1986 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game

Last updated
1986 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship
I-AA National Championship Game
Diamond Bowl II
Georgia Southern Eagles Arkansas State Indians
(12–2)(12–1–1)
Independent Southland
4821
Head coach: 
Erk Russell 		Head coach: 
Larry Lacewell
NCAA Seed
44
NCAA Seed
22
1234Total
Georgia Southern101615748
Arkansas State708621
DateDecember 19, 1986
Season 1986
Stadium Tacoma Dome
Location Tacoma, Washington
Referee Gary Peters [1]
Attendance4,419 [1]
United States TV coverage
Network ESPN [2]
Announcers Tim Brando and Kevin Kiley
NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship
 < 1985 1987 > 

The 1986 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Arkansas State Indians (now the Arkansas State Red Wolves) and the Georgia Southern Eagles. The game was played on December 19, 1986, at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington. [1] The culminating game of the 1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Georgia Southern, 48–21. [3] Georgia Southern, the defending champion from 1985, became the first program to win consecutive Division I-AA titles.

Contents

Contemporary news reports also referred to this game as Diamond Bowl II, [4] as the NCAA had introduced Diamond Bowl branding for the Division I-AA championship game in 1985. [5] The on-field logo at midfield included "1986 Diamond Bowl" wording. [6] NCAA records list the game date as Saturday, December 20, 1986; [7] however, contemporary news reports are clear that the game was played on the evening of Friday, December 19, 1986. [4] [3]

Teams

The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 1986 I-AA Playoffs, which began with a 16-team bracket. [8]

Georgia Southern Eagles

Georgia Southern finished their regular season with a 9–2 record; they played two Division I-A programs, losing to both Florida and East Carolina. [9] Ranked fourth in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll [10] and seeded fourth in the tournament, the Eagles defeated North Carolina A&T, Nicholls State, and top-seed Nevada to reach the final. This was the second appearance for Georgia Southern in a Division I-AA championship game, having won in 1985.

Arkansas State Indians

Arkansas State finished their regular season with a 9–1–1 record (5–0 in conference); they played four games against Division I-A programs, resulting in two wins (Memphis and Texas A&M), one loss (Mississippi State), and a tie (Ole Miss). [11] Ranked second in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll [10] and seeded second in the tournament, the Indians defeated Sam Houston State, Delaware, and Eastern Kentucky to reach the final. This was the first appearance for Arkansas State in a Division I-AA championship game.

Game summary

Scoring summary

Scoring summary
QuarterTime Drive TeamScoring informationScore
Plays Yards TOP GSCstAte
111:037313:43GSC20-yard field goal by Tim Foley30
16:089624:04GSCGerald Harris 1-yard touchdown run, Foley kick good100
13:088973:00stAteBoris Whiteside 15-yard touchdown run, Scott Roper kick good107
213:2110644:40GSC30-yard field goal by Foley137
26:539694:28GSC25-yard field goal by Foley167
21:339953:37GSC Tracy Ham 25-yard touchdown run, Foley kick good237
20:065320:39GSC36-yard field goal by Foley267
312:116772:49GSCHam 31-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass good (Herman Barron from Ham)347
38:55stAte Safety: GSC snapped ball out of end zone on a punt attempt349
38:172500:14GSCHam 11-yard touchdown run, Foley kick good419
35:366762:41stAteWhiteside 15-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass failed4115
410:522730:49GSCRicky Harris 79-yard touchdown reception from Ham, Foley kick good4815
45:153670:43stAteCazzy Francis 44-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass failed4821
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.4821

[1]

Game statistics

1234Total
Eagles101615748
Indians708621
Tacoma Dome, site of the 1986 Division I-AA championship game Tacoma Dome.jpg
Tacoma Dome, site of the 1986 Division I-AA championship game
StatisticsGSCstAte
First downs2821
Plays–yards70–60369–424
Rushes–yards58–29751–343
Passing yards30681
Passing: comp–att–int12–22–08–18–1
Time of possession35:4324:17
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Georgia SouthernPassing Tracy Ham 12–21, 306 yds, 1 TD
Rushing Tracy Ham 24 car, 180 yds, 3 TD
ReceivingRicky Harris3 rec, 143 yds, 1 TD
Arkansas StatePassingDwane Brown8–71, 81 yds, 1 INT
RushingRichard Kimble13 car, 134 yds
ReceivingAndre Tate2 rec, 29 yds

[1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NCAA Division I Football Championship</span> Annual post-season college football game

The NCAA Division I Football Championship is an annual post-season college football game, played since 2006, used to determine a national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). From 1978 to 2005, the game was known as the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season</span> American college football season

The 1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-AA level, began in August 1986, and concluded with the 1986 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game on December 19, 1986, at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington. The Georgia Southern Eagles won their second consecutive I-AA championship, defeating the Arkansas State Indians by a score of 48–21.

