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1956 NAIA football season
Regular seasonAugust–December 1956
PostseasonDecember 22, 1956
National ChampionshipWar Memorial Stadium
Little Rock, Arkansas
ChampionSaint Joseph's (IN), Montana State

The 1956 NAIA football season was the first season of college football sponsored by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

The season was played from August to December 1956, culminating in the inaugural NAIA Football National Championship, played at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas. Saint Joseph's (IN) and Montana State played to a 0–0 tie in the championship game known as the 1956 Aluminum Bowl.[1]

Conference standings

1956 Badger-Illini Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Milton $ 5 – 0 – 0 6 – 0 – 0
Lakeland 3 – 2 – 0 3 – 4 – 0
Northwestern (WI) 3 – 2 – 0 ? – ? – ?
Wisconsin Tech 3 – 2 – 0 ? – ? – ?
Concordia (IL) 1 – 4 – 0 1 – 6 – 0
St. Procopius 0 – 5 – 0 0 – 5 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1956 Central Church College Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Tarkio $ 3 – 0 – 0 7 – 1 – 0
Westmar 2 – 1 – 0 2 – 4 – 2
Concordia (NE) 1 – 2 – 0 2 – 6 – 0
Dana 0 – 3 – 0 0 – 6 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1956 Central Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
St. Benedict's $ 4 – 1 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Pittsburg State 3 – 1 – 1 7 – 2 – 1
Southwestern (KS) 3 – 1 – 1 4 – 4 – 2
Washburn 3 – 2 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Emporia State 1 – 4 – 0 2 – 6 – 1
Fort Hays State 0 – 5 – 1 1 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1956 College Conference of Illinois football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Wheaton (IL) $ 7 – 0 – 0 7 – 1 – 0
Millikin 6 – 1 – 0 6 – 2 – 0
Carroll (WI) 5 – 2 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
Lake Forest 3 – 3 – 1 3 – 4 – 1
Illinois Wesleyan 3 – 3 – 1 3 – 5 – 1
North Central (IL) 1 – 6 – 0 2 – 6 – 0
Elmhurst 1 – 6 – 0 1 – 6 – 0
Augustana (IL) 1 – 6 – 0 1 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1956 Evergreen Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Puget Sound $ 6 – 0 – 0 8 – 0 – 1
Eastern Washington 3 – 2 – 1 5 – 2 – 1
Whitworth 3 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Pacific Lutheran 3 – 3 – 0 3 – 3 – 1
Central Washington 2 – 3 – 1 3 – 4 – 1
Western Washington 2 – 4 – 0 2 – 6 – 0
UBC 1 – 5 – 0 ? – ? – ?
  • $ – Conference champion
1956 Frontier Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Arizona State–Flagstaff + 3 – 0 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
New Mexico Military + 3 – 0 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
New Mexico Highlands 2 – 2 – 0 5 – 2 – 1
New Mexico Western 1 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Panhandle A&M 0 – 4 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
1956 Indiana Collegiate Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Saint Joseph's (IN) $^ 6 – 0 – 0 8 – 1 – 1
Butler 5 – 1 – 0 6 – 2 – 0
Valparaiso 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Evansville 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Ball State 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
DePauw 1 – 5 – 0 1 – 6 – 1
Indiana State 0 – 6 – 0 2 – 6 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff (Aluminum Bowl) participant
1956 Iowa Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Central (IA) $ 7 – 1 – 0 7 – 1 – 0
Simpson 5 – 2 – 1 5 – 2 – 1
Luther 5 – 2 – 1 5 – 3 – 1
Iowa Wesleyan 5 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Buena Vista 4 – 4 – 0 4 – 4 – 1
Dubuque 3 – 3 – 2 3 – 3 – 2
Parsons 3 – 5 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Upper Iowa 1 – 6 – 1 2 – 6 – 2
Wartburg 0 – 7 – 1 0 – 7 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion
1956 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Kansas Wesleyan $ 7 – 0 – 0 8 – 1 – 0
College of Emporia 6 – 1 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
McPherson 5 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Bethel (KS) 4 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Baker 3 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Friends 2 – 5 – 0 2 – 6 – 1
