The 2023 NCAA Division III football season was the component of the 2023 college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States. The regular season began on September 2 and ended on November 12. This was the 50th season that the NCAA has sponsored a Division III championship.
North Central (IL) were the defending national champions.
The season's playoffs was played between November 19 and December 15, culminating in the national championship—also known as the Stagg Bowl—at the Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia.
Conference changes and new programs
Membership changes TeamFormer conferenceNew conferenceSource CatholicNEWMACLandmarkEasternIndependentMACFinlandiaUMACUniversity closedJuniataCentennialLandmarkKeystoneECFCLandmarkLycomingMACLandmarkLyonSooner (NAIA)IndependentMoravianCentennialLandmarkSalve ReginaCCCNEWMACSouthwesternASCSAASUNY MaritimeECFCNEWMACSusquehannaCentennialLandmarkWhittierSCIACProgram droppedWilkesMACLandmark
Other headlines September 23 – Shenandoah's Haley Van Voorhis became the first woman to play a non-kicking position in NCAA football, coming on as a safety in the first quarter of the Hornets' game against Juniata. October 4 – Anna Maria College announced it was leaving the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference and joining the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference for the 2025–26 academic year. October 10 – Dean College announced it was leaving the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference and joining the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference for the 2025–26 academic year.
Conference standings
Rankings
Postseason Teams
Automatic bids (28) Automatic bidsConferenceSchoolRecordAppearanceLastAmerican RiversWartburg10–016th2022American SouthwestHardin–Simmons9–112th2022CentennialJohns Hopkins10–012th2021CCIWNorth Central (IL)10–015th2022Commonwealth CoastEndicott9–15th2022ECFCAlfred State6–41st—Empire 8Cortland9–112th2022HCACMount St. Joseph9–17th2022LandmarkSusquehanna10–05th2022LibertyIthaca8–221st2022MASCACWestern Connecticut7–24th2001MichiganAlma10–05th2022Middle AtlanticDelaware Valley9–112th2022MidwestIllinois College9–12nd2011MinnesotaBethel (MN)8–212th2022NEWMACSpringfield9–19th2022New JerseyChristopher Newport7–311th2014North CoastDePauw10–05th2022NACCAurora10–08th2022NorthwestWhitworth9–05th2018OhioMount Union10–034th2022Old DominionRandolph–Macon10–06th2022Presidents'Grove City10–01st—SAATrinity (TX)9–115th2022SCIACChapman6–34th2019Upper MidwestMinnesota Morris7–36th1981USA SouthBelhaven9–11st—WisconsinWisconsin–La Crosse9–114th2022
At-large bids (4) At-large bidsSchoolConferenceRecordAppearanceLastWisconsin–WhitewaterWIAC9–120th2022Union (NY)Liberty9–113th2019Wheaton (IL)CCIW9–114th2022CoeARC9–110th2016
Bracket
* - Host team
Bowl games Division III had 13 bowl games, featuring teams that did not qualify for the Division III postseason tournament.
DateTime (EST)GameSiteTelevisionTeamsAffiliationsResultsNov. 1811:00 a.m.Centennial-MAC Bowl SeriesCampus sitesFranklin & Marshall (7–3)King's (PA) (8–2)CentennialMACFranklin & Marshall 30King's (PA) 712:00 p.m.Muhlenberg (9–1)Lebanon Valley (6–4)Muhlenberg 23Lebanon Valley 7Whitelaw BowlRPI (7–3)Widener (7–3)LibertyMACRPI 49Widener 21Lynah BowlWashington & Jefferson (8–2)Merchant Marine (7–2)PACNEWMACNew England BowlSalve Regina (8–2)Anna Maria (5–4)NEWMACECFCSalve Regina 37Anna Maria 34Western New England (7–3)UMass Dartmouth (9–1)CCCMASCACWestern New England 37UMass Dartmouth 7Cape Henry BowlWilkes (4–6)Bridgewater (7–3)LandmarkODACWilkes 35Bridgewater 17Cape Charles BowlLycoming (4–6)Washington & Lee (8–2)Lycoming 20Washington & Lee 17Lakefront BowlRaabe StadiumWauwatosa, WisconsinMonmouth (IL) (8–2)St. Norbert (7–3)MWCNACCMonmouth (IL) 21St. Norbert 141:00 p.m.Chapman BowlCampus sitesUtica (8–2)Hobart (8–2)Empire 8LibertyUtica 10Hobart 62:00 p.m.Centennial-MAC Bowl SeriesUrsinus (7–3)Stevenson (7–3)CentennialMACUrsinus 31Stevenson 133:00 p.m.Isthmus BowlBank of Sun Prairie StadiumSun Prairie, WisconsinWisconsin–Platteville (6–4)Augustana (IL) (8–2)WIACCCIWWisconsin–Platteville 36Augustana (IL) 105:00 p.m.Bushnell BowlCampus sitesCarnegie Mellon (9–1)Brockport (8–2)PACEmpire 8Carnegie Mellon 37Brockport 7
