1985 NAIA Division I football season

1985 NAIA Division I football season
Regular seasonAugust–November 1985
PostseasonDecember 7–21, 1985
National ChampionshipEstes Stadium
Conway, AR
ChampionsCentral Arkansas (2)
Hillsdale

The 1985 NAIA Division I football season was the 30th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 16th season of play of the NAIA's top division for football.

The season was played from August to November 1985 and culminated in the 1985 NAIA Champion Bowl, played this year on December 21, 1985, at Estes Stadium in Conway, Arkansas, on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas, for the second straight year.

Central Arkansas and Hillsdale played to a tie, 10–10, in the Champion Bowl and both teams were named co-national champions. It was Central Arkansas' second NAIA title (and second straight shared title) and Hillsdale's first.

Conference realignment

Conference changes

Membership changes

Team1984 conference1985 conference
Central WashingtonEvergreenColumbia
Eastern OregonEvergreenColumbia
Lewis & ClarkPacific NorthwestColumbia
LinfieldPacific NorthwestColumbia
Oregon TechEvergreenColumbia
Pacific (OR)Pacific NorthwestColumbia
Pacific LutheranPacific NorthwestColumbia
Puget SoundEvergreenColumbia
Simon FraserEvergreenColumbia
Southern OregonEvergreenColumbia
Western OregonEvergreenColumbia
Western WashingtonEvergreenColumbia
WhitworthEvergreenColumbia
WillamettePacific NorthwestColumbia

Conference standings

1985 Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 6 Central Arkansas +^6–1–010–2–1
No. 7 Henderson State +^6–1–09–3–0
No. 10 Arkansas–Monticello5–2–07–2–0
No. 17 Ouachita Baptist5–2–07–3–0
Southern Arkansas3–4–05–5–0
Harding2–5–05–5–0
Arkansas Tech1–6–01–9–0
Arkansas–Pine Bluff0–7–02–8–0
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1985 Central States Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 3 Pittsburg State $^6–1–08–2–0
No. 12 Fort Hays State5–2–07–2–1
Missouri Southern4–3–06–4–0
Emporia State3–4–06–4–0
Wayne State (NE)3–4–04–6–0
Kearney State3–4–03–6–0
Washburn2–5–04–6–0
Missouri Western2–5–03–7–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1985 Columbia Football League standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Northern Division
No. 3 Pacific Lutheran x^6–0–010–1–1
No. 15 Puget Sound4–2–07–2–0
Central Washington3–3–05–4–0
Simon Fraser3–3–04–5–0
Whitworth3–3–03–6–0
Western Washington1–4–12–6–1
Eastern Oregon0–5–10–8–2
Southern Division
No. 5 Linfield x^6–0–08–2–0
No. 8 Western Oregon *5–1–08–2–0
Willamette4–2–06–2–1
Southern Oregon2–3–02–6–1
Oregon Tech1–4–01–7–0
Lewis & Clark1–5–03–6–0
Pacific (OR)1–5–02–7–0
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • * – NAIA Division I playoff participant
    ^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll for Puget Sound and Western Oregon and NAIA Division II poll for Pacific Lutheran and Linfield
1985 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Hillsdale $^5–1–011–1–1
Saginaw Valley State4–1–14–5–1
Ferris State4–2–06–4–0
Grand Valley State4–2–06–5–0
Northwood2–3–13–4–2
Wayne State (MI)1–5–01–8–1
Michigan Tech0–6–01–9–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1985 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Minnesota Duluth $6–0–08–2–0
No. 9 Moorhead State5–1–08–2–0
Bemidji State3–3–07–3–0
Southwest State (MN)3–3–06–4–0
Minnesota Morris3–3–03–7–0
Northern State1–5–03–6–1
Winona State0–6–02–9–0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1985 Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
SW Oklahoma State +3–1–05–3–1
East Central +3–1–05–4–1
Northeastern State2–2–06–4–0
SE Oklahoma State1–3–05–6–0
NW Oklahoma State1–3–04–6–0
  • + – Conference co-champions
1985 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 4 Mesa $^7–0–09–2–0
No. 20 Fort Lewis5–2–06–3–0
No. 19 New Mexico Highlands4–3–07–3–0
Adams State4–3–04–5–0
Southern Utah2–4–13–5–0
Western New Mexico2–5–03–7–0
Western State (CO)2–5–02–7–0
Colorado Mines1–5–12–5–1
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1985 South Atlantic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 11 Mars Hill $6–1–08–3–0
No. 14 Elon5–2–07–3–0
No. 13 Newberry4–2–17–3–1
No. 18 Presbyterian4–2–17–3–1
Carson–Newman3–4–05–5–0
Gardner–Webb2–5–06–5–0
Catawba2–5–05–6–0
Lenoir–Rhyne1–6–03–8–0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1985 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 5 Salem $^6–1–08–3–0
No. 16 Fairmont State5–2–07–3–0
Concord5–2–06–3–1
Shepherd5–2–05–5–0
West Virginia Tech4–3–06–4–0
West Liberty State2–5–02–8–0
Glenville State1–6–02–7–0
West Virginia State0–7–03–8–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1985 NAIA Division I independents football records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 Central State (OK) ^ – 7–2–1
Guilford – 5–3–1
Cameron – 3–7–1
Wofford – 3–8–0
Langston – 2–6–0
West Virginia Wesleyan – 1–8–0
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll

Conference champions

Conference Champion Record
Arkansas Central Arkansas
Henderson State		 6–1
6–1
Central States Pittsburg State 6–1
NIC Minnesota–Duluth 6–0
Oklahoma East Central State
Southwestern Oklahoma State		 3–1
RMAC Mesa 7–0
South Atlantic Mars Hill 6–1
WVIAC Salem (WV) 6–1

Postseason

Quarterfinals
December 7, 1985
Campus sites 		Semifinals
December 14, 1985
Campus sites 		1985 Champion Bowl
December 21, 1985
Conway, AR
         
Salem (WV) 15
Hillsdale* 18
Hillsdale (OT) 24
Mesa* 21
Western Oregon 32
Mesa* 39
Hillsdale 10
Central Arkansas'* 10
Central State (OK) 15
Henderson State* 18
Henderson State 9
Central Arkansas* 21
Central Arkansas 32
Pittsburg State* 22

See also

References

  1. ↑ "NAIA Championship History" (PDF). NAIA. pp. 4–11. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2015. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
  2. ↑ "1985 Division I NAIA Football Playoffs". JonFMorse.com. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
  3. ↑ "NAIA Football Regular Season Records" (PDF). NAIA. p. 20. Retrieved December 11, 2021.