NCAA Division II football championship

NCAA Division II
football championship
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2024 NCAA Division II football season
SportAmerican football
Founded1973; 51 years ago (1973)
First season1973
No. of teams28
CountryUnited States
Most recent
champion(s)		Harding
(2023)
Most titlesNorthwest Missouri State
(6 titles)
TV partner(s)ESPNU
Level on pyramid2
Related
competitions		Division III
Official websitencaa.com/football/d2

The NCAA Division II football championship is an American college football tournament played annually to determine a champion at the NCAA Division II level. It was first held in 1973, as a single-elimination playoff with eight teams. The tournament field has subsequently been expanded three times: to 16 teams in 1988, 24 teams in 2004, and 28 teams in 2016.

The national championship game has been held in eight different cities. Former sites include Sacramento, California (1973–1975); Wichita Falls, Texas (1976–1977); Longview, Texas (1978); Albuquerque, New Mexico (1979–1980); McAllen, Texas (1981–1985); Florence, Alabama (1986–2013); and Kansas City, Kansas (2014–2017).[1] From 1973 through 1985 (with the exception of 1978) the championship game carried a bowl designation (see NCAA Division II bowl games).

Since 2018, the championship game has been played at the McKinney ISD Stadium and Community Event Center in McKinney, Texas.[2] Since 1994, the games have been broadcast on ESPN.

Small-college wire service national champions

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Prior to 1973, for what was then called the NCAA College Division, national champions were selected by polls conducted at the end of each regular season by two major wire services, the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI). In some years, the two polls named different number one teams. From 1964 to 1972, postseason bowl games crowned four regional champions. NCAA Division II bowl games still exist, but only as postseason contests for teams not qualifying for the championship playoffs.

Polls to rank "small college" football teams were conducted by the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) during, and at the end of, each regular season. The AP polled a panel of writers, while UPI polled a panel of coaches. When UPI began its poll in 1958, it explained that the poll would cover college football programs not considered "major" by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), with the small schools (then numbering 519) belonging to the NCAA, the NAIA, both, or neither.[3] The AP began its poll in 1960.[4]

Main articles: AP small college football rankings and UPI small college football rankings


National champions per wire service polls

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National football championship trophy room at Bearcat Stadium at Northwest Missouri State University. The two trophies in the middle are for the team's 1998 and 1999 national championships. The four trophies on the left are for appearances in the 2005–2008 title games
Year Top-ranked team
per UPI poll per AP poll
1958 Mississippi Southern (no poll)
1959 Bowling Green (no poll)
1960 Ohio
1961 Pittsburg State
1962 Southern Miss Florida A&M
1963 Delaware Northern Illinois
1964 Cal State Los Angeles Wittenberg
1965 North Dakota State
1966 San Diego State
1967 San Diego State
1968 San Diego State North Dakota State
1969 North Dakota State
1970 Arkansas State
1971 Delaware
1972 Delaware
1973 [n 1] Tennessee State
1974 [n 1] Louisiana Tech Central Michigan
Notes
  1. ^ a b While the NCAA started Division II playoffs in 1973, AP and UPI still conducted their polls during the 1973 and 1974 seasons.

NCAA Division II champions

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See also: List of NCAA Division II Football Championship appearances by team

Since 1973, a post-season tournament has been held to determine the Division II Champion. The current format, in use since 2016, features 28 teams. They are organized into 4 super-regions of 7 teams each, with the top-seeded team in each super-region getting a bye during the first round. Prior to the championship game, all contests are hosted by the higher-seeded team. the semi-final games are held at the home stadiums of the two highest-seeded remaining teams. Since 2018, the championship game has been played at the McKinney Independent School District Stadium, a 12,000 seat facility that opened in August 2018.

