# 1993 NCAA Division I-AA football season

The 1993 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-AA level, began in August 1993, and concluded with the 1993 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game on December 18, 1993, at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The Youngstown State Penguins won their second I-AA championship, defeating the Marshall Thundering Herd by a score of 17−5. It was the third consecutive year that Marshall and Youngstown State faced off in the I-AA title game.

## Conference changes and new programs

* A 1991 NCAA rule change required athletic programs to maintain all of their sports at the same division level by the 1993 season. In order to comply, 28 Division I programs with football teams at the Division II and Division III levels were forced to upgrade their programs to the Division I level, and all of them (at least initially) chose Division I-AA as their new football home.
* The rule change led directly to the establishment of the Pioneer Football League, a non-scholarship football conference at the Division I-AA level with six founding members, all of which had played in Division II or III: Butler, Dayton, Drake, Evansville, San Diego, and Valparaiso.
* It also led to the creation of the American West Conference, initially a football-only conference at the Division I-AA level with five founding members, all formerly in Division II: UC Davis, Cal Poly, Cal State Northridge, Sacramento State, and Southern Utah.
* The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, an existing Division I conference, also began sponsoring football in order to accommodate these new I-AA football programs.
| School | 1992 Conference | 1993 Conference |
| Buffalo | D-III Independent | I-AA Independent |
| Butler | MIFC (D-II) | Pioneer (I-AA) |
| California–Davis | Northern California (D-II) | American West+ |
| Cal Poly | Western (D-II) | American West (I-AA) |
| Cal State Northridge | Western (D-II) | American West (I-AA) |
| Canisius | D-III Independent | MAAC (I-AA) |
| Central Connecticut State | D-II Independent | I-AA Independent |
| Charleston Southern | D-III Independent | I-AA Independent |
| Davidson | D-III Independent | I-AA Independent |
| Dayton | D-III Independent | Pioneer (I-AA) |
| Drake | D-III Independent | Pioneer (I-AA) |
| Duquesne | D-III Independent | I-AA Independent |
| Evansville | D-III Independent | Pioneer (I-AA) |
| Georgetown | D-III Independent | MAAC (I-AA) |
| Georgia Southern | I-AA Independent | Southern |
| Iona | Liberty (D-III) | MAAC (I-AA) |
| James Madison | I-AA Independent | Yankee |
| Marist | Liberty (D-III) | I-AA Independent |
| Monmouth | New Program | I-AA Independent |
| Northeastern | I-AA Independent | Yankee |
| Sacramento State | Western (D-II) | American West (I-AA) |
| St. Francis (PA) | D-III Independent | I-AA Independent |
| St. John's (NY) | Liberty (D-III) | MAAC (I-AA) |
| St. Mary's (CA) | D-II Independent | I-AA Independent |
| St. Peter's | D-III Independent | MAAC (I-AA) |
| San Diego | D-III Independent | Pioneer (I-AA) |
| Siena | D-III Independent | MAAC (I-AA) |
| Southern Utah | Western (D-II) | American West (I-AA) |
| Troy State | D-II Independent | I-AA Independent |
| UAB | D-III Independent | I-AA Independent |
| Valparaiso | MIFC (D-II) | Pioneer (I-AA) |
| Wagner | Liberty (D-III) | I-AA Independent |
| William & Mary | I-AA Independent | Yankee |
+ The UC Davis Aggies, although a member of the new American West Conference, were listed in Division II polls, and participated in the Division II postseason.

