| Year: | 1986 |
| Team: | Lamar Cardinals |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Southland Conference |
| Short Conf: | Southland |
| Record: | 2–9 |
| Conf Record: | 0–5 |
| Head Coach: | Ray Alborn |
| Hc Year: | 1st |
| Stadium: | Cardinal Stadium |
The 1986 Lamar Cardinals football team represented Lamar University in the 1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season as a member of the Southland Conference. The Cardinals played their home games at Cardinal Stadium now named Provost Umphrey Stadium in Beaumont, Texas. Lamar finished the 1986 season with a 2–9 overall record and a 0–5 conference record. The season marked the first year with Ray Alborn as Lamar Cardinals head football coach. The 1986 season was also the Cardinals' last season as a member of the Southland Conference in football until the 2010 season. Lamar joined the non–football American South Conference as a charter member along with fellow SLC members, Louisiana Tech and Arkansas State and three other universities.