The 1980 Valley City State Vikings football team represented Valley City State CollegeâÂÂnow known as Valley City State UniversityâÂÂas a member of the North Dakota College Athletic Conference (NDCAC) during the 1980 NAIA Division II football season. Under seventh-year head coach Jim Dew, the Vikings posted an overall record of 10âÂÂ1 and a perfect 6âÂÂ0 mark in conference play, winning the NDCAC championship. Valley City State advanced to the NAIA Division II football national championship playoffs, and became the first NDCAC program to win an NAIA playoff game, defeating , 16âÂÂ7, in quarterfinals before falling to the eventual national champion, Pacific Lutheran, in the semifinals. The 1980 team was inducted into the Valley City State Vikings Hall of Fame in 1996.
Valley City State opened the 1980 campaign with a non-conference win over , and rebounded from an early loss to to run the table the rest of the regular season. The Vikings went 6âÂÂ0 in NDCAC play, including narrow victories over , , and , and shutout wins against and .
Head coach Jim Dew led a staff that included assistants Don Lemnus, Bob Bruhschwein, and Glen Schmalz. Student assistants were Jeff Leech, Brent Ham, and Kent Schweigert.
The 1980 team was inducted into the Valley City State Vikings Hall of Fame in 1996 in recognition of its conference title, playoff success, and overall impact on the program.