1979 NAIA Division I football season

The 1979 NAIA Division I football season was the 24th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 10th season of play of the NAIA's top division for football.

1979 NAIA Division I football season
Regular seasonAugust–November 1979
PostseasonDecember 1–15, 1979
National ChampionshipMcAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium
McAllen, TX
ChampionsTexas A&I (6)

The season was played from August to November 1979 and culminated in the 1979 NAIA Division I Football National Championship. Known again this year as the Palm Bowl, the title game was played on December 15, 1979, at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium in McAllen, Texas.[1]

The Texas A&I Javelinas defeated the Central State Bronchos in the Palm Bowl, 20–14, to win their sixth NAIA national title.[2]

Conference realignment

Membership changes
Team1978 conference1979 conference
Eastern WashingtonEvergreen (NAIA)Independent (NCAA Division II)

Conference standings
1979 Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 11 Arkansas–Monticello $ 5 –1 –09 –2 –0
Henderson State 4 –2 –05 –5 –0
Arkansas Tech 3 –2 –13 –6 –1
Central Arkansas 2 –2 –27 –2 –2
Ouachita Baptist 2 –4 –05 –5 –0
Harding 2 –4 –04 –6 –0
Southern Arkansas 1 –4 –13 –6 –1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1979 Central States Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 3 Kearney State +^ 6 –1 –08 –2 –0
Pittsburg State + 6 –1 –07 –3 –0
Missouri Western 3 –4 –07 –4 –0
Missouri Southern 3 –4 –05 –5 –0
Wayne State (NE) 3 –4 –04 –5 –1
Fort Hays State 3 –4 –04 –6 –0
Emporia State 2 –5 –04 –6 –0
Washburn 2 –5 –04 –6 –0
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1979 Evergreen Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 13 Oregon College $ 5 –0 –08 –1 –1
No. T–15 Oregon Tech 3 –2 –07 –2 –0
Eastern Oregon 3 –2 –06 –3 –0
Western Washington 2 –3 –04 –5 –0
Southern Oregon 1 –4 –02 –7 –0
Central Washington 1 –4 –01 –8 –1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1979 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 8 Saginaw Valley State $^ 4 –0 –18 –2 –1
Wayne State (MI) 3 –1 –13 –5 –1
Ferris State 3 –2 –05 –4 –1
Grand Valley State 2 –3 –04 –5 –0
Northwood 1 –4 –05 –4 –0
Hillsdale 1 –4 –03 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1979 Lone Star Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Texas A&I $^ 6 –1 –012 –1 –0
No. 17 Stephen F. Austin 5 –2 –08 –2 –0
No. 7 Angelo State ^ 5 –2 –09 –3 –0
East Texas State 5 –2 –05 –5 –0
Abilene Christian 3 –4 –07 –4 –0
No. 19 Southwest Texas State 3 –4 –07 –4 –0
Howard Payne 1 –6 –02 –8 –0
Sam Houston State 0 –7 –01 –9 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1979 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Minnesota Duluth + 7 –1 –08 –2 –0
Moorhead State + 7 –1 –08 –3 –0
Minnesota Morris ^ 6 –2 –09 –2 –0
St. Cloud State 5 –3 –05 –6 –0
Mankato State 4 –4 –05 –5 –0
Michigan Tech 4 –4 –04 –6 –0
Southwest State (MN) 2 –6 –04 –7 –0
Bemidji State 1 –7 –01 –8 –1
Winona State 0 –8 –00 –11 –0
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
1979 Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
East Central $ 4 –0 –06 –4 –0
No. 18 SW Oklahoma State 3 –1 –07 –2 –0
No. 12 Northeastern State 2 –2 –08 –2 –0
SE Oklahoma State 1 –3 –02 –8 –0
NW Oklahoma State 0 –4 –02 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1979 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 6 Western State (CO) $^ 7 –1 –08 –2 –0
No. 14 Southern Colorado 6 –2 –08 –2 –0
Colorado Mines 5 –3 –06 –4 –0
Adams State 4 –4 –05 –5 –0
Fort Lewis 4 –4 –05 –5 –0
Southern Utah 3 –5 –04 –6 –0
New Mexico Highlands 3 –5 –03 –7 –0
Western New Mexico 2 –6 –02 –7 –0
Mesa 1 –7 –01 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1979 South Atlantic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 Presbyterian $^ 7 –0 –011 –2 –0
No. 9 Mars Hill 5 –1 –07 –2 –1
Carson–Newman 4 –3 –06 –4 –0
Elon 3 –4 –05 –5 –0
Newberry 3 –4 –05 –5 –0
Lenoir–Rhyne 2 –4 –05 –5 –0
Catawba 2 –5 –03 –8 –0
Gardner–Webb 1 –6 –04 –7 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1979 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Northern Division
No. 10 Fairmont State xy$ 7 –1 –19 –1 –1
No. T–15th West Liberty State x 7 –1 –17 –2 –1
Salem 6 –2 –16 –3 –1
Shepherd 5 –4 –05 –5 –0
West Virginia Wesleyan 1 –8 –01 –8 –0
Southern Division
West Virginia State xy 6 –3 –06 –5 –0
Concord 4 –3 –25 –3 –2
Glenville State 3 –6 –04 –6 –0
West Virginia Tech 1 –6 –21 –6 –2
Bluefield State 1 –7 –11 –8 –1
Championship: Fairmont State 14, West Virginia State 13
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1979 Wisconsin State University Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 4 Wisconsin–River Falls $^ 7 –1 –09 –1 –0
No. 20 Wisconsin–La Crosse 6 –2 –07 –2 –0
Wisconsin–Whitewater 6 –2 –07 –4 –0
Wisconsin–Stout 4 –4 –06 –4 –0
Wisconsin–Stevens Point 4 –4 –05 –5 –0
Wisconsin–Oshkosh 3 –5 –05 –5 –0
Wisconsin–Platteville 3 –5 –05 –5 –0
Wisconsin–Eau Claire 3 –5 –03 –7 –0
Wisconsin–Superior 0 –8 –01 –10 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
    Wisconsin–Eau Claire forfeited two non-conference games.
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1979 NAIA Division I independents football records
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Liberty Baptist   –  9 –1 –1
No. 5 Central State (OK) ^   –  11 –2 –0
Kentucky State   –  6 –5 –0
Wofford   –  5 –5 –0
Guilford   –  4 –5 –0
Eastern New Mexico   –  4 –6 –0
Cameron   –  3 –7 –0
Langston   –  1 –8 –0
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll

