1985 NCAA Division III football season

The 1985 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 1985, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 1985 at Garrett-Harrison Stadium in Phenix City, Alabama. The Augustana (IL) Vikings won the third of their four consecutive Division III championships by defeating the Ithaca Bombers by a final score of 20−7.^[1]

1985 NCAA Division III football season
Regular season	August – November 1985
Playoffs	November – December 1985
National championship	Garrett-Harrison Stadium Phenix City, AL
Champion	Augustana (IL)
← 1984 · NCAA Division III football seasons · 1986 →

Conference changes and new programs

School	1984 Conference	1985 Conference
Fordham	D-III Independent	Liberty
Worcester State	New program	D-III Independent

Conference standings

1985 Centennial Conference football standings v t e Conf. Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Gettysburg $^ 6 – 0 – 1 11 – 1 – 1 Franklin & Marshall 5 – 1 – 1 7 – 2 – 1 Muhlenberg 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Johns Hopkins 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 3 – 0 Ursinus 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Swarthmore 3 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 0 Dickinson 1 – 6 – 0 1 – 8 – 0 Western Maryland 0 – 7 – 0 0 – 9 – 0 $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant	1985 College Athletic Conference football standings v t e Conf. Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Rhodes + 3 – 1 – 0 8 – 1 – 1 Centre + 3 – 1 – 0 6 – 3 – 0 Rose–Hulman 2 – 2 – 0 4 – 5 – 0 Sewanee 2 – 2 – 0 4 – 5 – 0 Earlham 0 – 4 – 0 0 – 9 – 0 + – Conference co-champions	1985 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football standings v t e Conf. Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Augustana (IL) $^ 8 – 0 – 0 13 – 0 – 0 Elmhurst 6 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 0 Millikin 6 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 0 Wheaton (IL) 6 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0 Illinois Wesleyan 3 – 5 – 0 3 – 6 – 0 North Central (IL) 2 – 6 – 0 3 – 6 – 0 Carroll (WI) 2 – 6 – 0 2 – 7 – 0 North Park 2 – 6 – 0 2 – 7 – 0 Carthage 1 – 7 – 0 1 – 8 – 0 $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
1985 Independent College Athletic Conference football standings v t e Conf. Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Ithaca $^ 3 – 0 – 0 11 – 2 – 0 St. Lawrence 3 – 1 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 RPI 1 – 1 – 0 3 – 6 – 0 Hobart 1 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Alfred 0 – 3 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant	1985 Iowa Conference football standings v t e Conf. Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Central (IA) $^ 7 – 0 – 0 11 – 1 – 0 Wartburg 6 – 1 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Luther 4 – 3 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Dubuque * 4 – 3 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Buena Vista * 2 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 William Penn 2 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Simpson (IA) 2 – 5 – 0 2 – 7 – 0 Upper Iowa 1 – 6 – 0 1 – 9 – 0 $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant * – Dubuque forfeited their game against Buena Vista, but it is not reflected in the final standings.	1985 Liberty Football Conference standings v t e Conf. Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Merchant Marine $ 5 – 0 – 0 8 – 3 – 0 C. W. Post 4 – 1 – 0 7 – 2 – 0 Fordham 2 – 3 – 0 6 – 5 – 0 St. John's 2 – 3 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Pace 2 – 3 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Iona 0 – 5 – 0 0 – 11 – 0 $ – Conference champion
1985 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings v t e Conf. Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Albion $^ 4 – 0 – 1 7 – 2 – 1 Adrian 4 – 1 – 0 6 – 3 – 0 Hope 3 – 1 – 1 5 – 3 – 1 Alma 2 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Kalamazoo 1 – 4 – 0 1 – 8 – 0 Olivet 0 – 5 – 0 0 – 9 – 0 $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant	1985 Middle Atlantic Conference football standings v t e Conf. Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Lycoming $^ 9 – 0 – 0 10 – 1 – 0 Juniata 7 – 2 – 0 8 – 3 – 0 Moravian 6 – 3 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Widener 6 – 3 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Delaware Valley 6 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 Wilkes 4 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Susquehanna 3 – 6 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Albright 2 – 7 – 0 2 – 7 – 0 Upsala 2 – 7 – 0 3 – 8 – 0 Lebanon Valley 0 – 9 – 0 0 – 10 – 0 $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant	1985 Midwest Conference football standings v t e Conf. Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T North Division St. Norbert xy+ 6 – 1 – 0 6 – 2 – 1 Lawrence 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 0 Beloit 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Chicago 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Lake Forest 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Ripon 2 – 5 – 0 2 – 7 – 0 South Division Coe xy+^ 7 – 0 – 0 9 – 1 – 1 Cornell (IA) 6 – 1 – 0 8 – 1 – 0 Grinnell 3 – 4 – 0 3 – 5 – 0 Knox 2 – 5 – 0 2 – 7 – 0 Monmouth (IL) 1 – 6 – 0 2 – 7 – 0 Illinois College 1 – 6 – 0 1 – 8 – 0 Championship: Coe 7, St. Norbert 7 + – Conference co-champions x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
