| NCAA Division II football championship | |
| In Operation: | 1973present |
| Preceded By: | Small-college polls (AP, UPI) |
| Type: | playoff |
| Number Type: | playoff teams |
| Number: | 28 |
| Trophy: | NCAA Division II National Championship Trophy |
| Television: | ESPNU |
| Most Apps: | Northwest Missouri State (24) |
| Most Champs: | Northwest Missouri State (6) |
| Current Champion: | Harding (1) |
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] 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.
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]
See main article: AP small college football rankings and UPI small college football rankings.
National champions per wire service polls
| Year | Top-ranked team | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| per UPI poll | per AP poll | |||
| align=right | no poll | |||
| align=right | no poll | |||
| align=center ! colspan="2" | Ohio | |||
| align=center ! colspan="2" | Pittsburg State | |||
| align=right | Florida A&M | |||
| align=right | Northern Illinois | |||
| align=right | Wittenberg | |||
| align=center ! colspan="2" | North Dakota State | |||
| align=center ! colspan="2" | San Diego State | |||
| align=center ! colspan="2" | San Diego State | |||
| align=right | North Dakota State | |||
| align=center ! colspan="2" | North Dakota State | |||
| align=center ! colspan="2" | Arkansas State | |||
| align=center ! colspan="2" | Delaware | |||
| align=center ! colspan="2" | Delaware | |||
| align=center ! colspan="2" | Tennessee State | |||
| align=right | Central Michigan | |||
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.
See also: List of NCAA Division II Football Championship appearances by team.
| Louisiana Tech (1) | 34–0 | 12,016 | ||||||
| Central Michigan (1) | 54–14 | Hughes Stadium | Sacramento, California | 14,137 | ||||
| Northern Michigan (1) | 16–14 | Hughes Stadium | Sacramento California | 12,017 | ||||
| Montana State (1) | 24–13 | 13,200 | ||||||
| Lehigh (1) | 33–0 | Memorial Stadium | Wichita Falls, Texas | 14,114 | ||||
| Eastern Illinois (1) | 10–9 | Lobo Stadium | 5,500 | |||||
| Delaware (1) | 38–21 | 4,000 | ||||||
| Cal Poly (1) | 21–13 | University Stadium | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 2,056[5] | ||||
| Southwest Texas State (1) | 42–13 | 9,415 | ||||||
| Southwest Texas State (2) | 34–9 | Veterans Memorial Stadium | McAllen, Texas | 8,000 | ||||
| North Dakota State (1) | 41–21 | Veterans Memorial Stadium | McAllen, Texas | 5,275 | ||||
| Troy State (1) | 18–17 | Veterans Memorial Stadium | McAllen, Texas | 4,500 | ||||
| North Dakota State (2) | 35–7 | Veterans Memorial Stadium | McAllen, Texas | 6,000 | ||||
| North Dakota State (3) | 27–7 | Florence, Alabama | 11,506 | |||||
| Troy State (2) | 31–17 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 10,660 | ||||
| North Dakota State (4) | 35–21 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 6,763 | ||||
| Mississippi College† | 3–0 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 10,538 | ||||
| North Dakota State (5) | 51–11 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 10,080 | ||||
| Pittsburg State (1) | 23–6 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 11,682 | ||||
| Jacksonville State (1) | 17–13 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 11,733 | ||||
| North Alabama (1) | 41–34 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 15,631 | ||||
| North Alabama (2) | 16–10 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 13,526 | ||||
| North Alabama (3) | 27–7 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 15,241 | ||||
| Northern Colorado (1) | 23–14 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 5,745 | ||||
| Northern Colorado (2) | 51–0 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 3,352 | ||||
| Northwest Missouri State (1) | 24–6 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 6,149 | ||||
| Northwest Missouri State (2) | 58–52 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 8,451 | ||||
| Delta State (1) | 63–34 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 7,123 | ||||
| North Dakota (1) | 17–14 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 6,113 | ||||
| Grand Valley State (1) | 31–24 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 9,783 | ||||