## Conference standings

1993 American West Conference football standings :
| 1993 American West Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 7 UC Davis +^ 3 –1 –010 –2 –0 Southern Utah + 3 –1 –03 –7 –1 Sacramento State 2 –2 –04 –6 –0 Cal Poly 1 –3 –06 –4 –0 Cal State Northridge 1 –3 –04 –6 –0 + – Conference co-champions^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantAlthough UC Davis was a conference member, they participated in NCAA Division II polls and postseason.Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll | 1993 Big Sky Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 3 Montana $^ 7 –0 –010 –2 –0 No. 11 Idaho ^ 5 –2 –011 –3 –0 No. 20 Eastern Washington 5 –2 –07 –3 –0 Montana State 4 –3 –07 –4 –0 Northern Arizona 3 –4 –07 –4 –0 Weber State 3 –4 –07 –4 –0 Boise State 1 –6 –03 –8 –0 Idaho State 0 –7 –00 –11 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participantRankings from The Sports Network poll | 1993 Gateway Football Conference standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 13 Northern Iowa $^ 5 –1 –08 –4 –0 Southwest Missouri State 4 –2 –07 –4 –0 Western Illinois 4 –2 –04 –7 –0 Illinois State 2 –3 –16 –4 –1 Eastern Illinois 2 –3 –13 –7 –1 Indiana State 2 –4 –04 –7 –0 Southern Illinois 1 –5 –02 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participantRankings from The Sports Network poll |
| 1993 Ivy League football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 16 Penn $ 7 –0 –010 –0 –0 Dartmouth 6 –1 –07 –3 –0 Princeton 5 –2 –08 –2 –0 Brown 3 –4 –04 –6 –0 Cornell 3 –4 –04 –6 –0 Yale 2 –5 –03 –7 –0 Harvard 1 –6 –03 –7 –0 Columbia 1 –6 –02 –8 –0 + – Conference co-championsRankings from The Sports Network poll | 1993 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Iona $ 5 –0 –09 –2 –0 Canisius 4 –1 –05 –5 –0 St. John's 3 –2 –08 –3 –0 Georgetown 2 –3 –04 –5 –0 Saint Peter's 1 –4 –03 –7 –0 Siena 0 –5 –00 –10 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1993 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 8 Howard $^ 6 –0 –011 –1 –0 South Carolina State 4 –2 –08 –3 –0 Delaware State 4 –2 –06 –5 –0 No. 21 North Carolina A&T 3 –3 –08 –3 –0 Florida A&M 3 –3 –05 –6 –0 Morgan State 1 –5 –03 –8 –0 Bethune–Cookman 0 –6 –01 –10 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participantRankings from The Sports Network poll |
| 1993 Ohio Valley Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 17 Eastern Kentucky $^ 8 –0 –08 –4 –0 No. 22 Tennessee Tech 7 –1 –08 –3 –0 Tennessee–Martin 5 –3 –06 –5 –0 Middle Tennessee 4 –4 –05 –6 –0 Murray State 4 –4 –04 –7 –0 Tennessee State 4 –4 –04 –7 –0 Morehead State 2 –6 –03 –8 –0 Southeast Missouri State 2 –6 –03 –8 –0 Austin Peay 0 –8 –01 –10 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participantRankings from The Sports Network poll | 1993 Patriot League football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Lehigh $ 4 –1 –07 –4 –0 Lafayette 3 –1 –15 –4 –2 Bucknell 3 –2 –04 –7 –0 Holy Cross 2 –3 –03 –8 –0 Colgate 1 –3 –13 –7 –1 Fordham 1 –4 –01 –10 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1993 Pioneer Football League standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Dayton $  5 –0  9 –1   Drake  3 –2  8 –2   Butler  3 –2  4 –6   Evansville  2 –3  6 –4   San Diego  1 –4  6 –4   Valparaiso  1 –4  5 –5   $ – Conference champion |
| 1993 Southern Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 2 Georgia Southern $^ 7 –1 –010 –3 –0 No. 9 Marshall ^ 6 –2 –011 –4 –0 Western Carolina 5 –3 –06 –5 –0 Furman 4 –4 –05 –5 –1 The Citadel 4 –4 –07 –5 –0 Appalachian State 4 –4 –04 –7 –0 East Tennessee State 3 –5 –05 –6 –0 Chattanooga 2 –6 –04 –7 –0 VMI 1 –7 –01 –10 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participantRankings from The Sports Network poll | 1993 Southland Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 5 McNeese State $^ 7 –0 –010 –3 –0 No. 4 NE Louisiana ^ 6 –1 –09 –3 –0 No. 14 Stephen F. Austin ^ 5 –2 –08 –4 –0 Northwestern State 3 –4 –05 –6 –0 Sam Houston State 2 –5 –04 –7 –0 North Texas 2 –5 –04 –7 –0 Nicholls State 2 –5 –03 –8 –0 SW Texas State 1 –6 –02 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participantRankings from The Sports Network poll | 1993 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 15 Southern $ 7 –0 –011 –1 –0 No. 23 Alcorn State 6 –1 –08 –3 –0 Grambling State 4 –3 –07 –4 –0 Jackson State 3 –3 –15 –5 –1 Alabama State 3 –3 –15 –4 –1 Mississippi Valley State 2 –3 –24 –4 –2 Texas Southern 1 –6 –02 –9 –0 Prairie View A&M 0 –7 –00 –11 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from The Sports Network Poll |
| 1993 Yankee Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T New England Division No. 6 Boston University x$^ 8 –0 –012 –1 –0 No. 25 UMass 6 –2 –09 –2 –0 Connecticut 5 –3 –06 –5 –0 New Hampshire 4 –4 –06 –5 –0 Rhode Island 2 –6 –04 –7 –0 Maine 0 –8 –00 –11 –0 Mid-Atlantic Division No. 10 William & Mary x^ 7 –1 –09 –3 –0 No. 18 Delaware ^ 6 –2 –09 –4 –0 James Madison 4 –4 –06 –5 –0 Richmond 3 –5 –05 –6 –0 Northeastern 2 –6 –02 –9 –0 Villanova 1 –7 –03 –8 –0 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-champions^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participantRankings from The Sports Network poll | 1993 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 1 Troy State ^   –  11 –0 –1 Youngstown State ^   –  10 –2 –0 UAB   –  9 –2 –0 Wagner   –  9 –2 –0 No. 12 UCF ^   –  9 –3 –0 No. 24 Towson State   –  8 –2 –0 No. 19 Western Kentucky   –  8 –3 –0 Hofstra   –  6 –3 –1 Saint Mary's   –  6 –3 –1 Davidson   –  6 –4 –0 Central Connecticut State   –  5 –5 –0 Liberty   –  5 –5 –0 Marist   –  5 –5 –0 Samford   –  5 –6 –0 Duquesne   –  4 –6 –0 Saint Francis   –  3 –7 –0 Charleston Southern   –  3 –8 –0 Monmouth   –  2 –5 –0 Buffalo   –  1 –10 –0 ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participantRankings from The Sports Network poll |