1985 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings v t e Conf. Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Saint John's (MN) $^ 8 – 1 – 0 8 – 2 – 0 Concordia–Moorhead 7 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 St. Thomas (MN) 7 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Macalester 5 – 4 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 Carleton 4 – 5 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Hamline 4 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 St. Olaf 4 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Gustavus Adolphus 3 – 6 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Bethel (MN) 2 – 6 – 1 2 – 7 – 1 Augsburg 0 – 8 – 1 1 – 8 – 1 $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant	1985 New England Football Conference standings v t e Conf. Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Western Connecticut State +^ 8 – 1 – 0 10 – 2 – 0 Plymouth State + 8 – 1 – 0 8 – 3 – 0 Bridgewater State 5 – 4 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Maine Maritime 4 – 4 – 0 4 – 4 – 0 Massachusetts Maritime 4 – 4 – 0 5 – 4 – 1 Curry 4 – 5 – 0 4 – 5 – 0 Westfield State 4 – 5 – 0 4 – 5 – 0 Framingham State 3 – 6 – 0 3 – 6 – 0 Western New England 2 – 6 – 0 2 – 6 – 0 Nichols 1 – 7 – 0 1 – 7 – 0 + – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant	1985 New Jersey Athletic Conference football standings v t e Conf. Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Montclair State $^ 6 – 0 – 0 10 – 2 – 0 Trenton State 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 Glassboro State 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Jersey City State 3 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 William Paterson 3 – 3 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Kean 1 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Ramapo 0 – 6 – 0 0 – 10 – 0 $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
1985 North Coast Athletic Conference football standings v t e Conf. Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Denison $^ 6 – 0 – 0 10 – 1 – 0 Case Western Reserve 5 – 1 – 0 7 – 2 – 0 Kenyon 4 – 2 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Wooster 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 6 – 0 Oberlin 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Allegheny 1 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Ohio Wesleyan 1 – 5 – 0 2 – 7 – 1 $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant	1985 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings v t e Conf. Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Mount Union $^ 8 – 0 – 0 11 – 1 – 0 Baldwin–Wallace 7 – 1 – 0 8 – 2 – 0 Muskingum 5 – 3 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Wittenberg 5 – 3 – 0 6 – 3 – 0 Heidelberg 4 – 4 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 Capital 3 – 5 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Marietta 3 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Ohio Northern 1 – 7 – 0 1 – 9 – 0 Otterbein 0 – 8 – 0 0 – 10 – 0 $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant	1985 Old Dominion Athletic Conference football standings v t e Conf. Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Washington and Lee + 4 – 1 – 0 7 – 2 – 0 Emory & Henry + 4 – 1 – 0 8 – 3 – 0 Randolph–Macon + 4 – 1 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Hampden–Sydney 2 – 3 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Bridgewater 1 – 4 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Maryville (TN) 0 – 5 – 0 1 – 8 – 0 + – Conference co-champions
1985 Presidents' Athletic Conference football standings v t e Conf. Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Carnegie Mellon $^ 6 – 0 – 0 8 – 1 – 0 Washington & Jefferson 5 – 1 – 0 8 – 1 – 0 Hiram 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0 Grove City 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 0 Thiel 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 0 John Carroll 2 – 4 – 0 2 – 7 – 0 Bethany (WV) 1 – 5 – 0 1 – 8 – 0 $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant	1985 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings v t e Conf. Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Occidental $^ 5 – 0 – 0 9 – 2 – 0 Whittier 3 – 1 – 1 7 – 3 – 0 Redlands 3 – 2 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 La Verne 2 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0 Pomona-Pitzer 1 – 4 – 0 1 – 8 – 0 Claremont-Mudd 0 – 4 – 1 1 – 8 – 0 $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Each team played two other conference members twice. A head-to-head sweep of the two games counted as one win for the winner and one loss for the loser in the conference standings. A split of the two games counted as a tie for each team.	1985 Wisconsin State University Conference football standings v t e Conf. Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Wisconsin–River Falls $ 6 – 1 – 1 8 – 1 – 1 No. 8 Wisconsin–La Crosse ^ 5 – 1 – 2 11 – 1 – 2 Wisconsin–Stevens Point 5 – 2 – 1 8 – 2 – 1 Wisconsin–Platteville 5 – 3 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Wisconsin–Eau Claire 3 – 4 – 1 5 – 4 – 1 Wisconsin–Whitewater 3 – 4 – 1 3 – 7 – 1 Wisconsin–Oshkosh 2 – 5 – 1 4 – 5 – 1 Wisconsin–Stout 2 – 6 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Wisconsin–Superior 1 – 6 – 1 2 – 8 – 1 $ – Conference champion * – NAIA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1985 NCAA Division III independents football records v t e Conf. Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Villanova   –   5 – 0 – 0 Worcester State   –   5 – 0 – 0 Union (NY) ^   –   9 – 1 – 0 Millsaps   –   7 – 1 – 1 Salisbury State ^   –   10 – 2 – 0 Albany   –   9 – 2 – 0 Wagner   –   9 – 2 – 0 DePauw   –   8 – 2 – 0 Mercyhurst   –   8 – 2 – 0 Wabash   –   7 – 2 – 1 Canisius   –   6 – 2 – 1 Dayton   –   7 – 3 – 0 Marist   –   5 – 3 – 0 Frostburg State   –   6 – 4 – 0 Stony Brook   –   6 – 4 – 0 Fairleigh Dickinson–Florham   –   5 – 4 – 0 Georgetown   –   5 – 4 – 0 Ferrum   –   6 – 5 – 0 Norwich   –   5 – 5 – 0 Cortland   –   4 – 5 – 0 Buffalo   –   4 – 6 – 0 Hofstra   –   4 – 6 – 0 San Diego   –   3 – 5 – 0 Duquesne   –   3 – 6 – 0 MacMurray   –   2 – 4 – 0 Saint Peter's   –   2 – 5 – 0 Brooklyn   –   2 – 6 – 0 Buffalo State   –   2 – 7 – 0 Rochester (NY)   –   2 – 7 – 0 Samford   –   2 – 8 – 0 Catholic University   –   2 – 9 – 0 Brockport   –   1 – 9 – 1 Colorado College   –   1 – 8 – 0 Saint Francis (PA)   –   0 – 9 – 0 ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant

Conference champions

Conference champions

Centennial Conference – Gettysburg College Athletic Conference – Centre and Rhodes College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin – Augustana (IL) Independent College Athletic Conference – Ithaca Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Central (IA) Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Albion Middle Atlantic Conference – Lycoming Midwest Collegiate Athletic Conference – Coe Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Saint John's (MN) New England Football Conference – Plymouth State and Western Connecticut State New Jersey State Athletic Conference – Montclair State North Coast Athletic Conference – Denison Ohio Athletic Conference – Mount Union Old Dominion Athletic Conference – Emory & Henry, Randolph-Macon, and Washington & Lee Presidents' Athletic Conference – Carnegie Mellon Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Occidental Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Austin and Sul Ross Upper Midwest Athletic Conference – Mount Senario Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Wisconsin–River Falls

Postseason

The 1985 NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs were the 13th annual single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division III college football. The championship Stagg Bowl game was held at Garrett-Harrison Stadium in Phenix City, Alabama for the eleventh year and first time since 1982. This was the first tournament to feature sixteen teams after expanding from the eight team model in place since 1975.^[2]

Playoff bracket

	First Round Campus Sites					Quarterfinals Campus Sites					Semifinals Campus Sites					National Championship Game Garrett-Harrison Stadium Phenix City, Alabama
	Ithaca		13
	Union (NY)		12
						Ithaca		50
						Montclair State		28
	Montclair State		28
	Western Connecticut State		0
											Ithaca		34
											Gettysburg		0
	Salisbury State		35
	Carnegie Mellon		22
						Salisbury State		6
						Gettysburg		22
	Gettysburg		14
	Lycoming		10
																Ithaca		7
																Augustana (IL)		20
	Augustana (IL)		26
	Albion		10
						Augustana (IL)		21
						Mount Union		14
	Mount Union		35
	Denison		3
											Augustana (IL)		14
											Central (IA)		7
	Central (IA)		27
	Coe		7
						Central (IA)		71
						Occidental		0
	Occidental		28
	Saint John's (MN)		10

See also

• 1985 NCAA Division I-A football season
• 1985 NCAA Division I-AA football season
• 1985 NCAA Division II football season