# 1965 NAIA football season

The 1965 NAIA football season was the tenth season of college football sponsored by the NAIA.
The season was played from August to November 1965, culminating in the 1965 NAIA Championship Bowl, played this year again at ARC Stadium in Augusta, Georgia.
Saint John's (MN) defeated Linfield in the Championship Bowl, 33–0, to win their second NAIA national title.

## Conference realignment
### Membership changes

| Team | 1964 conference | 1965 conference |
| Portland State | Oregon Collegiate Conference | NCAA College Division independent |

## Conference standings

1965 Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference football standings :
| 1965 Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Arkansas State Teachers + 5 –1 –17 –1 –1 Arkansas A&M + 5 –1 –17 –2 –1 Arkansas Tech 5 –2 –07 –3 –0 Harding 3 –3 –15 –3 –1 Ouachita Baptist 3 –3 –15 –4 –1 Southern Arkansas 3 –4 –04 –6 –0 Henderson State 2 –5 –04 –6 –0 Ozarks 0 –7 –00 –8 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1965 Carolinas Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Lenoir Rhyne $ 6 –0 –07 –3 –0 Guilford 3 –1 –08 –2 –0 Western Carolina 5 –2 –07 –2 –0 Catawba 3 –3 –07 –3 –0 Appalachian State 3 –3 –05 –5 –0 Newberry 3 –4 –03 –7 –0 Presbyterian 1 –4 –05 –5 –0 Elon 0 –7 –02 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1965 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 3 Morgan State $ 8 –0 –09 –0 –0 Johnson C. Smith 5 –1 –05 –4 –0 Maryland State 5 –1 –05 –2 –0 St. Augustine's 6 –1 –18 –1 –1 North Carolina A&T 4 –3 –04 –6 –0 Delaware State 3 –3 –04 –5 –0 Virginia State 5 –4 –05 –4 –0 Saint Paul's (VA) 4 –3 –05 –3 –0 North Carolina College 3 –4 –13 –5 –1 Howard 2 –3 –05 –3 –0 Norfolk State 4 –4 –04 –4 –0 Virginia Union 3 –5 –03 –5 –0 Livingstone 3 –5 –03 –5 –0 Shaw 4 –5 –04 –5 –0 Elizabeth City State 3 –5 –03 –5 –0 Winston-Salem State 2 –6 –02 –7 –0 Fayetteville State 1 –5 –01 –6 –0 Hampton 0 –7 –01 –8 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA poll |
| 1965 Central Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 12 Omaha $ 4 –0 –08 –1 –0 Fort Hays State 3 –1 –06 –3 –0 Pittsburg State 2 –2 –03 –6 –0 Washburn 1 –3 –02 –6 –1 Emporia State 0 –4 –01 –8 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA poll | 1965 College Conference of Illinois football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 7 Illinois Wesleyan $ 6 –0 –08 –0 –0 Carthage 5 –1 –06 –2 –0 North Central (IL) 3 –3 –05 –3 –0 Augustana (IL) 2 –2 –24 –2 –2 Carroll (WI) 1 –4 –13 –4 –1 Millikin 1 –4 –12 –5 –1 North Park 1 –5 –02 –6 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA poll | 1965 Eastern Football Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Southern Connecticut State $ 5 –0 –07 –3 –0 Central Connecticut State 3 –1 –07 –1 –0 Montclair State 3 –1 –04 –4 –0 Bridgeport 1 –3 –03 –6 –0 Trenton State 1 –4 –01 –8 –0 Glassboro State 0 –4 –00 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1965 Evergreen Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 10 Eastern Washington $ 4 –1 –08 –1 –0 Whitworth 3 –2 –05 –3 –0 Western Washington 2 –2 –14 –4 –1 Central Washington 1 –3 –13 –4 –1 Puget Sound 0 –2 –20 –5 –3 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA poll | 1965 