2022 NAIA Football National Championship

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2022 NAIA football season
Regular seasonAugust 25 – November 12, 2022
PostseasonNovember 19 – December 17, 2022
National ChampionshipDurham County Memorial Stadium
Durham, NC
December 17, 2022
ChampionNorthwestern (IA)
Player of the YearJoe Dolincheck (quarterback, Morningside)

The 2022 NAIA football season is the component of the 2022 college football season organized by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in the United States.

The regular season began on August 25 and culminated on November 12.[1]

The playoffs, known as the NAIA Football National Championship, will begin on November 19 and culminate with the championship game on December 17 at Durham County Memorial Stadium in Durham, North Carolina.

Conference changes and new programs

Appalachian Athletic Conference and Sun Conference started to sponsor football this season.

Membership changes

SchoolFormer conferenceNew conference
Ave Maria GyrenesMid-SouthSun Conference
Bluefield RamsMid-SouthAppalachian
Florida Memorial LionsMid-SouthSun Conference
Keiser SeahawksMid-SouthSun Conference
Kentucky Christian KnightsMid-SouthAppalachian
North American StallionsIndependent (No affiliation)Independent
Point SkyhawksMid-SouthAppalachian
Reinhardt EaglesMid-SouthAppalachian
St. Andrews (NC) KnightsMid-SouthAppalachian
Saint Thomas (FL) BobcatsMid-SouthSun Conference
Southeastern (FL) FireMid-SouthSun Conference
Union (KY) BulldogsMid-SouthAppalachian
Warner RoyalsMid-SouthSun Conference
Webber International WarriorsMid-SouthSun Conference

Conference standings

2022 Appalachian Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 9 Reinhardt $^ 5–0  8–2 
Bluefield 4–1  8–3 
Point 3–2  4–7 
Kentucky Christian 2–3  3–8 
St. Andrews 1–4  1–10 
Union (KY) 0–5  0–10 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2022 Frontier Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 18 College of Idaho + 8–2  8–2 
No. 16 Carroll (MT) +^ 8–2  8–3 
No. 24 Montana Tech 7–3  7–3 
Montana Western 7–3  7–4 
Rocky Mountain 2–8  2–9 
Southern Oregon 3–7  3–7 
Eastern Oregon 2–8  2–9 
Montana State–Northern 0–10  0–10 
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2022 Great Plains Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 1 Morningside $^ 10–0  11–1 
No. 3 Northwestern (IA) ^ 9–1  13–1 
Midland 7–3  8–3 
No. 25 Dordt 7–3  7–3 
Hastings 6–4  7–4 
Concordia (NE) 4–6  4–6 
Doane 4–6  4–6 
Jamestown 3–7  4–7 
Mount Marty 2–8  3–8 
Dakota Wesleyan 2–8  2–9 
Briar Cliff 1–9  1–10 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2022 Heart of America Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
North
No. 2 Grand View x^ 5–0  13–1 
Peru State 4–1  6–5 
Culver–Stockton 3–2  5–6 
Graceland 2–3  4–7 
William Penn 1–4  3–7 
Clarke 0–5  3–8 
South
No. 6 Benedictine (KS) x^ 5–0  11–2 
Evangel 4–1  7–3 
MidAmerica Nazarene 3–2  7–4 
Baker 2–3  5–6 
Central Methodist 1–4  1–10 
Missouri Valley 0–5  3–8 
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2022 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 14 Bethel (KS) + 9–1  9–1 
No. 13 Avila +^ 9–1  10–2 
No. 10 Southwestern (KS) +^ 9–1  9–2 
Kansas Wesleyan 7–3  8–3 
Tabor 5–5  6–5 
McPherson 5–5  5–5 
Saint Mary (KS) 4–6  4–7 
Friends 3–7  4–7 
Ottawa (KS) 2–8  2–8 
Sterling 2–8  2–8 
Bethany (KS) 0–10  0–10 
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2022 Mid-South Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 4 Bethel (TN) $^ 8–0  11–1 
No. 8 Lindsey Wilson ^ 7–1  10–2 
No. 21 Georgetown (KY) 5–3  7–3 
Pikeville 5–3  6–4 
Thomas More 4–4  5–6 
Cumberlands (KY) 3–5  5–5 
Faulkner 3–5  4–7 
Cumberland (TN) 1–7  3–7 
Campbellsville 0–8  2–8 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2022 Mid-States Football Association standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
Mideast League
No. 5 Indiana Wesleyan x^ 7–0  11–2 
No. 7 Marian (IN) ^ 6–1  9–2 
Concordia (MI) 4–3  5–5 
Siena Heights 4–3  5–5 
Taylor 3–4  5–6 
Saint Francis (IN) 2–5  4–6 
Lawrence Tech 2–5  3–7 
Madonna 0–7  0–11 
Midwest League
No. 11 Saint Xavier x^ 7–0  9–3 
No. 23 St. Francis (IL) 6–1  7–3 
Olivet Nazarene 5–2  7–4 
Roosevelt 4–3  7–3 
Missouri Baptist 2–5  4–7 
St. Ambrose 2–5  2–8 
Judson 1–6  2–8 
Trinity International 1–6  1–10 
  • x – League champion
    ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2022 North Star Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 17 Dickinson State $^ 6–0  8–3 
Dakota State 4–2  6–4 
Valley City State 4–2  5–5 
Waldorf 3–3  7–4 
Iowa Wesleyan 2–4  4–7 
Presentation 2–4  3–8 
Mayville State 0–6  3–8 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2022 Sooner Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 22 Texas Wesleyan + 7–2  9–2 
No. 19 OUAZ + 7–2  7–2 
No. 20 Arizona Christian +^ 7–2  8–3 
SAGU 6–3  7–3 
Louisiana Christian 6–3  7–4 
Langston 5–4  6–4 
OK Panhandle State 4–5  4–6 
Wayland Baptist 2–7  2–8 
Texas College 1–8  1–9 
Lyon 0–9  1–9 
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2022 Sun Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 12 Keiser $^ 6–0  10–4 
No. 15 St. Thomas (FL) 5–1  9–2 
Ave Maria 3–2  6–3 
Webber International 3–3  6–4 
Southeastern 2–3  6–4 
Florida Memorial 1–5  3–7 
Warner 0–6  1–9 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2022 NAIA independents football records
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
North American –  3–9 
Arkansas Baptist –  1–7 

