NAIA football national championship

The NAIA football national championship is decided by a postseason playoff system featuring the best National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) college football teams in the United States. Under sponsorship of the NAIA, the championship game has been played annually since 1956.

History

The NAIA has contested a national championship game since 1956. In 1970, NAIA football was divided into two divisions based on enrollment, Division I and Division II, with a championship game played in each division. In 1997, NAIA football was again consolidated back into one division.

NAIA schools are allowed to offer 24 full varsity football scholarships which can be divided up as they wish. Junior varsity scholarship players do not count towards the total.

Texas A&I (now known as Texas A&M–Kingsville) is still the most prolific program with seven NAIA championships, despite having been in NCAA Division II since 1980. Carroll College of Montana is the most successful team still playing in the NAIA, with six national titles.

Grand View is the current champion, having defeated Keiser in the 2025 title game, 22–16.

Game name

Over the years, the NAIA championship games were played under a variety of names:

• Aluminum Bowl (1956)
• Holiday Bowl (1957–1960)
• Camellia Bowl (1961–1963)
• Champion Bowl (1964–1976 and 1980–1996, Division I games only)
• Apple Bowl (1977, Division I game only)
• Palm Bowl (1978–1979, Division I games only)

Results

Champions

• NAIA Division II titles are not included in this list.

Active programs

Former programs

List of appearances by team

Current NAIA members

Qualified teams

• Teams in bold participated in the 2025 playoffs.
• Updated after the 2025 playoffs.

Not yet qualified

• Appalachian Athletic Conference (3) – Bluefield, Kentucky Christian, Rio Grande
• Frontier Conference (3) – Dakota State, Mayville State, Simpson
• Great Plains Athletic Conference (3) – Briar Cliff, Mount Marty, Waldorf
• Heart of America Athletic Conference (5) – Clarke, Culver–Stockton, Missouri Baptist, Mount Mercy, William Woods
• Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (1) – Saint Mary
• Mid-States Football Association (5) – Defiance, Judson, Lawrence Tech, Madonna, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
• Sooner Athletic Conference (4) – Arkansas Baptist, Nelson, Texas College, Wayland Baptist
• Sun Conference (5) – Ave Maria, Florida Memorial, Thomas, Warner, Webber International

Former NAIA members

NCAA Division I FBS

NCAA Division I FCS

NCAA Division II

NCAA Division III

Discontinued programs

See also

• NAIA Division II football national championship (contested from 1970 to 1996)

References