| Year | Champion | Harlon Hill Trophy Winner | Gene Upshaw Award Winner |
| 1978 |
Eastern Illinois |
— |
— |
| 1979 |
Delaware |
— |
— |
| 1980 |
Cal Poly |
— |
— |
| 1981 |
Southwest Texas State |
— |
— |
| 1982 |
Southwest Texas State (2) |
— |
— |
| 1983 |
North Dakota State |
— |
— |
| 1984 |
Troy State |
— |
— |
| 1985 |
North Dakota State (2) |
— |
— |
| 1986 |
North Dakota State (3) |
Jeff Bentrim, North Dakota State (QB) |
— |
| 1987 |
Troy State (2) |
Johnny Bailey, Texas A&M–Kingsville (RB) |
— |
| 1988 |
North Dakota State (4) |
Johnny Bailey, Texas A&M–Kingsville (RB) |
— |
| 1989 |
Mississippi College† |
Johnny Bailey, Texas A&M–Kingsville (RB) |
— |
| 1990 |
North Dakota State (5) |
Chris Simdorn, North Dakota State (QB) |
— |
| 1991 |
Pittsburg State |
Ronnie West, Pittsburg State (WR) |
— |
| 1992 |
Jacksonville State |
Ronald Moore, Pittsburg State (RB) |
— |
| 1993 |
North Alabama |
Roger Graham, New Haven (RB) |
— |
| 1994 |
North Alabama (2) |
Chris Hatcher, Valdosta State (QB) |
— |
| 1995 |
North Alabama (3) |
Ronald McKinnon, North Alabama (LB) |
— |
| 1996 |
Northern Colorado |
Jarrett Anderson, Truman State (RB) |
— |
| 1997 |
Northern Colorado (2) |
Irvin Sigler, Bloomsburg (RB) |
— |
| 1998 |
Northwest Missouri State |
Brian Shay, Emporia State (RB) |
— |
| 1999 |
Northwest Missouri State (2) |
Corte McGuffey, Northern Colorado (QB) |
— |
| 2000 |
Delta State |
Dusty Bonner, Valdosta State (QB) |
— |
| 2001 |
North Dakota |
Dusty Bonner, Valdosta State (QB) |
— |
| 2002 |
Grand Valley State |
Curt Anes, Grand Valley State (QB) |
— |
| 2003 |
Grand Valley State (2) |
Will Hall, North Alabama (QB) |
— |
| 2004 |
Valdosta State |
Chad Friehauf, Colorado Mines (QB) |
Nathan Baker, Pittsburg State (OL) |
| 2005 |
Grand Valley State (3) |
Jimmy Terwilliger, East Stroudsburg (QB) |
Mike McFadden, Grand Valley State (DL) |
| 2006 |
Grand Valley State (4) |
Danny Woodhead, Chadron State (RB) |
Mike McFadden, Grand Valley State (DL) |
| 2007 |
Valdosta State (2) |
Danny Woodhead, Chadron State (RB) |
Brandon Barnes, Grand Valley State (OT) |
| 2008 |
Minnesota–Duluth |
Bernard Scott, Abilene Christian (RB) |
Sam Collins, Abilene Christian (C) |
| 2009 |
Northwest Missouri State (3) |
Joique Bell, Wayne State (RB) |
Ben Staggs, West Liberty (OT) |
| 2010 |
Minnesota–Duluth (2) |
Eric Czerniewski, Central Missouri (QB) |
Brandon Fusco, Sliperry Rock (C) |
| 2011 |
Pittsburg State (2) |
Jonas Randolph, Mars Hill (RB) |
Joe Long, Wayne State (OT) |
| 2012 |
Valdosta State (3) |
Zach Zulli, Shippensburg (QB) |
Garth Heikkinen, Minnesota–Duluth (OG) |
| 2013 |
Northwest Missouri State (4) |
Franklyn Quiteh, Bloomsburg (RB) |
Darius Allen, CSU Pueblo (DE) |
| 2014 |
CSU Pueblo |
Jason Vander Laan, Ferris State (QB) |
Darius Allen, CSU Pueblo (DE) |
| 2015 |
Northwest Missouri State (5) |
Jason Vander Laan, Ferris State (QB) |
Matthew Judon, Grand Valley State (DE) |
| 2016 |
Northwest Missouri State (6) |
Justin Dvorak, Colorado Mines (QB) |
Jordan Morgan, Kutztown (OT) |
| 2017 |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
Luis Perez, Texas A&M–Commerce (QB) |
Marcus Martin, Slippery Rock (DE) |
| 2018 |
Valdosta State (4) |
Jayru Campbell, Ferris State (QB) |
Markus Jones, Angelo State (DE) |
| 2019 |
West Florida |
Roland Rivers III, Slippery Rock (QB) |
Austin Edwards, Ferris State (DE) |
| 2020 |
The season concluded with the end of the regular season, as the playoffs and championship game were not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
|
| 2021 |
Ferris State |
Tyson Bagent, Shepherd (QB) |
Dylan Pasquali, Ferris State (OT) |
| 2022 |
Ferris State (2) |
John Matocha, Colorado Mines (QB) |
Caleb Murphy, Ferris State (DE) |
| 2023 |
Harding |
Zach Zebrowski, Central Missouri (QB) |
Levi Johnson, Colorado Mines (OT) |
| 2024 |
Ferris State (3) |
Zach Zebrowski, Central Missouri (QB) (2) |
Marquise Fleming, Wingate (DE) |
| 2025 |
Ferris State (4) |
Curtis Allen, Virginia Union (RB) |
Tim Anderson, Ferris State (OT) |