Postseason

Bracket

First Round
November 19 		Quarterfinals
November 26 		Semifinals
December 3 		Championship
December 17
            
1 Morningside 35
16 Arizona Christian 18
1 Morningside 28
12 Keiser 29
4 Bethel (TN) 17
12 Keiser 27
12 Keiser 38
2 Grand View 21
2 Grand View 17
15 Carroll (MT) 14
2 Grand View 10
8 Lindsey Wilson 7
8 Lindsey Wilson 23
9 Reinhardt 22
12 Keiser 25
3 Northwestern (IA) 35
3 Northwestern (IA) 49
14 Dickinson State 7
3 Northwestern (IA) 52
7 Marian (IN) 27
7 Marian (IN) 41
11 Saint Xavier 7
3 Northwestern (IA) 38
5 Indiana Wesleyan 7
5 Indiana Wesleyan 14
13 Avila 7
5 Indiana Wesleyan 24
6 Benedictine (KS) 13
6 Benedictine (KS) 35
10 Southwestern (KS) 7

Bowl game

Olivet Nazarene and Southwestern Assemblies of God did not qualify for the NAIA playoffs, but were invited to compete in the Victory Bowl to decide the 2022 National Christian College Athletic Association championship.

Date Time (EST) Game Site Television Teams Affiliations Results
Nov. 22 6:00 pm Victory Bowl Lumpkins Stadium
Waxahachie, Texas		 Olivet Nazarene
SAGU*		 MSFA
SAC
NCCAA		 Olivet Nazarene 21–16

* – Host team

Rankings

See also

References

  1. "NAIA Football Scoreboard". NAIA.com. NAIA. Retrieved November 13, 2022.