2016 Saint Francis Cougars football team

2016 Saint Francis Cougars football
NAIA national champion
ConferenceMid-States Football Association
DivisionMideast League
Record13–1 (5–1 MSFA (MEL))
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorPatrick Donley, Trevor Miller (13th, 11th season)
Defensive coordinatorJoey Didier, Eric Wagoner (7th, 9th season)
Home stadiumBishop John M. D'Arcy Stadium
Seasons
← 2015
2017 →
2016 Mid-States Football Association standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Mideast League
No. 5 Marian (IN) x^   6 – 0     11 – 1  
No. 1 Saint Francis (IN) ^   5 – 1     13 – 1  
Concordia (MI)   4 – 2     7 – 4  
Siena Heights   2 – 4     5 – 5  
Taylor   2 – 4     4 – 7  
Missouri Baptist   2 – 4     3 – 8  
Lindenwood–Belleville   0 – 6     0 – 10  
Midwest League
No. 15 Robert Morris (IL) x^   5 – 0     7 – 4  
Saint Xavier   3 – 2     6 – 4  
St. Francis (IL)   2 – 3     5 – 6  
Saint Ambrose   2 – 3     4 – 6  
Olivet Nazarene   2 – 3     4 – 7  
Trinity International   1 – 4     4 – 7  
  • x – League champion/co-champions
    ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll

The 2016 Saint Francis Cougars football team represented the University of Saint Francis, located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in the 2016 NAIA football season. They were led by head coach Kevin Donley, who served his 19th year as the head football coach at Saint Francis. The Cougars played their home games at Bishop John D'Arcy Stadium and were members of the Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) Mideast League (MEL). The Cougars finished 2nd in the MSFA MEL division and received an at-large bid to the NAIA playoffs.

The team went on to win the first football national championship in the school's history. In the 2016 NAIA Football National Championship, the Cougars defeated the Baker Wildcats, 38-17.[1]

Kevin Donley was voted by the American Football Coaches Association as the 2016 NAIA National Coach of the Year.[2] Donley was also granted a five-year contract extension after the 2016 season.[3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference FCLSF was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Saint Francis' Donley Named AFCA National Coach of the Year". NAIA. January 10, 2017.
  3. ^ Greg Jones (December 21, 2016). "Saint Francis football coach gets extension". The Journal Gazette.