The NAIA Football National Championship is decided by a post-season playoff system featuring the best National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) college football teams in the United States. Under sponsorship of the NAIA, the championship game has been played annually since 1956.
The Willamette Bearcats are the athletic teams of Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, United States. Competing at the non-scholarship National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III level, the school fields twenty teams. Most teams compete in the Northwest Conference with their primary rivals being Linfield College. The main athletic venues of the school are McCulloch Stadium, Cone Field House, and Roy S. "Spec" Keene Stadium. Willamette moved to the NCAA's Division III in 1998 after previously being a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) institution. The 1993, men's basketball team won the school's only team national championship, while the 1997 football team lost in the national championship game.
The Wisconsin–La Crosse Eagles football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse located in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Wisconsin–La Crosse competes at the NCAA Division III level and is a member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). The Eagles play their home games at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Wisconsin–La Crosse has won three national titles: the NAIA Division II Football National Championship in 1985 and the NCAA Division III Football Championship in 1992 and 1995, all during the tenure of Roger Harring, who served as head coach from 1969 to 1999 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
The 1973 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. The season began in September and concluded with the Division II Championship on December 15 at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, California. This was the first season for Division II football, which were formerly in the College Division in 1972 and prior.
The 1975 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 September and concluded with the Division II Championship on December 13 at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, California.
The 1982 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 1982, and concluded with the NCAA Division II Football Championship on December 11, 1982, at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium in McAllen, Texas. During the game's five-year stretch in McAllen, the "City of Palms", it was referred to as the Palm Bowl.
The 1971 NAIA Division II football season was the 16th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA and the second season of play of the NAIA's lower division for football. The season was played from August to November 1971 and culminated in the 1971 NAIA Division II Football National Championship, played on December 11, 1971 in Thousand Oaks, California, on the campus of California Lutheran University.
The 1982 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1982 college football season in the United States and the 27th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 13th season of play of the NAIA's lower division for football.
The 1983 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1983 college football season in the United States and the 28th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 14th season of play of the NAIA's lower division for football.
The 1984 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1984 college football season in the United States and the 29th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 15th season of play of the NAIA's lower division for football.
The 1985 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1985 college football season in the United States and the 30th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 16th season of play of the NAIA's lower division for football.
The 1987 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1987 college football season in the United States and the 32nd season of college football sponsored by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), was the 18th season of play of the NAIA's lower division for football.
The 1991 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1991 college football season in the United States and the 36th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 22nd season of play of the NAIA's division II for football.
The 1993 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1993 college football season in the United States and the 38th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 24th season of play of the NAIA division II for football.
The 1994 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1994 college football season in the United States and the 39th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 25th season of play of the NAIA division II for football.
D. J. LeRoy is a former American football coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point from 1982 to 1987 and at Coe College from 1989 to 1999. LeRoy's 1987 Wisconsin–Stevens Point team won a share of the NAIA Division II Football National Championship after tying Pacific Lutheran in the title game. When it came to light the following spring that Wisconsin–Stevens Point had used ineligible players that season, the school forfeited its share of the national title and dismissed LeRoy from his position.
The Cal Lutheran Kingsmen and Regals are the athletic teams that represent California Lutheran University, located in Thousand Oaks, California, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the Division III level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) since the 1991–92 academic year. The Kingsmen and Regals previously competed in the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) 1986–87 to 1988–89; and as an NAIA Independent from 1989–90 to 1990–91.
The 1987 Wisconsin–Stevens Point Pointers represented the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point as a member of the Wisconsin State University Conference (WSUC) during the 1987 NAIA Division II football season. Led by sixth-year head coach D. J. LeRoy, the Pointers finished the season with an overall record of 12–2–1 and a mark of 7–1 in conference play, winning the WSUC title. Wisconsin–Stevens Point advanced to the NAIA Division II Championship playoffs, where they defeated Westmar in the first round, St. Ambrose in the quarterfinals, and Geneva in the semifinals before tying Pacific Lutheran in the title game.
The 1993 Pacific Lutheran Lutes football team was an American football team that represented Pacific Lutheran University in the Columbia Football Association (CFA) during the 1993 NAIA Division II football season. In their 22nd season under head coach Frosty Westering, the Lutes compiled a 12–0–1 record and won the NAIA Division II national championship. The Lutes began the season ranked #1 in the NAIA national polls and ended the season National Champions. The team participated in the NAIA Division II playoffs where they defeated Cumberland (Tennessee) (61–7) in the first round, Central Washington (35–17) in the quarterfinal, Baker (Kansas) (52–14) in the semifinal, and Westminster (Pennsylvania) (50–20) in the national championship game played at Civic Stadium in Portland, Oregon.
The 1987 Pacific Lutheran Lutes football team was an American football team that represented Pacific Lutheran University in the Columbia Football League (CFL) during the 1987 NAIA Division II football season. In their 16th season under head coach Frosty Westering, the Lutes compiled an 11–1–1 record and tied for the NAIA Division II national championship. The team participated in the NAIA Division II playoffs where they defeated Midland Lutheran (Nebraska) (40–21) in the first round, Carroll (Montana) (36–26) in the quarterfinal, and Baker (Kansas) (17–14) in the semifinal.
