1996 NAIA Division II football season
| 1996 NAIA Division II football season | |
|---|---|
| Regular season | August–November 1996 |
| Postseason | November–December 1996 |
| National Championship | Jim Carroll Stadium Savannah, Tennessee |
| Champions | Sioux Falls |
The 1996 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1996 college football season in the United States and the 41st season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 27th (and final) season of play of the NAIA's lower division for football.
The season was played from August to November 1996 and culminated in the 1996 NAIA Division II Football National Championship, played at Jim Carroll Stadium in Savannah, Tennessee.[1]
Sioux Falls defeated Western Washington in the championship game, 47–25, to win their first NAIA national title.
Conference champions
| Conference | Champion | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia | Western Washington | 4–1 |
| Heart of America | Evangel | 9–0 |
| Kansas | Bethany | 8–0 |
| Mid-South | Lambuth | 8–0 |
| Mid-States | Mideast Division: Geneva, Malone, and Westminster (PA) Midwest Division: Findlay |
5–1 6–0 |
| Nebraska-Iowa | Northwestern (IA) | 5–1 |
| North Dakota | Valley City State Mary |
5–1 |
| Northwest | Willamette | 5–0 |
| South Dakota-Iowa | Sioux Falls | 6–0 |
Postseason
| |||||||||||||||||||
| Date | December 21, 1996 | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stadium | Jim Carroll Stadium | ||||||||||||||||||
| City | Savannah, Tennessee | ||||||||||||||||||
| MOP (Offense) | Kurtis Riggs, Sioux Falls | ||||||||||||||||||
| MOP (Defense) | Travis Dumke, Sioux Falls | ||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
The 1996 NAIA Division II Football Championship Series concluded on December 21, 1996 with the championship game played at Jim Carroll Stadium in Savannah, Tennessee. The game was won by the Sioux Falls Cougars over the Western Washington Vikings by a score of 47–25.[2]
Bracket
| 1st Round | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Championship | ||||||||||||||||
| Bethany (KS) | 35 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Willamette (OR) | 56 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Willamette (OR) | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Western Washington | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Pacific Lutheran (WA) | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Western Washington | 21* | ||||||||||||||||||
| Western Washington | 28 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Findlay (OH) | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Westminster (PA) | 27 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Clinch Valley (VA) | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Westminster (PA) | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Findlay (OH) | 28 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Geneva (PA) | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Findlay (OH) | 38 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Western Washington | 25 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Sioux Falls (SD) | 47 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Valley City State (ND) | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern (IA) | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Sioux Falls (SD) | 52 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern (IA) | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Sioux Falls (SD) | 56 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Mary (ND) | 19 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Sioux Falls (SD) | 28 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Evangel (MO) | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Hardin-Simmons (TX) | 23 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Evangel (MO) | 45 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Evangel (MO) | 28 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Lambuth (TN) | 27 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Benedictine (KS) | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Lambuth (TN) | 34 | ||||||||||||||||||
- * denotes OT.
See also
- 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season
- 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season
- 1996 NCAA Division II football season
- 1996 NCAA Division III football season
References
- ^ "NAIA Championship History" (PDF). NAIA. pp. 4–11. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
- ^ NAIA OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE - National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics