# 1991 NCAA Division III football season

The 1991 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 1991, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 1991 at Hawkins Stadium in Bradenton, Florida. The Ithaca Bombers won their third Division III championship by defeating the Dayton Flyers, 34−20.

## Conference changes and new programs
### Name change

* New England Football Conference member Southeastern Massachusetts University changed its name to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth before the start of the 1991 season. Its football program hence changed from the Southeastern Massachusetts Corsairs to the UMass Dartmouth Corsairs.

### Conference changes

| School | 1990 Conference | 1991 Conference |
| UAB | New Program | D-III Independent |
| Charleston Southern | New Program | D-III Independent |
| Thomas More | D-III Independent | AMC |

## Conference standings

1991 Association of Mideast Colleges football standings :
| 1991 Association of Mideast Colleges football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Thomas More $ 3 –0 –010 –0 –0 Defiance 2 –1 –08 –2 –0 Wilmington (OH) 1 –2 –01 –9 –0 Bluffton 0 –3 –01 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1991 Atlantic Collegiate Football Conference standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Saint Francis (PA) $ 3 –0 –06 –3 –0 Marist 2 –1 –06 –4 –0 Gallaudet 1 –2 –01 –7 –1 St. John Fisher 0 –3 –00 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1991 Centennial Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Dickinson $^ 7 –0 –09 –1 –0 Franklin & Marshall 5 –2 –06 –4 –0 Western Maryland 4 –3 –05 –5 –0 Johns Hopkins 3 –4 –05 –4 –1 Ursinus 3 –4 –05 –5 –0 Muhlenberg 3 –4 –03 –7 –0 Gettysburg 2 –5 –02 –7 –0 Swarthmore 1 –6 –02 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant |
| 1991 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Augustana (IL) $ 7 –1 –08 –1 –0 Illinois Wesleyan 6 –1 –17 –1 –1 Wheaton (IL) 6 –1 –17 –1 –1 Millikin 5 –3 –06 –3 –0 Carroll (WI) 4 –4 –05 –4 –0 North Central (IL) 3 –5 –04 –5 –0 Carthage 2 –6 –03 –6 –0 Elmhurst 2 –6 –02 –7 –0 North Park 0 –8 –00 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1991 Eastern Collegiate Football Conference standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Stonehill $ 5 –0 –05 –4 –0 Bentley 4 –1 –05 –4 –0 Siena 2 –3 –03 –5 –0 Western New England 2 –3 –03 –5 –0 MIT 1 –4 –01 –7 –0 Assumption 1 –4 –01 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1991 Indiana Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Wabash $ 5 –1 –07 –2 –0 No. 23 Hanover 4 –2 –07 –3 –0 DePauw 4 –2 –06 –4 –0 Anderson (IN) 4 –2 –05 –5 –0 Manchester 2 –4 –03 –6 –1 Rose–Hulman 2 –4 –03 –7 –0 Franklin (IN) 0 –6 –02 –8 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA Division II poll |
| 1991 Iowa Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Simpson (IA) $^ 8 –0 –010 –1 –0 Central (IA) 7 –1 –08 –1 –0 Loras 5 –3 –07 –3 –0 Wartburg 5 –3 –06 –4 –0 Luther 5 –3 –05 –4 –0 Upper Iowa 2 –6 –02 –8 –0 William Penn 2 –6 –02 –8 –0 Dubuque 1 –7 –01 –8 –0 Buena Vista 1 –7 –01 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1991 Liberty Football Conference standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T St. John's $ 4 –1 –06 –4 –0 Iona 3 –1 –17 –2 –1 C. W. Post 3 –2 –04 –6 –0 Stony Brook 2 –3 –06 –4 –0 Merchant Marine 1 –3 –12 –6 –1 Pace 1 –4 –02 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1991 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Albion +^ 4 –0 –18 –1 –1 Olivet + 4 –0 –17 –1 –1 Hope 2 –3 –05 –4 –0 Kalamazoo 2 –3 –05 –4 –0 Adrian 1 –4 –04 –5 –0 Alma 1 –4 –04 –5 –0 + – Conference co-champions^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant |
| 1991 Middle Atlantic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Lycoming $^ 8 –0 –010 –1 –0 Susquehanna ^ 7 –1 –011 –2 –0 Moravian 5 –3 –07 –3 –0 Lebanon Valley 5 –3 –06 –3 –1 Albright 3 –5 –05 –5 –0 Delaware Valley 3 –5 –03 –7 –0 Juniata 3 –5 –03 –7 –0 Widener 2 –6 –03 –7 –0 Wilkes 0 –8 –01 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1991 Midwest Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T North Division Beloit xy 4 –0 –09 –1 –0 Ripon 2 –2 –05 –4 –0 St. Norbert 2 –2 –04 –5 –0 Lawrence 2 –2 –03 –6 –0 Lake Forest 0 –4 –02 –7 –0 South Division Coe xy$^ 5 –0 –09 –2 –0 Cornell (IA) 4 –1 –07 –2 –0 Monmouth (IL) 3 –2 –04 –5 –0 Knox 2 –3 –03 –6 –0 Grinnell 1 –4 –02 –7 –0 Illinois College 0 –5 –02 –7 –0 Championship: Coe 26, Beloit 10 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participant^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1991 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Saint John's (MN) $^ 8 –0 –011 –1 –0 St. Olaf 6 –2 –07 –2 –0 Bethel (MN) 5 –3 –06 –3 –0 St. Thomas (MN) 5 –3 –06 –3 –0 Gustavus Adolphus 5 –3 –05 –4 –0 Hamline 4 –4 –05 –4 –0 Carleton 3 –5 –05 –5 –0 Concordia–Moorhead 3 –5 –03 –6 –0 Augsburg 1 –7 –02 –7 –0 Macalester 0 –8 –01 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant |
| 1991 New England Football Conference standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T North Division UMass Lowell xy$^ 5 –0 –010 –1 –0 Plymouth State 3 –2 –06 –2 –1 Maine Maritime 3 –2 –05 –3 –0 UMass–Boston 2 –3 –04 –5 –0 Nichols 2 –3 –04 –5 –0 Curry 0 –5 –00 –9 –0 South Division Bridgewater State xy 6 –0 –08 –2 –0 UMass Dartmouth 4 –2 –06 –3 –0 Massachusetts Maritime 4 –2 –06 –3 –0 Westfield State 3 –3 –04 –6 –0 Worcester State 2 –4 –03 –7 –0 Framingham State 1 –5 –02 –6 –0 Fitchburg State 1 –5 –02 –7 –0 Championship: UMass Lowell 10, Bridgewater State 7 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participant^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1991 New Jersey Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Glassboro State $^ 5 –1 –09 –2 –0 William Paterson 4 –1 –18 –1 –1 Ramapo 4 –2 –06 –3 –0 Trenton State 3 –2 –15 –2 –1 Montclair State 3 –3 –05 –5 –0 Kean 1 –5 –03 –7 –0 Jersey City State 0 –6 –00 –9 –1 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1991 North Coast Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Allegheny $^ 7 –0 –011 –1 –0 Case Western Reserve 5 –1 –07 –3 –0 Ohio Wesleyan 6 –2 –08 –2 –0 Wittenberg 5 –3 –05 –5 –0 Kenyon 3 –4 –05 –5 –0 Denison 3 –4 –03 –7 –0 Wooster 3 –5 –03 –7 –0 Earlham 1 –6 –01 –8 –0 Oberlin 0 –8 –00 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant |
| 1991 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Baldwin–Wallace $^ 9 –0 –010 –1 –0 Mount Union 7 –1 –18 –1 –1 Muskingum 6 –3 –07 –3 –0 John Carroll 5 –2 –25 –3 –2 Capital 5 –3 –16 –3 –1 Heidelberg 4 –4 –14 –5 –1 Ohio Northern 3 –5 –13 –6 –1 Otterbein 2 –7 –02 –8 –0 Hiram 1 –8 –01 –9 –0 Marietta 0 –9 –00 –10 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1991 Old Dominion Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Guilford $ 4 –1 –08 –2 –0 Emory & Henry 4 –1 –08 –2 –0 Hampden–Sydney 3 –2 –07 –2 –1 Randolph–Macon 3 –2 –04 –6 –0 Bridgewater 1 –4 –02 –8 –0 Washington and Lee 0 –5 –01 –9 –0 $ – Conference championGuilford won the conference title by virtue of a head-to-head win over Emory & Henry. | 1991 Presidents' Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Washington & Jefferson $^ 4 –0 –08 –2 –0 Waynesburg 3 –1 –06 –3 –0 Thiel 2 –2 –05 –4 –0 Grove City 1 –3 –03 –6 –0 Bethany (WV) 0 –4 –02 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant |
| 1991 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Redlands $ 5 –0 –07 –2 –0 La Verne 4 –1 –07 –2 –0 Occidental 3 –2 –05 –4 –0 Whittier 2 –3 –03 –6 –0 Pomona-Pitzer 1 –4 –02 –6 –0 Claremont-Mudd 0 –5 –00 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1991 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Millsaps $ 3 –1 –07 –2 –0 Sewanee 2 –1 –17 –1 –1 Rhodes 2 –1 –16 –2 –1 Centre 2 –2 –05 –5 –0 Trinity (TX) 0 –4 –01 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1991 Wisconsin State University Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Wisconsin–La Crosse $^ 7 –1 –010 –2 –0 No. 20 Wisconsin–Stevens Point 6 –2 –06 –3 –1 Wisconsin–Whitewater 6 –2 –06 –4 –0 Wisconsin–Platteville 4 –3 –16 –3 –1 Wisconsin–Oshkosh 4 –4 –05 –5 –0 Wisconsin–Stout 3 –5 –05 –5 –0 Wisconsin–River Falls 2 –5 –14 –5 –1 Wisconsin–Superior 1 –6 –12 –6 –1 Wisconsin–Eau Claire 1 –6 –12 –7 –1 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participantRankings from NAIA Division II poll |
| 1991 NCAA Division III independents football records vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Dayton ^   –  13 –1 –0 Ithaca ^   –  12 –1 –0 Union (NY) ^   –  10 –1 –0 Buffalo State   –  9 –2 –0 Wesley   –  9 –2 –0 Hofstra   –  8 –2 –0 Ferrum   –  7 –2 –0 Alfred   –  7 –3 –0 Cortland   –  7 –3 –0 Frostburg State   –  7 –3 –0 Maryville (TN)   –  7 –3 –0 San Diego   –  7 –3 –0 Coast Guard   –  6 –3 –0 Aurora   –  5 –3 –1 Georgetown   –  6 –4 –0 Mercyhurst   –  5 –4 –0 UAB   –  4 –3 –2 Albany   –  5 –5 –0 Brockport   –  5 –5 –0 Catholic University   –  5 –5 –0 Saint Peter's   –  4 –4 –0 Wagner   –  5 –5 –0 Davidson   –  4 –5 –0 Drake   –  4 –6 –0 Colorado College   –  3 –6 –0 Buffalo   –  3 –7 –0 Charleston Southern   –  3 –7 –0 Quincy   –  3 –7 –0 Canisius   –  2 –7 –0 Fairleigh Dickinson–Florham   –  2 –7 –0 Menlo   –  2 –7 –0 Methodist   –  2 –8 –0 Norwich   –  2 –8 –0 Salisbury State   –  1 –9 –0 Western Connecticut State   –  1 –9 –0 Duquesne   –  0 –9 –0 ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant |

## Conference champions

* Conference champions
* Association of Mideast Colleges – Thomas More
* Centennial Conference – Dickinson
* College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin – Augustana (IL)
* Indiana Collegiate Athletic Conference – Wabash
* Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Simpson
* Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Albion
* Middle Atlantic Conference – Lycoming
* Midwest Collegiate Athletic Conference – Coe
* Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Saint John's (MN)
* New England Football Conference – Massachusetts–Lowell
* New Jersey State Athletic Conference – Glassboro State
* North Coast Athletic Conference – Allegheny
* Ohio Athletic Conference – Baldwin Wallace
* Old Dominion Athletic Conference – Guilford
* Presidents' Athletic Conference – Washington & Jefferson
* Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Redlands
* Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference – Millsaps
* Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Midwestern State
* University Athletic Association – Carnegie Mellon
* Upper Midwest Athletic Conference – Concordia–St. Paul
* Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Wisconsin–La Crosse

## Postseason

The 1991 NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs were the 19th 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 Hawkins Stadium in Bradenton, Florida for the second time. Like the previous six tournaments, this year's bracket featured sixteen teams.

### 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 Hawkins Stadium Bradenton, Florida | National Championship Game Hawkins Stadium Bradenton, Florida | National Championship Game Hawkins Stadium Bradenton, Florida |
| Ithaca | Ithaca | 31 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Glassboro State | Glassboro State | 10 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Glassboro State | Glassboro State | 10 | Ithaca | Ithaca | 35 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Union (NY) | Union (NY) | 23 | | | | | | | |
| Union (NY) | Union (NY) | 55 | Union (NY) | Union (NY) | 23 | | | | | | | |
| UMass–Lowell | UMass–Lowell | 16 | | | | | | | | | | |
| UMass–Lowell | UMass–Lowell | 16 | | | | Ithaca | Ithaca | 49 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Susquehanna | Susquehanna | 13 | | | | |
| Lycoming | Lycoming | 18 | | | | | | | Susquehanna | Susquehanna | 13 | | | | |
| Washington & Jefferson | Washington & Jefferson | 16 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Washington & Jefferson | Washington & Jefferson | 16 | Lycoming | Lycoming | 24 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Susquehanna | Susquehanna | 31 | | | | | | | |
| Susquehanna | Susquehanna | 21 | Susquehanna | Susquehanna | 31 | | | | | | | |
| Dickinson | Dickinson | 20 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dickinson | Dickinson | 20 | | | | | | | | Ithaca | Ithaca | 34 |
| | | | | | | | | | | Dayton | Dayton | 20 |
| Saint John's (MN) | Saint John's (MN) | 75 | | | | | | | | | | | Dayton | Dayton | 20 |
| Coe | Coe | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Coe | Coe | 2 | Saint John's (MN) | Saint John's (MN) | 29 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Wisconsin–La Crosse | Wisconsin–La Crosse | 10 | | | | | | | |
| Wisconsin–La Crosse | Wisconsin–La Crosse | 28 | Wisconsin–La Crosse | Wisconsin–La Crosse | 10 | | | | | | | |
| Simpson | Simpson | 13 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Simpson | Simpson | 13 | | | | Saint John's (MN) | Saint John's (MN) | 7 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Dayton | Dayton | 19 | | | | |
| Allegheny | Allegheny | 24* | | | | | | | Dayton | Dayton | 19 | | | | |
| Albion | Albion | 21 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Albion | Albion | 21 | Allegheny | Allegheny | 25 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Dayton | Dayton | 28* | | | | | | | |
| Dayton | Dayton | 27 | Dayton | Dayton | 28* | | | | | | | |
| Baldwin–Wallace | Baldwin–Wallace | 10 | | | | | | | | | | |