# 1963 NAIA football season

The 1963 NAIA football season was the eighth season of college football sponsored by the NAIA. The season was played from August to December 1963, culminating in the eighth annual NAIA Football National Championship, played this year at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, California. During its three years in Sacramento, the game was called the Camellia Bowl (separate from the later Camellia Bowl contested in Montgomery, Alabama).
Saint John's (MN) defeated Prairie View A&M in the championship game, 33–27, to win their first NAIA national title.

## Conference standings

1963 Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference football standings :
| 1963 Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Arkansas A&M + 6 –1 –09 –1 –0 Henderson State + 6 –1 –08 –1 –1 Arkansas State Teachers 5 –1 –16 –2 –1 Ouachita Baptist 4 –3 –06 –4 –0 Arkansas Tech 3 –3 –13 –5 –2 Southern Arkansas 2 –5 –02 –7 –0 Ozarks 1 –6 –01 –6 –2 Harding 0 –7 –01 –8 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1963 Carolinas Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Catawba + 5 –1 –06 –3 –0 Elon + 5 –1 –06 –4 –0 Appalachian State 4 –1 –06 –3 –0 Newberry 3 –3 –05 –5 –0 Lenoir Rhyne 2 –4 –04 –6 –0 Western Carolina 1 –5 –02 –6 –1 Guilford 0 –5 –00 –10 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1963 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 17 North Carolina College $ 6 –1 –08 –1 –0 No. 14 Morgan State 8 –1 –08 –1 –0 North Carolina A&T 5 –2 –07 –3 –0 Johnson C. Smith 5 –1 –07 –2 –0 Virginia Union 7 –2 –07 –2 –0 St. Augustine's 4 –2 –14 –3 –1 Virginia State 4 –4 –04 –4 –1 Saint Paul's (VA) 4 –3 –04 –3 –1 Winston-Salem State 3 –3 –14 –3 –1 Norfolk State 4 –3 –04 –4 –0 Maryland State 3 –4 –04 –4 –0 Elizabeth City State 3 –5 –03 –5 –0 Hampton 2 –5 –04 –5 –0 Shaw 2 –6 –02 –8 –0 Howard 1 –4 –04 –5 –0 Fayetteville State 1 –5 –01 –7 –0 Delaware State 1 –5 –02 –5 –1 Livingstone 0 –7 –00 –7 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA poll |
| 1963 Central Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Omaha $ 4 –0 –07 –2 –0 Pittsburg State 2 –1 –15 –3 –1 Washburn * 2 –2 –03 –6 –0 Fort Hays State 1 –3 –02 –6 –1 Emporia State 0 –3 –12 –5 –2 $ – Conference champion * — Washburn forfeited two non-conference wins | 1963 College Conference of Illinois football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Carthage $ 4 –1 –16 –1 –1 Augustana (IL) 4 –2 –07 –2 –0 Illinois Wesleyan 4 –2 –06 –3 –0 Millikin 3 –2 –14 –3 –1 Carroll (WI) 3 –3 –05 –4 –0 North Central (IL) 2 –4 –02 –6 –0 North Park 0 –6 –01 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1963 Evergreen Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 10 Central Washington $ 7 –0 –09 –0 –0 Whitworth 5 –2 –06 –2 –1 Western Washington 4 –3 –05 –4 –0 Puget Sound 2 –5 –04 –5 –0 Eastern Washington 2 –5 –03 –6 –0 Pacific Lutheran 1 –6 –01 –7 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA poll |