| (2) | 10–3 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 7,236 | ||||
| Valdosta State (1) | 36–31 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 8,604 | ||||
| Grand Valley State (3) | 21–17 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 6,837 | ||||
| Grand Valley State (4) | 17–14 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 7,437 | ||||
| Valdosta State (2) | 25–20 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 7,532 | ||||
| Minnesota–Duluth (1) | 21–14 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 6,215 | ||||
| Northwest Missouri State (3) | 30–23 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 6,211 | ||||
| Minnesota–Duluth (2) | 20–17 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 4,027 | ||||
| Pittsburg State (2) | 35–21 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 7,276 | ||||
| Valdosta State (3) | 35–7 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 7,525 | ||||
| Northwest Missouri State (4) | 43–28 | Braly Municipal Stadium | Florence, Alabama | 6,543 | ||||
| CSU–Pueblo (1) | 6,762 | |||||||
| Northwest Missouri State (5) | Children's Mercy Park | Kansas City, Kansas | 16,181 | |||||
| Northwest Missouri State (6) | Children's Mercy Park | Kansas City, Kansas | 9,576[6] | |||||
| Texas A&M–Commerce (1) | Children's Mercy Park | Kansas City, Kansas | align=center | 4,259 | ||||
| Valdosta State (4) | 4,306 | |||||||
| West Florida (1) | McKinney ISD Stadium | McKinney, Texas | 3,415 | |||||
| Canceled due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic | ||||||||
| Ferris State (1) | McKinney ISD Stadium | McKinney, Texas | 3,933 | Tony Annese | ||||
| Ferris State (2) | McKinney ISD Stadium | McKinney, Texas | 6,333 | Tony Annese | ||||
| Harding (1) | McKinney ISD Stadium | McKinney, Texas | 12,552 | Paul Simmons | ||||
See main article: List of NCAA Division II Football Championship appearances by team. Programs that no longer compete in Division II are indicated in italics with a pink background.
| Team | Appearances | Years | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2016 | ||
| North Dakota State | 7 | 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990 | |
| 6 | 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009 | ||
| 6 | 2002, 2004, 2007, 2012, 2018, 2021 | ||
| 5 | 1991, 1992, 1995, 2004, 2011 | ||
| North Alabama | 5 | 1985, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2016 | |
| Jacksonville State | 4 | 1977, 1989, 1991, 1992 | |
| 3 | 1996, 1998, 1999 | ||
| Delaware | 3 | 1974, 1978, 1979 | |
| 3 | 2018, 2021, 2022 | ||
| 2 | 2022, 2023 | ||
| 2 | 2000, 2010 | ||
| Eastern Illinois | 2 | 1978, 1980 | |
| 2 | 1990, 1993 | ||
| 2 | 2008, 2010 | ||
| 2 | 2014, 2019 | ||
| North Dakota | 2 | 2001, 2003 | |
| Northern Colorado | 2 | 1996, 1997 | |
| Portland State | 2 | 1987, 1988 | |
| Texas State | 2 | 1981, 1982 | |
| Troy | 2 | 1984, 1987 | |
| Western Kentucky | 2 | 1973, 1975 | |
| 2 | 2017, 2019 | ||
| Akron | 1 | 1976 | |
| 1 | 2000 | ||
| Cal Poly | 1 | 1980 | |
| Central Michigan | 1 | 1974 | |
| 1 | 1983 | ||
| 1 | 2014 | ||
| 1 | 2023 | ||
| Lehigh | 1 | 1977 | |
| 1 | 2013 | ||
| Louisiana Tech | 1 | 1973 | |
| Montana State | 1 | 1976 | |
| 1 | 1997 | ||
| 1 | 1975 | ||
| 1 | 2015 | ||
| South Dakota | 1 | 1986 | |
| Texas A&M–Commerce | 1 | 2017 | |
| 1 | 1994 | ||
| UC Davis | 1 | 1982 | |
| 1 | 2011 | ||
| 1 | 2012 | ||
| Youngstown State | 1 | 1979 | |
| 0 | † |
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.
† Mississippi College's 1989 tournament participation, along with its championship, were vacated by the NCAA Committee on Infractions.
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:
From 1964 to 1972, four regional bowl games were played in order to provide postseason action, 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 | |||||||
| Atlantic City, New Jersey | |||||||||
| Mideast | Grantland Rice Bowl | ||||||||
| Baton Rouge, Louisiana | |||||||||
| Midwest | Pecan Bowl | Pioneer Bowl | |||||||
| Wichita Falls, Texas | |||||||||
| West | Camellia Bowl | ||||||||
| Sacramento, California | |||||||||
Winners of regional bowls
From 1973 to 1977, some of the tournament games were also known by bowl names;