Gateway Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Northwestern (WI) $ 4 –0 –06 –1 –0 Milton 3 –1 –04 –3 –0 Lakeland 2 –2 –05 –3 –0 Illinois–Chicago 1 –3 –01 –7 –0 Eureka 0 –4 –01 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1965 Gulf States Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Southwestern Louisiana + 4 –1 –06 –3 –0 McNeese State + 4 –1 –05 –4 –0 Louisiana Tech 3 –2 –04 –4 –0 Northwestern State 2 –3 –05 –3 –0 Southeastern Louisiana 2 –3 –05 –4 –0 Northeast Louisiana State 0 –5 –01 –8 –0 + – Conference co-champions |
| 1965 Iowa Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 16 Central (IA) $ 7 –0 –08 –1 –0 Luther 6 –1 –06 –3 –0 Dubuque 5 –2 –06 –2 –1 Buena Vista 4 –3 –06 –3 –0 Upper Iowa 3 –4 –04 –5 –0 Simpson (IA) 2 –5 –03 –6 –0 Wartburg 1 –6 –02 –7 –0 William Penn 0 –7 –01 –8 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA poll | 1965 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 5 Ottawa $ 9 –0 –09 –0 –0 Bethany (KS) 7 –2 –07 –2 –0 Baker 6 –3 –06 –3 –0 College of Emporia 5 –3 –15 –3 –1 Southwestern (KS) 5 –3 –15 –3 –1 Friends 4 –5 –04 –5 –0 Kansas Wesleyan 3 –6 –03 –6 –0 Sterling 3 –6 –03 –6 –0 McPherson 2 –7 –02 –7 –0 Bethel (KS) 0 –9 –00 –9 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA poll | 1965 Lone Star Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 2 Sul Ross $^ 6 –0 –010 –1 –0 Southwest Texas State 4 –2 –08 –2 –0 Stephen F. Austin 4 –2 –06 –3 –0 Texas A&I 4 –2 –06 –3 –0 East Texas State 2 –4 –04 –5 –0 Sam Houston State 1 –4 –04 –6 –0 Howard Payne 0 –6 –02 –8 –0 McMurry 0 –0 –04 –5 –1 $ – Conference champion^ – NAIA playoff participantRankings from NAIA poll |
| 1965 Mid-Ohio Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Ashland $ 3 –0 –07 –1 –1 Bluffton 2 –1 –07 –2 –0 Defiance 1 –2 –03 –4 –0 Wilmington (OH) 0 –3 –00 –7 –1 $ – Conference champion | 1965 Midwest Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Ripon $ 7 –1 –07 –1 –0 Grinnell 6 –2 –06 –2 –0 Beloit 5 –3 –05 –3 –0 Lawrence 5 –3 –05 –3 –0 St. Olaf 5 –3 –05 –3 –0 Coe 4 –4 –04 –4 –0 Carleton 3 –5 –03 –5 –0 Cornell (IA) 2 –6 –02 –6 –0 Monmouth (IL) 2 –6 –02 –6 –0 Knox 1 –7 –01 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1965 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 1 Saint John's (MN) $^ 7 –0 –011 –0 –0 No. 19 Concordia (MN) 5 –2 –06 –2 –0 St. Thomas (MN) 4 –2 –14 –4 –1 Gustavus Adolphus 4 –3 –05 –4 –0 Minnesota–Duluth 3 –4 –04 –5 –0 Augsburg 2 –4 –13 –5 –1 Hamline 2 –5 –03 –6 –0 Macalester 0 –7 –00 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NAIA playoff participantRankings from NAIA poll |
| 1965 Missouri College Athletic Union football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T William Jewell $ 4 –0 –07 –2 –0 Missouri Valley 3 –1 –04 –5 –0 Central Methodist 2 –1 –04 –4 –0 Graceland 2 –3 –03 –6 –0 Tarkio 1 –3 –03 –6 –0 Culver–Stockton 0 –4 –01 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1965 Montana Collegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Upper Division Eastern Montana x$ 5 –0 –06 –2 –0 Carroll (MT) 3 –2 –06 –2 –0 Western Montana 2 –3 –04 –4 –0 Lower Division Montana Mines  ? – ? – ? ? – ? – ? Rocky Mountain  ? – ? – ? ? – ? – ? Northern Montana  ? – ? – ? ? – ? – ? $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-champions | 1965 Nebraska College Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Kearney State + 3 –1 –07 –2 –0 Wayne State (NE) + 3 –1 –06 –4 –0 Peru State + 3 –1 –04 –5 –0 Hastings 1 –3 –04 –6 –0 Chadron State 0 –4 –02 –6 –1 + – Conference co-champions |
