The 1989 NAIA Division I football season was the 34th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 20th season of play of the NAIA's top division for football.
The season was played from August to November 1989 and culminated in the 1989 NAIA Champion Bowl playoffs and the 1989 NAIA Champion Bowl, played this year on December 16, 1989 again at Burke–Tarr Stadium in Jefferson City, Tennessee, on the campus of Carson–Newman College.
Carson–Newman defeated in the Champion Bowl, 34–20, to win their fifth, and second consecutive, NAIA national title. It was the Eagles' fourth straight appearance in the Champion Bowl, going 2–1 in the previous two.
Conference realignment Membership changes Team 1988 conference 1989 conference All teams GLIAC (NAIA) GLIAC (NCAA D-II) Newberry South Atlantic Independent Wingate Independent South Atlantic
Conference standings
Conference champions Conference Champion Record Arkansas Central ArkansasHarding 5–1NICMoorhead State (MN)5–1OklahomaNorthwestern Oklahoma StateSoutheastern Oklahoma State3–1RMACAdams State7–0South AtlanticCarson–Newman6–1WVIACWest Virginia TechConcord (WV)5–0–1
Rankings Final NAIA Division I poll rankings:
Rank Team (first place votes) Record (thru Nov. 19) Points 1 (4) 8–1 237 2 Central State (OH) (4) 9–2 235 3 (2) 9–1 231 4 Carson–Newman (3) 9–1 229 5 9–1 209 6 9–1 197 7 7–1–2 182 8 7–2–1 157 9 7–3 151 10 7–2–1 136 11 7–2–1 126 12 8–2 119 13 7–3 103 14 6–3 95 15 7–4 77 16 7–4 73 17 7–4 62 18 6–3 46 19 6–4 42 20 5–5 15
Postseason
See also 1989 NCAA Division I-A football season 1989 NCAA Division I-AA football season 1989 NCAA Division II football season 1989 NCAA Division III football season
References