Results

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Key
Ed. Season Champion Score Runner-up Venue Location Att. Winning
head coach
1
 1973 Louisiana Tech (1) 34–0 Western Kentucky Hughes Stadium Sacramento, CA 12,016 Maxie Lambright
2
 1974 Central Michigan (1) 54–14 Delaware Hughes Stadium Sacramento, CA 14,137 Roy Kramer
3
 1975 Northern Michigan (1) 16–14 Western Kentucky Hughes Stadium Sacramento, CA 12,017 Gil Krueger
4
 1976 Montana State (1) 24–13 Akron Memorial Stadium Wichita Falls, TX 13,200 Sonny Holland
5
 1977 Lehigh (1) 33–0 Jacksonville State Memorial Stadium Wichita Falls, TX 14,114 John Whitehead
6
 1978 Eastern Illinois (1) 10–9 Delaware Lobo Stadium Longview, TX 5,500 Darrell Mudra
7
 1979 Delaware (1) 38–21 Youngstown State University Stadium Albuquerque, NM 4,000 Tubby Raymond
8
 1980 Cal Poly (1) 21–13 Eastern Illinois University Stadium Albuquerque, NM 2,056[5] Joe Harper
9
 1981 Southwest Texas (1) 42–13 North Dakota State McAllen Stadium McAllen, TX 9,415 Jim Wacker
10
 1982 Southwest Texas (2) 34–9 UC Davis McAllen Stadium McAllen, TX 8,000 Jim Wacker
11
 1983 North Dakota State (1) 41–21 Central State McAllen Stadium McAllen, TX 5,275 Don Morton
12
 1984 Troy State (1) 18–17 North Dakota State McAllen Stadium McAllen, TX 4,500 Chan Gailey
13
 1985 North Dakota State (2) 35–7 North Alabama McAllen Stadium McAllen, TX 6,000 Earle Solomonson
14
 1986 North Dakota State (3) 27–7 South Dakota Braly Stadium Florence, AL 11,506 Earle Solomonson
15
 1987 Troy State (2) 31–17 Portland State Braly Stadium Florence, AL 10,660 Rick Rhoades
16
 1988 North Dakota State (4) 35–21 Portland State Braly Stadium Florence, AL 6,763 Rocky Hager
17
 1989 Mississippi College[n 1] 3–0 Jacksonville State Braly Stadium Florence, AL 10,538 John M. Williams
18
 1990 North Dakota State (5) 51–11 Indiana (PA) Braly Stadium Florence, AL 10,080 Rocky Hager
19
 1991 Pittsburg State (1) 23–6 Jacksonville State Braly Stadium Florence, AL 11,682 Chuck Broyles
20
 1992 Jacksonville State (1) 17–13 Pittsburg State Braly Stadium Florence, AL 11,733 Bill Burgess
21
 1993 North Alabama (1) 41–34 Indiana (PA) Braly Stadium Florence, AL 15,631 Bobby Wallace
22
 1994 North Alabama (2) 16–10 Texas A&M–Kingsville Braly Stadium Florence, AL 13,526 Bobby Wallace
23
 1995 North Alabama (3) 27–7 Pittsburg State Braly Stadium Florence, AL 15,241 Bobby Wallace
24
 1996 Northern Colorado (1) 23–14 Carson–Newman Braly Stadium Florence, AL 5,745 Joe Glenn
25
 1997 Northern Colorado (2) 51–0 New Haven Braly Stadium Florence, AL 3,352 Joe Glenn
26
 1998 Northwest Missouri (1) 24–6 Carson–Newman Braly Stadium Florence, AL 6,149 Mel Tjeerdsma
27
 1999 Northwest Missouri (2) 58–52 (a.e.t.) Carson–Newman Braly Stadium Florence, AL 8,451 Mel Tjeerdsma
28
 2000 Delta State (1) 63–34 Bloomsburg Braly Stadium Florence, AL 7,123 Steve Campbell
29
 2001 North Dakota (1) 17–14 Grand Valley State Braly Stadium Florence, AL 6,113 Dale Lennon
30
 2002 Grand Valley State (1) 31–24 Valdosta State Braly Stadium Florence, AL 9,783 Brian Kelly
31
 2003 Grand Valley State (2) 10–3 North Dakota Braly Stadium Florence, AL 7,236 Brian Kelly
32
 2004 Valdosta State (1) 36–31 Pittsburg State Braly Stadium Florence, AL 8,604 Chris Hatcher
33
 2005 Grand Valley State (3) 21–17 Northwest Missouri Braly Stadium Florence, AL 6,837 Chuck Martin
34
 2006 Grand Valley State (4) 17–14 Northwest Missouri Braly Stadium Florence, AL 7,437 Chuck Martin
35
 2007 Valdosta State (2) 25–20 Northwest Missouri Braly Stadium Florence, AL 7,532 David Dean
36
 2008 Minnesota–Duluth (1) 21–14 Northwest Missouri Braly Stadium Florence, AL 6,215 Bob Nielson
37
 2009 Northwest Missouri (3) 30–23 Grand Valley State Braly Stadium Florence, AL 6,211 Mel Tjeerdsma
38
 2010 Minnesota–Duluth (2) 20–17 Delta State Braly Stadium Florence, AL 4,027 Bob Nielson
39
 2011 Pittsburg State (2) 35–21 Wayne State (MI) Braly Stadium Florence, AL 7,276 Tim Beck
40
 2012 Valdosta State (3) 35–7 Winston-Salem State Braly Stadium Florence, AL 7,525 David Dean
41
 2013 Northwest Missouri (4) 43–28 Lenoir–Rhyne Braly Stadium Florence, AL 6,543 Adam Dorrel
42
 2014 CSU–Pueblo (1) 13–0 Minnesota State Children's Mercy Kansas, KS 6,762 John Wristen
43
 2015 Northwest Missouri (5) 34–7 Shepherd Children's Mercy Kansas, KS 16,181 Adam Dorrel
44
 2016 Northwest Missouri (6) 29–3 North Alabama Children's Mercy Kansas, KS 9,576[7] Adam Dorrel
45
 2017 Texas A&M–Commerce (1) 37–27 West Florida Children's Mercy Kansas, KS 4,259 Colby Carthel
46
 2018 Valdosta State (4) 49–47 Ferris State McKinney Stadium McKinney, TX 4,306 Kerwin Bell
47
 2019 West Florida (1) 48–40 Minnesota State McKinney Stadium McKinney, TX 3,415 Pete Shinnick
–
 2020
(canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
48
 2021 Ferris State (1) 58–17 Valdosta State McKinney Stadium McKinney, TX 3,933 Tony Annese
49
 2022 Ferris State (2) 41–14 Colorado Mines McKinney Stadium McKinney, TX 6,333 Tony Annese
50
 2023 Harding (1) 38–7 Colorado Mines McKinney Stadium McKinney, TX 12,552 Paul Simmons
Notes
  1. ^ Mississippi College's 1989 tournament participation, along with its championship, were vacated by the NCAA Committee on Infractions.[6]

