The 2024 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level, began on August 29 and ended on December 21 with the Division II championship at the McKinney Independent School District Stadium in McKinney, Texas. Ferris State won the title, defeating Valdosta State, 49–14.
D-II team wins over FCS teams August 29: Sioux Falls 34, St. Thomas (MN) 13 September 7: Edinboro 23, Robert Morris 21 September 21: Clark Atlanta 38, Bethune–Cookman 37 September 28: Frostburg State 25, Mercyhurst 24
Conference changes and new programs School Former conference New conference Anderson (SC) Trojans New program SAC Erskine Flying Fleet SAC Gulf South Lincoln (MO) Blue Tigers Independent (D-II) GLVC Mercyhurst Lakers PSAC Northeast (FCS) Northeastern State RiverHawks MIAA Independent (D-II) Notre Dame (OH) Falcons Mountain East School closed Post Eagles Independent (D-II) NE-10 Roosevelt Lakers Mid-States (NAIA) GLIAC Shorter Hawks Gulf South Independent (D-II) St. Augustine's Falcons CIAA Program suspended Sul Ross Lobos ASC (D-III) Lone Star West Georgia Wolves Gulf South UAC (FCS)
Headlines January 13 - At the 2024 NCAA Convention, the D-II football membership approved a proposal to add a "Week Zero", allowing schools to play one week earlier than in previous seasons and extending the regular season from 11 weeks to 12. The maximum number of regular-season games remained at 11.
Rankings
The top 25 from the AFCA Coaches' Poll.
Preseason Poll AFCARankingTeam 1 Harding (25) 2 Central Missouri 3 Ferris State (1) 4 Grand Valley State (1) 5 Colorado Mines 6 Pittsburg State 7 Valdosta State 8 Central Washington 9 Lenoir-Rhyne 10 Kutztown 11 Slippery Rock 12 West Florida 13 Minnesota State 14 Augustana 15 Western Colorado 16 Indianapolis 17 Minnesota–Duluth 18 Delta State 19 Ouachita Baptist 20 Virginia Union 21 UT Permian Basin 22 Northwest Missouri State 23 Charleston 24 Angelo State 25 Bemidji State
Conference standings Super Region 1
Super Region 2
Super Region 3
Super Region 4
Postseason
Qualifiers Playoff teams Super Region School Conference Record Appearance Last bid Super Region 1 Kutztown PSAC 11–0 7th 2023 Charleston (WV) Mountain East 11–0 3rd 2023 California (PA) PSAC 8–2 8th 2017 Slippery Rock PSAC 9–1 12th 2023 New Haven Northeast-10 8–2 10th 2023 East Stroudsburg PSAC 10–1 6th 2023 Ashland G-MAC 8–3 9th 2022 Super Region 2 Valdosta State Gulf South 10–0 20th 2023 Wingate SAC 9–1 6th 2022 West Alabama Gulf South 9–1 7th 2018 Miles SIAC 9–2 3rd 2019 Carson–Newman SAC 9–2 17th 2019 Lenoir–Rhyne SAC 9–2 8th 2023 Virginia Union CIAA 8–3 12th 2023 Super Region 3 Ferris State GLIAC 10–1 15th 2023 Grand Valley State GLIAC 10–1 23rd 2023 Pittsburg State MIAA 8–2 21st 2023 Central Oklahoma MIAA 10–1 5th 2003 Ouachita Baptist GAC 10–1 6th 2022 Harding GAC 10–1 7th 2023 Indianapolis GLVC 10–1 9th 2023 Super Region 4 CSU Pueblo RMAC 10–1 10th 2022 Western Colorado RMAC 10–1 6th 2023 Angelo State Lone Star 9–2 9th 2022 Augustana (SD) NSIC 8–3 8th 2023 Minnesota State NSIC 8–3 15th 2023 Bemidji State NSIC 8–3 4th 2023 Central Washington Lone Star 8–3 8th 2023
Bracket * - Host team
Super Region 1
Super Region 2
Super Region 3
Super Region 4
Semifinals and championship Teams were re-seeded prior to semifinals.
