2016 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game

The 2016 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game that determined a national champion in NCAA Division II for the 2016 season. It was played at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas, on December 17, 2016,[1] with kickoff at 4:00 p.m. EST (3:00 p.m. local CST), and television coverage on ESPN2.

Not to be confused with 2017 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game or 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship.
2016 NCAA Division II Football Championship
North Alabama Lions Northwest Missouri State Bearcats
(11–1) (14–0)
Gulf South MIAA
3 29
Head coach: 
Bobby Wallace		 Head coach: 
Adam Dorrel
Seed
3
Seed
1
1234 Total
North Alabama 0300 3
Northwest Missouri State 07715 29
DateDecember 17, 2016
Season2016
StadiumChildren's Mercy Park
LocationKansas City, Kansas
RefereeBob Rose
Attendance9,576
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN2

Teams

The participants of the 2016 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game were the finalists of the 2016 Division II Playoffs, which began with four 7-team brackets to determine super region champions, who then qualified for the national semifinals.[2] The game featured the winners of those national semifinal games: No. 3 seed North Alabama and No. 1 seed Northwest Missouri State. This was the third meeting between the two teams; entering the game, Northwest Missouri State led the series 2–0.[3] This was the Bearcats' tenth championship game appearance, having won 5, while the Lions were making their fifth appearance, having won 3.[4] Additionally, the Bearcats entered the game as the defending national champions and were seeking to extend their streak to having won 3 of the last 4 national titles.

National semifinals

Super region champions were seeded 1 to 4 for the national semifinals.

Semifinals
December 10
Hosted by higher seeded team 		National Championship
December 17
Children's Mercy Park, Kansas City, KS
      
1 Northwest Missouri State 35
4 Ferris State 20
1 Northwest Missouri State 29
3 North Alabama 3
2 Shepherd 13
3 North Alabama 23

Game summary
2016 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game
1 2 34Total
No. 3 North Alabama 0 3 003
No. 1 Northwest Missouri State 0 7 71529

at Children's Mercy Park • Kansas City, Kansas

  • Date: Saturday, December 17, 2016
  • Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST (3:00 p.m. CST)
  • Game weather: Snowy • Temperature: 13 °F (−11 °C) • Wind: NNW 17 mph
  • Game attendance: 9,576
  • Referee: Bob Rose
  • TV announcers (ESPN2): Dave Neal (play-by-play), Tom Luginbill (analyst), Olivia Harlan (sideline)
  • Sources:[5]
Game information
First Quarter
No scoring
Second Quarter
  • (0:58) NWMS – Randy Schmidt 7 yard pass to Jordan Grove, Simon Mathiesen kick (Drive: 8 plays, 57 yards, 3:53; Northwest Missouri State 7–0)
  • (0:04) UNA – Kevin Henke 21 yard field goal (Drive: 7 plays, 60 yards, 0:53; Northwest Missouri State 7–3)
Third Quarter
  • (5:57) NWMS – Phil Jackson 2 yard rush, Simon Mathiesen kick (Drive: 7 plays, 40 yards, 2:44; Northwest Missouri State 14–3)
Fourth Quarter
  • (8:14) NWMS – North Alabama fumbled out of the end zone, safety (Northwest Missouri State 16–3)
  • (6:12) NWMS – Kyle Zimmerman 13 yard pass to Shane Williams, 2-point pass failed (Drive: 4 plays, 41 yards, 1:53; Northwest Missouri State 22–3)
  • (0:57) NWMS – Phil Jackson 10 yard rush, Simon Mathiesen kick (Drive: 6 plays, 35 yards, 3:20; Northwest Missouri State 29–3)

Statistics
StatisticsUNANWMS
First downs1415
Plays–yards74–20174–338
Rushes–yards33–2240–226
Passing yards179112
Passing: Comp–Att–Int15–41–118–34–1
Time of possession27:0532:55
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
North AlabamaPassingJacob Tucker15/41, 179 yards, 1 INT
RushingRay Beasley4 carries, 29 yards
ReceivingJulius Jones4 receptions, 82 yards
Northwest Missouri StatePassingKyle Zimmerman13/26, 100 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
RushingRandy Schmidt14 carries, 96 yards
ReceivingJordan Grove6 receptions, 27 yards, 1 TD

References
  1. "North Ala. vs Northwest Mo. St. DII Football Game Summary - December 17th, 2016 | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  2. "2016 Division II Football Official Bracket | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  3. "Northwest Missouri State University - Football-Record-Book-thru-2019" (PDF). bearcatsports.com. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  4. "DII Football Championship History | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  5. "Northwest Missouri State University - Boxscore for Football vs University of North Alabama on 12/17/2016". bearcatsports.com. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
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