The NCAA Division II football championship is an American college football tournament that is played annually to determine a champion at the NCAA Division II level. It was first held in 1973, as a single-elimination playoff with only eight teams. The tournament field has subsequently been expanded over the years four times: to 16 teams in 1988, 24 teams in 2004, 28 teams in 2016, and 32 teams in 2025.
The national championship game has been held in eight 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). From 1973 through 1985 (with the exception of 1978) the championship game carried a bowl designation (see NCAA Division II bowl games).
Since 2018, the championship game has been played at the McKinney ISD Stadium and Community Event Center in McKinney, Texas. Since 1994, the games have been broadcast on ESPN.
Small-college wire service national champions 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 five 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 experts, 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. The AP began its poll in 1960.
National champions per wire service polls
Year Top-ranked team per UPI poll per AP poll 1958 Mississippi Southern (no poll) 1959 Bowling Green (no poll) 1960 Ohio 1961 Pittsburg State 1962 Southern Miss Florida A&M 1963 Delaware Northern Illinois 1964 Cal State Los Angeles Wittenberg 1965 North Dakota State 1966 San Diego State 1967 San Diego State 1968 San Diego State North Dakota State 1969 North Dakota State 1970 Arkansas State 1971 Delaware 1972 Delaware 1973 Tennessee State 1974 Louisiana Tech Central Michigan Notes
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 2025, features 32 teams organized into 4 super-regions of 8 teams each. 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.
Results
Ed. Season Champion Score Runner-up Venue Location Winninghead coach 1973 Louisiana Tech (1) 34–0 Western Kentucky Hughes Stadium Sacramento, CA 12,016 1974 Central Michigan (1) 54–14 Delaware 14,137 1975 Northern Michigan (1) 16–14 Western Kentucky 12,017 1976 Montana State (1) 24–13 Akron Memorial Stadium Wichita Falls, TX 13,200 1977 Lehigh (1) 33–0 Jacksonville State 14,114 1978 Eastern Illinois (1) 10–9 Delaware Lobo Stadium Longview, TX 5,500 1979 Delaware (1) 38–21 University Stadium Albuquerque, NM 4,000 1980 Cal Poly (1) 21–13 2,056 1981 Southwest Texas (1) 42–13 North Dakota State McAllen Stadium McAllen, TX 9,415 1982 Southwest Texas (2) 34–9 UC Davis 8,000 1983 North Dakota State (1) 41–21 Central State 5,275 1984 Troy State (1) 18–17 North Dakota State 4,500 1985 North Dakota State (2) 35–7 6,000 1986 North Dakota State (3) 27–7 Braly Stadium Florence, AL 11,506 1987 Troy State (2) 31–17 10,660 1988 North Dakota State (4) 35–21 6,763 1989 Mississippi College 3–0 Jacksonville State 10,538 1990 North Dakota State (5) 51–11 10,080 1991 Pittsburg State (1) 23–6 Jacksonville State 11,682 1992 Jacksonville State (1) 17–13 11,733 1993 North Alabama (1) 41–34 15,631 1994 North Alabama (2) 16–10 13,526 1995 North Alabama (3) 27–7 15,241 1996 Northern Colorado (1) 23–14 5,745 1997 Northern Colorado (2) 51–0 3,352 1998 Northwest Missouri (1) 24–6 6,149 1999 Northwest Missouri (2) 58–52 8,451 2000 Delta State (1) 63–34 7,123 2001 North Dakota (1) 17–14 Grand Valley State 6,113 2002 Grand Valley State (1) 31–24 9,783 2003 Grand Valley State (2) 10–3 North Dakota 7,236 2004 Valdosta State (1) 36–31 8,604 2005 Grand Valley State (3) 21–17 6,837 2006 Grand Valley State (4) 17–14 7,437 2007 Valdosta State (2) 25–20 7,532 2008 Minnesota–Duluth (1) 21–14 6,215 2009 Northwest Missouri (3) 30–23 Grand Valley State 6,211 2010 Minnesota–Duluth (2) 20–17 4,027 2011 Pittsburg State (2) 35–21 Wayne State (MI) 7,276 2012 Valdosta State (3) 35–7 Winston-Salem State 7,525 2013 Northwest Missouri (4) 43–28 Lenoir–Rhyne 6,543 2014 CSU Pueblo (1) 13–0 Children's Mercy Kansas City, KS 6,762 2015 Northwest Missouri (5) 34–7 Shepherd 16,181 2016 Northwest Missouri (6) 29–3 North Alabama 9,576 2017 Texas A&M–Commerce (1) 37–27 West Florida 4,259 2018 Valdosta State (4) 49–47 Ferris State McKinney Stadium McKinney, TX 4,306 2019 West Florida (1) 48–40 3,415 2020 2021 Ferris State (1) 58–17 Valdosta State McKinney Stadium McKinney, TX 3,933 Tony Annese 2022 Ferris State (2) 41–14 Colorado Mines 6,333 2023 Harding (1) 38–7 Colorado Mines 12,552 Paul Simmons 2024 Ferris State (3) 49–14 Valdosta State 3,228 Tony Annese 2025 Ferris State (4) 42–21 Harding 10,521 2026 2027 Notes
Team titles
+ Current Division II members Team # Years Northwest Missouri State 6 1998, 1999, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2016 Grand Valley State 4 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006 Valdosta State 2004, 2007, 2012, 2018 Ferris State 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025 Minnesota–Duluth 2 2008, 2010 Pittsburg State 1991, 2011 CSU Pueblo 1 2014 Delta State 2000 Harding 2023 Northern Michigan 1975 West Florida 2019