## Conference champions

* Conference champions
* American West Conference – Southern Utah and UC Davis
* Big Sky Conference – Montana
* Gateway Football Conference – Northern Iowa
* Ivy League – Penn
* Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference – Iona
* Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Howard
* Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky
* Patriot League – Lehigh
* Pioneer Football League – Dayton
* Southern Conference – Georgia Southern
* Southland Conference – McNeese State
* Southwestern Athletic Conference – Southern
* Yankee Conference – Boston University

## Postseason
### NCAA Division I-AA playoff bracket

Only the top four teams in the field were seeded, with the NCAA placing others teams in the bracket to avoid early round matchups between teams from the same conference. This was the first season that the NCAA did not use an in-house poll process for I-AA ranking purposes; independent polling by The Sports Network wire service was used. The site of the title game, Marshall University Stadium, had been predetermined months earlier.
| First Round November 27 Campus sites | First Round November 27 Campus sites | Quarterfinals December 4 Campus sites | Quarterfinals December 4 Campus sites | Semifinals December 11 Campus sites | Semifinals December 11 Campus sites | | National Championship Game December 18 Marshall University Stadium Huntington, WV | National Championship Game December 18 Marshall University Stadium Huntington, WV |
| Eastern Kentucky | 12 | | | | | | | |
| (1) Georgia Southern* | 14 | | | | | | | |
| (1) Georgia Southern* | 14 | (1) Georgia Southern | 14 | | | | | |
| | | Youngstown State* | 34 | | | | | |
| UCF | 30 | Youngstown State* | 34 | | | | | |
| Youngstown State* | 56 | | | | | | | |
| Youngstown State* | 56 | | | Youngstown State* | 35 | | | |
| | | | | Idaho | 16 | | | |
| Northern Iowa | 21 | | | | | Idaho | 16 | | | |
| (4) Boston University* | 27** | | | | | | | |
| (4) Boston University* | 27** | (4) Boston University | 14 | | | | | |
| | | Idaho* | 21 | | | | | |
| Idaho | 34' | Idaho* | 21 | | | | | |
| Northeast Louisiana* | 31 | | | | | | | |
| Northeast Louisiana* | 31 | | | | | | Youngstown State | 17 |
| | | | | | | | Marshall | 5 |
| Delaware | 49 | | | | | | | | Marshall | 5 |
| (2) Montana* | 48 | | | | | | | |
| (2) Montana* | 48 | Delaware | 31 | | | | | |
| | | Marshall* | 34 | | | | | |
| Howard | 14 | Marshall* | 34 | | | | | |
| Marshall* | 28* | | | | | | | |
| Marshall* | 28* | | | Marshall* | 24 | | | |
| | | | | Troy State | 21 | | | |
| William & Mary | 28 | | | | | Troy State | 21 | | | |
| (3) McNeese State* | 34 | | | | | | | |
| (3) McNeese State* | 34 | (3) McNeese State* | 28 | | | | | |
| | | Troy State | 35 | | | | | |
| Stephen F. Austin | 20 | Troy State | 35 | | | | | |
| Troy State* | 42 | | | | | | | |
* Next to team name denotes host institution
* Next to score denotes overtime period
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