NAIA national football championship
The
NAIA 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 gamed played in each division. In 1997,
NAIA football was again consolidated into one division.
Over the years, the NAIA champhionship games were played under a variety of names: Aluminum Bowl (1956), Apple Bowl (1977, Division I game only), Champion Bowl (1964-1976 and 1980-1996, Division I games only), Holliday Bowl (1957-1960, not to be confused with the NCAA Division I bowl of the same name), and Palm Bowl (1978-1979, Division I games only).
Consolidated champions (1956-1969 and 1997-present)
- 1956 Montana State & St. Joseph’s (Indiana) (co-champions)
- 1957 Pittsburg State (Kansas)
- 1958 Northeastern State (Oklahoma)
- 1959 Texas A&I
- 1960 Lenoir-Rhyne (North Carolina)
- 1961 Pittsburg State (Kansas)
- 1962 Central State (Oklahoma)
- 1963 St. John’s (Minnesota)
- 1964 Concordia (Minnesota) & Sam Houston State (Texas) (co-champions)
- 1965 St. John’s (Minnesota)
- 1966 Waynesburg (Pennsylvania)
- 1967 Fairmont State (West Virginia)
- 1968 Troy State (Alabama)
- 1969 Texas A&I
- 1970-1996 (see Division I champions and Division II champions)
- 1997 Sioux Falls (South Dakota)
- 1998 Azusa Pacific (California)
- 1999 Northwestern Oklahoma State
- 2000 Georgetown (Kentucky)
- 2001 Georgetown (Kentucky)
- 2002 Carroll (Montana)
- 2003 Carroll (Montana) 41-28 Northwestern Oklahoma State
Division I champions (1970-1996)
- 1970 Texas A&I
- 1971 Livingston (Alabama)
- 1972 East Texas State
- 1973 Abilene Christian (Texas)
- 1974 Texas A&I
- 1975 Texas A&I
- 1976 Texas A&I
- 1977 Abilene Christian (Texas)
- 1978 Angelo State (Texas)
- 1979 Texas A&I
- 1980 Elon (North Carolina)
- 1981 Elon (North Carolina)
- 1982 Central State (Oklahoma)
- 1983 Carson-Newman (Tennessee)
- 1984 Carson-Newman (Tennessee) & Central Arkansas (co-champions)
- 1985 Hillsdale (Michigan) & Central Arkansas (co-champions)
- 1986 Carson-Newman (Tennessee)
- 1987 Cameron (Oklahoma)
- 1988 Carson-Newman (Tennessee)
- 1989 Carson-Newman (Tennessee)
- 1990 Central State (Ohio)
- 1991 Central Arkansas
- 1992 Central State (Ohio)
- 1993 East Central (Oklahoma)
- 1994 Northeastern State (Oklahoma)
- 1995 Central State (Ohio)
- 1996 Southwestern Oklahoma
Division II champions (1970-1996)
- 1970 Westminster (Pennsylvania)
- 1971 California Lutheran
- 1972 Missouri Southern
- 1973 Northwestern (Iowa)
- 1974 Texas Lutheran
- 1975 Texas Lutheran
- 1976 Westminster (Pennsylvania)
- 1977 Westminster (Pennsylvania)
- 1978 Concordia (Minnesota)
- 1979 Findlay (Ohio)
- 1980 Pacific Lutheran (Washington)
- 1981 Austin College (Texas) & Condordia (Minnesota) (co-champions)
- 1982 Linfield (Oregon)
- 1983 Northwestern (Iowa)
- 1984 Linfield (Oregon)
- 1985 Wisconsin-La Crosse
- 1986 Linfield (Oregon)
- 1987 Pacific Lutheran (Washington) & vacated (co-champion)
- 1988 Westminster (Pennsylvania)
- 1989 Westminster (Pennsylvania)
- 1990 Peru State (Nebraska)
- 1991 Georgetown (Kentucky)
- 1992 Findlay (Ohio)
- 1993 Pacific Lutheran (Washington)
- 1994 Westminster (Pennsylvania)
- 1995 Central Washington & Findley (Ohio) (co-champions)
- 1996 Sioux Falls (South Dakota)