Coaching changes Preseason and in-season This is restricted to coaching changes that took place on or after May 1, 2023, 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 positionLebanon ValleyJoe BuehlerMay 4, 2023RetiredJ. R. DrakeLebanon Valley defensive coordinator (2018–2022)McDanielDemarcus WhiteJune 8, 2023ResignedDavid SartinMcDaniel offensive line coach (2021–2022)WillametteIsaac ParkerSeptember 8, 2023FiredTim RudeWillamette defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach (2022–2023)AdrianJim DeereOctober 17, 2023ResignedHarry BaileyAdrian offensive coordinator and running backs coach (2016–2023)
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 positionConcordia (IL)Andy LambertN/AN/AChase HankinsConcordia (IL) offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2022–2023)Hampden–SydneyMarty FavretAugust 20, 2023 (effective at season's end)RetiredVince LuvaraWashington & Jefferson defensive coordinator (2016–2023)Bethel (MN)Steve JohnsonOctober 30, 2023 (effective at season's end)RetiredMike McElroyBethel (MN) defensive coordinator (2017–2023)Westminster (MO)John WeltyNovember 7, 2023 (effective at season's end)RetiredLuke ButtsLake Forest defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (2017–2023)NicholsDale OlmstedNovember 10, 2023 (effective at season's end)ResignedVinny MarinoNichols offensive coordinator (2022–2023)CarthageDustin HassNovember 13, 2023ResignedMatt PopinoEndicott assistant head coach and defensive coordinator (2022–2023)Ohio NorthernDean PaulNovember 13, 2023RetiredAndy FriesRose–Hulman offensive coordinator and offensive line coach (2020–2023)DubuqueStan ZweifelNovember 14, 2023RetiredRyan MaiuriCentral (IA) assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2023)AdrianHarry Bailey (interim)November 17, 2023New coach hiredJoe PalkaSaline HS (MI) head coach (2012–2023)BelhavenBlaine McCorkleNovember 28, 2023Hired by Northwestern StateCJ NightingaleWheaton (IL) defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach (2020–2023)NorwichMark MurnyackNovember 30, 2023ResignedBill Russell Norwich associate head coach, special teams coordinator, and linebackers (2014–2023)Union (NY)Jon PoppeDecember 2, 2023Hired by ColumbiaJon DrachWilkes head coach (2018–2023)WillametteTim Rude (interim)December 11, 2023New coach hiredAric WilliamsMontana Tech defensive coordinator (2022–2023)EurekaKurt BarthDecember 20, 2023ResignedRandy StarksLoughborough defensive line coach (2023)WilkesJon DrachDecember 29, 2023Hired by Union (NY)David BieverWilkes associate head coach and offensive line coach (2019–2023)WilmingtonCorey FillipovichJanuary 3, 2024ResignedKevin Burke Minnesota Morris associate head coach and offensive coordinator (2020–2023)Johns HopkinsGreg ChimeraJanuary 4, 2024Hired by PennDan WodickaJohns Hopkins defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (2022–2023)FerrumCleive AdamsBefore January 9, 2024Became school's athletic directorKevin ShermanBuffalo wide receivers coach (2022–2023)Delaware ValleyDuke GrecoJanuary 10, 2024Hired by West ChesterMike Isgro Delaware Valley special teams coordinator and running backs coach (2015–2023)MillsapsCory York (interim)January 24, 2024Permanent replacementBrandon LechtenbergCentral Oklahoma defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (2022–2023)MaritimeMickey RehringFebruary 9, 2024ResignedJamel RamsayNassau CC head coach (2017–2023)MisericordiaJohn DavisFebruary 17, 2024ResignedTyler Cottle (interim)Misericordia defensive coordinator (2021–2023)King's (PA)Skyler FultzFebruary 19, 2024ResignedMike CebroskyKing's (PA) associate head coach and defensive coordinator (2023)McDanielDavid Sartin (interim)February 22, 2024Permanent replacementSkyler FultzKing's (PA) head coach (2023)Fitchburg StateZach ShawApril 1, 2024ResignedIzzy AbrahamAmerican International associate head coach, special teams coordinator, and running backs coach (2022–2023)RowanJay AccorsiApril 12, 2024RetiredPat RuleySusquehanna associate head coach, defensive coordinator, and inside linebackers coach (2023)
See also 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season 2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season 2023 NCAA Division II football season 2023 NAIA football season 2023 U Sports football season 2023 junior college football season
References