1987 NCAA Division III football season

1987 NCAA Division III football season
Regular season	August – November 1987
Playoffs	November – December 1987
National championship	Garrett-Harrison Stadium Phenix City, AL
Champions	Wagner Seahawks
Division III football seasons « 1986 1988 »

The 1987 NCAA Division III football season, part of the college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States, began in August 1987, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 1987 at Garrett-Harrison Stadium in Phenix City, Alabama.

Wagner won their first Division III championship by defeating Dayton in the championship game, 19−3. Due to NCAA rule changes in 1991, both schools are now members Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA).

Conference changes and new programs

School	1986 Conference	1987 Conference
Drake	Revived Program	D-III Independent

Conference champions

See also: List of NCAA Division III football seasons

Conference champions

Centennial Conference – Franklin & Marshall College Athletic Conference – Rhodes College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin – Augustana (IL) Independent College Athletic Conference‡ – Ithaca Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Central (IA) Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Hope Middle Atlantic Conference – Susquehanna and Widener Midwest Collegiate Athletic Conference – St. Norbert Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Gustavus Adolphus New England Football Conference – Plymouth State New Jersey State Athletic Conference – Kean North Coast Athletic Conference – Allegheny Ohio Athletic Conference – Capital Old Dominion Athletic Conference – Hampden–Sydney Presidents' Athletic Conference – Washington & Jefferson Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Claremont–Mudd–Scripps and Occidental Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Tarleton State Upper Midwest Athletic Conference – Mount Senario Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Wisconsin–River Falls and Wisconsin–Whitewater

Postseason

The 1987 NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs were the 15th annual single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division III college football. The championship Stagg Bowl game was held at Garrett-Harrison Stadium in Phenix City, Alabama for the 13th time and for the third consecutive year. Like the previous two tournaments, this year's bracket featured sixteen teams.

NCAA Division III Playoff bracket

	First Round Campus Sites					Quarterfinals Campus Sites					Semifinals Campus Sites					National Championship Game Garrett-Harrison Stadium Phenix City, Alabama
	Wagner		38
	Rochester (NY)		14
						Wagner		21
						Fordham		0
	Fordham		41
	Hofstra		6
											Wagner		20
											Emory & Henry		13
	Washington & Jefferson		23*
	Allegheny		17
						Washington & Jefferson		16
						Emory & Henry		23
	Emory & Henry		49
	Ferrum		7
																Wagner		19
																Dayton		3
	Dayton		52
	Capital (OH)		28
						Dayton		38
						Augustana (IL)		36
	Augustana (IL)		53
	Hiram		0
											Dayton		34
											Central (IA)		0
	St. John's (MN)		7
	Gustavus Adolphus		3
						St. John's (MN)		3
						Central (IA)		13
	Central (IA)		17
	Menlo		0

See also

• 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season
• 1987 NCAA Division I-AA football season
• 1987 NCAA Division II football season