Bethany (KS) 1 – 6 – 0 1 – 7 – 0
Ottawa 0 – 7 – 0 0 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1956 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Hillsdale $ 6 – 0 – 0 9 – 0 – 0
Kalamazoo 5 – 1 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
Hope 4 – 2 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
Albion 3 – 3 – 0 3 – 5 – 0
Adrian 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 5 – 0
Alma 1 – 5 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
Olivet 0 – 6 – 0 0 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1956 Mid-Ohio League football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Bluffton $ 5 – 0 – 0 8 – 1 – 0
Findlay 4 – 1 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Wilmington (OH) 3 – 2 – 0 3 – 4 – 0
Ashland 2 – 3 – 0 3 – 5 – 0
Ohio Northern 0 – 4 – 1 0 – 7 – 1
Defiance 0 – 4 – 1 0 – 8 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion
1956 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
St. Thomas (MN) $ 7 – 0 – 0 8 – 0 – 0
Concordia (MN) 5 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Macalester 4 – 3 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
Gustavus Adolphus 4 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Minnesota–Duluth 3 – 4 – 0 3 – 4 – 0
Saint John's (MN) 2 – 4 – 1 3 – 4 – 1
Augsburg 2 – 4 – 1 2 – 5 – 1
Hamline 0 – 7 – 0 1 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1956 Minnesota State College Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Winona State $ 3 – 1 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
St. Cloud State 2 – 1 – 1 6 – 2 – 1
Moorhead State 2 – 1 – 1 3 – 3 – 1
Mankato State 1 – 2 – 1 6 – 2 – 1
Bemidji State 0 – 3 – 1 2 – 4 – 2
  • $ – Conference champion
  • St. Cloud State forfeited a win over Moorhead State and Moorhead State forfeited a win over Winona State.
1956 Missouri College Athletic Union football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
William Jewell $ 1 – 0 – 1 6 – 3 – 1
Tarkio 2 – 1 – 0 7 – 1 – 0
Missouri Valley 0 – 0 – 1 8 – 2 – 1
Culver–Stockton 1 – 1 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Central (MO) 0 – 2 – 0 1 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1956 Montana Collegiate Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Carroll (MT) $ 4 – 0 – 0 6 – 2 – 0
Eastern Montana 2 – 1 – 1 3 – 2 – 1
Rocky Mountain 2 – 2 – 0 2 – 4 – 1
Western Montana 1 – 3 – 0 ? – ? – ?
Montana Mines 0 – 3 – 1 ? – ? – ?
  • $ – Conference champion
1956 Nebraska College Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Kearney State $ 7 – 0 – 0 9 – 0 – 0
Hastings 5 – 1 – 0 5 – 2 – 0
Peru State 5 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Chadron State 3 – 2 – 1 5 – 2 – 1
Nebraska Wesleyan 3 – 4 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Doane 2 – 4 – 1 4 – 4 – 1
Midland 1 – 6 – 0 2 – 6 – 0
Wayne State (NE) 0 – 7 – 0 1 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1956 North State Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Lenoir–Rhyne $ 6 – 0 – 0 10 – 0 – 0
Catawba 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 1
Elon 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Appalachian State 3 – 3 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
East Carolina 2 – 3 – 0 2 – 7 – 1
Guilford 0 – 4 – 0 1 – 7 – 0
Western Carolina 0 – 5 – 0 1 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1956 Northwest Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Linfield $ 3 – 1 – 1 6 – 1 – 2
Lewis & Clark 3 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Willamette 2 – 1 – 2 2 – 4 – 2
Whitman 2 – 2 – 1 4 – 4 – 1
College of Idaho 2 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Pacific (OR) 1 – 4 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1956 Oklahoma Collegiate Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Northeastern State + 4 – 1 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
Central State (OK) + 4 – 1 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
SW Oklahoma State 3 – 1 – 1 5 – 3 – 1
East Central 2 – 3 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
SE Oklahoma State 1 – 3 – 1 4 – 3 – 0
