| Year: | 1980 |
| Regular Season: | August – November 1980 |
| Playoffs: | December 1980 |
| Nc Date: | December 1980 |
| Championship: | Zia Bowl University Stadium Albuquerque, NM |
| Champion: | Cal Poly |
The 1980 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began in August 1980, and concluded with the NCAA Division II Football Championship in December 1980 at University Stadium in Albuquerque, NM. During the game's two-year stretch in New Mexico, it was referred to as the Zia Bowl.
Cal Poly defeated Eastern Illinois in the championship game, 21–13, to win their first Division II national title.[1]
| School | 1979 Conference | 1980 Conference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-AA Independent | |||
| I-AA Independent | |||
| - | North Central | ||
| new program | Independent | ||
| I-AA Independent |
See also: List of NCAA Division II football seasons.
| Conference | Champion(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| Association of Mid-Continent Universities | Eastern Illinois | |
| California Collegiate Athletic Association | Cal Poly | |
| Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association | North Carolina Central | |
| Far Western Football Conference | UC Davis | |
| Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | Hillsdale | |
| Gulf South Conference | North Alabama | |
| Heartland Collegiate Conference | Franklin and Ashland | |
| Lone Star Conference | Southwest Texas State | |
| Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association | Missouri–Rolla | |
| North Central Conference | Northern Colorado | |
| Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | Alabama A&M |
| Division: | II |
| Year: | 1980 |
| Teams: | 8 |
| Stadium: | University Stadium |
| Location: | Albuquerque, NM |
| Champions: | Cal Poly |
| Titlecount: | 1st |
| Champgamecount: | 1st |
| Champcount: | 2 |
| Runnerup: | Eastern Illinois |
| Gamecount: | 2nd |
| Runnercount: | 2 |
| Semiscount: | 1 |
| Semiscount2: | 1 |
| Coach: | Joe Harper |
| Coachcount: | 1st |
The 1980 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the eighth single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college football. The championship game was held at University Stadium in Albuquerque, NM for the second, and final, time.