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1998 Azusa Pacific Cougars football
1998 Azusa Pacific Cougars football
NAIA national champion
NAIA National Championship Game, W 17–14 vs. Olivet Nazarene
Conference	Independent
Record	12–2
Head coach	Vic Shealy (4th season);
Defensive coordinator	Gary Knecht (4th season)
Home stadium	Cougar Athletic Stadium
	Seasons ← 1997 1999 →

1998 NAIA independents football records
v t e
Team	W		L	W		L
No. 8 Azusa Pacific ^		–		12	–	2
No. 21 NW Oklahoma State		–		7	–	3
No. 25 Eastern Oregon		–		6	–	4
Clinch Valley		–		4	–	5
Peru State		–		4	–	5

^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll

The 1998 Azusa Pacific Cougars football team was an American football team that represented Azusa Pacific University as an independent during the 1998 NAIA football season. In their fourth and final season under head coach Vic Shealy, the Cougars compiled a 12–2 record and won the NAIA national championship.^[1]^[2]

The team opened the season losing two of its first four games before winning its final ten games.^[1] In their October 17 game against La Verne, the Cougars established a new school record with 634 yards of total offense. Senior quarterback Geoff Buffum passed for a school-record 416 yards and five touchdowns. Senior receiver also set a new school record with 238 receiving yards.^[3]

The Cougars qualified for the NAIA playoffs for the first time in the 34-year history of the Azusa Pacific football program.^[4] They defeated Huron (North Dakota) in the semifinal game by a 26–24 score.^[5]

In the NAIA National Championship Game, played at Jim Carroll Stadium in Savannah, Tennessee, they faced Olivet Nazarene. Azusa Pacific trailed, 14–7, at the end of the third quarter, but scored 10 points in the fourth quarter on a safety, a touchdown run by Jack Williams, and a two-point conversion, to win by a 17–14 score.^[6]

The team was led on offense by senior quarterback Geoff Buffum, senior receiver Dexter Davis and junior running back and cornerback Jack Williams, a transfer from BYU.^[4] Williams was named Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the NAIA Championship Game and finished the season with 1,642 rushing yards.^[7]

The team played its home games at Cougar Athletic Stadium in Azusa, California.

In January 1999, Shealy resigned as head coach at Azusa Pacific to become the defense backs coach for Air Force.^[8]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 5	at San Diego	San Diego, CA	W 14–7	4,000	^[9]
September 12	Olivet Nazarene	Cougar Athletic Stadium Azusa, CA	W 31–24	2,652	^[10]
September 19	at Central Washington	Ellensburg, WA	L 17–51	2,500	^[11]
September 26	at Hardin–Simmons	Shelton Stadium Abilene, TX	L 17–30	2,749	^[12]
October 3	Chapman	Cougar Athletic Stadium Azusa, CA	W 26–21	2,311	^[13]
October 17	La Verne	Cougar Athletic Stadium Azusa, CA	W 42–22	2,315	^[3]
October 24	Humboldt State	Cougar Athletic Stadium Azusa, CA	W 20–13	4,123	^[14]
October 31	at Whittier	Whittier, CA	W 27–9	1,107	^[15]
November 7	Occidental	Cougar Athletic Stadium Azusa, CA	W 49–7	1,056	^[16]
November 14	at Pomona-Pitzer	Claremont, CA	W 14–0	700	^[17]
November 21	Taylor (IN)	Cougar Athletic Stadium Azusa, CA (NAIA first round)	W 31–28	2,123	^[18]
November 28	Central Washington	Cougar Athletic Stadium Azusa, CA (NAIA quarterfinal)	W 35–28	1,625	^[19]
December 5	Huron (ND)	Cougar Athletic Stadium Azusa, CA (NAIA semifinal)	W 26–24	3,124	^[5]
December 19	vs. Olivet Nazarene	Jim Carroll Stadium Savannah, TN (NAIA Championship Game)	W 17–14	5,000	^[20]^[6] ^[21]

References

^ ^a ^b "1998 Football Schedule". Azusa Pacific University. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
^ "Azusa puts streak on line against Olivet Nazarene". The Jackson Sun. December 19, 1998. p. 1C – via Newspapers.com.
^ ^a ^b "Records Fall In 42-22 Win". Azusa Pacific University. October 17, 1998. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Azusa Pacific Finds Winning Touchdown". Los Angeles Times. November 25, 1998. p. D5 – via Newspapers.com.
^ ^a ^b Scott Moe (December 6, 1998). "Azusa Pacific Wins on a Kick". Los Angeles Times. p. D7 – via Newspapers.com.
^ ^a ^b "Azusa Pacific claws back". The Jackson Sun. December 20, 1998. p. 8D – via Newspapers.com.
^ Ross W. Reily. "Williams keeps APU's sluggish offense going". The Jackson Sun. p. 8D – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Azusa Pacific coach resigns to join AFA staff". The Billings Gazette. January 10, 1999. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Toreros drop season opener". North County Times. Associated Press. September 6, 1998. p. C4 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Cougars Stand Up to Olivet Nazarene". Azusa Pacific University. September 12, 1998. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
^ "Cougars Feel Murphy's Law". Azusa Pacific University. September 19, 1998. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
^ Al Pickett (September 27, 1998). "Cowboys rally from early 17-0 deficit for win". Abilene Reporter-News. pp. 1D, 5D – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Chapman Falls to 0-4 With Loss to Azusa". Los Angeles Times. October 4, 1998. p. C19 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Goal Line Stand Preserves Victory". Azusa Pacific University. October 24, 1998. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
^ "Cougars Take Away The Victory". Azusa Pacific University. October 31, 1998. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
^ "Cougars Bounce Oxy". Azusa Pacific University. November 7, 1998. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
^ "Defense Secures NAIA Playoff Berth". Azusa Pacific University. November 14, 1998. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
^ "Cougars Kick Taylor Out of Playoffs". Azusa Pacific University. November 21, 1998. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
^ "A Measure of Revenge". Azusa Pacific University. November 28, 1998. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
^ "Deja vu finish for Olivet Nazarene". Chicago Tribune. December 20, 1998. p. III-18 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "1998 Azusa Pacific Cougars football Statistics" (PDF). APU.