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DIVISION 1-AA (FCS) CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

BRETT CIANCIA
January 18th, 2014
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Division 1 Football split into Division 1-A and 1-AA and in 1978 the first playoff bracket was setup at the 1-AA level.  The 1978 playoffs included 4 teams, and was doubled to 8 teams in 1981. The next year it was expanded to 12 teams with the top 4 receiving a bye and a home game.  Again in 1986, it grew to a 16-team bracket.  The final expansions took place in 2010 (20 teams) and this fall with 24 teams.
4 regional championship games took place to arrive at the four national semifinalists: EAST - Boardwalk Bowl (Atlantic City, NJ);   MIDWEST - Pecan Bowl (Abilene, TX); MIDEAST - Tangerine Bowl (Orlando, FL); WEST - Camellia Bowl (Sacramento, CA)
Programs have come and gone from this Division 1 subset; as you will see below, some non-AQ powers currently in the Mountain West, Conference USA, and Sun Belt Conference all have roots in the Division 1-AA level.  Georgia Southern has the most National Championships (6) and appearances (8), followed by Jim Tressel's Youngstown State dynasty (4 titles) and Jerry Moore's Three-Peat at Appalachian State.  This fall, North Dakota State joined Appalachian State as the only programs to "three-peat" as champions.  They also became just the 2nd undefeated National Champion in D1-AA history; the 1996 Marshall squad was 15-0.
     The complete history of Division 1-AA Champions:
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1978 - Florida A&M Rattlers
defeated Massachusetts (42-28)

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1979 - Eastern Kentucky Colonels
defeated Lehigh (30-7)

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1980 - Boise State Broncos
defeated Eastern Kentucky (31-29)

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1981 - Idaho State Bengals
defeated Eastern Kentucky (34-23)

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1982 - Eastern Kentucky Colonels
defeated Delaware (17-14)

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1983 - Southern Illinois Salukis
defeated Western Carolina (43-7)

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1984 - Montana State Bobcats
defeated Louisiana Tech (19-6)

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1985 - Georgia Southern Eagles
defeated Furman (44-42)

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1986 - Georgia Southern Eagles
defeated Arkansas State (48-21)

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1987 - Northeast Louisiana Indians (now UL-Monroe)
defeated Marshall (43-42)

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1988 - Furman Paladins
defeated Georgia Southern (20-12)

 

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1989 - Georgia Southern Eagles defeated Stephen F. Austin (37-34)


1990 - Georgia Southern Eagles defeated Nevada (36-13)



1991 - Youngstown State Penguins defeated Marshall (25-17)


1992 - Marshall Thundering Herd defeated Youngstown State (31-28)


1993 - Youngstown State Penguins defeated Marshall (17-5)


1994 - Youngstown State Penguins defeated
Boise State (28-14)


1995 - Montana Grizzlies defeated Marshall (22-20)


1996 - Marshall Thundering Herd defeated Montana (49-29)


1997 - Youngstown State Penguins defeated McNeese State (10-9)


1998 - Massachusetts Minutemen defeated Georgia Southern (55-43)


1999 - Georgia Southern Eagles defeated Youngstown State (59-24)


2000 - Georgia Southern Eagles defeated
Montana (27-25)


2001 - Montana Grizzlies defeated Furman (13-6)




2002 - Western Kentucky Hilltoppers defeated McNeese State (34-14)


2003 - Delaware Blue Hens
defeated Colgate (40-0)


2004 - James Madison Dukes
defeated Montana (31-21)


2005 - Appalachian State Mountaineers
defeated Northern Iowa (21-16)


2006 -
Appalachian State Mountaineers
defeated Massachusetts (28-17)


2007 - Appalachian State Mountaineers
defeated Delaware (49-21)



2008 - Richmond Spiders defeated Montana (24-7)



2009 - Villanova Wildcats
defeated Montana (23-21)



2010 - Eastern Washington Eagles
defeated Delaware (20-19)



2011 -
North Dakota State Bison
  defeated Sam Houston State (17-6)



2012 - North Dakota State Bison defeated Sam Houston State (39-13)



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2013 - North Dakota State Bison defeated Towson (35-7)

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2014 - North Dakota State Bison defeated Illinois State (29-27)

Related Article:   "Who Are the Bison? Dominance Awaiting National Attention"

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