The Sioux Falls Cougars football team represents the University of Sioux Falls, located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in NCAA Division II college football.

The Cougars, who began playing football in 1902, currently compete as members of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

Sioux Falls won the NAIA Division II football national championship in 1996 and the NAIA football national championship in 2006, 2008 and 2009. All four of Sioux Falls national championships have been undefeated seasons.

History Jon Anderson took over as coach in 2017, replacing Jed Stugart. Stugart took over for alum Kalen DeBoer in 2010. DeBoer led USF to a 67–3 record in his five years with 3 national titles as head coach. Legendary coach Bob Young led the Cougars from 1983–2004 guiding them to their first national championship in 1996.

From 2008–2010 the team sported a 42-game winning streak which tied an NAIA record.. In 2012, USF moved to NCAA Division II and joined the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and now has a 69–19 record in the NSIC. Sioux Falls has a 76–26 mark in 102 games at the Division II level. Additionally, the Cougars have made four playoff appearances in the past five years (2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019), missing only in the 7–4 season in 2018. The Cougars won their first-ever NSIC title in 2016 with head coach Jed Stugart leading the Cougars to an 11–0 league mark and 12–1 overall. They had their first-ever playoff win and home playoff win with a 34–21 verdict in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs at Bob Young Field, they advanced to the second round in the NCAA Division II playoffs and would lose to end their 2016 season.

Conferences 1892–1920: Independent 1917–1939: South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference 1940–1947: South Dakota College Conference 1948–1959: South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference 1960–1976: Tri-State Conference 1977–2000: South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference 2000–2011: Great Plains Athletic Conference 2012–present: Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference

Championships National championships 1996 NAIA (4) Division II (1) Bob Young 14–0 Western Washington W, 47–25 2006 Single (3) Kalen DeBoer (3) 14–0 Saint Francis (IN) W, 23–19 2008 14–0 Carroll (MT) W, 23–7 2009 15–0 Lindenwood W, 25–22

Postseason appearances NCAA Division II The Cougars have made four appearances in the NCAA Division II playoffs, with a combined record of 1–4.

2015 First Round Henderson State L, 16–23 2016 First RoundSecond Round Azusa PacificHarding W, 34–21L, 24–27 2017 First Round Midwestern State L, 20–24 2019 First Round Colorado Mines L, 21–24

NAIA The Cougars made sixteen appearances in the NAIA playoffs, with a combined record of 36–12 and four national championships.

1988 First Round Northwestern (IA) L, 9–14 1994 First Round Minot State L, 13–20 1995 First RoundQuarterfinals HastingsMary (ND) W, 41–23L, 17–42 1996 First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinalsNational Championship Mary (ND)Northwestern (IA)EvangelWestern Washington W, 56–19W, 52–21W, 28–21W, 47–25 1997 First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinals OttawaJamestownWillamette W, 57–14W, 29–6L, 7–17 1998 First RoundQuarterfinals Mary (ND)Olivet Nazarene W, 29–25L, 34–37 2001 First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinalsNational Championship Mary (ND)Concordia NebraskaBenedictine (KS)Georgetown (KY) W, 27–21 W, 34–0W, 40–6L, 27–49 2002 First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinals Kansas WesleyanMary (ND)Carroll (MT) W, 45–7W, 13–10L, 17–20 2003 First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinals Benedictine (KS)Northwestern (IA)NW Oklahoma State W, 24–21W, 33–7L, 13–16 2004 First RoundQuarterfinals TaborAzusa Pacific W, 72–11L, 3–24 2005 First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinals Saint XavierTaborCarroll (MT) W, 31–28W, 48–13L, 0–55 2006 First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinalsNational Championship JamestownMorningsideMissouri ValleySaint Francis (IN) W, 48–10W, 37–7W, 25–18W, 23–19 2007 First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinalsNational Championship NW Oklahoma StateSaint XavierMissouri ValleyCarroll (MT) W, 35–7W, 49–7W, 11–10L, 9–17 2008 First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinalsNational Championship Saint AmbroseLangstonSaint Francis (IN)Carroll (MT) W, 28–0W, 50–13W, 24–6W, 23–7 2009 First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinalsNational Championship Minot StateMorningsideSaint XavierLindenwood W, 63–21W, 49–21W, 48–6W, 25–22 2010 First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinalsNational Championship NW Oklahoma StateMcKendreeMidAmerica NazareneCarroll (MT) W, 33–14W, 27–7W, 38–0L, 7–10

Notable players The football program has had four NAIA Players of the Year Award winners, running back Nick Kortan in 2002, quarterback Chad Cavender in 2007, quarterback Lorenzo Brown in 2009 and receiver Jon Ryan in 2010. The program has won 19 conference titles, including 10 in the SDIC (1981, 1984, 1988–1989, 1994–1999) and 9 in the GPAC (2001–2004, 2006–2010).

NFL draftees + Players drafted into the NFL Year Round Pick Player Pos. NFL team 2019 3 91 Trey Pipkins OT Los Angeles Chargers 1984 9 237 Brian Hansen P New Orleans Saints

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