NW Oklahoma State 0 – 5 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
1956 Oregon Collegiate Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Eastern Oregon $ 4 – 0 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
Southern Oregon 2 – 2 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Oregon College 2 – 2 – 0 3 – 4 – 0
Portland State 1 – 3 – 0 2 – 5 – 1
Oregon Tech 1 – 3 – 0 4 – 4 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion
1956 Pennsylvania State Teachers College Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
West Chester $ 4 – 0 – 0 7 – 1 – 0
East Stroudsburg 6 – 1 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Indiana (PA) 4 – 1 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Slippery Rock 2 – 1 – 0 2 – 5 – 0
Shippensburg 5 – 1 – 0 6 – 2 – 0
Lock Haven 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 2 – 0
Edinboro 3 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Clarion 2 – 3 – 0 2 – 6 – 0
Millersville 2 – 5 – 0 2 – 6 – 0
Kutztown 1 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Bloomsburg 1 – 3 – 0 5 – 2 – 1
California (PA) 1 – 6 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
Mansfield 1 – 4 – 0 2 – 5 – 0
Cheyney 0 – 4 – 0 1 – 6 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • Conference standings were based on the Saylor system of ratings.
1956 South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Huron $ 7 – 0 – 0 8 – 1 – 0
Southern State 6 – 1 – 0 8 – 1 – 0
Northern State 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Black Hills 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
Dakota Wesleyan 4 – 4 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
Yankton 3 – 3 – 0 3 – 4 – 1
General Beadle 1 – 3 – 1 3 – 4 – 1
South Dakota Mines 0 – 6 – 1 0 – 7 – 1
Sioux Falls 0 – 6 – 0 0 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • Northern state forfeited wins over Huron and Southern State.
1956 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Texas Southern + 5 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
Wiley + 5 – 1 – 0 6 – 3 – 1
Southern 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Prairie View A&M 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Langston 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Arkansas AM&N 0 – 5 – 1 2 – 6 – 1
Texas College 0 – 5 – 1 2 – 6 – 1
  • + – Conference co-champions
1956 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
West Liberty State $ 5 – 0 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Fairmont State 7 – 1 – 0 7 – 1 – 0
Shepherd 4 – 1 – 0 6 – 2 – 0
Potomac State 6 – 2 – 0 6 – 2 – 0
Salem 4 – 3 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
Glenville State 2 – 6 – 0 2 – 6 – 0
West Virginia Tech 1 – 3 – 0 4 – 4 – 1
West Virginia Wesleyan 1 – 4 – 0 3 – 5 – 0
Davis & Elkins 0 – 6 – 0 1 – 7 – 0
Concord 0 – 7 – 0 0 – 9 – 0
Morris Harvey * 1 – 0 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Bethany (WV) * 2 – 0 – 0 6 – 2 – 0
West Virginia State * 1 – 0 – 0 4 – 3 – 0
Bluefield State * 0 – 1 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • * – Did not qualify for conference standings
    Conference standings based on power ratings
1956 Wisconsin State College Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Eau Claire State + 7 – 0 – 0 7 – 1 – 0
Platteville State + 5 – 0 – 0 5 – 1 – 0
River Falls State 4 – 1 – 0 6 – 2 – 0
Stevens Point State 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
Whitewater State 2 – 3 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
Superior State 2 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
La Crosse State 2 – 3 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Oshkosh State 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 4 – 0
Stout State 0 – 5 – 0 1 – 7 – 0
Milwaukee 0 – 5 – 0 0 – 8 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions

Postseason

1956 Aluminum Bowl

Championship
December 22, 1956
1956 Aluminum Bowl
   
Saint Joseph's (IN) 0
Montana State 0

See also

References

  1. ^ CNOCKAERT, JIM. "As freshman, Dave Alt led 1956 Montana State team to national title". Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
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