1996 NCAA Division II football season

The 1996 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began on September 7, 1996, and concluded with the NCAA Division II Football Championship on December 14, 1996, at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama, hosted by the University of North Alabama. The Northern Colorado Bears defeated the Carson–Newman, 23–14, to win their first Division II national title.

1996 NCAA Division II football season
Regular season	September 7 – November 16, 1996
Playoffs	November 23 – December 14, 1996
National Championship	Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL
Champion	Northern Colorado
Harlon Hill Trophy	Jarrett Anderson, Truman

The Harlon Hill Trophy was awarded to Jarrett Anderson, running back from Truman.

Conference and program changes

Conference changes

Team	1995 conference	1996 conference
Jacksonville State	NCAA Division II independent	NCAA I-AA independent
Mississippi College	Gulf South Conference	NCAA Division II independent
Portland State	NCAA Division II independent	Big Sky Conference (I-AA)
Saint Joseph's (IN)	Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference	NCAA Division II independent

Program changes

• After East Texas State University joined the Texas A&M University System in 1996 and changed its name to Texas A&M University–Commerce, the East Texas State Lions became the Texas A&M–Commerce Lions.
• After Northeast Missouri State University changed its name to Truman State University in 1996, the Northeast Missouri State Bulldogs became the Truman Bulldogs.

Conference standings

1996 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Virginia State $   7 – 1     8 – 3   Livingstone   7 – 1     8 – 2   Norfolk State   6 – 2     7 – 4   North Carolina Central   5 – 3     8 – 3   Johnson C. Smith   5 – 3     7 – 3   Elizabeth City State   4 – 4     4 – 6   Winston-Salem State   3 – 5     4 – 7   Bowie State   2 – 6     3 – 7   Fayetteville State   1 – 7     2 – 8   Virginia Union   1 – 7     2 – 8   $ – Conference champion	1996 Eastern Collegiate Football Conference standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Salve Regina $   8 – 0     9 – 0   Bentley   7 – 1     7 – 3   Stonehill   7 – 2     8 – 2   Sacred Heart   4 – 3     4 – 6   Merrimack   5 – 4     5 – 4   UMass Lowell   4 – 4     6 – 4   MIT   3 – 5     4 – 5   Nichols   2 – 5     2 – 8   Western New England   2 – 6     2 – 7   Curry   1 – 7     3 – 7   Assumption   1 – 8     1 – 9   $ – Conference champion	1996 Gulf South Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. T–4 Valdosta State $^   6 – 2     10 – 3   No. 12 West Georgia ^   5 – 2     9 – 3   Delta State   6 – 3     6 – 4   Central Arkansas   5 – 3     6 – 5   North Alabama   4 – 4     6 – 5   Henderson State   4 – 4     5 – 6   Arkansas Tech   3 – 5     5 – 6   Arkansas–Monticello   3 – 5     5 – 6   Southern Arkansas   2 – 5     4 – 6   West Alabama   1 – 6     3 – 7   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1996 Lone Star Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 1 Texas A&M–Kingsville $^   7 – 0     8 – 3   No. 9 Central Oklahoma ^   5 – 2     9 – 3   Texas A&M–Commerce   4 – 3     7 – 3   Angelo State   4 – 3     6 – 4   Abilene Christian   4 – 3     6 – 4   Tarleton State   2 – 5     5 – 5   Eastern New Mexico   2 – 5     3 – 8   West Texas A&M   0 – 7     1 – 9   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll	1996 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 2 Northwest Missouri State +^   8 – 1     11 – 2   No. 7 Pittsburg State +^   8 – 1     8 – 3   Truman State   7 – 2     7 – 4   Missouri Western State   5 – 4     7 – 4   Missouri Southern State   5 – 4     6 – 4   Emporia State   5 – 4     5 – 6   Washburn   4 – 5     4 – 6   Central Missouri State   2 – 7     4 – 7   Missouri–Rolla   1 – 8     3 – 8   Southwest Baptist   0 – 9     0 – 10   + – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll	1996 Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Ferris State $^   9 – 1     10 – 2   Grand Valley State   8 – 2     8 – 3   Northern Michigan   7 – 3     7 – 3   Saginaw Valley State   7 – 3     7 – 3   Hillsdale   6 – 4     6 – 5   Northwood   5 – 5     6 – 5   Ashland   4 – 6     4 – 7   Indianapolis   3 – 7     4 – 7   St. Francis (IL)   2 – 8     3 – 8   Michigan Tech   2 – 8     2 – 8   Wayne State (MI)   2 – 8     2 – 9   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
1996 North Central Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. T–4 Nebraska–Omaha $^   8 – 1     10 – 2   No. 15 Northern Colorado ^   6 – 3     12 – 3   No. 19 North Dakota   6 – 3     7 – 3   South Dakota State   6 – 3     7 – 4   North Dakota State   5 – 4     6 – 4   South Dakota   4 – 5     6 – 5   Mankato State   4 – 5     5 – 6   St. Cloud State   4 – 5     5 – 6   Augustana (SD)   2 – 7     3 – 8   Morningside   0 – 9     1 – 10   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll	1996 Northern California Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Chico State $   3 – 1     5 – 5   Sonoma State   2 – 2     2 – 8   Humboldt State   1 – 3     3 – 7   $ – Conference champion	1996 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Minnesota Duluth $   6 – 0     8 – 3   Moorhead State   5 – 1     7 – 3   Northern State   4 – 2     7 – 4   Winona State   3 – 3     4 – 7   Southwest State (MN)   2 – 4     2 – 9   Bemidji State   1 – 5     2 – 8   Minnesota Morris   0 – 6     1 – 9   $ – Conference champion
1996 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   East Division No. 13 Bloomsburg x^   6 – 0     10 – 2   West Chester   4 – 2     7 – 3   East Stroudsburg   4 – 2     6 – 4   Millersville   4 – 2     6 – 4   Kutztown   2 – 4     4 – 6   Mansfield   1 – 5     3 – 8   Cheyney   0 – 6     0 – 11   West Division No. 8 Clarion x^   5 – 1     11 – 3   No. 10 IUP x^   5 – 1     8 – 3   Slippery Rock   4 – 2     7 – 4   Edinboro   4 – 2     6 – 4   Shippensburg   2 – 4     3 – 8   Lock Haven   1 – 5     1 – 10   California (PA)   0 – 6     2 – 9   x – Division champion/co-champions ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll	1996 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Chadron State $^   7 – 1     10 – 2   Western State (CO)   6 – 2     6 – 5   New Mexico Highlands   5 – 3     8 – 3   Fort Hays State   5 – 3     7 – 3   Fort Lewis   4 – 4     5 – 5   Nebraska–Kearney   4 – 4     4 – 7   Adams State   2 – 6     4 – 7   Mesa State   2 – 6     2 – 8   Colorado Mines   1 – 7     3 – 8   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant	1996 South Atlantic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 6 Carson–Newman +^   6 – 1     12 – 2   No. 18 Catawba +   6 – 1     9 – 2   Presbyterian   4 – 3     5 – 6   Elon   4 – 3     4 – 7   Mars Hill   3 – 4     5 – 5   Wingate   2 – 5     4 – 6   Gardner–Webb   2 – 5     2 – 9   Lenoir–Rhyne   1 – 6     1 – 9   Newberry   0 – 0     7 – 4   + – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1996 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 14 Albany State $^   5 – 1     8 – 3   Miles   3 – 3     6 – 4   Alabama A&M   3 – 3     6 – 5   Fort Valley State   3 – 3     6 – 5   Savannah State   3 – 3     6 – 5   Kentucky State   3 – 3     5 – 6   Clark Atlanta   3 – 3     5 – 6   Tuskegee   2 – 4     5 – 6   Morris Brown   2 – 4     3 – 8   Morehouse   0 – 6     2 – 9   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll	1996 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Glenville State +   6 – 1     6 – 4   Fairmont State +   6 – 1     6 – 4   Shepherd   5 – 2     7 – 3   West Virginia State   3 – 4     4 – 7   Concord   2 – 5     4 – 7   West Liberty State   2 – 5     2 – 8   West Virginia Wesleyan   2 – 5     2 – 8   West Virginia Tech   2 – 5     2 – 9   + – Conference co-champions West Virginia Wesleyan forfeited two victories including a conference win over West Virginia Tech.	1996 NCAA Division II independents football records Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Saint Joseph's (IN)   –     9 – 2   No. 17 UC Davis ^   –     8 – 5   Albany   –     7 – 3   New Haven   –     7 – 3   Southern Connecticut State   –     7 – 4   American International   –     6 – 4   Pace   –     6 – 4   Mercyhurst   –     4 – 5   Mississippi College   –     4 – 6   Western New Mexico   –     3 – 6   Wayne State (NE)   –     3 – 7   Quincy   –     1 – 8   ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll

Conference summaries

See also: List of NCAA Division II football seasons

Conference Champions

Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Virginia State Eastern Collegiate Football Conference – Salve Regina Gulf South Conference – Valdosta State Lone Star Conference – Texas A&M–Kingsville Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association – Northwest Missouri State and Pittsburg State Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference – Ferris State North Central Conference – Nebraska–Omaha Northern California Athletic Conference‡ – Cal State Chico Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference – Minnesota–Duluth Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference – Bloomsburg (East), Clarion (West) Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference – Chadron State South Atlantic Conference – Carson-Newman and Catawba Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Albany State West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Fairmont State and Glenville State

Postseason

1996 NCAA Division II Football Championship
Teams	16
Finals Site	Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL
Champion	Northern Colorado (1st title, title game)
Runner-up	Carson–Newman (1st title game)
Semifinalists	Clarion UC Davis
Winning coach	championship

The 1996 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the 23rd single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college football. The championship game was held at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama, for the tenth time.

Playoff bracket

	First round Campus sites				Quarterfinals Campus sites				Semifinals Campus sites				Championship Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL
	Clarion	42
	Bloomsburg	29
					Clarion	23
					Ferris State	21
	Ferris State	24
	IUP	23
									Clarion	18
									Northern Colorado	19
	Northern Colorado	24
	Pittsburg State	21
					Northern Colorado	27
					Northwest Missouri State	26
	Northwest Missouri State	22
	Nebraska–Omaha	21
													Northern Colorado	23
													Carson–Newman	14
	Valdosta State	38
	Albany State	28
					Valdosta State	19
					Carson–Newman	24
	Carson–Newman	41
	West Georgia	7
									Carson–Newman	29
									UC Davis	26
	Central Oklahoma	23
	Chadron State	21
					Central Oklahoma	7
					UC Davis	26
	UC Davis	17
	Texas A&M–Kingsville†	14

See also

• 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season
• 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season
• 1996 NCAA Division III football season
• 1996 NAIA Division I football season
• 1996 NAIA Division II football season