The 2022 NCAA Division III football season was the component of the 2022 college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States. The regular season began on September 3 and ended on November 12. This was the 49th season that the NCAA has sponsored a Division III championship.
Mary Hardin–Baylor, the defending national champions, were the top-ranked team to begin the season.
The season's playoffs were played between November 19 and December 16, culminating in the national championship—also known as the Stagg Bowl—at the Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland.
Conference changes and new programs Membership changes Team Former conference New conference Allegheny NCAC Presidents' Averett USA South ODAC Belhaven ASC USA South Eastern New program Independent Hilbert New program Independent
In addition to the above, the USA South amicably split into two conferences at the end of the 2021–22 school year. In addition to Averett, which left for the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, 10 of the previous 19 full members remained in the USA South, and eight left to form the new Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS). Belhaven, which had previously been announced as a new USA South all-sports member for 2021–22, instead joined CCS. Since CCS does not sponsor football, the separation agreement called for all football-sponsoring CCS members to become USA South affiliates. This meant the only changes to USA South football were the arrival of Belhaven and departure of Averett.
Conference standings
Postseason Teams
Automatic bids (27) Automatic bidsConferenceSchoolRecordAppearanceLastAmerican RiversWartburg10–015th2019American SouthwestMary Hardin–Baylor9–118th2021CentennialSusquehanna10–04th2009CCIWNorth Central (IL)10–014th2021Commonwealth CoastEndicott10–04th2021ECFCGallaudet7–22nd2013Empire 8Cortland9–111th2021HCACMount St. Joseph10–06th2009LibertyIthaca10–020th2014MASCACUMass Dartmouth9–12nd2002MichiganAlma10–04th2004Middle AtlanticDelaware Valley10–011th2021MidwestLake Forest9–13rd2021MinnesotaSaint John's (MN)9–128th2021NEWMACSpringfield8–28th2021New JerseySalisbury9–113th2021North CoastDePauw9–14th2021NACCAurora9–17th2021NorthwestLinfield9–017th2021OhioMount Union10–033rd2021Old DominionRandolph–Macon10–05th2018Presidents'Carnegie Mellon10–08th2021SAATrinity (TX)10–014th2021SCIACPomona-Pitzer8–21st—Upper MidwestNorthwestern (MN)6–42nd2016USA SouthHuntingdon9–17th2021WisconsinWisconsin–Whitewater8–219th2021
At-large bids (5) At-large bidsSchoolConferenceRecordAppearanceLastWisconsin–La CrosseWisconsin8–213th2021Wheaton (IL)CCIW8–213th2021UticaEmpire 89–11st —Hardin–SimmonsAmerican Southwest9–111th2018Bethel (MN)Minnesota8–211th2021
Bracket
* - Host team
Coaching changes Preseason and in-season This is restricted to coaching changes that took place on or after May 1, 2022, and will include any changes announced after a team's last regularly scheduled games but before its playoff games. School Outgoing coach Date Reason Replacement Previous positionDefianceEarnest WilsonMay 23, 2022ResignedBill NickellArkansas–Pine Bluff offensive line coach (2021)Fitchburg StateScott SperoneOctober 11, 2022ResignedMark SullivanFitchburg State defensive coordinator (2019–2022)Anderson (IN)Steve RockOctober 18, 2022FiredJeremy LochnerAnderson (IN) defensive coordinator (2019–2022)
End of season This list includes coaching changes announced during the season that did not take effect until the end of the season. School Outgoing coach Date Reason Replacement Previous positionRiponRon ErnstAugust 10, 2022 (effective at season's end)RetiredJake MarshallRipon associate head coach and offensive coordinator (2017–2022)ElmhurstJeff McDonaldNovember 13, 2022ResignedMike MurrayRoosevelt associate head coach and defensive coordinator (2018–2022)East Texas BaptistBrian MayperNovember 14, 2022RetiredCalvin RuzickaEast Texas Baptist assistant head coach and defensive coordinator (2018–2022)SimpsonMatt JeterNovember 14, 2022ResignedReed HoskinsIllinois Wesleyan offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2016–2022)Southern VirginiaEdwin MulitaloNovember 14, 2022FiredJoe DuPaixNavy slot backs coach (2018–2022)AustinLoren DawsonNovember 15, 2022ResignedTony Joe WhiteBirmingham–Southern head coach (2017–2022)Buena VistaGrant MollringNovember 15, 2022FiredAustin DickinsonWisconsin–Eau Claire defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (2020–2022)MoravianPaul PukszynNovember 17, 2022ResignedJeff Long Jr.John Carroll associate head coach, defensive coordinator, and defensive line coach (2020–2022)OtterbeinTim DoupNovember 17, 2022ResignedTommy ZagorskiGilmour Academy (OH) head coach (2022)Montclair StateRick GiancolaNovember 21, 2022RetiredMike PalazzoMontclair State defensive coordinator (2022)Wisconsin–WhitewaterKevin BullisNovember 22, 2022RetiredJace RindahlWisconsin–Whitewater assistant head coach and defensive coordinator (2023)MiddleburyBob RitterDecember 1, 2022ResignedDoug MandigoMiddlebury assistant head coach and defensive coordinator (2022)Wisconsin–Eau ClaireWesley BeschornerDecember 14, 2022ResignedRob EricksonSouth Dakota State special teams coordinator and cornerbacks coach (2020–2022)Anderson (IN)Jeremy Lochner (interim)December 16, 2022Permanent replacementJonathan Coddington Concordia (MI) offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2020–2022)Howard PayneJason BachtelDecember 17, 2023Hired as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach by Houston ChristianKevin BachtelHoward Payne assistant head coach and defensive coordinator (2021–2022)AlbionDustin BeurerDecember 19, 2022Hired as head coach by NorthwoodTravis RundleSewanee head coach (2017–2022)John CarrollDrew Nystrom (full-season interim)December 19, 2022Permanent replacementJeff BehrmanUnion (NY) head coach (2016–2022)Union (NY)Jeff BehrmanDecember 19, 2022Hired as head coach by John CarrollJon PoppeHarvard special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach (2018–2022)Birmingham–SouthernTony Joe WhiteDecember 20, 2022Hired as head coach by AustinAnthony ColucciBirmingham–Southern assistant head coach, offensive coordinator, and offensive line coach (2022)HilbertJim Kubiakbefore December 23, 2022ResignedTed EggerHocking head coach (2020–2022)Fitchburg StateMark Sullivan (interim)January 10, 2023Permanent replacementZach ShawElmhurst co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2022)ManchesterNate JensenJanuary 10, 2023ResignedVann HuntAllegheny defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (2021–2022)SewaneeTravis RundleJanuary 17, 2023Hired as head coach by AlbionAndy McCollumWestern Carolina defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach (2020–2022)AlleghenyRich NagyJanuary 21, 2023ResignedBraden LayerDayton quarterbacks coach (2022)OberlinSteve Opgenorthbefore January 30, 2023ResignedJohn PontIndiana offensive analyst (2021–2022)UMass DartmouthMark RobichaudFebruary 1, 2023RetiredJosh SylvesterUMass Dartmouth offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2021–2022)King's (PA)Jeff KnarrFebruary 16, 2023ResignedSkyler FultzKing's (PA) offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2018–2022)MillsapsIsaac CarterApril 25, 2023Hired as defensive coordinator by San DiegoCory York (interim)Millsaps offensive line coach (2019–2022)
See also 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season 2022 NCAA Division I FCS football season 2022 NCAA Division II football season 2022 NAIA football season 2022 U Sports football season 2022 junior college football season
References