The '
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national football 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. 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 now played in
Savannah,
Hardin County, Tennessee at
Jim Carroll Stadium.
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)
★ Champion 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)
| Year | Champion | Score | Defeated | Site |
|---|
| 1956 | Montana State & St. Joseph's (IN) | 0-01 | | Little Rock, Arkansas |
| 1957 | Pittsburg State (KS) | 27-26 | Hillsdale (MI) | Saint Petersburg, Florida |
| 1958 | Northeastern State University (OK) | 19-13 | Northern Arizona University | Saint Petersburg, Florida |
| 1959 | Texas A&I | 20-7 | Lenoir-Rhyne College (NC) | Saint Petersburg, Florida |
| 1960 | Lenoir-Rhyne College (NC) | 15-14 | Humboldt State (CA) | Saint Petersburg, Florida |
| 1961 | Pittsburg State | 12-7 | Linfield (OR) | Sacramento, California |
| 1962 | Central State (OK) | 28-13 | Lenoir-Rhyne College (NC) | Sacramento, California |
| 1963 | St. John’s (MN) | 33-27 | Prairie View A&M University (TX) | Sacramento, California |
| 1964 | Concordia-Moorhead (MN) & Sam Houston State (TX) | 7-71 | | Augusta, Georgia |
| 1965 | St. John’s | 33-0 | Linfield (OR) | Augusta, Georgia |
| 1966 | Waynesburg College(PA) | 42-21 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | Tulsa, Oklahoma |
| 1967 | Fairmont State (WV) | 28-21 | Eastern Washington University | Morgantown, West Virginia |
| 1968 | Troy State (AL) | 43-35 | Texas A&I | Montgomery, Alabama |
| 1969 | Texas A&I | 32-7 | Concordia-Moorhead | Kingsville, Texas |
| 1970-'I' | Texas A&I | 48-7 | Wofford (SC) | Greenville, South Carolina |
| 1970-'II' | Westminster (PA) | 21-16 | Anderson (IN) | New Castle, Pennsylvania |
| 1971-'I' | Livingston (AL) | 14-12 | Arkansas Tech | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 1971-'II' | California Lutheran | 30-14 | Westminster (PA) | Thousand Oaks, California |
| 1972-'I' | East Texas State | 21-18 | Carson-Newman College(TN) | Commerce, Texas |
| 1972-'II' | Missouri Southern | 21-14 | Northwestern (IA) | Joplin, Missouri |
| 1973-'I' | Abilene Christian (TX) | 42-14 | Elon University(NC) | Shreveport, Louisiana |
| 1973-'II' | Northwestern (IA) | 10-3 | Glenville State College (WV) | Huntington, West Virginia |
| 1974-'I' | Texas A&I | 34-23 | Henderson State (AR) | Kingsville, Texas |
| 1974-'II' | Texas Lutheran | 42-0 | Missouri Valley College | Seguin, Texas |
| 1975-'I' | Texas A&I | 37-0 | Salem (WV) | Kingsville, Texas |
| 1975-'II' | Texas Lutheran | 34-8 | California Lutheran | Thousand Oaks, California |
| 1976-'I' | Texas A&I | 26-0 | Central Arkansas | Kingsville, Texas |
| 1976-'II' | Westminster (PA) | 20-13 | Redlands (CA) | Redlands, California |
| 1977-'I' | Abilene Christian (TX) | 24-7 | Southwestern Oklahoma | Seattle, Washington |
| 1977-'II' | Westminster (PA) | 17-9 | California Lutheran | Thousand Oaks, California |
| 1978-'I' | Angelo State (TX) | 24-14 | Elon University(NC) | McAllen, Texas |
| 1978-'II' | Concordia-Moorhead | 7-0 | Findlay (OH) | Findlay, Ohio |
| 1979-'I' | Texas A&I | 20-14 | Central State (Oklahoma) | McAllen, Texas |
| 1979-'II' | Findlay (OH) | 51-6 | Northwestern (IA) | Findlay, Ohio |
| 1980-'I' | Elon University(NC) | 17-10 | Northeastern State (OK) | Burlington, North Carolina |
| 1980-'II' | Pacific Lutheran University (WA) | 38-10 | Wilmington (OH) | Tacoma, Washington |
| 1981-'I' | Elon University (NC) | 3-0 | Pittsburg State | Burlington, North Carolina |
| 1981-'II' | Austin College (TX) &Concordia-Moorhead | 24-241 | | Sherman, Texas |
| 1982-'I' | Central State (Oklahoma) | 14-11 | Mesa State College(CO) | Edmond, Oklahoma |
| 1982-'II' | Linfield (OR) | 33-15 | William Jewell College (MO) | McMinnville, Oregon |
| 1983-'I' | Carson-Newman College (TN) | 36-28 | Mesa State College (CO) | Grand Junction, Colorado |
| 1983-'II' | Northwestern (IA) | 25-21 | Pacific Lutheran University(WA) | Tacoma, Washington |
| 1984-'I' | Carson-Newman College(TN) & Central Arkansas | 19-191 | | Conway, Arkansas |
| 1984-'II' | Linfield (OR) | 33-22 | Northwestern (IA) | McMinnville, Oregon |
| 1985-'I' | Hillsdale College & Central Arkansas | 10-101 | | Conway, Arkansas |