Bowl games Two bowl games were held which featured teams that did not qualify for the Division II postseason tournament. This is down from four bowl games in the previous season, as the Live United Texarkana Bowl went defunct and the Florida Beach Bowl was not held for 2024 due to funding issues. Additionally, a regular season conference game between North Greenville and Shorter was postponed due to Hurricane Helene; it was rescheduled for the first week of the Division II postseason, restructured as a quasi-bowl game and dubbed the "Helene Relief Bowl".
DateTime (EST)GameSiteTelevisionTeamsAffiliationsResultsDec71:00 pmHeritage BowlTiger StadiumCorsicana, TexasLivestreamUT Permian BasinCentral MissouriLSCMIAACentral Missouri 39UT Permian Basin 37 (2OT)2:00 pmAmerica's Crossroads BowlHobart High SchoolHobart, IndianaLivestreamTrumanTiffinGLVCGMACTruman 29Tiffin 10
All-America Team The 2024 Division II College Football All-America Team is composed of the following College Football All-American first teams chosen by the following selector organizations: Associated Press (AP), American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Conference Commissioner's Association (CCA) and Don Hansen (DH).
+ Key Symbol Meaning Bold Player was recognized by all selectors. Offense Quarterback Zach Zebrowski, Central Missouri (AFCA, AP, CCA, DH) Sammy Edwards, Valdosta State (AP-2, CCA-2, DH-2) Trinidad Chambliss, Ferris State (AFCA-2)
Running back Jada Byers, Virginia Union (AFCA, AP, CCA, DH) Chavon Wright, Charleston (AFCA, AP, CCA, DH) Ronald Blackman, Tiffin (AFCA-2, AP-2, CCA-2, DH-2) Shane Watts, Fort Hays State (AP-2, CCA-2, DH-2) L. J. Turner, Catawba (AFCA-2)
Wide receiver Terrill Davis, Central Oklahoma (AFCA, AP, CCA, DH) Tyler Kahmann, Emporia State (AFCA, AP, CCA, DH) Reggie Retzlaff, CSU Pueblo (AFCA, AP, DH, CCA-2) Max McLeod, Colorado Mines (AFCA-2, DH-2) Brice Peters, Bemidji State (AFCA-2, DH-2) Flynn Schiele, Colorado Mines (AP-2, CCA-2) Reginald Vick Jr., Virginia Union (AP-2, DH-2) Cam Abshire, Emory & Henry (AP-2) Jo Hayes, UNC Pembroke (AFCA-2)
Tight end Tre Williams, Limestone (CCA, DH-2) Cameron Woods, Northeastern State (DH, AP-2) Gabe Hagen, Minnesota State (AP) Sam Pitz, Minnesota Duluth (AFCA) Cayden Davis, Henderson State (CCA-2) Henry Dryden, South Dakota Mines (AFCA-2)
Offensive linemen Gabe Brown, Grand Valley State (AFCA, AP, CCA, DH) Will Flowers, Valdosta State (AFCA, AP, CCA, DH) Jaheim Bassham, California (AP, DH, AFCA-2, CCA-2) Jake Dugger, Harding (AFCA, CCA, AP-2, DH-2) Jake Gannon, Bemidji State (AP, DH, CCA-2) Lawrence Hattar, Ferris State (AFCA, DH) Nic Van de Graaf, Colorado Mines (AP, CCA) Montriel Lee, Central Oklahoma (AFCA, CCA-2, DH-2) Bryce George, Ferris State (CCA, AP-2) Jaelon Brown, Delta State (AP-2, DH-2) Yoseph Carter, Findlay (AFCA-2, DH-2) Gabe Clark, Central Missouri (AFCA-2, AP-2) Joe Cooper, Slippery Rock (AP-2, CCA-2) Marshall Foerner, Minnesota State (AFCA-2, DH-2) Donovan McCollister, Charleston (AFCA-2, CCA-2)
