NCAA Division II Football Championship

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 tournament with eight teams. The tournament field has subsequently been expanded three times; in 1988 it became 16 teams, in 2004 it became 24 teams, and in 2016 it became 28 teams.

NCAA Division II Football Championship
Logo used for the 2005 NCAA Division II National Championship Game
In operation1973–present
Preceded bySmall college polls
Number of playoff teams28
Championship trophyNCAA Division II National Championship Trophy
Television partner(s)ESPNU
Most playoff appearancesNorthwest Missouri State (24)
Most playoff championshipsNorthwest Missouri State (6)
Current championUniversity of West Florida (1)

The National Championship game has been held in seven different cities; 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] The 2018 and 2019 games were played at the McKinney ISD Stadium and Community Event Center in McKinney, Texas.[2] Since 1994, the games have been broadcast on ESPN.

Prior to 1973, for what was then called the "NCAA College Division," champions were selected by polls conducted at the end of each regular season by two major wire services; in some years the two polls named different number one teams.

NCAA College Division wire service national champions

Polls were conducted by the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) at the end of each regular season. The AP would poll a panel of writers, while UPI would poll a panel of coaches.

National champions by polling

YearUPI number oneAP number one
1958Mississippi Southern(no poll)
1959Bowling Green(no poll)
1960Ohio
1961Pittsburg State
1962Southern MissFlorida A&M
1963DelawareNorthern Illinois
1964Cal State Los AngelesWittenberg
1965North Dakota State
1966San Diego State
1967San Diego State
1968San Diego StateNorth Dakota State
1969North Dakota State
1970Arkansas State
1971Delaware
1972Delaware
1973Tennessee State
1974Louisiana TechCentral Michigan

While the NCAA started Division II playoffs in 1973, AP and UPI still conducted their polls these years.

NCAA Division II champions

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. The 28 teams are organized into 4 super-regions of 7 teams each, the top-seeded team in each super-region gets a bye during the first round. The champions of the four super-regions meet in the semi-final round, and the winners of the two semi-final games meet in a neutral-site championship game. Prior to the championship game, the semi-final games are held at the home stadiums of the two highest-seeded remaining teams. The championship game has been played at several sites through history, starting in 2018 it was held at the McKinney Independent School District Stadium, a 12,000 seat facility that opened in August, 2018.

See also: List of NCAA Division II Football Championship appearances by team
YearChampion[3]Runner-upScoreVenueLocationAttendanceWinning head coach
1973Louisiana Tech (1)Western Kentucky34–0Hughes StadiumSacramento, California12,016Maxie Lambright
1974Central Michigan (1)Delaware54–14Hughes StadiumSacramento, California14,137Roy Kramer
1975Northern Michigan (1)Western Kentucky16–14Hughes StadiumSacramento California12,017Gil Krueger
1976Montana State (1)Akron24–13Memorial StadiumWichita Falls, Texas13,200Sonny Holland
1977Lehigh (1)Jacksonville State33–0Memorial StadiumWichita Falls, Texas14,114John Whitehead
1978Eastern Illinois (1)Delaware10–9Lobo StadiumLongview, Texas5,500Darrell Mudra
1979Delaware (1)Youngstown State38–21University StadiumAlbuquerque, New Mexico4,000Tubby Raymond
1980Cal Poly (1)Eastern Illinois21–13University StadiumAlbuquerque, New Mexico2,056[4]Joe Harper
1981Southwest Texas State (1)North Dakota State42–13Veterans Memorial StadiumMcAllen, Texas9,415Jim Wacker
1982Southwest Texas State (2)UC Davis34–9Veterans Memorial StadiumMcAllen, Texas8,000Jim Wacker
1983North Dakota State (1)Central State41–21Veterans Memorial StadiumMcAllen, Texas5,275Don Morton
1984Troy State (1)North Dakota State18–17Veterans Memorial StadiumMcAllen, Texas4,500Chan Gailey
1985North Dakota State (2)North Alabama35–7Veterans Memorial StadiumMcAllen, Texas6,000Earle Solomonson
1986North Dakota State (3)South Dakota27–7Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama11,506Earle Solomonson
1987Troy State (2)Portland State31–17Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama10,600Rick Rhoades
1988North Dakota State (4)Portland State35–21Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama6,763Rocky Hager
1989Mississippi College†Jacksonville State3–0Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama6,763John M. Williams
1990North Dakota State (5)Indiana (PA)51–11Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama10,080Rocky Hager
1991Pittsburg State (1)Jacksonville State23–6Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama11,500Chuck Broyles
1992Jacksonville State (1)Pittsburg State17–13Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama11,733Bill Burgess
1993North Alabama (1)Indiana (PA)41–34Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama15,361Bobby Wallace
1994North Alabama (2)Texas A&M–Kingsville16–10Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama13,526Bobby Wallace
1995North Alabama (3)Pittsburg State27–7Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama15,241Bobby Wallace
1996Northern Colorado (1)Carson–Newman23–14Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama5,745Joe Glenn
1997Northern Colorado (2)New Haven51–0Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama3,352Joe Glenn
1998Northwest Missouri State (1)Carson–Newman24–6Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama6,149Mel Tjeerdsma
1999Northwest Missouri State (2)Carson–Newman58–52 4OTBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama8,451Mel Tjeerdsma
2000Delta State (1)Bloomsburg63–34Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama7,123Steve Campbell
2001North Dakota (1)Grand Valley State17–14Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama6,113Dale Lennon
2002Grand Valley State (1)Valdosta State31–24Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama9,783Brian Kelly
2003Grand Valley State (2)North Dakota10–3Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama7,236Brian Kelly
2004Valdosta State (1)Pittsburg State36–31Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama8,604Chris Hatcher
2005Grand Valley State (3)Northwest Missouri State21–17Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama6,837Chuck Martin
2006Grand Valley State (4)Northwest Missouri State17–14Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama7,437Chuck Martin
2007Valdosta State (2)Northwest Missouri State25–20Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama7,532David Dean
2008Minnesota–Duluth (1)Northwest Missouri State21–14Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama6,215Bob Nielson
2009Northwest Missouri State (3)Grand Valley State30–23Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama6,211Mel Tjeerdsma
2010Minnesota–Duluth (2)Delta State20–17Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama4,027Bob Nielson
2011Pittsburg State (2)Wayne State (MI)35–21Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama7,276Tim Beck
2012Valdosta State (3)Winston-Salem State35–7Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama7,525David Dean
2013Northwest Missouri State (4)Lenoir–Rhyne43–28Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama6,543Adam Dorrel
2014CSU–Pueblo (1)Minnesota State–Mankato13–0Children's Mercy ParkKansas City, Kansas6,762John Wristen
2015Northwest Missouri State (5)Shepherd34–7Children's Mercy ParkKansas City, Kansas16,181Adam Dorrel
2016Northwest Missouri State (6)North Alabama29–3Children's Mercy ParkKansas City, Kansas9,576[5]Adam Dorrel
2017Texas A&M–Commerce (1)West Florida37–27Children's Mercy ParkKansas City, Kansas4,259Colby Carthel
2018Valdosta State (4)Ferris State49–47McKinney ISD StadiumMcKinney, Texas4,306Kerwin Bell
2019West Florida (1)Minnesota State–Mankato48–40McKinney ISD StadiumMcKinney, Texas3,415Pete Shinnick
2020Canceled due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemicMcKinney ISD StadiumMcKinney, Texas3,415N/A