The 2002 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the McNeese State Cowboys. The game was played on December 20, 2002, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Western Kentucky, 34–14.

The 1999 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the Youngstown State Penguins. The game was played on December 18, 1999, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 1999 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Georgia Southern, 59–24.

The 1998 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the UMass Minutemen. The game was played on December 19, 1998, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 1998 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by UMass, 55–43.

The 1995 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Marshall Thundering Herd and the Montana Grizzlies. The game was played on December 16, 1995, at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The culminating game of the 1995 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Montana, 22–20.

The 1994 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Youngstown State Penguins and the Boise State Broncos. The game was played on December 17, 1994, at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The culminating game of the 1994 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Youngstown State, 28–14.

The 1993 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Youngstown State Penguins and the Marshall Thundering Herd. The game was played on December 18, 1993, at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The culminating game of the 1993 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Youngstown State, 17–5. This was the third consecutive season that these two teams met in the championship game.

The 1991 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Youngstown State Penguins and the Marshall Thundering Herd. The game was played on December 21, 1991, at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. The culminating game of the 1991 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Youngstown State, 25–17.

The 1990 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the Nevada Wolf Pack. The game was played on December 15, 1990, at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. The culminating game of the 1990 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Georgia Southern, 36–13. It was the second consecutive Division I-AA title, and fourth overall, for Georgia Southern.

The 1989 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks. The game was played on December 16, 1989, at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. The culminating game of the 1989 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Georgia Southern, 37–34.

The 1988 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the Furman Paladins. The game was played on December 17, 1988, at Holt Arena in Pocatello, Idaho. The culminating game of the 1988 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Furman, 17–12.

The 1985 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Furman Paladins and the Georgia Southern Eagles. The game was played on December 21, 1985, at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington. The culminating game of the 1985 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Georgia Southern, 44–42.

The 1984 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Montana State Bobcats and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. The game was played on December 15, 1984, at Johnson Hagood Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina. The culminating game of the 1984 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Montana State, 19–6.

The 1983 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Southern Illinois Salukis and the Western Carolina Catamounts. The game was played on December 17, 1983, at Johnson Hagood Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina. The culminating game of the 1983 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Southern Illinois, 43–7.

The 1982 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Eastern Kentucky Colonels and the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens. The game was played on December 18, 1982, at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas. The culminating game of the 1982 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Eastern Kentucky, 17–14.

The 1981 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Eastern Kentucky Colonels and the Idaho State Bengals. The game was played on December 19, 1981, at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas. The culminating game of the 1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Idaho State, 34–23.

The 1980 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Eastern Kentucky Colonels and the Boise State Broncos. The game was played on December 20, 1980, at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, California. The culminating game of the 1980 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Boise State, 31–29.

The 1979 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Eastern Kentucky Colonels and the Lehigh Engineers. The game was played on December 15, 1979, at Orlando Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The culminating game of the 1979 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Eastern Kentucky, 30–7.

The 1978 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Florida A&M Rattlers and the UMass Minutemen. The game was played on December 16, 1978, at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas. The culminating game of the 1978 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Florida A&M, 35–28.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "NCAA Official Scoring Summary" (PDF). December 19, 1986. Retrieved May 2, 2019– via Amazon Web Services.
  2. ↑ "Quarterbacks duel in Division I-AA title game". The San Bernardino Sun . San Bernardino, California. AP. December 19, 1986. p. C2. Retrieved May 2, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 "Georgia Southern wins I-AA football crown". Reno Gazette-Journal . Reno, Nevada. December 20, 1986. p. 1B. Retrieved May 2, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  4. 1 2 "Georgia Southern goes for 2nd-straight title". The News-Press . Fort Myers, Florida. AP. December 19, 1986. p. 5C. Retrieved May 2, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "I-AA championship moved to Tacoma". Billings Gazette . Billings, Montana. AP. January 5, 1985. p. 2-C. Retrieved May 1, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "1986 I-AA National Championship - Georgia Southern vs Arkansas State". Lewis Sports Network. Retrieved May 2, 2019– via YouTube.
  7. ↑ "1986 NCAA Division I Football Championship" (PDF). NCAA.org. p. 14. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
  8. ↑ "I-AA playoffs". Daily Press . Newport News, Virginia. November 24, 1986. p. C5. Retrieved February 6, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Georgia Southern Eagles 1986 Schedule". cfbinfo.com. Retrieved May 2, 2019.[ permanent dead link ]
  10. 1 2 "Division I-AA Poll". The Times . Shreveport, Louisiana. November 25, 1986. p. 4-C. Retrieved May 2, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Arkansas State Red Wolves 1986 Schedule". cfbinfo.com. Archived from the original on May 6, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2019.

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