The 2001 NCAA Division III football season, part of the college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States, began in August 2001, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 2001 at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. The Mount Union Purple Raiders won their sixth, and second consecutive, Division III championship by defeating the Bridgewater (VA) Eagles, 30−27.
The Gagliardi Trophy, given to the most outstanding player in Division III football, was awarded to Chuck Moore, running back from Mount Union.
Conference and program changes Conference changes School 2000 Conference 2001 Conference Christopher Newport New program Dixie
Program changes After Salisbury State University shortened its name to Salisbury University in 2001, the Salisbury State Sea Gulls became the Salisbury Sea Gulls at the start of the 2001 season.
Conference standings
Conference champions Conference championsAmerican Southwest Conference – Hardin–Simmons Atlantic Central Football Conference – Wesley Centennial Conference – Western Maryland and Muhlenberg College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin – Augustana (IL) and Illinois Wesleyan Dixie Intercollegiate Football Conference – Christopher Newport and Ferrum Freedom Football Conference – Plymouth State and Western Connecticut State Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference – Anderson and Defiance Illini-Badger Football Conference – MacMurray Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Central (IA) Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Albion Middle Atlantic Conference – Widener Midwest Conference – Ripon and St. Norbert Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Bethel (MN) and Saint John's (MN) New England Football Conference – Westfield State (Bogan Division), Nichols (Boyd Division) Championship Game: Westfield State 12, Nichols 0 New England Small College Athletic Conference – Williams New Jersey Athletic Conference – Rowan North Coast Athletic Conference – Wittenberg Northwest Conference – Linfield, Pacific Lutheran, and Whitworth Ohio Athletic Conference – Mount Union Old Dominion Athletic Conference – Bridgewater Presidents' Athletic Conference – Washington & Jefferson Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Occidental Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference – Trinity (TX) University Athletic Association – Washington–Saint Louis Upper Midwest Athletic Conference – Northwestern–St. Paul Upstate Collegiate Athletic Conference – RPI Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Wisconsin–Eau Claire and Wisconsin–Stevens Point
Postseason The 2001 NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs were the 29th annual single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division III college football. The championship Stagg Bowl game was held at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia for the ninth time. This was the third bracket to feature 28 teams since last expanding in 1999.
Playoff bracket
* Overtime
See also 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season 2001 NCAA Division I-AA football season 2001 NCAA Division II football season
References