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2024 NAIA football season

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2024 NAIA football season
Total No. of teams97
Regular seasonAugust 24 – November 16, 2024
PostseasonNovember 23 – December 21, 2024
National ChampionshipDurham County Memorial Stadium
Durham, NC
December 21, 2024
Player of the YearJackson Waring, QB, Grand View

The 2024 NAIA football season is the component of the 2024 college football season organized by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in the United States.

The regular season began on August 24 and ended on November 16.[1]

The playoffs, known as the NAIA Football National Championship, began on November 23 and will end with the championship game on December 21 at Durham County Memorial Stadium in Durham, North Carolina.

Membership changes

[edit]
Team Former conference New conference Ref
Defiance Yellow Jackets HCAC (NCAA D-III) Mid-States [2]
Jamestown Jimmies Great Plains North Star [3][4]
Roosevelt Lakers Mid-States GLIAC (NCAA D-II) [5][6]
Simpson Red Hawks New program Independent [7]
St. Ambrose Fighting Bees Mid-States Heart of America [8]
Waldorf Warriors North Star Great Plains [9]
William Woods Owls New program Heart of America [10][8]

Headlines

[edit]
  • March 1 – Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) announced that they would change their name to Nelson University, effective on August 1.[11]

Milestones and records

[edit]
  • November 16 – Pikeville quarterback Lee Kirkland threw for 646 yards and 11 touchdowns in the Bears' 90–14 win over St. Andrew's, setting a new NAIA single-game record for yardage and tying the overall college football record for single-game TD passes held by David Klingler of Houston since 1991.[12]

Conference standings

[edit]
2024 Appalachian Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Reinhardt +   5 – 1     7 – 4  
Pikeville +^   5 – 1     5 – 5  
Bluefield   4 – 2     5 – 6  
Point   4 – 2     4 – 7  
Union Commonwealth   2 – 4     3 – 7  
Kentucky Christian   1 – 5     2 – 9  
St. Andrews   0 – 6     0 – 9  
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2024 Frontier Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 4 Montana Western $^   7 – 1     9 – 1  
No. 8 Montana Tech ^   6 – 2     9 – 2  
Carroll (MT)   6 – 2     7 – 3  
No. 22 Southern Oregon   5 – 3     8 – 3  
College of Idaho   5 – 3     7 – 4  
Eastern Oregon   4 – 4     5 – 6  
Arizona Christian   1 – 7     2 – 8  
Rocky Mountain   1 – 7     2 – 8  
Montana State–Northern   1 – 7     1 – 9  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2024 Great Plains Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 6 Morningside $^   10 – 0     10 – 1  
No. 9 Northwestern (IA) ^   8 – 2     8 – 2  
No. 17 Concordia (NE)   8 – 2     8 – 2  
No. 18 Dordt   8 – 2     8 – 2  
Mount Marty   5 – 5     6 – 4  
Midland   5 – 5     6 – 5  
Dakota Wesleyan   4 – 6     4 – 7  
Doane   3 – 7     3 – 8  
Briar Cliff   2 – 8     2 – 9  
Hastings   2 – 8     2 – 9  
Waldorf   0 – 10     0 – 11  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2024 Heart of America Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
North
No. 2 Grand View x^   6 – 0     10 – 0  
Graceland   5 – 1     7 – 4  
Peru State   5 – 2     7 – 3  
Culver–Stockton   3 – 3     3 – 8  
William Penn   2 – 4     4 – 6  
St. Ambrose   1 – 5     3 – 8  
Clarke   0 – 6     1 – 10  
South
No. 9 Benedictine (KS) x^   5 – 1     9 – 2  
No. 12 Baker x^   5 – 1     9 – 1  
No. 13 MidAmerica Nazarene x^   5 – 1     9 – 1  
Missouri Baptist   3 – 3     6 – 4  
Missouri Valley   2 – 4     4 – 6  
Central Methodist   1 – 5     1 – 10  
William Woods   0 – 7     1 – 10  
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2024 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Bissell Division
Kansas Wesleyan x^   5 – 0     7 – 4  
Tabor   3 – 1     6 – 5  
Avila   3 – 2     4 – 7  
Sterling   2 – 3     2 – 9  
Ottawa   1 – 4     1 – 10  
Saint Mary (KS)   0 – 4     1 – 9  
Kessinger Division
No. 19т Southwestern (KS) x^   4 – 1     10 – 1  
No. 19т Friends x^   4 – 1     10 – 1  
McPherson   3 – 2     8 – 3  
Evangel   3 – 2     8 – 2  
Bethel (KS)   1 – 4     5 – 6  
Bethany (KS)   0 – 5     3 – 8  
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2024 Mid-South Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 11 Georgetown (KY) $^   6 – 0     8 – 2  
No. 21 Campbellsville   4 – 2     9 – 2  
Bethel (TN)   3 – 3     7 – 3  
Cumberland (TN)   3 – 3     7 – 3  
Lindsey Wilson   3 – 3     5 – 4  
Cumberlands (KY)   2 – 4     5 – 5  
Faulkner   0 – 6     2 – 8  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2024 Mid-States Football Association standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Mideast League
No. 3 Indiana Wesleyan x^   5 – 0     10 – 1  
No. 22 Taylor   4 – 1     9 – 2  
Concordia (MI)   3 – 2     5 – 6  
Siena Heights   2 – 3     3 – 7  
Lawrence Tech   1 – 4     2 – 8  
Madonna   0 – 5     0 – 11  
Defiance   0 – 0     4 – 7  
Midwest League
No. 25 Saint Francis (IN) x^   4 – 1     8 – 3  
No. 24 Marian (IN) x   4 – 1     8 – 2  
St. Francis (IL)   3 – 2     7 – 3  
Olivet Nazarene   3 – 2     6 – 4  
Saint Xavier   1 – 4     5 – 6  
Judson   0 – 5     1 – 9  
  • x – League champion/co-champions
    ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2024 North Star Athletic Association football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 14 Dickinson State $^   8 – 0     10 – 1  
Dakota State   4 – 4     6 – 4  
Mayville State   3 – 5     4 – 6  
Jamestown   3 – 5     3 – 7  
Valley City State   2 – 6     3 – 7  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2024 Sooner Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 7 Texas Wesleyan $^   8 – 0     10 – 0  
No. 15 OUAZ ^   7 – 1     8 – 1  
Texas College   5 – 3     7 – 3  
Langston   5 – 3     6 – 4  
OK Panhandle State   3 – 5     4 – 6  
Wayland Baptist   3 – 5     4 – 6  
Louisiana Christian   3 – 5     4 – 7  
Nelson   2 – 6     4 – 6  
North American   1 – 6     2 – 9  
Arkansas Baptist   0 – 8     1 – 10  
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2024 Sun Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Keiser $^ 6 – 0 – 0 9 – 0 – 0
No. 5 St. Thomas (FL) ^ 6 – 1 – 0 9 – 1 – 0
No. 16 Southeastern 5 – 2 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
Florida Memorial 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 1
Webber International 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Ave Maria 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Thomas 1 – 5 – 0 1 – 8 – 0
Warner 0 – 6 – 0 0 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
    Florida Memorial's game against Clark Atlanta was delayed at halftime due to weather, but was never rescheduled and resulted in a tie
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2024 NAIA independents football records
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Simpson (CA)   –     0 – 9  
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll

