2012 NAIA football season

The 2012 NAIA football season was the component of the 2012 college football season organized by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in the United States. The season's playoffs, known as the NAIA Football National Championship, culminated with the championship game on December 13, at Barron Stadium in Rome, Georgia. The Marian Knights defeated the Morningside Mustang, in overtime by a score of 30–27, in the title game to win the program's first NAIA championship.

2012 NAIA football season
National Championship	Barron Stadium Rome, GA December 13, 2012
Champion	Marian (IN)
Player of the Year	Jimmy Coy (quarterback, Saint Xavier)

Conference standings

2012 Frontier Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 5 Southern Oregon +^   8 – 2     9 – 3   No. 12 Montana Tech +^   8 – 2     8 – 3   No. 21 Carroll (MT)   7 – 3     7 – 4   Rocky Mountain   5 – 5     6 – 5   Eastern Oregon   4 – 6     4 – 6   Montana Western   4 – 6     4 – 6   Montana State–Northern   3 – 7     3 – 7   Dickinson State   1 – 9     2 – 9   + – Conference co-champions ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll	2012 Great Plains Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 2 Morningside $^   9 – 0     13 – 1   No. 12 Northwestern (IA) ^   7 – 2     9 – 3   No. 20 Doane   6 – 3     7 – 3   Dakota Wesleyan   5 – 4     6 – 4   Hastings   5 – 4     6 – 4   Nebraska Wesleyan   5 – 4     6 – 4   Concordia (NE)   4 – 5     5 – 6   Midland   3 – 6     4 – 6   Briar Cliff   1 – 8     1 – 10   Dordt   0 – 9     2 – 9   $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll	2012 Heart of America Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 3 Missouri Valley $^   9 – 0     12 – 1   No. 12 MidAmerica Nazarene ^   8 – 1     8 – 3   No. 14 Baker ^   7 – 2     8 – 3   No. 23 Evangel   6 – 3     7 – 4   No. 22 Benedictine (KS)   5 – 4     7 – 4   Graceland   4 – 5     6 – 5   Peru State   3 – 6     5 – 6   Culver–Stockton   2* – 7*     3* – 8*   Avila   1* – 8*     1* – 10*   Central Methodist   0* – 9*     0* – 10*   $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA playoff participant *Central Methodist and Avila later forfeited their wins, giving Culver–Stockton two wins and Avila a win over Central Methodist. Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2012 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 16 Ottawa $^   8 – 1     8 – 3   No. 18 Tabor   7 – 1     8 – 2   Kansas Wesleyan   6 – 3     6 – 5   Saint Mary (KS)   6 – 3     6 – 5   Friends   5 – 4     6 – 5   McPherson   4 – 4     4 – 5   Southwestern (KS)   3 – 6     4 – 7   Sterling   3 – 6     3 – 7   Bethany (KS)   2 – 7     4 – 7   Bethel (KS)   0 – 9     0 – 10   $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll	2012 Mid-South Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   East Division No. 8 Georgetown (KY) x^   5 – 0     10 – 1   No. 7 Cumberlands (KY) ^   4 – 1     10 – 2   No. 25 Kentucky Christian   3 – 2     7 – 4   Union (KY)   1 – 4     4 – 7   Pikeville   1 – 4     3 – 8   Virginia–Wise   1 – 4     3 – 8   West Division No. 9 Bethel (TN) x^   6 – 0     9 – 4   No. 19 Cumberland (TN)   4 – 2     8 – 3   Belhaven   4 – 2     6 – 5   Faulkner   4 – 2     6 – 5   Campbellsville   2 – 4     3 – 8   Lindsey Wilson   1 – 5     3 – 8   Bluefield   0 – 6     0 – 11   x – Division champion/co-champions ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll	2012 Mid-States Football Association standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Mideast League No. 1 Marian (IN) x^   4 – 1     12 – 1   No. 4 Saint Xavier x^   4 – 1     11 – 2   No. 6 St. Francis (IN) x^   4 – 1     9 – 3   Siena Heights   2 – 3     4 – 6   Taylor   1 – 4     4 – 6   Concordia (MI)   0 – 5     0 – 9   Midwest League No. 10 St. Ambrose x^   5 – 1     9 – 2   No. 15 William Penn x^   5 – 1     9 – 3   No. 17 Grand View x   5 – 1     8 – 3   St. Francis (IL)   3 – 3     6 – 5   Trinity International   1 – 5     4 – 7   Waldorf   1 – 5     4 – 7   Olivet Nazarene   1 – 5     3 – 8   x – League champion/co-champions ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2012 NAIA independents football records Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Robert Morris (IL)   –     8 – 3   No. 24 Valley City State   –     7 – 3   Bacone   –     7 – 4   Langston   –     6 – 4   Edward Waters   –     5 – 6   Jamestown   –     4 – 6   Lindenwood–Belleville   –     4 – 6   Mayville State   –     4 – 6   Menlo   –     4 – 6   SAGU   –     4 – 6   Southern Virginia   –     4 – 6   Webber International   –     4 – 6   Point   –     2 – 8   Wayland Baptist   –     2 – 8   Dakota State   –     2 – 9   Texas College   –     2 – 9   Ave Maria   –     1 – 7   Haskell   –     1 – 8   Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll

Postseason

Main article: 2012 NAIA Football National Championship

Rankings

Main article: 2012 NAIA football rankings