1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season

American college football season August 2023 December 2025 1986 File:NCAA primary logo 1980.svg 86http://cfbscores.infinityfreeapp.com/standings.php?season=1986&class=FCS&i=1 Standings for the 1986 FCS Season 2025-06-26 August–November November 29–December 19 December 19, 1986 Tacoma DomeTacoma, Washington Georgia Southern The 1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-AA level, began in August 1986, and concluded with the 1986 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game on December 19, 1986,https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31182822/georgia_southern_goes_for_2ndstraight/ Georgia Southern goes for 2nd-straight title AP The News-Press Fort Myers, Florida 5C December 19, 1986 May 2, 2019 newspapers.comhttps://www.newspapers.com/clip/31182882/georgia_southern_wins_iaa_football/ Georgia Southern wins I-AA football crown Reno Gazette-Journal Reno, Nevada 1B December 20, 1986 May 2, 2019 newspapers.com at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington. The Georgia Southern Eagles won their second consecutive I-AA championship, defeating the Arkansas State Indians by a score of 48–21.1986 NCAA Division I Football Championship http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_champs_records/2012/d1/2012FCSfbchamp.pdf NCAA.org December 29, 2013 14 Conference changes and new programs Prior to the season, the Colonial League was established as a five-member, football-only league for teams in Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania. The Colonial League was a forerunner of today's Patriot League and has no connection to the later Colonial Athletic Association (today's Coastal Athletic Association). School 1985 Conference 1986 Conference Bucknell I-AA Independent Colonial Colgate I-AA Independent Colonial Delaware I-AA Independent Yankee Drake Missouri Valley (I-AA) D-III Independent Holy Cross I-AA Independent Colonial Indiana State Missouri Valley Gateway Lafayette I-AA Independent Colonial Lehigh I-AA Independent Colonial Richmond I-AA Independent Yankee Southeastern Louisiana Gulf Star Dropped Program Texas–Arlington Southland Dropped Program West Texas State Missouri Valley (I-AA) Lone Star (II) Conference standings Conference champions List of NCAA Division I-AA/FCS football seasons Conference ChampionsBig Sky Conference – Nevada Colonial League – Holy Cross Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference – Eastern Illinois Gulf Star Conference – Sam Houston State Ivy League – Penn Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – North Carolina A&T Ohio Valley Conference – Murray State Southern Conference – Appalachian State Southland Conference – Arkansas State Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State Yankee Conference – Connecticut, Delaware, and Massachusetts Postseason The playoffs expanded from twelve to sixteen teams this season, eliminating the bye for the top four seeds. The I-AA playoff field remained at sixteen through the 2009 season, expanding to twenty in 2010 and 24 in 2013. NCAA Division I-AA playoff bracket The top four teams were seeded,https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28121512/iaa_playoffs/ I-AA playoffs Daily Press Newport News, Virginia C5 November 24, 1986 February 6, 2019 newspapers.com with remaining teams placed in the bracket based on geographical considerations. First RoundNovember 29Campus sites QuarterfinalsDecember 6Campus sites SemifinalsDecember 13Campus sites National Championship Game December 19 Tacoma DomeTacoma, Washington Idaho 7 1 Nevada* 27 Tennessee State 32 Jackson State* 23 North Carolina A&T 21 4 Georgia Southern* 52 Nicholls State 28 Appalachian State* 26 Sam Houston State 7 2 Arkansas State* 48 Delaware 51 William & Mary* 21 Murray State 21 3 Eastern Illinois* 28 Eastern Kentucky 23 Furman* 10 Nevada* 33 1 Tennessee State 6 Georgia Southern* 55 4 Nicholls State 31 Arkansas State 55 2 Delaware* 14 Eastern Illinois* 22 3 Eastern Kentucky 24 Nevada* 38 1 4 Georgia Southern 48 Arkansas State* 24 2 Eastern Kentucky 10 Georgia Southern 48 4 2 Arkansas State 21 * Denotes host institution References