Postseason

[edit]

Teams

[edit]
See also: List of NAIA national football championship series appearances by team


Bracket

[edit]
First Round
November 23
Campus sites		Second Round
November 30
Campus sites		Quarterfinals
December 7
Campus sites		Semifinals
December 14
Campus sites		Championship
December 21
Durham County Memorial Stadium
Durham, North Carolina
5St. Thomas (FL)21
10Georgetown (KY)27
10Georgetown (KY)22
1Keiser38
1Keiser56
13Baker3520Pikeville21
1Keiser42
20Pikeville42
9Benedictine (KS)38
8Texas Wesleyan33
9Benedictine (KS)42
9Benedictine (KS)20
3Indiana Wesleyan9
3Indiana Wesleyan24
15Southwestern (KS)3115Southwestern (KS)13
1Keiser
18Saint Francis (IN)24
2Grand View
6Morningside35
12MidAmerica Nazarene0
6Morningside31
4Montana Western24
4Montana Western41
14Dickinson State2714Dickinson State14
6Morningside13
19Kansas Wesleyan20
2Grand View36
7Montana Tech29
11Northwestern (IA)32
11Northwestern (IA)0
2Grand View17
2Grand View21
16Friends4716Friends17
17OUAZ35

Rankings

[edit]
Main article: 2024 NAIA football rankings

Coaching changes

[edit]

Preseason and in-season

[edit]

This is restricted to coaching changes that took place on or after May 1, 2024, and will include any changes announced after a team's last regularly scheduled games but before its playoff games.