+ Former Division II members Team # Years North Dakota State 5 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990 North Alabama 3 1993, 1994, 1995 Northern Colorado 2 1996, 1997 Texas State 1981, 1982 Troy 1984, 1987 Cal Poly 1 1980 Central Michigan 1974 Delaware 1979 Eastern Illinois 1978 Jacksonville State 1992 Lehigh 1977 Louisiana Tech 1973 Montana State 1976 North Dakota 2001 East Texas A&M 2017 Mississippi Christian 0
Team titles
Championship game appearances
Programs that no longer compete in Division II are indicated in italics. Team Years Northwest Missouri State 10 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2016 Valdosta State 7 2002, 2004, 2007, 2012, 2018, 2021, 2024 North Dakota State 7 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990 Grand Valley State 6 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009 Ferris State 5 2018, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025 North Alabama 5 1985, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2016 Pittsburg State 5 1991, 1992, 1995, 2004, 2011 Jacksonville State 4 1977, 1989, 1991, 1992 Carson–Newman 3 1996, 1998, 1999 Delaware 3 1974, 1978, 1979 Harding 2 2023, 2025 Colorado Mines 2 2022, 2023 Delta State 2 2000, 2010 Eastern Illinois 2 1978, 1980 Indiana (PA) 2 1990, 1993 Minnesota–Duluth 2 2008, 2010 Minnesota State 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 West Florida 2 2017, 2019 Akron 1 1976 Bloomsburg 1 2000 Cal Poly 1 1980 Central Michigan 1 1974 Central State 1 1983 CSU Pueblo 1 2014 East Texas A&M 1 2017 Lehigh 1 1977 Lenoir–Rhyne 1 2013 Louisiana Tech 1 1973 Montana State 1 1976 New Haven 1 1997 Northern Michigan 1 1975 Shepherd 1 2015 South Dakota 1 1986 Texas A&M–Kingsville 1 1994 UC Davis 1 1982 Wayne State (MI) 1 2011 Winston-Salem State 1 2012 Youngstown State 1 1979 Mississippi Christian 0 †
Of the programs that no longer compete in D-II, Akron, Central Michigan, Delaware, Jacksonville State, Louisiana Tech, North Dakota State, Texas State, Troy and Western Kentucky currently compete in Division I FBS, while Mississippi College no longer fields a football team. All others compete in Division I FCS.
Notes † Mississippi College's 1989 tournament participation, along with its championship, were vacated by the NCAA Committee on Infractions. During Texas State's entire tenure in Division II, its name was Southwest Texas State University. The school adopted its current name in 2003. During Troy's entire tenure in Division II, its name was Troy State University. The school adopted its current name in 2005. East Texas A&M was known by two names during its Division II tenure—first as East Texas State University through the 1995 season, then as Texas A&M University–Commerce. The school adopted its current name in 2024. Mississippi Christian was known as Mississippi College when it fielded a football team.
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:
Division I FBS (formerly I-A) Akron (1976 runner-up) Central Michigan (1974 champion) Delaware (1979 champion; 1974 and 1978 runner-up) Jacksonville State (1992 champion; 1977, 1989, and 1991 runner-up) Louisiana Tech (1973 champion) North Dakota State (1965, 1968, 1969, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, and 1990 champion; 1981 and 1984 runner-up) Texas State (1981 and 1982 champion as Southwest Texas State) Troy (1984 and 1987 champion as Troy State) Western Kentucky (1973 and 1975 runner-up)
Division I FCS (formerly I-AA) Cal Poly (1980 champion) East Texas A&M (2017 champion as Texas A&M–Commerce) Eastern Illinois (1978 champion; 1980 runner-up) Lehigh (1977 champion) Montana State (1976 champion) New Haven (1997 runner-up) North Alabama (1993, 1994, and 1995 champion; 1985 and 2016 runner-up) North Dakota (2001 champion, 2003 runner-up) Northern Colorado (1996 and 1997 champion) Portland State (1987 and 1988 runner-up) South Dakota (1986 runner-up) UC Davis (1982 runner-up) Youngstown State (1979 runner-up)
Postseason bowls Regional bowls 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 Orlando, Florida Atlantic City, New Jersey Mideast Grantland Rice Bowl Murfreesboro, Tennessee Baton Rouge, Louisiana Midwest Pecan Bowl Pioneer Bowl Abilene, Texas Arlington, Texas Wichita Falls, TexasWest Camellia Bowl Sacramento, California
Winners of regional bowls Year West Midwest Mideast East1964Montana StateState College of IowaMiddle TennesseeEast Carolina1965Cal State Los AngelesNorth Dakota StateBall State / Tennessee A&I (tie)East Carolina1966San Diego StateNorth DakotaTennessee A&I1967San Diego StateTexas–Arlington1968Humboldt StateNorth Dakota StateLouisiana TechDelaware1969North Dakota StateArkansas StateEast Tennessee StateDelaware1970North Dakota StateArkansas StateTennessee StateDelaware1971Boise StateLouisiana TechTennessee StateDelaware1972North Dakota StateTennessee StateLouisiana TechUMass
Playoff bowls From 1973 to 1977, some of the tournament games were also known by bowl names; In 1973, one of the first-round games was the final playing of the Boardwalk Bowl.