The 1986 Carson–Newman Eagles football team was an American football team that represented Carson–Newman College (renamed Carson–Newman University in 2012) as a member of the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) during the 1986 NAIA Division I football season.
In its seventh year under head coach Ken Sparks, the team compiled a 12–1 record (6–1 against conference opponents), won the SAC championship, and defeated Cameron in the Champion Bowl to win the NAIA national championship.
[1] It was the third of five national championships (1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, and 1989) won by Carson–Newman during the 1980s.