# 1982 NCAA Division III football season

The 1982 NCAA Division III football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division III level, began in August 1982, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 1982 at Garrett-Harrison Stadium in Phenix City, Alabama.
The West Georgia Wolves won their first Division III championship, defeating the Augustana (IL) Vikings by a final score of 14−0.

## Conference changes and new programs
### New conference

* The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and its nine members all from Minnesota, became an NCAA Division III conference this season, transitioning from Division II of the NAIA after the end of the 1981 season.

### Conference changes

| School | 1981 conference | 1982 conference |
| Westfield State Owls | No program | NEFC |

## Conference standings

1982 College Athletic Conference football standings :
| 1982 College Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Sewanee $ 4 –1 –07 –2 –0 Centre 3 –2 –05 –4 –0 Southwestern (TN) 3 –2 –05 –4 –0 Principia 2 –3 –05 –4 –0 Rose–Hulman 2 –3 –04 –6 –0 Illinois College 1 –4 –03 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1982 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Augustana (IL) $^ 8 –0 –011 –1 –0 North Central (IL) 6 –1 –17 –1 –1 Millikin 5 –2 –15 –3 –1 Elmhurst 5 –3 –06 –3 –0 Carthage 4 –4 –04 –5 –0 Illinois Wesleyan 4 –4 –04 –5 –0 Wheaton (IL) 2 –6 –02 –7 –0 North Park 1 –7 –01 –8 –0 Carroll (WI) 0 –8 –00 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1982 Independent College Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T St. Lawrence $^ 4 –0 –010 –1 –0 Alfred 2 –1 –06 –4 –0 Ithaca 1 –2 –06 –4 –0 Hobart 1 –3 –04 –5 –0 RPI 0 –2 –04 –4 –1 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant |
| 1982 Iowa Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Wartburg $^ 7 –0 –08 –2 –0 Central (IA) 6 –1 –08 –2 –0 Luther 5 –2 –06 –3 –0 Dubuque 4 –3 –06 –3 –0 Buena Vista 3 –4 –04 –5 –0 Simpson (IA) 2 –5 –04 –5 –0 Upper Iowa 1 –6 –02 –8 –0 William Penn 0 –7 –01 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1982 Metropolitan Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T St. John's $ 4 –0 –09 –1 –0 Pace 3 –1 –05 –4 –0 Marist 2 –2 –02 –7 –0 Brooklyn 1 –3 –03 –7 –0 Saint Peter's 0 –4 –01 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1982 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Hope $ 5 –0 –08 –1 –0 Adrian 3 –2 –07 –2 –0 Kalamazoo 2 –2 –15 –2 –1 Albion 2 –2 –13 –5 –1 Alma 1 –4 –03 –6 –0 Olivet 1 –4 –01 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1982 Middle Atlantic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Northern Division Delaware Valley x 6 –1 –08 –2 –0 Lycoming x 6 –1 –08 –2 –0 Susquehanna 5 –2 –07 –3 –0 Juniata 4 –3 –06 –4 –0 Upsala 4 –3 –05 –5 –0 Albright 2 –5 –03 –6 –0 Wilkes 1 –6 –01 –8 –0 Fairleigh Dickinson–Florham 0 –7 –01 –8 –0 Southern Division Widener x^ 7 –1 –09 –2 –0 Swarthmore x 7 –1 –08 –1 –0 Franklin & Marshall 6 –2 –07 –2 –0 Gettysburg 6 –2 –07 –3 –0 Muhlenberg 4 –4 –04 –5 –0 Ursinus 3 –4 –13 –5 –1 Moravian 3 –5 –03 –6 –0 Western Maryland 2 –5 –12 –6 –1 Johns Hopkins 2 –6 –03 –6 –0 Lebanon Valley 2 –6 –02 –7 –0 Dickinson 1 –7 –01 –8 –0 x – Division champion/co-champions^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1982 Midwest Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T North Division Ripon xy$ 4 –0 –08 –2 –0 Lawrence 3 –1 –06 –2 –0 Beloit 2 –2 –05 –4 –0 Lake Forest 1 –3 –04 –4 –0 Chicago 0 –4 –00 –9 –0 South Division Cornell (IA) xy 5 –0 –07 –3 –0 Carleton 4 –1 –06 –2 –0 Coe 3 –2 –04 –5 –0 Monmouth (IL) 2 –3 –03 –6 –0 Knox 1 –4 –02 –6 –0 Grinnell 0 –5 –01 –8 –0 Championship: Ripon 16, Cornell 10 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participant | 1982 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 3 Saint John's (MN) $^ 8 –0 –09 –1 –0 No. 12 St. Thomas (MN) 6 –2 –08 –2 –0 Gustavus Adolphus 6 –2 –06 –4 –0 Concordia–Moorhead 5 –3 –06 –4 –0 Hamline # 5 –3 –06 –4 –0 Augsburg 2 –5 –12 –7 –1 Bethel (MN) 1 –6 –11 –8 –1 Macalester 1 –7 –02 –8 –0 St. Olaf 1 –7 –02 –8 –0 Carleton * 0 –0 –06 –2 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant # – Hamline initially forfeited 5 conference wins—over Augsburg, St. Olaf, Macalester, Concordia–Moorhead, and Bethel (MN)—because a player was ruled ineligible under NAIA rules, but the player was later ruled eligible under MIAC code, and the wins were restored to Hamline. * – ineligible for conference titleRankings from NAIA Division II poll |