| 1963 Gateway Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Northwestern (WI) $ 3 –1 –0 ? – ? – ? Milton 2 –1 –16 –2 –0 Lakeland 2 –1 –13 –6 –0 Illinois–Chicago 2 –2 –0 ? – ? – ? Eureka 0 –4 –00 –7 –0 $ – Conference championLakeland and Milton split two head-to-head games, which counted as a tie for both teams in the conference standings. | 1963 Great Plains College Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Nebraska Wesleyan $ 3 –0 –07 –2 –0 Hastings 2 –1 –05 –3 –1 Colorado College 1 –2 –04 –6 –0 Doane 0 –3 –03 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1963 Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 1 Northern Illinois $ 4 –0 –010 –0 –0 Western Illinois 3 –1 –06 –3 –0 Central Michigan 2 –2 –04 –5 –1 Eastern Illinois 1 –3 –02 –7 –0 Illinois State Normal 0 –4 –03 –6 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA poll |
| 1963 Iowa Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Luther $ 8 –0 –09 –0 –0 Central (IA) 6 –1 –17 –1 –1 Upper Iowa 5 –3 –06 –3 –0 Simpson (IA) 5 –3 –05 –4 –0 Dubuque 3 –4 –13 –4 –1 Buena Vista 3 –5 –04 –5 –0 Wartburg 3 –5 –03 –5 –0 Iowa Wesleyan 2 –6 –02 –7 –0 William Penn 0 –8 –00 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1963 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 6 College of Emporia $^ 9 –0 –010 –1 –0 Ottawa 8 –1 –09 –1 –0 Bethany (KS) 6 –3 –06 –3 –0 Southwestern (KS) 5 –4 –06 –4 –0 Baker 5 –4 –05 –4 –0 Bethel (KS) 4 –5 –04 –5 –0 McPherson 3 –6 –03 –6 –0 Kansas Wesleyan 3 –6 –03 –6 –0 Sterling 2 –7 –02 –7 –0 Friends 0 –9 –00 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NAIA playoff participantRankings from NAIA poll | 1963 Lone Star Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 7 Southwest Texas State $ 6 –0 –010 –0 –0 East Texas State 4 –2 –07 –2 –1 Stephen F. Austin 4 –2 –07 –3 –0 Texas A&I 3 –3 –05 –4 –0 Sam Houston State 2 –3 –14 –3 –1 Howard Payne 1 –5 –03 –7 –0 Sul Ross 0 –5 –11 –7 –1 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA poll |
| 1963 Mid-Ohio Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Ashland $ 3 –0 –09 –1 –0 Bluffton 2 –1 –07 –2 –0 Defiance 1 –3 –02 –6 –0 Wilmington (OH) 1 –3 –03 –5 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1963 Midwest Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Ripon $ 8 –0 –08 –0 –0 Carleton 5 –2 –15 –2 –1 Cornell (IA) 5 –3 –05 –3 –0 Grinnell 5 –3 –05 –3 –0 Beloit 3 –3 –23 –3 –2 Coe 4 –4 –04 –4 –0 St. Olaf 4 –4 –04 –4 –0 Lawrence 3 –4 –13 –4 –1 Knox 1 –7 –01 –7 –0 Monmouth (IL) 0 –8 –00 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1963 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 2 Saint John's (MN) $^ 7 –0 –010 –0 –0 Concordia (MN) 6 –1 –07 –2 –0 Augsburg 4 –3 –04 –3 –1 Hamline 3 –4 –04 –4 –1 Gustavus Adolphus 3 –4 –04 –5 –0 St. Thomas (MN) 3 –4 –04 –5 –0 Minnesota–Duluth 2 –5 –03 –6 –0 Macalester 0 –7 –01 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NAIA playoff participantRankings from NAIA poll |
| 1963 Missouri College Athletic Union football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T William Jewell $ 4 –0 –06 –2 –1 Missouri Valley 3 –1 –05 –4 –0 Tarkio 3 –2 –05 –3 –0 Graceland 1 –3 –01 –7 –0 Culver–Stockton 1 –4 –02 –6 –0 Central Methodist 0 –2 –00 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1963 Montana Collegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Upper Division No. 18 Western Montana x$ 5 –0 –0 ? – ? – ? Eastern Montana 3 –2 –04 –3 –0 Carroll (MT) 1 –4 –03 –4 –0 Lower Division Rocky Mountain x 4 –1 –0 ? – ? – ? Montana Mines 1 –4 –0 ? – ? – ? Northern Montana 1 –4 –01 –6 –0 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsRankings from NAIA poll | 1963 Nebraska College Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 3 Kearney State $^ 5 –0 –09 –1 –0 Hastings 3 –1 –15 –3 –1 Wayne State (NE) 3 –2 –04 –5 –0 Doane 2 –3 –03 –6 –0 Peru State 1 –3 –13 –5 –1 Chadron State 0 –5 –01 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NAIA playoff participantRankings from NAIA poll |