School Outgoing coach Date Reason Replacement Previous position
Sterling Darren Jackson June 4, 2024 Fired[13][14] Reggie Langford Jr. Sterling assistant head coach and offensive coordinator (2023)
Bethel (KS) A. B. Stokes July 8, 2024 Resigned[15] Daylon Markham (full-season interim) Bethel (KS) defensive coordinator (2023)
Kansas Wesleyan Matt Myers October 9, 2024 Fired[16] Chris Snyder / David Leonard (co-interim head coaches) Kansas Wesleyan recruiting coordinator (2023–2024) / Kansas Wesleyan defensive coordinator (2021–2024)
Rio Grande[a] Quincy Wilson November 13, 2024 Fired[17] Mark Thurston Rio Grande defensive coordinator (2024)

End of season

[edit]

This list includes coaching changes announced during the season that did not take effect until the end of the season.

School Outgoing coach Date Reason Replacement Previous position
Kansas Wesleyan Chris Snyder / David Leonard November 25, 2024 Permanent replacement hired Matt Middleton[18] Harding quarterbacks coach and fullbacks coach (2023–2024)
Bethel (KS) Daylon Markham (full-season interim) December 3, 2024 Resigned[19]
Georgetown (KY) Chris Oliver December 10, 2024 Resigned[20] John Perin Georgetown (KY) defensive coordinator (2022–2024)
Faulkner Rob Gray December 11, 2024 Resigned[21] Randy Ragsdale Faulkner associate head coach (2021–2024)
Mount Mercy — December 11, 2024 —[b] MD Daniels[22][23] Bethel (TN) co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach (2024)
Bethel (TN) Michael Jasper December 20, 2024 Hired as head coach by Stetson[24]
  1. ^ The Rio Grande football program was established in 2023 and will not begin official NAIA play until the 2025 season.
  2. ^ The Mount Mercy football program was announced in 2024 and will not begin official NAIA play until the 2026 season.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "NAIA Football Scoreboard". NAIA.com. NAIA. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Defiance College Board of Trustees approve athletic program's return to NAIA". defianceathletics.com. October 6, 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  3. ^ "Membership Statement from the Great Plains Athletic Conference". Great Plains Athletic Conference. October 11, 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  4. ^ "University of Jamestown (N.D.) returns to North Star Athletic Association". North Star Athletic Association. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  5. ^ "ROOSEVELT JOINS NCAA DIVISION II". roosevelt.edu. Roosevelt University. July 13, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  6. ^ "Lakers Litter All-MSFA Teams For Final NAIA Season". rooseveltlakers.com. Roosevelt University. November 20, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  7. ^ "Simpson University Announces Addition of Football". Simpson University Athletics. October 26, 2022. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  8. ^ a b "St. Ambrose and William Woods Football to Join the Heart of America Athletic Conference in 2024". Heart of America Athletic Conference. July 24, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  9. ^ "Waldorf University Joins Great Plains Athletic Conference". Waldorf University Athletics. September 18, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  10. ^ "William Woods University announces the historic addition of intercollegiate football". William Woods University. May 22, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  11. ^ "The Future is Here: SAGU To Become Nelson University" (Press release). SAGU.edu. 2024-03-01. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  12. ^ Samuels, Doug (November 18, 2024). "NAIA quarterback threw for more touchdowns Saturday afternoon than 21 FBS teams have all season". Football Scoop. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  13. ^ Samuels, Doug (2024-06-04). "NAIA head coach dismissed shortly after interviewing for Division II opening". Footballscoop. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  14. ^ "Warrior Athletics Announces Change in Football Leadership". 2024-06-04.
  15. ^ "Stokes Resigns as Head Football Coach; Markham named as Interim Head Football Coach". 2024-07-08.
  16. ^ "KWU Announces Football Program Leadership Change". Kansas Wesleyan University. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
  17. ^ "Rio names Thurston head football coach". University of Rio Grande Athletics. November 13, 2024. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
  18. ^ "Matt Middleton named Head Football Coach at Kansas Wesleyan University". Kansas Wesleyan University. 2024-11-25. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  19. ^ "Daylon Markham Resigns as Head Football Coach". Bethel College. December 3, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  20. ^ "John Perin elevated to Head Football Coach". Georgetown College. December 10, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  21. ^ "Faulkner Eagles head coach steps down after 4 seasons". WSFA 12. December 11, 2024. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  22. ^ "Daniels Named First Head Football Coach in Program History". Mount Mercy University. December 11, 2024. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  23. ^ "Mount Mercy names MD Daniels its first football coach". The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa). December 11, 2024. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  24. ^ "Mike Jasper Named Head Football Coach". Stetson University. December 20, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
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