| 1982 New England Football Conference standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Plymouth State $ 9 –0 –010 –0 –0 Massachusetts Maritime 7 –2 –07 –2 –0 Maine Maritime 6 –2 –17 –2 –1 Bridgewater State 5 –3 –15 –3 –1 Nichols 5 –4 –05 –4 –0 Western New England 4 –5 –04 –5 –0 Framingham State 3 –6 –03 –6 –0 Western Connecticut State 2 –7 –02 –7 –0 Westfield State 2 –7 –02 –7 –0 Curry 1 –8 –01 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1982 New Jersey State Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Montclair State $ 6 –0 –08 –0 –2 Trenton State 5 –1 –09 –1 –0 Ramapo 3 –3 –07 –3 –0 Glassboro State 3 –3 –05 –5 –0 William Paterson 3 –3 –05 –5 –0 Kean 1 –5 –02 –9 –0 Jersey City State 0 –6 –01 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1982 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 6 Moorhead State $^ 5 –0 –17 –2 –1 Minnesota Duluth 5 –1 –07 –2 –0 Minnesota Morris 3 –2 –14 –4 –2 Northern State 2 –4 –03 –6 –0 Southwest State (MN) 2 –4 –02 –7 –0 Bemidji State 2 –4 –02 –8 –0 Winona State 1 –5 –03 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NAIA Division I playoff participantRankings from NAIA Division I poll |
| 1982 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Blue Division Ohio Northern xy 4 –0 –16 –3 –1 Wittenberg 4 –1 –07 –2 –0 Otterbein 3 –2 –05 –4 –0 Ohio Wesleyan 2 –3 –04 –5 –0 Denison 1 –3 –12 –5 –2 Marietta 0 –5 –00 –9 –0 Red Division Baldwin–Wallace xy$^ 5 –0 –010 –1 –0 Mount Union 4 –1 –08 –1 –0 Capital 3 –2 –05 –4 –0 Heidelberg 2 –3 –05 –4 –0 Wooster 1 –4 –01 –8 –0 Muskingum 0 –5 –02 –7 –0 Not competing for championship Kenyon   –  4 –4 –0 Oberlin   –  2 –7 –0 Championship: Baldwin–Wallace 24, Ohio Northern 0 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participant^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1982 Old Dominion Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Hampden–Sydney $ 4 –1 –04 –4 –1 Randolph–Macon 3 –2 –06 –4 –0 Washington and Lee 3 –2 –05 –4 –0 Bridgewater 2 –3 –03 –6 –0 Emory & Henry 2 –3 –03 –6 –0 Maryville (TN) 1 –4 –02 –8 –0 Catholic University *   –  5 –4 –0 $ – Conference champion * – Ineligible for conference title | 1982 Presidents' Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Hiram $ 6 –1 –06 –3 –0 Case Western Reserve 5 –2 –05 –3 –0 Carnegie Mellon 4 –3 –06 –3 –0 John Carroll 4 –3 –05 –4 –0 Bethany (WV) 3 –4 –04 –5 –0 Washington & Jefferson 3 –4 –04 –5 –0 Allegheny 3 –4 –03 –5 –0 Thiel 0 –7 –00 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1982 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T La Verne + 4 –1 –08 –1 –0 Whittier + 4 –1 –06 –3 –0 Occidental 3 –2 –04 –5 –0 Redlands 3 –2 –04 –6 –0 Claremont-Mudd 1 –4 –01 –8 –0 Pomona-Pitzer 0 –5 –01 –7 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1982 Wisconsin State University Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 11 Wisconsin–La Crosse $ 7 –1 –08 –2 –0 Wisconsin–River Falls 6 –2 –07 –2 –1 Wisconsin–Eau Claire 6 –2 –06 –4 –0 Wisconsin–Stout 5 –3 –08 –3 –0 Wisconsin–Whitewater 4 –4 –07 –4 –0 Wisconsin–Platteville 3 –5 –05 –5 –0 Wisconsin–Stevens Point 3 –5 –03 –7 –0 Wisconsin–Oshkosh 1 –7 –03 –7 –0 Wisconsin–Superior 1 –7 –02 –9 –0 $ – Conference championWisconsin–Stevens Point forfeited 3 games.Rankings from NAIA Division I poll | 1982 NCAA Division III independents football records vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T West Georgia ^   –  12 –0 –0 Wabash   –  10 –0 –0 Union (NY)   –  8 –1 –0 Wagner ^   –  8 –1 –1 DePauw   –  8 –2 –0 Frostburg State   –  6 –2 –2 Albany   –  6 –3 –0 Canisius   –  6 –3 –0 Duquesne   –  6 –3 –0 Millsaps   –  6 –3 –0 Iona   –  5 –3 –1 Dayton   –  6 –4 –0 Hofstra   –  6 –4 –0 Norwich   –  6 –4 –0 Colorado College   –  5 –4 –0 Salisbury State   –  5 –4 –0 Buffalo   –  5 –5 –0 Mercyhurst   –  4 –5 –0 San Diego   –  4 –5 –0 Buffalo State   –  4 –6 –0 Cortland   –  4 –6 –0 Georgetown   –  3 –5 –0 St. Norbert   –  3 –7 –0 Grove City   –  2 –7 –0 Fordham   –  2 –8 –0 Rochester (NY)   –  2 –8 –0 Brockport   –  1 –8 –0 Saint Francis (PA)   –  0 –8 –1 ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant |

## Conference champions

* Conference champions
* College Athletic Conference – Sewanee
* College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin – Augustana (IL)
* Independent College Athletic Conference – St. Lawrence
* Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Wartburg
* Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Hope
* Middle Atlantic Conference – Delaware Valley and Lycoming (North), Widener (South)
* Midwest Collegiate Athletic Conference – Ripon
* Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Saint John's (MN)
* New England Football Conference – Plymouth State
* New Jersey State Athletic Conference – Montclair State
* Northwest Conference – Linfield
* Ohio Athletic Conference – Baldwin Wallace (Red Division), Ohio Northern (Blue Division)
* Old Dominion Athletic Conference – Hampden–Sydney
* Presidents' Athletic Conference – Hiram
* Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – La Verne
* Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Sul Ross
* Twin Rivers Conference – Concordia–St. Paul, Mount Senario, and Northwestern–St. Paul
* Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Wisconsin–La Crosse

## Postseason

The 1982 NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs were the tenth 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 tenth consecutive year. Like the previous seven championships, eight teams competed in this edition.

### Playoff bracket

| Quarterfinals Campus Sites | Quarterfinals Campus Sites | Quarterfinals Campus Sites | Semifinals Campus Sites | Semifinals Campus Sites | Semifinals Campus Sites | National Championship Game Garrett-Harrison Stadium Phenix City, AL | National Championship Game Garrett-Harrison Stadium Phenix City, AL | National Championship Game Garrett-Harrison Stadium Phenix City, AL |
| Augustana (IL) | Augustana (IL) | 28 | | | | | | |
| Baldwin Wallace | Baldwin Wallace | 22 | | | | | | |
| Baldwin Wallace | Baldwin Wallace | 22 | Augustana (IL) | Augustana (IL) | 14 | | | |
| | | | St. Lawrence | St. Lawrence | 0 | | | |
| St. Lawrence | St. Lawrence | 43 | St. Lawrence | St. Lawrence | 0 | | | |
| Wagner | Wagner | 34 | | | | | | |
| Wagner | Wagner | 34 | | | | Augustana (IL) | Augustana (IL) | 0 |
| | | | | | | West Georgia | West Georgia | 14 |
| Bishop | Bishop | 32 | | | | | | | West Georgia | West Georgia | 14 |
| Wartburg | Wartburg | 7 | | | | | | |
| Wartburg | Wartburg | 7 | Bishop | Bishop | 6 | | | |
| | | | West Georgia | West Georgia | 27 | | | |
| West Georgia (3OT) | West Georgia (3OT) | 31 | West Georgia | West Georgia | 27 | | | |
| Widener | Widener | 24 | | | | | | |