| 1963 North Dakota College Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Valley City State $ 5 –0 –16 –1 –1 Mayville State 4 –1 –15 –2 –1 Minot State 3 –2 –14 –3 –1 Dickinson State 3 –2 –13 –3 –2 Wahpeton Science 3 –3 –03 –5 –0 Jamestown 1 –5 –01 –7 –0 Ellendale 0 –6 –00 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1963 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Michigan Tech $ 4 –1 –06 –2 –0 Bemidji State 3 –1 –16 –1 –1 St. Cloud State 3 –2 –06 –3 –0 Mankato State 3 –2 –04 –4 –1 Moorhead State 1 –3 –14 –4 –1 Winona State 0 –5 –01 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1963 Northwest Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 8 Lewis & Clark $ 5 –0 –08 –0 –0 No. 16 Linfield 4 –1 –08 –1 –0 Willamette 3 –2 –03 –5 –0 Pacific (OR) 2 –3 –03 –6 –0 College of Idaho 1 –4 –03 –6 –0 Whitman 0 –5 –01 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1963 Oklahoma Collegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 4 Northeastern State $ 7 –0 –011 –0 –0 East Central 5 –1 –18 –1 –1 Panhandle A&M 4 –2 –17 –2 –1 Central State (OK) 3 –3 –14 –4 –1 NW Oklahoma State 2 –3 –24 –4 –2 Langston 2 –5 –03 –7 –0 SE Oklahoma State 1 –5 –11 –7 –2 SW Oklahoma State 1 –6 –03 –7 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA poll | 1963 Oregon Collegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Portland State $ 4 –0 –06 –2 –0 Southern Oregon 3 –1 –05 –4 –0 Oregon Tech 2 –2 –02 –4 –0 Oregon College 1 –3 –03 –6 –0 Eastern Oregon 0 –4 –01 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1963 Pennsylvania State College Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T East Division West Chester xy$ 6 –0 –08 –1 –0 East Stroudsburg 4 –2 –05 –3 –0 Millersville 4 –2 –05 –3 –0 Mansfield 3 –3 –04 –4 –0 Bloomsburg 2 –4 –03 –5 –0 Kutztown 2 –4 –03 –5 –0 Cheyney 0 –6 –01 –6 –0 West Division Slippery Rock xy 6 –0 –06 –3 –1 No. 19 Indiana (PA) 5 –1 –07 –1 –1 California (PA) 4 –2 –05 –2 –0 Shippensburg 3 –3 –03 –5 –0 Clarion 2 –4 –04 –4 –0 Edinboro 1 –5 –02 –6 –0 Lock Haven 0 –6 –02 –6 –0 Championship: West Chester 36, Slippery Rock 7 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participantRankings from NAIA poll |
| 1963 Rocky Mountain Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Western State (CO) $ 4 –0 –08 –1 –0 Adams State 3 –1 –06 –4 –0 Colorado State–Greeley 2 –2 –04 –5 –0 Colorado Mines 1 –3 –06 –3 –0 Colorado College 0 –4 –04 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1963 South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 11 Northern State $ 6 –0 –08 –1 –0 Huron 5 –1 –06 –3 –0 Black Hills 3 –2 –14 –3 –1 Southern State (SD) 2 –3 –14 –4 –1 General Beadle 2 –4 –03 –5 –0 Dakota Wesleyan 1 –5 –02 –7 –0 South Dakota Tech 1 –5 –02 –5 –1 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA poll | 1963 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Whittier + 2 –1 –06 –2 –1 Occidental + 2 –1 –06 –3 –0 Pomona 1 –2 –05 –3 –1 Redlands 1 –2 –04 –6 –0 + – Conference co-champions |
