| 1986 NCAA Division I-AA season | |
|---|---|
| Regular season | |
| Number of teams | 86[1] |
| Duration | August–November |
| Playoff | |
| Duration | November 29–December 19 |
| Championship date | December 19, 1986 |
| Championship site | Tacoma Dome Tacoma, Washington |
| Champion | Georgia Southern |
| NCAA Division I-AA football seasons | |
«1985 1987» | |
The1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part ofcollege football in the United States organized by theNational Collegiate Athletic Association at theDivision I-AA level, began in August 1986, and concluded with the1986 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game on December 19, 1986,[2][3] at theTacoma Dome inTacoma, Washington. TheGeorgia Southern Eagles won their second consecutive I-AA championship, defeating theArkansas State Indians by a score of 48–21.[4]
| Conference Champions |
|---|
Big Sky Conference –Nevada |
The playoffs expanded from twelve to sixteen teams this season, eliminating the bye for the top four seeds.
The I-AA playoff field remained at sixteen through the2009 season, expanding to twenty in2010 and 24 in2013.
The top four teams were seeded,[5] with remaining teams placed in thebracket based on geographical considerations.
| First Round November 29 Campus sites | Quarterfinals December 6 Campus sites | Semifinals December 13 Campus sites | National Championship Game December 19[2][3] Tacoma Dome Tacoma, Washington | ||||||||||||||||
| Idaho | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Nevada* | 27 | |||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Nevada* | 33 | |||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee State | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee State | 32 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Jackson State* | 23 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Nevada* | 38 | |||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Georgia Southern | 48 | |||||||||||||||||
| North Carolina A&T | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Georgia Southern* | 52 | |||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Georgia Southern* | 55 | |||||||||||||||||
| Nicholls State | 31 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Nicholls State | 28 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Appalachian State* | 26 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Georgia Southern | 48 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Arkansas State | 21 | |||||||||||||||||
| Sam Houston State | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Arkansas State* | 48 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Arkansas State | 55 | |||||||||||||||||
| Delaware* | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Delaware | 51 | ||||||||||||||||||
| William & Mary* | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Arkansas State* | 24 | |||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Kentucky | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Murray State | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Eastern Illinois* | 28 | |||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Eastern Illinois* | 22 | |||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Kentucky | 24 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Kentucky | 23 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Furman* | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||
*Denotes host institution