1980 NCAA Division III football season

American college football season August 2023 NCAA Division III 1980 August – November 1980 November – December 1980 Garrett-Harrison StadiumPhenix City, AL Dayton The 1980 NCAA Division III football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division III level, began in August 1980, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship in December 1980 at Garrett-Harrison Stadium in Phenix City, Alabama. The Dayton Flyers won their first Division III championship, defeating the defending national champion Ithaca Bombers by a final score of 63−0.All-Time Division III Football Championship Records http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_champs_records/2013/d3/champ.pdf NCAA NCAA.org November 6, 2014 4–15 Conference changes and new programs Miles College rejoined the SIAC after not fielding a team in 1979.Football Won/Lost History https://milesgoldenbears.com/news/2010/6/6/705%20%20%20%20%20%20%20.aspx?path=wcross 2025-08-25 Miles College Athletics en Ramapo College, a club football powerhouse, fielded a varsity team for the first time and joined the NJSAC.Ramapo joins NJSAC Gloucester County Times September 5, 1980 38 https://www.newspapers.com/article/gloucester-county-times-ramapo-joins-njs/176648086/ The University of Lowell (now known as UMass Lowell) also transitioned from being a club team to Division III.Hosts Lowell The Herald News September 20, 1980 15 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-news-umass-lowell-joins-divis/193202631/ School 1979 Conference 1980 Conference Illinois College Independent (NAIA) CAC Lowell Club Program D-III Independent Maryville (TN) D-III Independent ODAC Miles No Program SIAC Ramapo College Club Program NJSAC Conference standings Conference champions Conference championsCollege Athletic Conference – Centre College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin – Elmhurst and Illinois Wesleyan Independent College Athletic Conference – Ithaca Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Dubuque Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Adrian Middle Atlantic Conference – Delaware Valley (North), Widener (South) Midwest Collegiate Athletic Conference – Cornell College and Lawrence Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Concordia–Moorhead New England Football Conference – Maine Maritime New Jersey State Athletic Conference – Trenton State Northwest Conference – Linfield Ohio Athletic Conference – Baldwin Wallace (Red Division), Wittenberg (Blue Division) Old Dominion Athletic Conference – Bridgewater Presidents' Athletic Conference – Bethany (WV) Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Redlands Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference - Fort Valley State Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association – McMurry Twin Rivers Conference – Mount Senario Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Wisconsin–La Crosse, Wisconsin–Platteville, Wisconsin–River Falls, and Wisconsin–Whitewater Final Regular Season AP Poll +RankTeamRecordPoints1Ithaca10-0-0602Widener10-0-0563Dayton11-0-0524Baldwin-Wallace10-0-0485Minnesota-Morris8-1-1446Dubuque8-1-1397Wagner8-1-0358Bethany9-0-0308(tie)Wabash8-0-13010Adrian9-0-0251980-11-22 NCAA Division III poll https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-star-ncaa-division-iii-poll/203714359/ 2026-08-13 The News-Star 18 Postseason The 1980 NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs were the eighth annual single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division III college football. The championship game was held at Garrett-Harrison Stadium in Phenix City, Alabama for the eighth consecutive year. Like the previous five championships, eight teams competed in this edition.1980 NCAA Division III National Football Championship Bracket http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_champs_records/2013/d3/champ.pdf NCAA NCAA.org November 6, 2014 14 Playoff bracket QuarterfinalsCampus Sites SemifinalsCampus Sites National Championship GameGarrett-Harrison StadiumPhenix City, AL 1980 Ithaca Bombers Ithaca 41 1980 Wagner Seahawks Wagner 13 1980 Minnesota Morris Cougars Minnesota–Morris 41 1980 Dubuque Spartans Dubuque 35 Dayton 34 1980 Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets Baldwin Wallace 0 1980 Widener Pride Widener 43 1980 Bethany Bison Bethany (WV) 12 Ithaca 36 Minnesota–Morris 0 Dayton 28 Widener 24 Ithaca 0 Dayton 63 See also 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season 1980 NCAA Division I-AA football season 1980 NCAA Division II football season 1980 NAIA Division I football season 1980 NAIA Division II football season References