1996 Northern Colorado Bears football team

1996 Northern Colorado Bears football
NCAA Division II champion
ConferenceNorth Central Conference
Record12–3 (6–3 NCC)
Head coach
Home stadiumNottingham Field
Seasons
← 1995
1997 →
1996 North Central Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. T–4 Nebraska–Omaha $^   8 1     10 2  
No. 15 Northern Colorado ^   6 3     12 3  
No. 19 North Dakota   6 3     7 3  
South Dakota State   6 3     7 4  
North Dakota State   5 4     6 4  
South Dakota   4 5     6 5  
Mankato State   4 5     5 6  
St. Cloud State   4 5     5 6  
Augustana (SD)   2 7     3 8  
Morningside   0 9     1 10  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll

The 1996 Northern Colorado Bears football team was an American football team that won the 1996 NCAA Division II national championship.

The team represented the University of Northern Colorado in the North Central Conference (NCC) during the 1996 NCAA Division II football season. In their eighth season under head coach Joe Glenn, the Bears compiled a 12–3 record (6–3 against conference opponents), outscored opponents by a total of 435 to 254, and tied for second place in the NCC.[1] The team advanced to the playoffs and won the national championship by defeating Carson–Newman in the championship game.[2]

The team played its home games at Nottingham Field in Greeley, Colorado.

Schedule

[edit]
DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 7Western State (CO)*No. 14W 43–04,814
September 14at Mesa State*No. 13W 59–14600
September 21 No. 5 North DakotaNo. 11
  • Nottingham Field
  • Greeley, CO
W 21–65,821
September 28at No. 19 South DakotaNo. 5L 24–27 OT7,834
October 5Mankato State
  • Nottingham Field
  • Greeley, CO
W 44–276,318
October 12North Dakota StateNo. 19
  • Nottingham Field
  • Greeley, CO
W 38–364,521
October 19at No. 13 Nebraska–OmahaNo. 20L 14–155,100
October 26at St. Cloud StateSt. Cloud, MNL 20–302,937
November 2South Dakota State
  • Nottingham Field
  • Greeley, CO
W 21–63,074
November 9at MorningsideNo. T–17Sioux City, IAW 17–71.201
November 16at Augustana (SD)No. 15Sioux Falls, SDW 41–7500
November 23at No. 7 Pittsburg State*No. 15W 24–21[3]
November 30 No. 2 Northwest Missouri State*No. 15
  • Nottingham Field
  • Greeley, CO (NCAA Division II quarterfinal)
W 27–26[4]
December 7at No. 8 Clarion*No. 15Clarion, PA (NCAA Division II semifinal)W 19–184,000[5]
December 14vs. No. 6 Carson–Newman*No. 15W 23–145,745[2]

[6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Northern Colorado Yearly Results". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on April 30, 2015. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "No. Colorado wins Div. II title". The Montgomery Advertiser. Associated Press. December 15, 1996. p. 5D – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Adam Knapp (November 24, 1996). "Last-second kick ends Pitt State's season". The Wichita Eagle. p. 3C – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "No. Colorado edges past NW Missouri". Casper Star-Tribune. December 1, 1996. p. D2 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "N. Colorado 19, Clarion 18". South Florida Sun Sentinel. December 8, 1996. p. 15C – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Final 1996 Division II Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved June 22, 2023.