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

Teams that moved to Division I

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

Regional bowls

From 1964 to 1972, four regional bowl games were played in order to provide postseason action,[3] 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
EastTangerine BowlBoardwalk Bowl
Orlando, FloridaAtlantic City, New Jersey
MideastGrantland Rice Bowl
Murfreesboro, TennesseeBaton Rouge, Louisiana
MidwestPecan BowlPioneer Bowl
Abilene, TexasArlington, TexasWichita Falls, Texas
WestCamellia Bowl
Sacramento, California

Winners of regional bowls[3]

YearWestMidwestMideastEast
1964Montana StateState College (IA)Middle Tennessee StateEast Carolina
1965Cal State Los AngelesNorth Dakota StateBall State / Tennessee State (tie)East Carolina
1966San Diego StateNorth DakotaTennessee StateMorgan State
1967San Diego StateTexas-ArlingtonEastern KentuckyTennessee-Martin
1968Humboldt StateNorth Dakota StateLouisiana TechDelaware
1969North Dakota StateArkansas StateEast Tennessee StateDelaware
1970North Dakota StateArkansas StateTennessee StateDelaware
1971Boise StateLouisiana TechTennessee StateDelaware
1972North DakotaTennessee StateLouisiana TechMassachusetts

Playoff bowls

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

Map
Northwest Missouri State
North Dakota State
Grand Valley State
North Alabama
Valdosta State
Southwest Texas State
Troy
State
Pittsburg State
Northern Colorado
Minnesota–Duluth
Louisiana Tech
Central Michigan
Northern Michigan
Montana State
Lehigh
Eastern Illinois
Delaware
Cal Poly SLO
Mississippi College
Jacksonville State
Delta State
North Dakota
West
Florida
Texas A&M–
Commerce
CSU
Pueblo
Schools with Division II championships
– 6 championships, – 5 championships, – 4 championships
– 3 championships, – 2 championships, – 1 championship
Italics indicate schools that have since moved to Division I

See also
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.

References
  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. "Division II All-Time Championship Results Bracket" (PDF). NCAA. NCAA.org. p. 2. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  4. "Cal Poly-SLO, Martin wreck Eastern Illinois". The Pantagraph. Bloomington, Illinois. AP. December 14, 1980. Retrieved February 26, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  5. "North Alabama vs. Northwest Missouri State - Game Summary". ESPN. December 18, 2016.
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