The 2003 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 2003, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 2003 at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. The Saint John's (MN) Johnnies won their second Division III championship by defeating the three-time defending national champion Mount Union Purple Raiders, 24−6.
The Gagliardi Trophy, given to the most outstanding player in Division III football, was awarded to Blake Elliott, wide receiver, punter, and kick returner from Saint John's (MN).
Conference changes and new programs School 2002 conference 2003 conference Husson Braves No program Independent New Jersey City Gothic Knights NJAC Dropped programUpper Iowa Peacocks Iowa Northern Sun (Division II)
Conference standings
Conference champions Conference championsAmerican Southwest Conference – East Texas Baptist, Hardin–Simmons, and Mary Hardin–Baylor Atlantic Central Football Conference – Frostburg State Centennial Conference – Johns Hopkins and Muhlenberg College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin – Wheaton (IL) Empire 8 Conference – Ithaca Freedom Football Conference‡ – Springfield Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference – Hanover Illini-Badger Football Conference – Concordia (WI) Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Wartburg Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Hope Middle Atlantic Conference – Lycoming Midwest Conference – St. Norbert Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Saint John's (MN) New England Football Conference – Westfield State (Bogan Division), Curry (Boyd Division) Championship Game: Curry 36, Westfield State 0 New England Small College Athletic Conference – Trinity (CT) New Jersey Athletic Conference – Montclair State North Coast Athletic Conference – Allegheny Northwest Conference – Linfield Ohio Athletic Conference – Mount Union Old Dominion Athletic Conference – Bridgewater Presidents' Athletic Conference – Waynesburg Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Redlands Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference – Centre and Trinity (TX) University Athletic Association – Washington–Saint Louis Upper Midwest Athletic Conference – Westminster (MO) Upstate Collegiate Athletic Conference – Hobart and RPI USA South Athletic Conference – Christopher Newport and Shenandoah Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Wisconsin–La Crosse
Postseason The 2003 NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs were the 31st 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 11th time. This was the fifth bracket to feature 28 teams since last expanding in 1999.
Playoff bracket
* Overtime
Final D3football.com Poll Team Final Record Points 1. St. John's (MN) (25) 14–0 625 2. Mount Union 13–1 595 3. Linfield 11–1 575 4. Wartburg 11–1 489 5. RPI 11–2 483 6. Wheaton (IL) 12–1 475 7. Bridgewater 12–2 453 8. Wisconsin–La Crosse 10–2 441 9. Baldwin–Wallace 10–2 399 10. Ithaca 10–3 355 11. Lycoming 9–2 353 12. Bethel (MN) 9–2 342 13. Springfield 10–1 336 14. East Texas Baptist 9–3 259 15. Mary Hardin–Baylor 9–1 234 16. St. Norbert 11–1 218 17. Montclair State 9–2 189 18. Wisconsin–Stevens Point 8–2 176 19. Christopher Newport 8–3 175 20. Brockport 9–2 163 21. Hampden–Sydney 9–1 140 22. Waynesburg 9–2 103 23. Simpson (IA) 9–2 81 24. Trinity (TX) 8–3 66 25. Johns Hopkins 10–1 60
Others receiving votes: 26. Capital 50, 27. Hardin–Simmons 47, 28. Allegheny 42, 29. Trinity (CT) 38, 30. Redlands 22, 31. Hope 21, 32. Wisconsin–Whitewater 19, 32. Hanover 19, 34. Curry 18, 35. Concordia (WI) 16, 36. Washington & Jefferson 12, 37. Muhlenberg 9, 38. Rowan 7, 38. Augustana (IL) 7, 40. Delaware Valley 6, 41. Menlo 3, 42. Willamette 2, 43. New Jersey State 1, 43. Shenandoah 1.
Awards Gagliardi Trophy: Blake Elliott
AFCA Coach of the Year: John Gagliardi
AFCA Regional Coach of the Year: Region 1: Mike DeLong, Springfield College Region 2: Jeff Hand, Waynesburg College Region 3: Ralph Harris, East Texas Baptist University Region 4: Mike Swider, Wheaton College Region 5: John Gagliardi, St. John’s University (Minn.)
See also 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season 2003 NCAA Division I-AA football season 2003 NCAA Division II football season
References