# 1988 NCAA Division II football season

The 1988 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began in August 1988, and concluded with the NCAA Division II Football Championship on December 10, 1988, at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama, hosted by the University of North Alabama. The North Dakota State Bison defeated the Portland State Vikings, 35–21, to win their fourth Division II national title. The tournament bracket also expanded for the first time, from 8 teams to 16 teams.
The Harlon Hill Trophy was awarded to Johnny Bailey, running back from Texas A&I, for the second consecutive year.

## Conference changes and new programs

| School | 1987 Conference | 1988 Conference |
| Cameron | NAIA Independent | Lone Star |
| Central State (OK) | NAIA Independent | Lone Star |
| Evansville | Heartland | Mid-South (NAIA) |
| Wofford | NAIA Independent | Independent |

## Conference standings

1988 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings :
| 1988 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Northern Virginia State xy 5 –1 –07 –4 –0 Virginia Union 4 –2 –07 –2 –0 Hampton 3 –3 –07 –3 –0 Norfolk State 2 –4 –05 –5 –0 Elizabeth City State 1 –4 –12 –7 –1 Southern No. 5 Winston-Salem State xy$^ 5 –1 –010 –2 –0 No. 20 Bowie State ^ 4 –1 –19 –2 –1 No. 17 North Carolina Central ^ 4 –1 –19 –2 –1 Johnson C. Smith 1 –4 –12 –7 –1 Livingstone 1 –5 –03 –6 –0 Fayetteville State 0 –4 –20 –7 –2 Championship: Winston-Salem State 13, Virginia State 9 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participant^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll | 1988 Central States Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 2 Pittsburg State $^ 7 –0 –011 –1 –0 No. 11 Emporia State ^ 5 –2 –08 –3 –0 No. 14 Washburn ^ 5 –2 –07 –4 –0 No. 24 Kearney State 4 –3 –06 –5 –0 Fort Hays State 3 –4 –03 –6 –1 Missouri Western 2 –5 –05 –6 –0 Missouri Southern 2 –5 –03 –7 –0 Wayne State (NE) 0 –7 –00 –11 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NAIA Division I playoff participantRankings from NAIA Division I poll | 1988 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 5 Hillsdale $^ 5 –0 –010 –2 –0 No. 19 Northern Michigan 4 –1 –08 –3 –0 Grand Valley State 3 –2 –00 –7 –4 No. 25 Saginaw Valley State 2 –3 –04 –5 –0 Ferris State 1 –4 –04 –7 –0 Wayne State (MI) 0 –5 –02 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NAIA Division I playoff participantRankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll for Northern Michigan and NAIA Division I poll for Hillsdale and Saginaw Valley State |
| 1988 Gulf South Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 9 Tennessee–Martin +^ 7 –1 –011 –2 –0 No. 7 Jacksonville State +^ 7 –1 –010 –2 –0 No. 6 Mississippi College +^ 7 –1 –09 –3 –0 Valdosta State 4 –3 –16 –3 –1 Troy State 3 –5 –04 –6 –0 West Georgia 3 –5 –04 –6 –0 Delta State 2 –5 –14 –6 –1 North Alabama 2 –6 –02 –8 –0 Livingston 0 –8 –00 –11 –0 + – Conference co-champions^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll | 1988 Heartland Collegiate Conference standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Butler $^ 3 –0 –18 –2 –1 Saint Joseph's (IN) 3 –1 –04 –6 –0 Ashland 2 –2 –06 –4 –0 Indianapolis 1 –2 –15 –4 –1 Valparaiso 0 –4 –00 –9 –1 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant | 1988 Lone Star Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 3 Texas A&I $^ 6 –1 –010 –3 –0 No. 15 East Texas State 5 –2 –08 –3 –0 Angelo State 5 –2 –06 –4 –0 No. 18 Cameron 4 –3 –05 –3 –1 Central State (OK) 4 –3 –04 –5 –0 Abilene Christian 3 –4 –03 –7 –0 West Texas State 1 –6 –02 –8 –0 Eastern New Mexico 0 –6 –02 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll for Texas A&I and East Texas State and NAIA Division I poll for Cameron |
| 1988 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T NE Missouri State + 5 –1 –07 –3 –0 SE Missouri State + 5 –1 –06 –4 –0 Central Missouri State + 5 –1 –06 –5 –0 Missouri–Rolla 2 –4 –02 –8 –0 NW Missouri State 2 –4 –02 –9 –0 Southwest Baptist 1 –5 –02 –8 –0 Lincoln (MO) 1 –5 –01 –10 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1988 North Central Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 1 North Dakota State $^ 9 –0 –014 –0 –0 No. 18 Augustana (SD) ^ 6 –3 –08 –4 –0 South Dakota State 6 –3 –07 –4 –0 North Dakota 5 –4 –07 –4 –0 No. 17 St. Cloud State 5 –4 –07 –4 –0 South Dakota 4 –5 –06 –5 –0 Northern Colorado 4 –5 –05 –5 –0 Nebraska–Omaha 4 –5 –06 –5 –0 Mankato State 2 –7 –03 –8 –0 Morningside 0 –9 –00 –11 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll | 1988 Northern California Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 13 UC Davis $^ 5 –0 –07 –3 –1 Sonoma State 3 –2 –05 –5 –0 Chico State 3 –2 –03 –7 –0 Humboldt State 2 –3 –04 –6 –0 Cal State Hayward 1 –4 –02 –9 –0 San Francisco State 1 –4 –01 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll |
| 1988 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 12 Moorhead State $^ 6 –0 –09 –3 –0 No. 15 Northern State ^ 5 –1 –08 –4 –0 Minnesota Duluth 4 –2 –07 –4 –0 Minnesota Morris 3 –3 –04 –6 –0 Southwest State (MN) 2 –4 –04 –6 –0 Winona State 1 –5 –03 –8 –0 Bemidji State 0 –6 –01 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NAIA Division I playoff participantRankings from NAIA Division I poll | 1988 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T East Division No. 11 Millersville x^ 6 –0 –010 –2 –0 No. 2 West Chester 5 –1 –09 –2 –0 Bloomsburg 4 –2 –07 –4 –0 East Stroudsburg 3 –3 –04 –6 –0 Mansfield 2 –4 –04 –5 –2 Cheyney 1 –5 –02 –8 –0 Kutztown 1 –5 –02 –8 –0 West Division No. 14 IUP ^ 5 –1 –08 –3 –0 Shippensburg x 5 –1 –06 –4 –0 Edinboro 4 –1 –15 –4 –1 Slippery Rock 2 –2 –25 –3 –2 Clarion 2 –4 –03 –7 –0 California (PA) 1 –5 –02 –8 –0 Lock Haven 0 –5 –12 –7 –2 x – Division champion/co-champions^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantShippensburg won the West Division on the bases of a head-to-head win over IUP.Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll | 1988 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 12 Albany State $ 6 –1 –08 –2 –0 Savannah State 6 –1 –08 –2 –0 Alabama A&M 6 –1 –07 –3 –0 Fort Valley State 4 –3 –05 –5 –0 Tuskegee 3 –4 –03 –6 –0 Morehouse 2 –5 –04 –7 –0 Clark (GA) 1 –6 –01 –8 –0 Morris Brown 0 –7 –00 –10 –0 Knoxville 0 –0 –04 –4 –1 Lane 0 –0 –04 –5 –0 Miles 0 –0 –02 –5 –1 $ – Conference championRankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll |
| 1988 Western Football Conference standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 4 Portland State $^ 6 –0 –011 –3 –1 No. 10 Sacramento State ^ 4 –2 –010 –3 –0 Santa Clara 4 –2 –07 –4 –0 Cal Poly 3 –3 –05 –4 –1 Cal State Northridge 2 –4 –06 –5 –0 Southern Utah State 2 –4 –04 –7 –0 Cal Lutheran 0 –6 –02 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll | 1988 NCAA Division II independents football records vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Saint Mary's   –  10 –0 –0 New Haven   –  7 –3 –0 Springfield   –  6 –3 –1 Central Connecticut   –  5 –3 –1 Michigan Tech   –  6 –4 –0 UCF   –  6 –5 –0 American International   –  5 –5 –0 Wofford   –  5 –5 –0 Kentucky State   –  4 –7 –0 Southern Connecticut State   –  0 –10 –0 |