Defense Defensive linemen Marquise Fleming, Wingate (AFCA, AP, CCA, DH) Ricky Freymond, Western Colorado (AFCA, AP, CCA, DH) Todd Hill, Slippery Rock, (AP, DH, CCA-2) Jamair Diaz, Glenville State (DH, AFCA-2, AP-2) Trevon Lambert, West Alabama (AFCA, DH-2) Gage Price, Harding (AP, AFCA-2) JaMichael Rogers, Miles (CCA, DH-2) Khris Walton, Tiffin (CCA, DH-2) Myles Menges, Fort Hays State (AFCA) Jake Fisher, Northwest Missouri State (AFCA-2, AP-2) Traevon Mitchell, West Florida (AP-2, DH-2) Isaac Anderson, Virginia Union (AP-2) Leonard Henry IV, Saginaw Valley State (CCA-2) Dawson Scott, Southern Arkansas (AFCA-2)
Linebacker Benari Black, Johnson C. Smith, (AFCA, AP, CCA, DH) Jake Adams, Northern State (CCA, DH, AP-2) Clay Schulte, Indianapolis (AFCA, CCA) Micah Gretsinger, Saginaw Valley State (DH, AFCA-2, CCA-2) Cam Hollobaugh, Walsh (AFCA, CCA-2, DH-2) Jack Puckett, Central Oklahoma (CCA) Wilfredo Diaz, Edinboro (AP-2, CCA-2, DH-2) Colin Stuhr, Colorado Mesa (AFCA-2, AP-2, CCA-2) Clark Griffin, Harding (AP-2, DH-2) Garrett Cox, IUP (AFCA-2) Eric Rascoe, Angelo State (AP-2)
Defensive back Lashon Young, Miles (AFCA, AP, CCA, DH) Larry Elder, Valdosta State (AFCA, AP, CCA-2, DH-2) Tanner Volk, Central Washington (CCA, DH, AFCA-2, AP-2) Andrew Pitts, Angelo State (AP, CCA) Devin Pringle, Grand Valley State (CCA, DH) Peyton Buckley, Augustana (South Dakota) (AP, AFCA-2, DH-2) Nic Cheeley, Lenoir–Rhyne (DH, CCA-2) Josiah Johnson, Ouachita Baptist (AFCA) Dion Kuinlan, Assumption (AFCA) Rashan Murray, California (AP-2, DH-2) Josh Stokes, Slippery Rock (AP-2, DH-2) Daniel Bone III, CSU Pueblo (AP-2) Ty Dugger, Harding (CCA-2) Cameren Grodhaus, Davenport (AFCA-2) Jaaron Joseph, Emporia State (CCA-2) Melvin Smith Jr., Southern Arkansas (AFCA-2)
Special Teams Placekicker Anthony Beitko, California (AP, CCA, DH) Elijah Guyton, West Alabama (AFCA) Joseph Carlson, Midwestern State (AP-2, DH-2) Brandon Perez, East Central (AFCA-2, CCA-2)
Punter Blake Doud, Colorado Mines (AFCA, AP, CCA, DH-2) Brenden Lach, Michigan Tech (DH, AFCA-2, AP-2, CCA-2)
All-purpose / return specialist Trinidad Chambliss, Ferris State (AP, DH) DeJuan Bell, Fort Valley State (AFCA, DH-2) Kha'lil Eason, New Haven (CCA) Virgil Lemons, West Florida (AFCA-2) Drew Nash, Western Colorado (AP-2) Korey Stephens, Central Oklahoma (CCA-2)
Sources:
Coaching changes Preseason and in-season This is restricted to coaching changes that took place on or after May 1, 2024, 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 positionNew Mexico HighlandsRon HudsonMay 1, 2024FiredKurt Taufa'asauNew Mexico Military head coach (2021–2023)American InternationalLou ConteMay 23, 2024Hired as head coach by Westfield StateDaniel Chipka (full-season interim; named full-time on January 9, 2025)American International offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2023)Henderson StateScott MaxfieldJune 26, 2024RetiredGreg HolsworthHenderson State assistant head coach and defensive coordinator (2017–2023)Emory & HenryCurt NewsomeJuly 30, 2024ResignedQuintin Hunter (interim; named full-time on November 11, 2024)Emory & Henry offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach (2021–2023)McKendreeMike BabcockAugust 6, 2024Hired as assistant by UCLAJason Rejfek (interim; named full-time on November 19, 2024)McKendree defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach (2019–2023)
End of season This list includes coaching changes announced during the season that did not take effect until the end of the season.