| Year Game Played: | 2008 |
| Game Name: | NCAA Division II Football Championship |
| Visitor Name Short: | Minnesota–Duluth |
| Visitor Nickname: | Bulldogs |
| Visitor School: | University of Minnesota Duluth |
| Home Name Short: | Northwest Missouri State |
| Home Nickname: | Bearcats |
| Home School: | Northwest Missouri State University |
| Visitor Record: | 14 - 0 |
| Home Record: | 13 - 1 |
| Visitor Coach: | Bob Nielson |
| Home Coach: | Mel Tjeerdsma |
| Visitor 1Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 2Q: | 7 |
| Visitor 3Q: | 7 |
| Visitor 4Q: | 7 |
| Home 1Q: | 0 |
| Home 2Q: | 0 |
| Home 3Q: | 0 |
| Home 4Q: | 14 |
| Date Game Played: | December 13 |
| Stadium: | Braly Municipal Stadium |
| City: | Florence, Alabama |
| Attendance: | 6,219 |
| Us Network: | ESPN2 |
| Different Previous: | 2007 |
| Different Next: | 2009 |
The 2008 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game was held on December 13, 2008 at Braly Municipal Stadium near the campus of the University of North Alabama in Florence, Alabama.
See main article: 2008 NCAA Division II National Football Championship playoffs.
The 2008 NCAA Division II National Football Championship playoffs involved 24 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of NCAA Division II college football.[1]
The tournament began on November 15, 2008, and concluded on December 13, 2008 at Braly Municipal Stadium near the campus of the University of North Alabama in Florence, Alabama.
The Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs won the school's first NCAA Division II football championship in a 21-14 win over the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats. Minnesota Duluth's quarterback Ted Schlafke threw 38-yard touchdown pass to Tony Doherty with 14 seconds left in the second quarter to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead. Later he threw a 5-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter to Issac Odim for a 14-0 lead. Odim ran for a 4-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter for a 21-0 lead. Northwest Missouri's first score came on a 44-yard interception return by Aldwin Foster-Rettig cutting the score to 21-7. The Bearcats cut the lead to 21-14 as Raphael Robinson scored on a 2-yard touchdown catch with 1:36 left in the game. Minnesota Duluth recovered an onside kick attempt and ran out the clock.[2]
Minnesota Duluth finished the season with a 15-0 record. Northwest Missouri ended the season with a 13-2 record and suffered its fourth consecutive loss in the Division II championship game.
| Minn-Duluth | Position | Northwest Mo. St. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| OFFENSE | |||
| WR | |||
| LT | |||
| LG | |||
| C | |||
| RG | |||
| RT | |||
| TE | |||
| WR | |||
| QB | |||
| RB | |||
| TE | |||
| DEFENSE | |||
| LE | |||
| LDT/NT | |||
| RDT/RE | |||
| RE/LOLB | |||
| LOLB/MLB | |||
| MLB/ROLB | |||
| ROLB/DB | |||
| LCB | |||
| RCB | |||
| SS | |||
| FS | |||
| Minn-Duluth | Northwest Mo. St. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| First downs | 17 | 19 | |
| Third down efficiency | 6-15 | 6-12 | |
| Fourth down efficiency | 1-1 | 0-0 | |
| Total yards | |||
| Passing yards | 128 | 189 | |
| Passing – completions/attempts | 14/23 | 18/30 | |
| Rushing yards | 145 | 106 | |
| Rushing attempts | 43 | 32 | |
| Yards per rush | |||
| Penalties-yards | 1-12 | 3-30 | |
| Sacks against-yards | 4-16 | 6-32 | |
| Fumbles-lost | 0-0 | 6-2 | |
| Interceptions thrown | 2 | 2 | |
| Time of possession | 34:18 | 25:42 |
Source: Web site: NCAA Game Summary - Northwest Mo. St. vs. Minn.-Duluth Game. 2008-12-13. NCAA. 2009-01-02.