## Conference summaries

* Conference Champions
* Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Winston-Salem State
* Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Hillsdale
* Gulf South Conference – Jacksonville State, Mississippi College, and Tennessee–Martin
* Heartland Collegiate Conference – Butler
* Lone Star Conference – Texas A&I
* Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Central Missouri State, Southeast Missouri State, and Northeast Missouri State
* North Central Conference – North Dakota State
* Northern California Athletic Conference – UC Davis
* Northern Intercollegiate Conference – Minnesota State–Moorhead
* Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference – Millersville (East), Shippensburg (West)
* Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference – Colorado Mesa
* South Atlantic Conference – Carson-Newman, Catawba, and Lenoir-Rhyne
* Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Albany State
* Western Football League – Portland State

## Postseason

The 1988 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the 16th single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college football. The championship game was held at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama, for the third time.

### Playoff bracket

| First round Campus sites | First round Campus sites | Quarterfinals Campus sites | Quarterfinals Campus sites | Semifinals Campus sites | Semifinals Campus sites | | Championship Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL | Championship Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL |
| North Dakota State | 49 | | | | | | | |
| Augustana (SD) | 7 | | | | | | | |
| Augustana (SD) | 7 | North Dakota State | 36 | | | | | |
| | | Millersville | 26 | | | | | |
| Millersville | 27 | Millersville | 26 | | | | | |
| IUP | 24 | | | | | | | |
| IUP | 24 | | | North Dakota State | 42 | | | |
| | | | | Sacramento State | 20 | | | |
| Sacramento State | 35 | | | | | Sacramento State | 20 | | | |
| UC Davis | 14 | | | | | | | |
| UC Davis | 14 | Sacramento State | 56 | | | | | |
| | | North Carolina Central | 7 | | | | | |
| North Carolina Central | 31 | North Carolina Central | 7 | | | | | |
| Winston-Salem State | 16 | | | | | | | |
| Winston-Salem State | 16 | | | | | | North Dakota State | 35 |
| | | | | | | | Portland State | 21 |
| Texas A&I | 39 | | | | | | | | Portland State | 21 |
| Mississippi College | 15 | | | | | | | |
| Mississippi College | 15 | Texas A&I | 34 | | | | | |
| | | Tennessee–Martin | 0 | | | | | |
| Tennessee–Martin | 23 | Tennessee–Martin | 0 | | | | | |
| Butler | 6 | | | | | | | |
| Butler | 6 | | | Texas A&I | 27 | | | |
| | | | | Portland State | 35 | | | |
| Portland State | 34 | | | | | Portland State | 35 | | | |
| Bowie State | 17 | | | | | | | |
| Bowie State | 17 | Portland State | 20 | | | | | |
| | | Jacksonville State | 13 | | | | | |
| Jacksonville State | 63 | Jacksonville State | 13 | | | | | |
| West Chester | 24 | | | | | | | |