The 1990 NAIA Division I football season was the 35th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, and was the 21st season of play of the NAIA's top division for football.
The season was played from August to November 1990 and culminated in the 1990 NAIA Champion Bowl playoffs and the 1990 NAIA Champion Bowl, played this year on December 8, 1990 at Ralph Stocker Stadium in Grand Junction, Colorado, on the campus of Mesa State College.
The Central State Marauders defeated the in the Champion Bowl, 38–16, to win their first NAIA national title. The Marauders won the championship after winning all three games on the road.
Conference changes This is the final season that the NAIA officially recognizes a football champion from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The RMAC, and its five football-playing members, would become an NCAA Division II conference by the 1992 season.
Conference standings
Conference champions Conference Champion Record Arkansas Intercollegiate Central Arkansas 6—0NICNorthern State (SD)Southwest State (MN)5–1OklahomaNortheastern State4–0RMACMesa State4–0South AtlanticCarson–Newman7–0WVIACConcord (WV)5–1
Rankings Final NAIA Division I poll rankings:
Rank Team (first place votes) Record (thru Nov. 11) Points 1 (13) 10–0 237 2 Central State (OH) (1) 7–1 266 3 8–1 247 4 7–3 224 5 8–2 216 6 6–3 213 7 7–2–1 209 8 8–3 185 9 7–3 155 10 7–3–1 141 11 6–3–1 127 T–12 6–4 117 T–12 6–4 117 14 6–4 105 15 6–4 74 16 6–5 59 17 6–4 46 18 5–4 44 19 5–4 41 20 5–4–1 35
Postseason
See also 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season 1990 NCAA Division I-AA football season 1990 NCAA Division II football season 1990 NCAA Division III football season
References