NCAA Division III football championship
NCAA football championship
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The NCAA Division III football championship is an American college football tournament played annually to determine a champion at the NCAA Division III level. It was first held in 1973, as a single-elimination playoff with eight teams. Over the past 50 seasons, the number of participants has grown to 40. In 2025, 27 playoff bids went to conference champions via automatic qualification, leaving 13 places for at-large selections.[1]
Current season, competition or edition: 2025 NCAA Division III football season | |
| |
| Sport | American football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1973 |
| First season | 1973 |
| Country | United States |
| Most recent champion | Wisconsin–River Falls (2025) |
| Most titles | Mount Union (13 titles) |
| Broadcaster | ESPN |
| Level on pyramid | 3 |
| Related competitions | Division II |
| Official website | ncaa.com/football/d3 |
The Division III championship game, known as the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl or Stagg Bowl (named after football coach Amos Alonzo Stagg), was held at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas in 2024. Other Stagg Bowl sites have included Annapolis, Maryland (2022), Canton, Ohio (2021, 2025, 2027), Shenandoah, Texas (2018–2019), Salem, Virginia (1993–2017, 2023, 2026), Bradenton, Florida (1990–1992), Phenix City, Alabama (1973–1982, 1985–1989), and Kings Island, Ohio (1983–1984).
West and East Region Championships (1969–1972)
The Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl was founded by the NCAA in October 1969.[2] Along with its counterpart, the Knute Rockne Bowl, it was "created by the NCAA ... for its College Division II schools, those 100-plus smallest schools in the NCAA."[3] Eligible schools were divided into an East Region (the Northeast and Middle Atlantic states) and West Region (the rest of the country), with the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl serving as the championship of the West Region, and the Knute Rockne Bowl as the championship of the East Region.
The NCAA thus provided postseason opportunities for College Division teams too small to compete for spots in the four regional bowls it had established in 1964 (as of 1969, these were the Camellia Bowl for the West, the Pecan Bowl for the Midwest, the Grantland Rice Bowl for the Mideast, and the Boardwalk Bowl for the East). At least for the sport of football, this accommodation in 1969 foreshadowed the decision to subdivide the College Division four years later, into Division II and Division III.
Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl (West Region championship)
| Year | Date | Champion | Runner-up | Score | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Wittenberg | William Jewell | 27–21 | Springfield, Ohio | |
| 1970 | Capital | Luther | 34–21 | Columbus, Ohio | |
| 1971 | Samford (vacated) | Ohio Wesleyan | 20–10 | Phenix City, Alabama | |
| 1972 | Nov 24 | Heidelberg | Fort Valley State | 28–16 |
Knute Rockne Bowl (East Region championship)
| Year | Date | Champion | Runner-up | Score | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Nov 29 | Randolph–Macon | Bridgeport | 47–28 | Bridgeport, Connecticut |
| 1970 | Nov 28 | Montclair State | Hampden–Sydney | 7–6 | Atlantic City, New Jersey |
| 1971 | Nov 26 | Bridgeport | 17–12 | ||
| 1972 | Nov 24 | Slippery Rock | 27–22 |
National Championships (1973–present)
When the College Division was subdivided into the current Division II and Division III in 1973, the NCAA made the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl the Division III national championship game. Initially, Phenix City, Alabama (site of the 1971 and 1972 Stagg Bowls) continued as the host city.
Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl
- Notes
National championships by team
13, 
6, 
4, 
3, 
2, 
1
Active programs
| Team | Titles | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Union | 13 | 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2017 |
| Wisconsin–Whitewater | 6 | 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014 |
| Augustana (IL) | 4 | 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 |
| Ithaca | 3 | 1979, 1988, 1991 |
| North Central (IL) | 3 | 2019, 2022, 2024 |
| Mary Hardin–Baylor | 2 | 2016[n 1], 2018, 2021 |
| Saint John's (MN) | 2 | 1976, 2003 |
| Wisconsin–La Crosse | 2 | 1992, 1995 |
| Widener | 2 | 1977, 1981 |
| Wittenberg | 2 | 1973, 1975 |
| Wisconsin–River Falls | 1 | 2025 |
| Cortland | 1 | 2023 |
| Linfield | 1 | 2004 |
| Pacific Lutheran | 1 | 1999 |
| Albion | 1 | 1994 |
| Allegheny | 1 | 1990 |
| Baldwin Wallace | 1 | 1978 |
| Central (IA) | 1 | 1974 |
Former programs
| Team | Titles | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Dayton | 2 | 1980, 1989 |
| Wagner | 1 | 1987 |
| West Georgia | 1 | 1982 |
- Notes
- On October 10, 2019, the NCAA vacated the 2016 championship due to violations self-reported by Mary Hardin–Baylor. The appeal was unsuccessful, therefore there was no champion declared for the 2016 season. Mary Hardin–Baylor also had its wins and records from that season and in 2017 vacated.