| 1965 North Dakota College Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 17 Mayville State $ 6 –0 –07 –1 –0 Dickinson State 5 –1 –06 –2 –0 Minot State 4 –2 –05 –2 –1 Valley City State 3 –3 –03 –5 –0 Jamestown 2 –4 –02 –6 –0 Wahpeton Science 0 –5 –12 –5 –1 Ellendale 0 –5 –11 –6 –1 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA poll | 1965 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Michigan Tech $ 4 –1 –06 –2 –0 Winona State 3 –2 –06 –2 –0 Mankato State 3 –2 –05 –3 –1 Bemidji State 3 –2 –04 –4 –0 Moorhead State 2 –3 –05 –4 –0 St. Cloud State 0 –5 –02 –6 –1 $ – Conference champion | 1965 Northwest Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 9 Linfield $^ 5 –0 –08 –2 –0 Willamette 4 –1 –06 –1 –1 Pacific (OR) 2 –3 –05 –3 –0 College of Idaho 2 –3 –02 –6 –0 Lewis & Clark 1 –4 –03 –5 –0 Whitman 1 –4 –02 –6 –0 Pacific Lutheran   –  4 –5 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NAIA playoff participantRankings from NAIA poll |
| 1965 Oklahoma Collegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 4 East Central $ 7 –0 –09 –1 –0 Northeastern State 5 –1 –17 –1 –1 Central State (OK) 5 –1 –16 –3 –1 Langston 3 –4 –05 –4 –0 SW Oklahoma State 3 –4 –05 –5 –0 Panhandle A&M 3 –4 –03 –6 –0 NW Oklahoma State 1 –6 –03 –7 –0 SE Oklahoma State 0 –7 –01 –8 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA poll | 1965 Oregon Collegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Southern Oregon $ 4 –0 –05 –3 –1 Oregon College 2 –2 –05 –3 –1 Eastern Oregon 2 –2 –03 –6 –1 Oregon Tech 2 –2 –02 –5 –0 George Fox 0 –4 –00 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1965 Pennsylvania State College Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T East Division No. 8/10 East Stroudsburg xy$ 6 –0 –010 –0 –0 West Chester 5 –1 –05 –3 –0 Mansfield 4 –2 –04 –5 –0 Bloomsburg 3 –3 –04 –4 –0 Millersville 2 –4 –04 –4 –0 Cheyney 1 –5 –02 –5 –0 Kutztown 0 –6 –01 –7 –0 West Division Indiana (PA) xy 5 –1 –07 –3 –0 Clarion 4 –1 –16 –2 –1 California (PA) 4 –2 –05 –3 –0 Lock Haven 3 –3 –05 –3 –0 Slippery Rock 2 –3 –14 –3 –1 Shippensburg 2 –4 –03 –5 –0 Edinboro * 0 –6 –06 –2 –1 Championship: East Stroudsburg 26, Indiana (PA) 10 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participant * – Edinboro forfeited four conference victories—over IUP, Clarion, Shippensburg, and California—but NCAA and Edinboro records do not reflect the forfeits in the team's overall record. Rankings from NAIA poll and AP small college poll |
| 1965 South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Northern State $ 5 –1 –05 –4 –0 Dakota Wesleyan 4 –2 –07 –2 –0 General Beadle 4 –2 –06 –3 –0 Black Hills State 3 –3 –05 –3 –0 Huron 3 –3 –05 –4 –0 South Dakota Tech 1 –5 –03 –5 –0 Southern State (SD) 1 –5 –01 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1965 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 11 Occidental $ 5 –0 –08 –1 –0 Pomona 3 –2 –05 –5 –0 Whittier 2 –2 –04 –5 –0 Redlands 2 –2 –04 –6 –0 Claremont-Mudd 1 –3 –02 –7 –0 Caltech 0 –4 –00 –7 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA poll | 1965 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 13 Grambling $ 6 –1 –08 –3 –0 Southern 4 –2 –15 –4 –1 Texas Southern 4 –2 –15 –4 –1 Jackson State 3 –3 –15 –3 –1 Prairie View A&M 3 –3 –15 –3 –1 Arkansas AM&N 3 –3 –14 –5 –1 Alcorn A&M 2 –4 –13 –5 –1 Wiley 0 –7 –01 –7 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from UPI small college poll |
