1986 NAIA Division I football season

1986 NAIA Division I football season
Regular season	August–November 1986
Postseason	December 6–20, 1986
National Championship	Burke–Tarr Stadium; Jefferson City, TN
«1985	1987»

The 1986 NAIA Division I football season, as part of the 1986 college football season in the United States and the 31st season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 17th season of play of the NAIA's top division for football.

The season was played from August to November 1986 and culminated in the 1986 NAIA Champion Bowl, played this year on December 20, 1986 at Burke–Tarr Stadium in Jefferson City, Tennessee, on the campus of Carson–Newman College.^[1]

Carson–Newman defeated Cameron in the Champion Bowl, 17–0, to win their third NAIA national title.^[2]

Conference champions

Conference	Champion	Record
Arkansas Intercollegiate	Central Arkansas	7–0
Central States	Pittsburg State	7–0
NIC	Minnesota–Morris	5–0–1
Oklahoma	East Central State Northwestern Oklahoma State	3–1
RMAC	Mesa (CO)	6–0
South Atlantic	Carson–Newman	6–1
WVIAC	Shepherd	7–0

Quarterfinals December 6, 1986 Campus sites		Semifinals December 13, 1986 Campus sites		1986 Champion Bowl December 20, 1986 Jefferson City, TN


Washburn	24

Pittsburg State*	58
		Pittsburg State	6

		Cameron*	17
Central Arkansas	34

Cameron* (OT)	35
				Cameron	0

				Carson–Newman*	17
Hillsdale	27

Mesa State*	17
		Hillsdale	16

		Carson–Newman* (OT)	19
Shepherd	10

Carson–Newman*	30