1986 North Dakota State Bison football team

1986 North Dakota State Bison football
NCAA Division II champion
NCC champion
ConferenceNorth Central Conference
Record13–0 (9–0 NCC)
Head coach
Home stadiumDacotah Field
1986 North Central Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 North Dakota State $^ 9 0 013 0 0
No. 6 South Dakota ^ 8 1 011 3 0
Mankato State 6 3 06 4 1
South Dakota State 5 4 06 5 0
Nebraska–Omaha 4 5 05 6 0
St. Cloud State 4 5 04 7 0
Augustana (SD) 3 6 05 6 0
Northern Colorado 3 6 03 8 0
North Dakota 2 7 02 9 0
Morningside 1 8 01 10 0
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll

The 1986 North Dakota State football team represented North Dakota State University during the 1986 NCAA Division II football season, and completed the 90th season of Bison football. The Bison played their home games at Dacotah Field in Fargo, North Dakota. The 1986 team came off an 11–2–1 record from the previous season. The 1986 team was led by coach Earle Solomonson. The team finished the regular season with an undefeated 10–0 record and made the NCAA Division II playoffs. The Bison defeated theSouth Dakota, 27–7, in the National Championship Game en route to the program's second consecutive, and third NCAA Division II Football Championship.

Senior quarterback Jeff Bentrim was awarded the inaugural Harlon Hill Trophy, which honors the best football player in Division II, at the end of the season. Bentrim ended the season with 64 career touchdowns scored, breaking Walter Payton's Division II record of 63.