1998 Northwest Missouri State Bearcats football team

The 1998 Northwest Missouri State Bearcats football team represented Northwest Missouri State University during the 1998 NCAA Division II football season. The team was led by fifth-year head coach Mel Tjeerdsma played their home games at Bearcat Stadium in Maryville, Missouri, which has been the Bearcat's home stadium since 1917. Northwest Missouri State team finished the season with and 15–0 record and won their first NCAA Division II Football Championship with a win over Carson–Newman in the title game.^[1]

1998 Northwest Missouri State Bearcats football
NCAA Division II champion MIAA champion
NCAA Division II Championship Game, W 24–6 vs. Carson–Newman
Conference	Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association
Record	15–0 (9–0 MIAA)
Head coach	Mel Tjeerdsma (5th season)
Defensive coordinator	Scott Bostwick (5th season)
Home stadium	Bearcat Stadium
Seasons ← 1997 1999 →

1998 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 2 NW Missouri State $^		9	–	0					15	–	0
No. 10 Emporia State		7	–	2					9	–	2
Central Missouri State		6	–	3					8	–	3
Pittsburg State		6	–	3					7	–	3
Truman State		6	–	3					6	–	5
Missouri Western		3	–	6					5	–	6
Washburn		3	–	6					4	–	6
Missouri Southern		3	–	6					3	–	7
Southwest Baptist		2	–	7					3	–	8
Missouri–Rolla		0	–	9					0	–	11
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result
September 5	Midwestern State*	No. 9	Bearcat Stadium Maryville, MO		W 55–16
September 12	Wayne State (NE)*	No. 9	Bearcat Stadium Maryville, MO		W 51–2
September 17	at Missouri Southern	No. 9	Fred G. Hughes Stadium Joplin, MO		W 48–21
September 26	Missouri Western	No. 6	Bearcat Stadium Maryville, MO (rivalry)		W 45–32
October 3	at Washburn	No. 4	Moore Bowl Topeka, KS		W 38–31
October 10	Missouri–Rolla	No. 4	Bearcat Stadium Maryville, MO		W 49–6
October 17	at Southwest Baptist	No. 3	Plaster Stadium Bolivar, MO		W 57–12
October 24	Pittsburg State	No. 4	Bearcat Stadium Maryville, MO (rivalry)		W 23–18
October 31	at Central Missouri State	No. 2	Bearcat Stadium Warrensburg, MO		W 34–20
November 7	at Truman State	No. 2	Stokes Stadium Kirksville, MO (rivalry)		W 41–7
November 14	No. 10 Emporia State	No. 2	Bearcat Stadium Maryville, MO		W 69–33
November 21	No. 16 Nebraska–Omaha*	No. 2	Bearcat Stadium Maryville, MO (NCAA Division II First Round)		W 28–14
November 28	No. 6 Northern Colorado*	No. 2	Bearcat Stadium Maryville, MO (Division II Quarterfinal)		W 42–17
December 5	No. 11 Texas A&M–Kingsville*	No. 2	Bearcat Stadium Maryville, MO (NCAA Division II Semifinal)		W 49–34
December 12	No. 3 Carson–Newman*	No. 2	Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL (NCAA Division II Championship)	ESPN2	W 24–6
*Non-conference game Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee Poll released prior to the game