Conference champions
Conference Champion Record
Arkansas Arkansas–Monticello 5–1
Central States Kearney State
Pittsburg State		 6–1
Evergreen Oregon College 5–0
Great Lakes Saginaw Valley State 4–0–1
Lone Star Texas A&I 6–1
NIC Minnesota–Duluth
Moorhead State (MN)		 7–1
Oklahoma East Central State 4–0
RMAC Western State (CO) 7–1
South Atlantic Presbyterian 7–0
WVIAC North: Fairmont and West Liberty State
South: West Virginia State		 6–2–1
6–3
Wisconsin State Wisconsin–River Falls 7–1

Postseason
Quarterfinals
December 1, 1979
Campus sites 		Semifinals
December 8, 1979
Campus sites 		1979 Palm Bowl
December 15, 1979
McAllen, TX
         
Saginaw Valley State 3
Presbyterian* 36
Presbyterian 6
Central State (OK)* 28
Central State (OK) 42
Kearney State* 22
Central State (OK) 14
Texas A&I 20
Wisconsin–River Falls 7
Angelo State* 31
Angelo State 19
Texas A&I* 22
Western State (CO) 14
Texas A&I* 38

See also

References
  1. "NAIA Championship History" (PDF). NAIA. pp. 4–11. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2015. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
  2. "1979 Division I NAIA Football Playoffs". JonFMorse.com. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
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