# 1998 NCAA Division III football season

The 1998 NCAA Division III football season, part of the college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States, began in August 1998, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 1998 at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. The Mount Union Purple Raiders won their fourth, and third consecutive, Division III championship by defeating the Rowan Profs, 44−24.
The Gagliardi Trophy, given to the most outstanding player in Division III football, was awarded to Scott Hvistendahl, wide receiver and punter from Augsburg.

## Conference standings

1998 American Southwest Conference football standings :
| 1998 American Southwest Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Hardin–Simmons $  7 –0  9 –1   McMurry  6 –1  8 –2   Howard Payne  5 –2  8 –2   Austin  4 –3  4 –6   Mississippi College  2 –5  4 –6   Texas Lutheran  2 –5  4 –6   Mary Hardin–Baylor  2 –5  3 –7   Sul Ross  0 –7  1 –9   $ – Conference champion | 1998 Atlantic Central Football Conference standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Wesley $  3 –0  7 –3   Methodist  3 –1  7 –3   Frostburg State  2 –2  7 –3   Chowan  2 –3  5 –5   Ferrum  2 –3  6 –4   Salisbury State  1 –4  3 –7   $ – Conference champion | 1998 Centennial Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Western Maryland $^  7 –0  10 –2   Dickinson  5 –2  8 –3   Johns Hopkins  5 –2  7 –3   Franklin & Marshall  4 –3  4 –6   Muhlenberg  3 –4  5 –5   Gettysburg  2 –5  3 –7   Ursinus  2 –5  3 –7   Swarthmore  0 –7  0 –8   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant |
| 1998 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Millikin $^  6 –1  8 –2   Augustana (IL)  5 –2  7 –2   Illinois Wesleyan  5 –2  7 –2   Wheaton (IL)  5 –2  6 –3   Carthage  4 –3  5 –4   Elmhurst  1 –6  3 –6   North Central (IL)  1 –6  3 –6   North Park  1 –6  2 –7   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1998 Freedom Football Conference standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Springfield (MA) $^  6 –0  9 –2   Plymouth State  4 –2  7 –4   Merchant Marine  4 –2  6 –3   Western Connecticut  3 –3  5 –5   WPI  3 –3  4 –5   Norwich  1 –5  5 –6   Coast Guard  0 –6  1 –8   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1998 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Wabash $  7 –0  9 –1   Hanover  6 –1  9 –1   Franklin (IN)  4 –3  6 –4   Bluffton  4 –3  5 –5   Wilmington (OH)  3 –4  4 –6   Manchester  2 –5  2 –8   Mount St. Joseph  2 –5  2 –8   Anderson (IN)  0 –7  0 –10   $ – Conference champion |
| 1998 Illini–Badger Football Conference standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Aurora $  7 –0  7 –3   MacMurray  6 –1  9 –1   Concordia (WI)  5 –2  7 –3   Lakeland  4 –3  7 –3   Benedictine (IL)  3 –4  3 –7   Eureka  2 –5  4 –6   Greenville  1 –6  2 –8   Concordia (IL)  0 –7  1 –9   $ – Conference champion | 1998 Iowa Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Central (IA) $^  10 –0  10 –1   Wartburg  9 –1  9 –1   Buena Vista  7 –3  7 –3   Simpson (IA)  7 –3  7 –3   Coe  5 –5  5 –5   Upper Iowa  5 –5  5 –5   Cornell (IA)  4 –6  4 –6   Loras  4 –6  4 –6   Luther  3 –7  3 –7   William Penn  1 –9  1 –9   Dubuque  0 –10  0 –10   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1998 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Albion $^  6 –0  8 –2   Hope  4 –2  5 –4   Adrian  3 –3  5 –4   Alma  3 –3  5 –4   Olivet  2 –4  5 –4   Kalamazoo  2 –4  4 –5   Defiance  1 –5  3 –6   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant |
| 1998 Middle Atlantic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Commonwealth Widener x  4 –1  8 –2   Susquehanna x  4 –1  6 –3   Juniata  3 –2  5 –5   Albright  2 –3  4 –6   Moravian  2 –3  3 –7   Lebanon Valley  0 –5  1 –9   Freedom Lycoming x^  4 –0  10 –1   Wilkes  3 –1  5 –4   King's (PA)  2 –2  3 –7   Fairleigh Dickinson–Florham  1 –3  2 –8   Delaware Valley  0 –4  3 –7   x – Division champion/co-champions^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1998 Midwest Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Grinnell $  9 –0  10 –0   Beloit  7 –2  7 –3   Ripon  7 –2  7 –3   Knox  6 –3  6 –4   St. Norbert  5 –4  5 –5   Lake Forest  4 –5  4 –6   Carroll (WI)  3 –6  4 –6   Lawrence  2 –7  2 –8   Monmouth (IL)  2 –7  2 –8   Illinois College  0 –9  0 –10   $ – Conference champion | 1998 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Saint John's (MN) $^ 9 –0 –011 –1 –0 Bethel (MN) 7 –2 –08 –2 –0 Gustavus Adolphus 7 –2 –08 –2 –0 St. Thomas (MN) 7 –2 –07 –3 –0 Augsburg 5 –4 –06 –4 –0 Concordia–Moorhead 4 –5 –04 –6 –0 Hamline 2 –7 –02 –8 –0 St. Olaf 2 –7 –02 –8 –0 Carleton 1 –8 –02 –8 –0 Macalester 1 –8 –02 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant |
| 1998 New England Football Conference standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Blue Division Salve Regina x  6 –0  10 –1   UMass Dartmouth  5 –1  8 –2   Curry  4 –2  6 –4   Western New England  3 –3  5 –4   Nichols  2 –4  5 –5   MIT  1 –5  1 –8   UMass–Boston  0 –6  0 –10   Red Division Bridgewater State x  5 –1  7 –3   Maine Maritime x  5 –1  5 –5   Massachusetts Maritime  4 –2  6 –4   Worcester State  3 –3  4 –6   Westfield State  2 –4  5 –5   Fitchburg State  2 –4  3 –7   Framingham State  0 –6  2 –8   x – Division champion/co-champions | 1998 New England Small College Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Williams  8 –0  8 –0   Tufts  7 –1  7 –1   Wesleyan  6 –2  6 –2   Amherst  5 –3  5 –3   Bowdoin  5 –3  5 –3   Middlebury  3 –5  3 –5   Trinity (CT)  2 –6  2 –6   Colby  2 –6  2 –6   Bates  1 –7  1 –7   Hamilton  1 –7  1 –7   No conference champion recognized | 1998 New Jersey Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  TCNJ $^  5 –0  8 –3   Rowan ^  4 –1  10 –3   Montclair State  3 –2  8 –3   New Jersey City  2 –3  6 –4   Kean  1 –4  1 –9   William Paterson  0 –5  0 –10   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant |
| 1998 North Coast Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Wittenberg $^  8 –0  11 –1   Allegheny  6 –1  8 –2   Wooster  6 –2  8 –2   Case Western Reserve  4 –2  5 –5   Ohio Wesleyan  4 –4  6 –4   Kenyon  2 –5  4 –6   Denison  2 –6  3 –7   Earlham  2 –6  2 –8   Oberlin  0 –8  0 –10   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1998 Northwest Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Pacific Lutheran $^  5 –0  8 –2   Linfield  4 –1  7 –2   Willamette  3 –2  7 –3   Whitworth  2 –3  5 –5   Puget Sound  1 –4  2 –8   Lewis & Clark  0 –5  1 –7   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1998 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Mount Union $^  9 –0  14 –0   Baldwin–Wallace  8 –1  8 –2   John Carroll  7 –2  8 –2   Ohio Northern  6 –3  7 –3   Marietta  5 –4  6 –4   Muskingum  4 –5  5 –5   Otterbein  3 –6  4 –6   Heidelberg  2 –7  2 –8   Hiram  1 –8  2 –8   Capital  0 –9  1 –9   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant |
| 1998 Old Dominion Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Emory & Henry $  5 –0  10 –0   Randolph–Macon  4 –1  7 –3   Guilford  3 –2  4 –6   Hampden–Sydney  2 –3  3 –7   Washington and Lee  1 –4  4 –6   Bridgewater  0 –5  0 –10   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1998 Presidents' Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Washington & Jefferson +  3 –1  5 –4   Waynesburg +  3 –1  5 –4   Grove City +  3 –1  5 –5   Bethany (WV)  1 –3  2 –8   Thiel  0 –4  1 –9   + – Conference co-champions | 1998 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Whittier $  5 –0  7 –2   Redlands  4 –1  7 –2   Cal Lutheran  2 –3  5 –4   La Verne  2 –3  4 –5   Claremont-Mudd  1 –4  2 –7   Occidental  1 –4  1 –8   $ – Conference champion |
| 1998 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Trinity (TX) $^  6 –0  12 –1   DePauw  5 –1  7 –3   Rhodes  4 –2  5 –5   Centre  3 –3  3 –7   Rose–Hulman  2 –4  3 –7   Sewanee  1 –5  2 –7   Millsaps  0 –6  3 –7   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1998 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  MacMurray $  4 –0  9 –1   Westminster (MO)  3 –1  9 –1   Blackburn  2 –2  4 –5   Greenville  1 –3  2 –8   Principia  0 –4  0 –8   $ – Conference champion | 1998 Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  RPI +  3 –1  7 –2   Hobart +  3 –1  6 –3   Union (NY)  2 –2  6 –3   Rochester (NY)  1 –3  1 –8   St. Lawrence  1 –3  1 –8   + – Conference co-champions |
| 1998 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Wisconsin–Stevens Point +  5 –2  7 –2   Wisconsin–Whitewater +  5 –2  7 –2   Wisconsin–Eau Claire +^  5 –2  10 –3   Wisconsin–River Falls +  5 –2  7 –3   Wisconsin–La Crosse  4 –3  4 –5   Wisconsin–Stout  3 –4  5 –5   Wisconsin–Oshkosh  2 –6  4 –6   Wisconsin–Platteville  0 –7  1 –9   + – Conference co-champions^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1998 NCAA Division III independents football records vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Catholic University ^   –  10 –1   Ithaca   –  9 –2   Hartwick   –  9 –2   Buffalo State ^   –  9 –3   Pomona-Pitzer   –  6 –2   Maranatha Baptist   –  6 –4   Alfred   –  5 –4   Maryville (TN)   –  4 –6   Cortland   –  4 –6   Brockport   –  3 –6   Colorado College   –  3 –6   Thomas More   –  3 –7   Chapman   –  2 –7   St. John Fisher   –  2 –7   Menlo   –  2 –8   ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant |

## Conference champions

* Conference champions
* American Southwest Conference – Hardin–Simmons
* Centennial Conference – Western Maryland
* College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin – Millikin
* Freedom Football Conference – Springfield
* Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference – Wabash
* Illini-Badger Football Conference – Aurora
* Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Central (IA)
* Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Albion
* Middle Atlantic Conference – Lycoming
* Midwest Conference – Grinnell
* Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Saint John's (MN)
* New England Football Conference – Salve Regina (Blue Division), Bridgewater State (Red Division)
* New Jersey Athletic Conference – TCNJ
* North Coast Athletic Conference – Wittenberg
* Northwest Conference – Pacific Lutheran
* Ohio Athletic Conference – Mount Union
* Old Dominion Athletic Conference – Emory & Henry
* Presidents' Athletic Conference – Grove City, Washington & Jefferson, and Waynesburg
* Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Whittier
* Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference – Trinity (TX)
* University Athletic Association – Chicago
* Upper Midwest Athletic Conference – Maranatha Baptist, Martin Luther, and Mount Senario
* Upstate Collegiate Athletic Conference – RPI
* Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Wisconsin–Eau Claire, Wisconsin–River Falls, Wisconsin–Stevens Point, and Wisconsin–Whitewater

## Postseason

The 1998 NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs were the 26th 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 Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia for the second time. As of 2014, Salem has remained the yearly host of the Stagg Bowl. This was the final bracket to feature sixteen teams before expanding to 28 teams in 1999.

