# 1986 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game

The 1986 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Arkansas State Indians (now the Arkansas State Red Wolves) and the Georgia Southern Eagles. The game was played on December 19, 1986, at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington. The culminating game of the 1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Georgia Southern, 48–21. Georgia Southern, the defending champion from 1985, became the first program to win consecutive Division I-AA titles.
Contemporary news reports also referred to this game as Diamond Bowl II, as the NCAA had introduced Diamond Bowl branding for the Division I-AA championship game in 1985. The on-field logo at midfield included "1986 Diamond Bowl" wording. NCAA records list the game date as Saturday, December 20, 1986; however, contemporary news reports are clear that the game was played on the evening of Friday, December 19, 1986.

## Teams

The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 1986 I-AA Playoffs, which began with a 16-team bracket.

### Georgia Southern Eagles

Georgia Southern finished their regular season with a 9–2 record; they played two Division I-A programs, losing to both Florida and East Carolina. Ranked fourth in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll and seeded fourth in the tournament, the Eagles defeated North Carolina A&T, Nicholls State, and top-seed Nevada to reach the final. This was the second appearance for Georgia Southern in a Division I-AA championship game, having won in 1985.

### Arkansas State Indians

Arkansas State finished their regular season with a 9–1–1 record (5–0 in conference); they played three games against Division I-A programs, resulting in one win (Memphis), one loss (Mississippi State), and a tie (Ole Miss). Ranked second in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll and seeded second in the tournament, the Indians defeated Sam Houston State, Delaware, and Eastern Kentucky to reach the final. This was the first appearance for Arkansas State in a Division I-AA championship game.

## Game summary
### Scoring summary

Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | GSC | stAte |
| 1 | 11:03 | 7 | 31 | 3:43 | GSC | 20-yard field goal by Tim Foley | 3 | 0 |
| 1 | 6:08 | 9 | 62 | 4:04 | GSC | Gerald Harris 1-yard touchdown run, Foley kick good | 10 | 0 |
| 1 | 3:08 | 8 | 97 | 3:00 | stAte | Boris Whiteside 15-yard touchdown run, Scott Roper kick good | 10 | 7 |
| 2 | 13:21 | 10 | 64 | 4:40 | GSC | 30-yard field goal by Foley | 13 | 7 |
| 2 | 6:53 | 9 | 69 | 4:28 | GSC | 25-yard field goal by Foley | 16 | 7 |
| 2 | 1:33 | 9 | 95 | 3:37 | GSC | Tracy Ham 25-yard touchdown run, Foley kick good | 23 | 7 |
| 2 | 0:06 | 5 | 32 | 0:39 | GSC | 36-yard field goal by Foley | 26 | 7 |
| 3 | 12:11 | 6 | 77 | 2:49 | GSC | Ham 31-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass good (Herman Barron from Ham) | 34 | 7 |
| 3 | 8:55 | | | | stAte | Safety: GSC snapped ball out of end zone on a punt attempt | 34 | 9 |
| 3 | 8:17 | 2 | 50 | 0:14 | GSC | Ham 11-yard touchdown run, Foley kick good | 41 | 9 |
| 3 | 5:36 | 6 | 76 | 2:41 | stAte | Whiteside 15-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass failed | 41 | 15 |
| 4 | 10:52 | 2 | 73 | 0:49 | GSC | Ricky Harris 79-yard touchdown reception from Ham, Foley kick good | 48 | 15 |
| 4 | 5:15 | 3 | 67 | 0:43 | stAte | Cazzy Francis 44-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass failed | 48 | 21 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 48 | 21 |

### Game statistics

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles | 10 | 16 | 15 | 7 | 48 |
| Indians | 7 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 21 |
| Statistics | GSC | stAte |
| First downs | 28 | 21 |
| Plays–yards | 70–603 | 69–424 |
| Rushes–yards | 58–297 | 51–343 |
| Passing yards | 306 | 81 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 12–22–0 | 8–18–1 |
| Time of possession | 35:43 | 24:17 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Georgia Southern | Passing | Tracy Ham | 12–21, 306 yds, 1 TD |
| Georgia Southern | Rushing | Tracy Ham | 24 car, 180 yds, 3 TD |
| Georgia Southern | Receiving | Ricky Harris | 3 rec, 143 yds, 1 TD |
| Arkansas State | Passing | Dwane Brown | 8–71, 81 yds, 1 INT |
| Arkansas State | Rushing | Richard Kimble | 13 car, 134 yds |
| Arkansas State | Receiving | Andre Tate | 2 rec, 29 yds |