| 1985-'II' | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | 24-7 | Pacific Lutheran University(WA) | Tacoma, Washington |
| 1986-'I' | Carson-Newman College(TN) | 17-0 | Cameron University(OK) | Jefferson City, Tennessee |
| 1986-'II' | Linfield (OR) | 17-0 | Baker University (KS) | McMinnville, Oregon |
| 1987-'I' | Cameron University(OK) | 30-2 | Carson-Newman College(TN) | Lawton, Oklahoma |
| 1987-'II' | Pacific Lutheran University(WA) &Vacant | 2 | | Tacoma, Washington |
| 1988-'I' | Carson-Newman College(TN) | 56-21 | Adams State College(CO) | Jefferson City, Tennessee |
| 1988-'II' | Westminster (PA) | 21-14 | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | New Wilmington, Pennsylvania |
| 1989-'I' | Carson-Newman College(TN) | 34-20 | Emporia State (KS) | Jefferson City, Tennessee |
| 1989-'II' | Westminster (PA) | 51-30 | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | Canton, Ohio |
| 1990-'I' | Central State (Ohio) | 38-16 | Mesa State College(CO) | Grand Junction, Colorado |
| 1990-'II' | Peru State (NE) | 17-7 | Westminster (PA) | Omaha, Nebraska |
| 1991-'I' | Central Arkansas | 19-16 | Central State (Ohio) | Wilberforce, Ohio |
| 1991-'II' | Georgetown (KY) | 28-20 | Pacific Lutheran University (WA) | Georgetown, Kentucky |
| 1992-'I' | Central State (Ohio) | 19-16 | Gardner-Webb University(NC) | Boiling Springs, North Carolina |
| 1992-'II' | Findlay (OH) | 26-13 | Linfield (OR) | Portland, Oregon |
| 1993-'I' | East Central (OK) | 49-35 | Glenville State College (WV) | Ada, Oklahoma |
| 1993-'II' | Pacific Lutheran University(WA) | 50-20 | Westminster (PA) | Portland, Oregon |
| 1994-'I' | Northeastern State (OK) | 13-12 | Arkansas-Pine Bluff | Pine Bluff, Arkansas |
| 1994-'II' | Westminster (PA) | 27-7 | Pacific Lutheran University(WA) | Portland, Oregon |
| 1995-'I' | Central State (OH) | 37-7 | Northeastern State (OK) | Tahlequah, Oklahoma |
| 1995-'II' | Central Washington & Findlay (OH) | 21-21 1 | | Tacoma, Washington |
| 1996-'I' | Southwestern Oklahoma | 33-31 | Montana Tech | Weatherford, Oklahoma |
| 1996-'II' | Sioux Falls (SD) | 47-25 | Western Washington University | Savannah, Tennessee |
| 1997 | Findlay (OH) | 14-7 | Willamette University (OR) | Savannah, Tennessee |
| 1998 | Azusa Pacific (CA) | 17-14 | Olivet Nazarene (IL) | Savannah, Tennessee |
| 1999 | Northwestern Oklahoma State University | 34-26 | Georgetown College | Savannah, Tennessee |
| 2000 | Georgetown College | 20-0 | Northwestern Oklahoma State University | Savannah, Tennessee |
| 2001 | Georgetown College | 49-27 | University of Sioux Falls (SD) | Savannah, Tennessee |
| 2002 | Carroll (MT) | 28-7 | Georgetown College | Savannah, Tennessee |
| 2003 | Carroll | 41-28 | Northwestern Oklahoma State University | Savannah, Tennessee |
| 2004 | Carroll | 15-13 | St. Francis (IN) | Savannah, Tennessee |
| 2005 | Carroll | 27-10 | St. Francis (IN) | Savannah, Tennessee |
| 2006 | Sioux Falls (SD) | 23-19 | St. Francis (IN) | Savannah, Tennessee |
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.
Most National Championships
| Team | Championships | Winning years |
|---|
| Texas A&I | 7 | 1959, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979 |
| Westminster (PA) | 6 | 1970, 1976, 1977, 1988, 1989, 1994 |
| Carson-Newman | 5 | 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989 |
| Carroll College (MT) | 4 | 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 |
| Findlay | 4 | 1979, 1992, 1995, 1997 |
| Central Arkansas | 3 | 1984, 1985, 1991 |
| Central State (OK) | 3 | 1990, 1992, 1995 |
| Concordia-Moorhead (MN) | 3 | 1964, 1978, 1981 |
| Georgetown (KY) | 3 | 1991, 2000, 2001 |
| Linfield College | 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 |
| Sioux Falls | 2 | 1996, 2006 |
| Texas Lutheran | 2 | 1974, 1975 |
| Angelo State | 1 | 1978 |
| Austin College | 1 | 1981 |
| Azusa Pacific | 1 | 1998 |
| California Lutheran | 1 | 1971 |
| Cameron University | 1 | 1987 |
| Central Washington | 1 | 1993 |
| East Central | 1 | 1993 |
| East Texas State | 1 | 1972 |
| Fairmont State | 1 | 1967 |
| Hillsdale College | 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 |
| St. Joseph's (IN) | 1 | 1956 |
| Southwestern Oklahoma | 1 | 1996 |
| Waynesburg | 1 | 1966 |
| Wisconsin-La Crosse | 1 | 1985 |
External link
★ NAIA football page
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