| 1965 Tri-State Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Westmar + 5 –1 –07 –1 –1 Midland + 5 –1 –06 –2 –0 Yankton 4 –2 –07 –2 –0 Concordia (NE) 3 –3 –06 –3 –0 Dana 2 –4 –02 –6 –0 Northwestern (IA) 1 –5 –02 –6 –0 Sioux Falls 1 –5 –02 –7 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1965 West Penn Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Waynesburg $ 2 –0 –16 –2 –1 Westminster (PA) 2 –1 –05 –3 –0 Grove City 1 –1 –14 –4 –1 Geneva 0 –3 –03 –5 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1965 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 6 Fairmont State $^ 7 –0 –08 –1 –0 Bluefield State 3 –1 –16 –1 –1 West Virginia Wesleyan 3 –2 –06 –3 –0 West Virginia Tech 5 –3 –05 –3 –0 West Liberty State 3 –2 –24 –2 –2 Concord 3 –4 –04 –5 –0 Glenville State 2 –5 –02 –6 –0 Salem 1 –4 –21 –5 –2 West Virginia State 1 –4 –11 –6 –1 Shepherd * 0 –3 –02 –5 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NAIA playoff participant * – Did not qualify for conference standings Conference standings based on power ratingsRankings from NAIA poll |
| 1965 Wisconsin State University Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Stout State $ 6 –0 –07 –1 –1 Whitewater State 4 –1 –17 –2 –1 La Crosse State 4 –1 –15 –3 –1 Stevens Point State 4 –2 –06 –3 –0 River Falls State 3 –2 –24 –3 –2 Oshkosh State 3 –4 –05 –4 –0 Eau Claire State 2 –6 –02 –6 –0 Platteville State 1 –5 –02 –6 –1 Superior State 0 –6 –00 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1965 NAIA independents football records vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Georgetown (KY)   –  9 –0 –0 No. 15 Cal Lutheran   –  8 –1 –0 No. 18 Southern Colorado State   –  8 –1 –1 No. 20 Austin   –  7 –2 –0 Earlham   –  7 –2 –0 No. 13 Findlay   –  7 –2 –0 No. 14 Northern Michigan   –  7 –3 –0 Hillsdale   –  6 –3 –0 La Verne   –  5 –3 –0 Carson–Newman   –  5 –4 –0 New Mexico Highlands   –  5 –4 –0 Wofford   –  5 –4 –0 McMurry   –  4 –5 –1 Simon Fraser   –  2 –3 –0 Doane   –  3 –6 –0 Oklahoma Panhandle State   –  3 –6 –0 Eastern New Mexico   –  2 –6 –1 Azusa Pacific   –  1 –6 –0 Iowa Wesleyan   –  1 –7 –0 Wheaton (IL)   –  1 –8 –0 St. Mary of the Plains   –  0 –9 –0 Rankings from NAIA poll |

## Postseason
### Bracket

| Semifinals November 27, 1965 | Semifinals November 27, 1965 | Semifinals November 27, 1965 | Championship December 11, 1965 Augusta, GA | Championship December 11, 1965 Augusta, GA | Championship December 11, 1965 Augusta, GA |
| Fairmont State | Fairmont State | 7 | | | |
| Saint John's (MN)* | Saint John's (MN)* | 28 | | | |
| Saint John's (MN)* | Saint John's (MN)* | 28 | Saint John's (MN) | Saint John's (MN) | 33 |
| | | | Linfield | Linfield | 0 |
| Linfield | Linfield | 30 | Linfield | Linfield | 0 |
| Sul Ross* | Sul Ross* | 27 | | | |

### Championship game outstanding players

* Back: Stan Suchta, Saint John's (MN)
* Lineman: Fred Cremer, Saint John's (MN)