1998 NAIA football season

The 1998 NAIA football season, as part of the 1998 college football season in the United States, was the 43rd season of college football sponsored by the NAIA.

1998 NAIA football season
Regular season	August–November 1998
Postseason	November 21–December 19, 1998
National Championship	Jim Carroll Stadium Savannah, TN
Champion	Azusa Pacific
Player of the Year	Jack Williams (RB, Azusa Pacific)

The season was played from August to November 1998, culminating in the 1998 NAIA Football National Championship, played this year on December 19, 1998 at Jim Carroll Stadium in Savannah, Tennessee.

Azusa Pacific defeated Olivet Nazarene in the championship game, 17–14, to win their first NAIA national title.

Jack Williams, running back from Azusa Pacific, was named the 1998 NAIA Football Player of the Year.

Conference standings

1998 Columbia Football Association standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 15 Central Washington $   4 – 1     7 – 4   Western Washington   3 – 2     5 – 5   Humboldt State   3 – 2     4 – 7   Western Oregon   2 – 3     4 – 5   Southern Oregon   2 – 3     4 – 6   Simon Fraser   1 – 4     3 – 6   $ – Conference champion Rankings from NAIA poll	1998 Frontier Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 2 Rocky Mountain $^   6 – 0     9 – 1   Montana Tech   3 – 3     5 – 5   Western Montana   2 – 4     2 – 7   Carroll (MT)   1 – 5     1 – 8   $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll	1998 Heart of America Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 5 Benedictine (KS) $   8 – 1     9 – 2   No. 16 Lindenwood ^   7 – 2     8 – 3   No. 23 Missouri Valley   6 – 3     7 – 3   Evangel   5 – 4     5 – 4   MidAmerica Nazarene   5 – 4     6 – 5   Baker   5 – 4     5 – 5   Graceland   4 – 5     4 – 6   William Jewell   3 – 6     3 – 7   Culver–Stockton   2 – 7     3 – 7   Central Methodist   0 – 9     0 – 10   $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll
1998 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 3 Southwestern (KS) $^   7 – 1     9 – 2   No. 19 Ottawa   6 – 2     8 – 2   Bethany (KS)   5 – 3     6 – 3   Kansas Wesleyan   4 – 4     5 – 4   Bethel (KS)   4 – 4     5 – 5   McPherson   4 – 4     5 – 5   Sterling   3 – 5     4 – 6   Friends   2 – 6     2 – 8   Tabor   1 – 7     1 – 9   $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll	1998 Mid-South Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 9 Georgetown (KY) +^   6 – 1     9 – 3   No. 20 North Greenville +   6 – 1     7 – 3   No. 18 Lambuth   5 – 2     7 – 3   No. 24 Campbellsville   4 – 3     7 – 4   Cumberland (TN)   4 – 3     6 – 5   Belhaven   2 – 5     4 – 6   Cumberland (KY)   1 – 6     3 – 7   Union (KY)   0 – 7     0 – 10   + – Conference co-champions ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll	1998 Mid-States Football Association standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Mideast League No. 12 Malone x^   5 – 1     7 – 4   No. 14 Tri-State ^   4 – 2     11 – 3   No. 17 Geneva   4 – 2     8 – 3   Tiffin   3 – 3     6 – 5   Walsh   2 – 4     6 – 5   Urbana   2 – 4     5 – 6   Saint Francis (IN)   1 – 5     2 – 8   Midwest League No. 7 Taylor x^   6 – 0     8 – 3   No. 11 Olivet Nazarene ^   5 – 1     11 – 3   McKendree   3 – 3     6 – 4   St. Ambrose   2 – 4     5 – 5   Iowa Wesleyan   2 – 4     3 – 8   Trinity International   2 – 4     2 – 8   Saint Xavier   1 – 5     1 – 9   x – League champion/co-champions ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll
1998 Nebraska-Iowa Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 1 Hastings $^   6 – 0     10 – 1   Doane   4 – 2     5 – 4   No. 22 Northwestern (IA)   3 – 3     7 – 3   Nebraska Wesleyan   3 – 3     6 – 4   Midland   3 – 3     4 – 6   Concordia (NE)   2 – 4     4 – 5   Dana   0 – 6     2 – 8   $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll	1998 North Dakota College Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 10 Mary +^   5 – 1     8 – 3   No. 6 Jamestown +^   5 – 1     8 – 2   Dickinson State   4 – 2     6 – 3   Minnesota–Crookston   3 – 3     6 – 4   Minot State   2 – 4     4 – 5   Mayville State   2 – 4     2 – 8   Valley City State   0 – 6     0 – 10   + – Conference co-champions ^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll	1998 South Dakota-Iowa Intercollegiate Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 4 Sioux Falls $^   5 – 0     8 – 3   No. 13 Huron ^   4 – 1     10 – 3   Dakota State   3 – 2     7 – 3   Dakota Wesleyan   2 – 3     4 – 6   Black Hills State   1 – 4     1 – 9   South Dakota Tech   0 – 5     0 – 10   $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll
1998 NAIA independents football records Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 8 Azusa Pacific ^   –     12 – 2   No. 21 NW Oklahoma State   –     7 – 3   No. 25 Eastern Oregon   –     6 – 4   Clinch Valley   –     4 – 5   Peru State   –     4 – 5   ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll

Conference champions

Conference	Champion	Record
Frontier	Rocky Mountain	6–0
Heart of America	Benedictine	8–1
Kansas	Southwestern (KS)	7–1
Mid-South	Georgetown (KY) North Greenville	6–1
Mid-States	Mideast Division: Malone Midwest Division: Taylor	5–1 6–0
Nebraska-Iowa	Hastings	6–0
North Dakota	Jamestown Mary	5–1
South Dakota-Iowa	Sioux Falls	5–0

Postseason

	First Round November 21, 1998 Campus sites					Quarterfinals November 21, 1998 Campus sites					Semifinals December 5, 1998 Campus sites					Championship December 19, 1998 Savannah, TN
	5	Benedictine (KS)*	28
	14	Tri-State	33
						14	Tri-State	37
						9	Georgetown (KY)*	23
	9	Georgetown (KY)*	46
	12	Malone	41
											14	Tri-State	28
											11	Olivet Nazarene ‡	33
	1	Hastings*	26
	11	Olivet Nazarene	32
						11	Olivet Nazarene	37
						4	Sioux Falls*	34
	4	Sioux Falls*	29
	10	Mary	25
																11	Olivet Nazarene	14
																8	Azusa Pacific	17
	3	Southwestern (KS)*	12
	16	Lindenwood	10
						3	Southwestern (KS)	6
						13	Huron*	52
	6	Jamestown*	19
	13	Huron	61
											13	Huron	24
											8	Azusa Pacific*	26
	2	Rocky Mountain*	38
	15	Central Washington	41†
						15	Central Washington	28
						8	Azusa Pacific*	35
	8	Azusa Pacific*	31
	7	Taylor	28

• † demarcates Overtime
• ‡ Game played at Kankakee, Illinois

See also

• 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season
• 1998 NCAA Division I-AA football season
• 1998 NCAA Division II football season
• 1998 NCAA Division III football season