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 polled a panel of writers, while UPI polled 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
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.

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
Season Champion Score Runner-up Venue Location Attendance Winning
head coach
1973Louisiana Tech (1)34–0Western KentuckyHughes StadiumSacramento, California12,016Maxie Lambright
1974Central Michigan (1)54–14DelawareHughes StadiumSacramento, California14,137Roy Kramer
1975Northern Michigan (1)16–14Western KentuckyHughes StadiumSacramento California12,017Gil Krueger
1976Montana State (1)24–13AkronMemorial StadiumWichita Falls, Texas13,200Sonny Holland
1977Lehigh (1)33–0Jacksonville StateMemorial StadiumWichita Falls, Texas14,114John Whitehead
1978Eastern Illinois (1)10–9DelawareLobo StadiumLongview, Texas5,500Darrell Mudra
1979Delaware (1)Youngstown State38–21University StadiumAlbuquerque, New Mexico4,000Tubby Raymond
1980Cal Poly (1)21–13Eastern IllinoisUniversity StadiumAlbuquerque, New Mexico2,056[3]Joe Harper
1981Southwest Texas State (1)42–13North Dakota StateVeterans Memorial StadiumMcAllen, Texas9,415Jim Wacker
1982Southwest Texas State (2)34–9UC DavisVeterans Memorial StadiumMcAllen, Texas8,000Jim Wacker
1983North Dakota State (1)41–21Central StateVeterans Memorial StadiumMcAllen, Texas5,275Don Morton
1984Troy State (1)18–17North Dakota StateVeterans Memorial StadiumMcAllen, Texas4,500Chan Gailey
1985North Dakota State (2)35–7North AlabamaVeterans Memorial StadiumMcAllen, Texas6,000Earle Solomonson
1986North Dakota State (3)27–7South DakotaBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama11,506Earle Solomonson
1987Troy State (2)31–17Portland StateBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama10,600Rick Rhoades
1988North Dakota State (4)35–21Portland StateBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama6,763Rocky Hager
1989Mississippi College†3–0Jacksonville StateBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama6,763John M. Williams
1990North Dakota State (5)51–11Indiana (PA)Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama10,080Rocky Hager
1991Pittsburg State (1)23–6Jacksonville StateBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama11,500Chuck Broyles
1992Jacksonville State (1)17–13Pittsburg StateBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama11,733Bill Burgess
1993North Alabama (1)41–34Indiana (PA)Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama15,361Bobby Wallace
1994North Alabama (2)16–10Texas A&M–KingsvilleBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama13,526Bobby Wallace
1995North Alabama (3)27–7Pittsburg StateBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama15,241Bobby Wallace
1996Northern Colorado (1)23–14Carson–NewmanBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama5,745Joe Glenn
1997Northern Colorado (2)51–0New HavenBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama3,352Joe Glenn
1998Northwest Missouri State (1)24–6Carson–NewmanBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama6,149Mel Tjeerdsma
1999Northwest Missouri State (2)58–52 4OTCarson–NewmanBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama8,451Mel Tjeerdsma
2000Delta State (1)63–34BloomsburgBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama7,123Steve Campbell
2001North Dakota (1)17–14Grand Valley StateBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama6,113Dale Lennon
2002Grand Valley State (1)31–24Valdosta StateBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama9,783Brian Kelly
2003Grand Valley State (2)10–3North DakotaBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama7,236Brian Kelly
2004Valdosta State (1)36–31Pittsburg StateBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama8,604Chris Hatcher
2005Grand Valley State (3)21–17Northwest Missouri StateBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama6,837Chuck Martin
2006Grand Valley State (4)17–14Northwest Missouri StateBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama7,437Chuck Martin
2007Valdosta State (2)25–20Northwest Missouri StateBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama7,532David Dean
2008Minnesota–Duluth (1)21–14Northwest Missouri StateBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama6,215Bob Nielson
2009Northwest Missouri State (3)30–23Grand Valley StateBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama6,211Mel Tjeerdsma
2010Minnesota–Duluth (2)20–17Delta StateBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama4,027Bob Nielson
2011Pittsburg State (2)35–21Wayne State (MI)Braly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama7,276Tim Beck
2012Valdosta State (3)35–7Winston-Salem StateBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama7,525David Dean
2013Northwest Missouri State (4)43–28Lenoir–RhyneBraly Municipal StadiumFlorence, Alabama6,543Adam Dorrel
2014CSU–Pueblo (1)13–0Minnesota State–MankatoChildren's Mercy ParkKansas City, Kansas6,762John Wristen
2015Northwest Missouri State (5)34–7ShepherdChildren's Mercy ParkKansas City, Kansas16,181Adam Dorrel
2016Northwest Missouri State (6)29–3North AlabamaChildren's Mercy ParkKansas City, Kansas9,576[4]Adam Dorrel
2017Texas A&M–Commerce (1)37–27West FloridaChildren's Mercy ParkKansas City, Kansas4,259Colby Carthel
2018Valdosta State (4)49–47Ferris StateMcKinney ISD StadiumMcKinney, Texas4,306Kerwin Bell
2019West Florida (1)48–40Minnesota State–MankatoMcKinney ISD StadiumMcKinney, Texas3,415Pete Shinnick
2020Canceled due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic
2021Valdosta State vs. Ferris StateMcKinney ISD StadiumMcKinney, Texas

† Mississippi College's 1989 tournament participation, along with its championship, were vacated by the NCAA Committee on Infractions.[5]

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,[5] 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

YearWestMidwestMideastEast
1964Montana StateState College of IowaMiddle TennesseeEast Carolina
1965Cal State Los AngelesNorth Dakota StateBall State / Tennessee A&I (tie)East Carolina
1966San Diego StateNorth DakotaTennessee A&IMorgan 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 Dakota StateTennessee StateLouisiana TechUMass

[5]

Playoff bowls

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

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. "Cal Poly-SLO, Martin wreck Eastern Illinois". The Pantagraph. Bloomington, Illinois. AP. December 14, 1980. Retrieved February 26, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  4. "North Alabama vs. Northwest Missouri State - Game Summary". ESPN. December 18, 2016.
  5. "Division II All-Time Championship Results Bracket" (PDF). NCAA. NCAA.org. p. 2. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.