Championship game appearances
- Key
- Programs that no longer compete in Division III are indicated in italics
- As of the 2025 season, all of the programs that no longer compete in D-III compete in Division I FCS. West Georgia is the most recent of these to move to FCS, with the 2024 season being its first at that level.
| Team | App. | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Union | 23 | 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2024 |
| Wisconsin–Whitewater | 10 | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2019 |
| Ithaca | 7 | 1974, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1985, 1988, 1991 |
| North Central (IL) | 6 | 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 |
| Augustana (IL) | 5 | 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 |
| Dayton | 5 | 1980, 1981, 1987, 1989, 1991 |
| Rowan | 5 | 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999 |
| Mary Hardin–Baylor | 4 | 2004, 2016§, 2017, 2018, 2021 |
| Wittenberg | 4 | 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979 |
| Saint John's (MN) | 3 | 1976, 2001, 2003 |
| Central (IA) | 3 | 1974, 1984, 1988 |
| Wisconsin–La Crosse | 2 | 1992, 1995 |
| Widener | 2 | 1977, 1981 |
| St. Thomas (MN) | 2 | 2012, 2015 |
| Lycoming | 2 | 1990, 1997 |
| Washington & Jefferson | 2 | 1992, 1994 |
| Union (NY) | 2 | 1983, 1989 |
| Wisconsin–River Falls | 1 | 2025 |
| Cortland | 1 | 2023 |
| Linfield | 1 | 2004 |
| Pacific Lutheran | 1 | 1999 |
| Albion | 1 | 1994 |
| Allegheny | 1 | 1990 |
| Wagner | 1 | 1987 |
| West Georgia | 1 | 1982 |
| Baldwin Wallace | 1 | 1978 |
| Wisconsin–Oshkosh | 1 | 2016 |
| Trinity (TX) | 1 | 2002 |
| Bridgewater (VA) | 1 | 2001 |
| Salisbury State | 1 | 1986 |
| Wabash | 1 | 1977 |
| Towson State | 1 | 1976 |
| Juniata | 1 | 1973 |
Stagg Bowl Most Outstanding Player Award
As voted by the media at the game since 2000.
| Year | Player | Team | Class | Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Chuck Moore | Mount Union | Senior | RB |
| 2001 | 5th year Senior | RB | ||
| 2002 | Dan Pugh | Senior | RB | |
| 2003 | Blake Elliot | Saint John's (MN) | Senior | WR |
| 2004 | Riley Jenkins | Linfield | Senior | RB |
| 2005 | Nate Kmic | Mount Union | Freshman | RB |
| 2006 | Greg Micheli | Sophomore | QB | |
| 2007 | Justin Beaver | Wisconsin–Whitewater | Senior | RB |
| 2008 | Greg Micheli | Mount Union | Senior | QB |
| 2009 | Levell Coppage | Wisconsin–Whitewater | Sophomore | RB |
| 2010 | Junior | RB | ||
| 2011 | Loussaint Minett | Sophomore | DE | |
| 2012 | Kevin Burke | Mount Union | Sophomore | QB |
| 2013 | Matt Behrendt | Wisconsin–Whitewater | Junior | QB |
| 2014 | Senior | QB | ||
| 2015 | Taurice Scott | Mount Union | Senior | QB |
| 2016 | Blake Jackson | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Senior | QB |
| 2017 | Nick Brish | Mount Union | Sophomore | DB |
| 2018 | T.J. Josey | Mary Hardin–Baylor | Senior | WR |
| 2019 | Ethan Greenfield | North Central | Sophomore | RB |
| 2021 | Micah Hackett | Mary Hardin–Baylor | Senior | LB |
| 2022 | Ethan Greenfield | North Central | Senior | RB |
| 2023 | Zac Boyes | Cortland | Junior | QB |
| 2024 | Luke Lehnen | North Central | Senior | QB |
| 2025 | Kaleb Blaha | Wisconsin–River Falls | Senior | QB |