### Playoff bracket

| Regionals Campus Sites | Regionals Campus Sites | Regionals Campus Sites | Quarterfinals Campus Sites | Quarterfinals Campus Sites | Quarterfinals Campus Sites | Semifinals Campus Sites | Semifinals Campus Sites | Semifinals Campus Sites | | National Championship Game Salem Football Stadium Salem, Virginia | National Championship Game Salem Football Stadium Salem, Virginia | National Championship Game Salem Football Stadium Salem, Virginia |
| Mount Union | Mount Union | 21 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Albion | Albion | 19 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Albion | Albion | 19 | Mount Union | Mount Union | 21 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Wittenberg | Wittenberg | 19 | | | | | | | |
| Wittenberg | Wittenberg | 13 | Wittenberg | Wittenberg | 19 | | | | | | | |
| Millikin | Millikin | 10 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Millikin | Millikin | 10 | | | | Mount Union | Mount Union | 34 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Trinity (TX) | Trinity (TX) | 29 | | | | |
| Lycoming | Lycoming | 49 | | | | | | | Trinity (TX) | Trinity (TX) | 29 | | | | |
| Catholic University | Catholic University | 14 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Catholic University | Catholic University | 14 | Lycoming | Lycoming | 21 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Trinity (TX) | Trinity (TX) | 37 | | | | | | | |
| Trinity (TX) | Trinity (TX) | 30 | Trinity (TX) | Trinity (TX) | 37 | | | | | | | |
| Western Maryland | Western Maryland | 20 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Western Maryland | Western Maryland | 20 | | | | | | | | Mount Union | Mount Union | 44 |
| | | | | | | | | | | Rowan | Rowan | 24 |
| Wisconsin–Eau Claire | Wisconsin–Eau Claire | 28 | | | | | | | | | | | Rowan | Rowan | 24 |
| Central (IA) | Central (IA) | 21 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Central (IA) | Central (IA) | 21 | Wisconsin–Eau Claire | Wisconsin–Eau Claire | 10 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Saint John's (MN) | Saint John's (MN) | 3 | | | | | | | |
| Saint John's (MN) | Saint John's (MN) | 33 | Saint John's (MN) | Saint John's (MN) | 3 | | | | | | | |
| Pacific Lutheran | Pacific Lutheran | 20 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Pacific Lutheran | Pacific Lutheran | 20 | | | | Wisconsin–Eau Claire | Wisconsin–Eau Claire | 19 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Rowan | Rowan | 22 | | | | |
| Buffalo State | Buffalo State | 38 | | | | | | | Rowan | Rowan | 22 | | | | |
| Springfield | Springfield | 35 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Springfield | Springfield | 35 | Buffalo State | Buffalo State | 17 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Rowan | Rowan | 19 | | | | | | | |
| Rowan | Rowan | 26 | Rowan | Rowan | 19 | | | | | | | |
| TCNJ | TCNJ | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |

## Final NCAA Regional Poll
### East Region

| Team | Record |
| 1. Springfield(Mass.) | 9–0 |
| 2. Ithaca | 8–1 |
| 3. New Jersey | 7–2 |
| 4. Rowan | 6–2 |
| 5. Buffalo State | 7–2 |
| 6. Montclair State | 7–2 |
Others receiving votes (listed alphabetically): Hartwick, Hobart, Rensselaer Polytechnic, and Salve Regina.

### South Region

| Team | Record |
| 1. Lycoming | 9–0 |
| 2. Trinity(TX) | 9–0 |
| 3. Western Maryland | 9–0 |
| 4. Catholic | 9–0 |
| 5. Emory and Henry | 9–0 |
| 6. Hardin-Simmons | 8–1 |
Others receiving votes: McMurry, Pomona-Pitzer, Westminster, and Widener.

### North Region

| Team | Record |
| 1. Mt. Union | 9–0 |
| 2. Wittenberg | 9–0 |
| 3. Wabash | 9–0 |
| 4. Baldwin-Wallace | 8–1 |
| 5. Albion | 8–1 |
| 6. Millikin | 7–1 |
Others receiving votes: Allegheny, Hanover, John Carroll, and MacMurray.

### West Region

| Team | Record |
| 1. Central(IA) | 9–0 |
| 2. St. John's | 9–0 |
| 3. Pacific Lutheran | 7–1 |
| 4. Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 7–2 |
| 5. Gustavus Adolphus | 8–1 |
| 6. Wisconsin-Stevens Point | 6–2 |
Others receiving votes: Grinnell, Linfield, Wartburg, and Wisconsin-Whitewater.
*This was the final time the NCAA conducted a regional poll for Division III, starting with the 1999 season, American Football Coaches Association conducted a top 25 coaches poll.

## Awards

Gagliardi Trophy: Scott Hvistendahl, Augsburg
AFCA Coach of the Year: Larry Kehres, Mount Union
AFCA Regional Coach of the Year: Region 1: Mike DeLong, Springfield Region 2: Frank Girardi, Lycoming Region 3: Steve Mohr, Trinity(TX) Region 4: Joe Fincham, Wittenberg Region 5: Rich Kacmarynski, Central(IA)