The 1979 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began in August 1979, and concluded with the NCAA Division II Football Championship in December 1979 at University Stadium in Albuquerque, NM. During the game's two-year stretch in New Mexico, it was referred to as the Zia Bowl. The Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens defeated the Youngstown State Penguins, 38–21, to win their first Division II national title.

Conference changes and new programs School 1978 Conference 1979 Conference Bowie State D-III Independent CIAA Eastern Washington Evergreen (NAIA) Independent James Madison D-III Independent D-II Independent Nicholls State Gulf South Independent Northern Colorado Independent North Central Shaw CIAA Dropped Program Southeastern Louisiana Gulf South Independent Towson State D-III Independent D-II Independent

Conference standings

Conference summaries

Conference ChampionsAssociation of Mid-Continent Universities Youngstown StateCalifornia Collegiate Athletic Association Cal PolyCentral Intercollegiate Athletic Association Virginia UnionFar Western Football Conference UC DavisGreat Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Saginaw Valley StateGulf South Conference Mississippi CollegeHeartland Collegiate Conference Saint Joseph'sMissouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association Northwest Missouri StateNorth Central Conference North DakotaSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Alabama A&M

Postseason

The 1979 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the sixth single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college football. The championship game was held at University Stadium in Albuquerque, NM for the first time. With the game being played in New Mexico for the next two years, it was deemed the Zia Bowl.

Playoff bracket

See also 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season 1979 NCAA Division I-AA football season 1979 NCAA Division III football season 1979 NAIA Division I football season 1979 NAIA Division II football season

References