wins and 2 ties including 4 conference wins—over Northern State, Winona State; Moorhead State, and Southwest State—and 2 conference ties—with Minnesota Morris and Bemidji State.
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1986 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
East Division
No. T–10 West Chester xy 6 – 0 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
No. 16 Millersville 5 – 1 – 0 9 – 1 – 0
Bloomsburg 3 – 2 – 1 7 – 2 – 1
Kutztown 3 – 2 – 1 5 – 4 – 1
Mansfield 1 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Cheyney 1 – 5 – 0 2 – 8 – 0
East Stroudsburg 1 – 5 – 0 1 – 9 – 0
West Division
No. 14 IUP xy$ 6 – 0 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
Edinboro 5 – 1 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
California (PA) 3 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Slippery Rock 3 – 3 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Clarion 2 – 4 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Shippensburg 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Lock Haven 0 – 6 – 0 1 – 9 – 0
Championship: IUP 20, West Chester 6
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1986 Western Football Conference standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Sacramento State $ 5 – 1 – 0 6 – 4 – 1
No. 9 Cal State Northridge 4 – 2 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
Portland State 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Southern Utah State 3 – 3 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
Cal Poly 3 – 3 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Santa Clara 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Cal Lutheran 0 – 6 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1986 NCAA Division II independents football records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 4 Central State (OH) ^   –   10 – 1 – 1
No. T–18 New Haven   –   8 – 2 – 0
No. 7 Towson State ^   –   8 – 3 – 1
Southern Connecticut State   –   7 – 3 – 0
American International   –   6 – 4 – 0
UCF   –   6 – 5 – 0
Northern Michigan   –   5 – 5 – 0
Saint Mary's   –   5 – 5 – 0
Springfield   –   4 – 5 – 0
Michigan Tech   –   3 – 6 – 0
Kentucky State   –   1 – 9 – 0
Liberty   –   1 – 9 – 0
Central Connecticut   –   0 – 10 – 0
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll

Conference summaries

See also: List of NCAA Division II football seasons
Conference Champions

Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Virginia Union
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Hillsdale
Gulf South Conference – Troy State
Heartland Collegiate Conference – Ashland
Lone Star Conference – West Texas State
Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Central Missouri State
North Central Conference – North Dakota State
Northern California Athletic Conference – UC Davis
Northern Intercollegiate Conference – Minnesota–Morris
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference – Indiana (PA)
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference – Colorado Mesa
South Atlantic Conference – Carson-Newman
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Albany State
Western Football Conference - Sacramento State

Postseason

1986 NCAA Division II Football Championship
Teams8
Finals Site
Champion
Runner-up
Semifinalists
Winning coach

The 1986 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the 14th single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college football. The championship game was held at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama, for the first time.

Playoff bracket

First round
Campus sites 		Semifinals
Campus sites 		Championship
Braly Municipal Stadium
Florence, AL
         
North Dakota State 50
Ashland 0
North Dakota State 35
Central State (OH) 12
Central State (OH) 31
Towson State 0
North Dakota State 27
South Dakota 7
Troy State 31
Virginia Union 7
Troy State 28
South Dakota 42
South Dakota 26
UC Davis 23

See also

References

  1. ^ "1986 NCAA Division II National Football Championship Bracket" (PDF). NCAA. NCAA.org. p. 13. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
  2. ^ "University of Indianapolis Complete Catalog 2017-2019" (PDF). University of Indianapolis.