The 1985 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1985 college football season in the United States and the 30th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 16th season of play of the NAIA's lower division for football.
The season was played from August to November 1985 and culminated in the 1985 NAIA Division II Football National Championship, played at the Lincoln Bowl near the campus of Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington.
Wisconsin–La Crosse defeated in the championship game, 24–7, to win their first NAIA national title. The Eagles won all three of their playoff games on the road.
Conference realignment Conference changes The Columbia Football League began play this season, with the combined football membership of the former Evergreen (NAIA Division I) and Pacific Northwest (NAIA Division II) conferences. The new league had fourteen members from British Columbia, Oregon, and Washington. This was the final season for the Hoosier-Buckeye Conference. Most members would later join the NCAA Division III Indiana Collegiate Athletic Conference (now known as the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference), which began play in 1990.
Membership changes Team 1984 conference 1985 conference Lewis & Clark Pacific Northwest Columbia Linfield Pacific Northwest Columbia Pacific (OR) Pacific Northwest Columbia Pacific Lutheran Pacific Northwest Columbia Willamette Pacific Northwest Columbia
Conference standings
Conference champions Conference Champion Record Columbia Northern Division: Pacific LutheranSouthern Division: Linfield 6–06–0FrontierCarroll (MT)5–1 Heart of America BakerMidAmerica NazareneWilliam Jewell 6–1 Hoosier-Buckeye Findlay 6–0 Kansas Southwestern (KS) 8–1 Nebraska Midland Lutheran 5–0 North Dakota Minot State 5–0 South Dakota South Dakota Tech 5–1 Texas AustinSul Ross 4–2WSUCWisconsin–River Falls6–1–1
Postseason
‡ Game played at Bowling Green, Ohio ‡‡ Game played at Vermillion, South Dakota
See also 1985 NCAA Division I-A football season 1985 NCAA Division I-AA football season 1985 NCAA Division II football season 1985 NCAA Division III football season
References