Team titles

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Championship game appearances

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Main article: List of NCAA Division II Football Championship appearances by team

Programs that no longer compete in Division II are indicated in italics.

Team App. Years
Northwest Missouri State 10 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2016
North Dakota State 7 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990
Grand Valley State 6 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009
Valdosta State 6 2002, 2004, 2007, 2012, 2018, 2021
Pittsburg State 5 1991, 1992, 1995, 2004, 2011
North Alabama 5 1985, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2016
Jacksonville State 4 1977, 1989, 1991, 1992
Carson–Newman 3 1996, 1998, 1999
Delaware 3 1974, 1978, 1979
Ferris State 3 2018, 2021, 2022
Colorado Mines 2 2022, 2023
Delta State 2 2000, 2010
Eastern Illinois 2 1978, 1980
Indiana (PA) 2 1990, 1993
Minnesota–Duluth 2 2008, 2010
Minnesota State 2 2014, 2019
North Dakota 2 2001, 2003
Northern Colorado 2 1996, 1997
Portland State 2 1987, 1988
Texas State[a] 2 1981, 1982
Troy[b] 2 1984, 1987
Western Kentucky 2 1973, 1975
West Florida 2 2017, 2019
Akron 1 1976
Bloomsburg 1 2000
Cal Poly 1 1980
Central Michigan 1 1974
Central State 1 1983
CSU–Pueblo 1 2014
Harding 1 2023
Lehigh 1 1977
Lenoir–Rhyne 1 2013
Louisiana Tech 1 1973
Montana State 1 1976
New Haven 1 1997
Northern Michigan 1 1975
Shepherd 1 2015
South Dakota 1 1986
Texas A&M–Commerce 1 2017
Texas A&M–Kingsville 1 1994
UC Davis 1 1982
Wayne State (MI) 1 2011
Winston-Salem State 1 2012
Youngstown State 1 1979
Mississippi College 0 1989†