| 1963 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 5 Prairie View A&M $^ 7 –0 –010 –1 –0 Southern 5 –2 –07 –3 –0 Texas Southern 5 –2 –07 –3 –0 Grambling 3 –3 –15 –3 –1 Arkansas AM&N 3 –3 –15 –4 –1 Jackson State 2 –5 –04 –5 –0 Wiley 2 –5 –04 –5 –0 Alcorn A&M 0 –7 –03 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NAIA playoff participantRankings from NAIA poll | 1963 Tri-State Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Midland $ 5 –0 –16 –1 –1 Concordia (NE) 5 –1 –06 –3 –0 Westmar 4 –1 –16 –1 –2 Northwestern (IA) 3 –3 –04 –4 –0 Dana 2 –4 –02 –6 –0 Yankton 1 –5 –01 –8 –0 Sioux Falls 0 –6 –01 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1963 West Penn Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Waynesburg + 2 –0 –06 –2 –0 Westminster (PA) + 2 –1 –05 –2 –1 Geneva 1 –2 –01 –7 –0 Grove City 0 –2 –04 –4 –0 + – Conference co-championsWaynesburg and Westminster (PA) tied for the conference title based on two points per victory. |
| 1963 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Eastern Division No. 20 West Liberty State x$ 6 –1 –17 –1 –1 Shepherd 2 –1 –17 –1 –1 West Virginia State 3 –3 –04 –4 –0 Salem 1 –4 –11 –5 –1 Bluefield State 0 –5 –00 –9 –0 Western Division Glenville State x 4 –2 –04 –3 –0 West Virginia Wesleyan 5 –2 –06 –3 –0 West Virginia Tech 4 –2 –05 –3 –0 Fairmont State 3 –4 –03 –5 –0 Concord 2 –5 –12 –6 –1 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsConference standings based on power ratingsRankings from NAIA poll | 1963 Wisconsin State College Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 13 Eau Claire State $ 6 –0 –07 –0 –0 Stevens Point State 6 –1 –06 –2 –0 Whitewater State 5 –2 –06 –3 –0 Superior State 4 –2 –05 –4 –0 Platteville State 3 –3 –03 –5 –0 River Falls State 3 –3 –14 –3 –2 Stout State 2 –4 –12 –5 –1 Milwaukee 1 –4 –11 –6 –1 Oshkosh State 0 –5 –20 –5 –2 La Crosse State 0 –6 –10 –8 –1 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA poll | 1963 NAIA independents football records vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Wheaton (IL)   –  8 –1 –0 Earlham   –  7 –1 –0 Oklahoma Panhandle State   –  7 –2 –1 Findlay   –  7 –3 –0 Hillsdale   –  6 –3 –1 Eastern New Mexico   –  6 –4 –0 Cal Lutheran   –  5 –4 –0 Austin   –  3 –5 –1 La Verne   –  3 –5 –0 Southern Colorado State   –  3 –5 –0 Carson–Newman   –  3 –6 –0 Georgetown (KY)   –  3 –6 –0 McMurry   –  3 –7 –0 St. Mary of the Plains   –  0 –7 –0 New Mexico Highlands   –  0 –9 –0 |

## Postseason

| Semifinals December 7, 1963 | Semifinals December 7, 1963 | Semifinals December 7, 1963 | Championship December 14, 1963 Camellia Bowl | Championship December 14, 1963 Camellia Bowl | Championship December 14, 1963 Camellia Bowl |
| Prairie View A&M | Prairie View A&M | 20 | | | |
| Kearney State* | Kearney State* | 7 | | | |
| Kearney State* | Kearney State* | 7 | Prairie View A&M | Prairie View A&M | 27 |
| | | | Saint John's (MN) | Saint John's (MN) | 33 |
| College of Emporia | College of Emporia | 0 | Saint John's (MN) | Saint John's (MN) | 33 |
| Saint John's (MN)* | Saint John's (MN)* | 54 | | | |