Of the programs that no longer compete in D-II, Akron, Central Michigan, Jacksonville State, Louisiana Tech, Texas State, Troy and Western Kentucky currently compete in Division I FBS. All others compete in Division I FCS.

Notes

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† Mississippi College's 1989 tournament participation, along with its championship, were vacated by the NCAA Committee on Infractions.

  • a During Texas State's entire tenure in Division II, its name was Southwest Texas State University. The school adopted its current name in 2003.
  • b During Troy's entire tenure in Division II, its name was Troy State University. The school adopted its current name in 2005.

Teams that moved to Division I

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Most of the participants in early national championship games have moved into Division I, the main catalyst for their moves being the creation of Division I-AA, now the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), in 1978. The following Division II title game participants later moved to Division I:

Postseason bowls

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Regional bowls

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From 1964 to 1972, four regional bowl games were played in order to provide postseason action,[6] however these games took place after the AP and UPI polls were completed, therefore these games did not factor in selecting a national champion for the College Division. The bowl games were:

Region 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972
East Tangerine Bowl Boardwalk Bowl
Orlando, Florida Atlantic City, New Jersey
Mideast Grantland Rice Bowl
Murfreesboro, Tennessee Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Midwest Pecan Bowl Pioneer Bowl
Abilene, Texas Arlington, Texas Wichita Falls, Texas
West Camellia Bowl
Sacramento, California

Winners of regional bowls

Year West Midwest Mideast East
1964 Montana State State College of Iowa Middle Tennessee East Carolina
1965 Cal State Los Angeles North Dakota State Ball State / Tennessee A&I (tie) East Carolina
1966 San Diego State North Dakota Tennessee A&I Morgan State
1967 San Diego State Texas–Arlington Eastern Kentucky Tennessee–Martin
1968 Humboldt State North Dakota State Louisiana Tech Delaware
1969 North Dakota State Arkansas State East Tennessee State Delaware
1970 North Dakota State Arkansas State Tennessee State Delaware
1971 Boise State Louisiana Tech Tennessee State Delaware
1972 North Dakota State Tennessee State Louisiana Tech UMass

[6]

Playoff bowls

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From 1973 to 1977, some of the tournament games were also known by bowl names;

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Kansas City to host 14 NCAA championships". Sporting Kansas City. December 11, 2013.
  2. ^ "NCAA seeks new D2 football title game host because Sporting KC will renovate field". KansasCity.com. Kansas City Star. September 4, 2018. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  3. ^ "Small College Football Board Named by UPI". Brownwood Bulletin. Brownwood, Texas. UPI. September 18, 1958. p. 3. Retrieved May 6, 2024 – via newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Ohio U. Leads Small College Grid Poll; Muskingum Gains Ranking". The Daily Reporter. Associated Press. October 6, 1960. p. 18.
  5. ^ "Cal Poly-SLO, Martin wreck Eastern Illinois". The Pantagraph. Bloomington, Illinois. AP. December 14, 1980. Retrieved February 26, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b c "Division II All-Time Championship Results Bracket" (PDF). NCAA. NCAA.org. p. 2. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  7. ^ "North Alabama vs. Northwest Missouri State - Game Summary". ESPN. December 18, 2016.
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