The NCAA Division II football championship is an American college football tournament that is played annually to determine a champion at the NCAA Division II level. It was first held in 1973, as a single-elimination playoff with only eight teams. The tournament field has subsequently been expanded over the years four times: to 16 teams in 1988, 24 teams in 2004, 28 teams in 2016, and 32 teams in 2025.
The national championship game has been held in eight cities. Former sites include Sacramento, California (1973–1975); Wichita Falls, Texas (1976–1977); Longview, Texas (1978); Albuquerque, New Mexico (1979–1980); McAllen, Texas (1981–1985); Florence, Alabama (1986–2013); and Kansas City, Kansas (2014–2017). From 1973 through 1985 (with the exception of 1978) the championship game carried a bowl designation (see NCAA Division II bowl games).
Since 2018, the championship game has been played at the McKinney ISD Stadium and Community Event Center in McKinney, Texas. Since 1994, the games have been broadcast on ESPN.
Small-college wire service national champions
Prior to 1973, for what was then called the NCAA College Division, national champions were selected by polls conducted at the end of each regular season by two major wire services, the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI). In five years, the two polls named different number one teams. From 1964 to 1972, postseason bowl games crowned four regional champions. NCAA Division II bowl games still exist, but only as postseason contests for teams not qualifying for the championship playoffs.
Polls to rank "small college" football teams were conducted by the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) during and at the end of each regular season. The AP polled a panel of experts, while UPI polled a panel of coaches. When UPI began its poll in 1958, it explained that the poll would cover college football programs not considered "major" by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), with the small schools (then numbering 519) belonging to the NCAA, the NAIA, both, or neither. The AP began its poll in 1960.
National champions per wire service polls
thumb|National football championship trophy room at [[Bearcat Stadium at Northwest Missouri State University. The two trophies in the middle are for the team's 1998 and 1999 national championships. The four trophies on the left are for appearances in the 2005–2008 title games]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: "
! rowspan=2 style=""| Year || colspan=2 style=""| Top-ranked team
|-
! style=""| per UPI poll || style=""| per AP poll
|-
| 1958 || Mississippi Southern || (no poll)
|-
| 1959 || Bowling Green || (no poll)
|-
| 1960 || colspan=2| Ohio
|-
| 1961 || colspan=2|Pittsburg State
|-
| 1962 || Southern Miss || Florida A&M
|-
| 1963 || Delaware || Northern Illinois
|-
| 1964 || Cal State Los Angeles || Wittenberg
|-
| 1965 || colspan="2" | North Dakota State
|-
| 1966 || colspan="2" | San Diego State
|-
| 1967 || colspan="2" | San Diego State
|-
| 1968 || San Diego State || North Dakota State
|-
| 1969 || colspan="2" | North Dakota State
|-
| 1970 || colspan="2" | Arkansas State
|-
| 1971 || colspan="2" | Delaware
|-
| 1972 || colspan="2" | Delaware
|-
| 1973 || colspan="2" | Tennessee State
|-
| 1974 || Louisiana Tech || Central Michigan
|}
;Notes
NCAA Division II champions
Since 1973, a post-season tournament has been held to determine the Division II Champion. The current format, in use since 2025, features 32 teams organized into 4 super-regions of 8 teams each. Prior to the championship game, all contests are hosted by the higher-seeded team. the semi-final games are held at the home stadiums of the two highest-seeded remaining teams. Since 2018, the championship game has been played at the McKinney Independent School District Stadium, a 12,000 seat facility that opened in August 2018.
Results
{| class="wikitable sortable"; style= "font-size:93%"
|-
!style="" | Ed.
!style="" | Season
!style="" | Champion
!style="" | Score
!style="" | Runner-up
!style="" | Venue
!style="" | Location
!style="" |
!style="" | Winning<br>head coach
|-
| || align=center|1973 || Louisiana Tech (1) || 34–0 || Western Kentucky || rowspan="3" | Hughes Stadium || rowspan="3" | Sacramento, CA || align=center| 12,016 ||
|-
| || align=center|1974 || Central Michigan (1) || 54–14 || Delaware || align="center" | 14,137 ||
|-
| || align=center|1975 || Northern Michigan (1) || 16–14 || Western Kentucky || align="center" | 12,017 ||
|-
| || align=center|1976 || Montana State (1) || 24–13 || Akron || rowspan="2" | Memorial Stadium || rowspan="2" | Wichita Falls, TX ||align=center| 13,200 ||
|-
| || align=center|1977 || Lehigh (1) || 33–0 || Jacksonville State || align="center" | 14,114 ||
|-
| || align=center|1978 || Eastern Illinois (1) || 10–9 || Delaware || Lobo Stadium || Longview, TX || align=center|5,500 ||
|-
| || align=center|1979 || Delaware (1) || 38–21 || || rowspan="2" | University Stadium || rowspan="2" | Albuquerque, NM || align=center|4,000 ||
|-
| || align=center|1980 || Cal Poly (1) || 21–13 || || align="center" | 2,056 ||
|-
| || align=center|1981 || Southwest Texas (1) || 42–13 || North Dakota State || rowspan="5" | McAllen Stadium || rowspan="5" | McAllen, TX ||align=center| 9,415 || rowspan="2" |
|-
| || align=center|1982 || Southwest Texas (2) || 34–9 || UC Davis || align="center" | 8,000
|-
| || align=center|1983 || North Dakota State (1) || 41–21 || Central State || align="center" | 5,275 ||
|-
| || align=center|1984 || Troy State (1) || 18–17 || North Dakota State || align="center" | 4,500 ||
|-
| || align=center|1985 || North Dakota State (2) || 35–7 || || align="center" | 6,000 || rowspan="2" |
|-
| || align=center|1986 || North Dakota State (3) || 27–7 || || rowspan="28" | Braly Stadium || rowspan="28" | Florence, AL|| align=center| 11,506
|-
| || align=center|1987 || Troy State (2) || 31–17 || || align="center" | 10,660 ||
|-
| || align=center|1988 || North Dakota State (4) || 35–21 || || align="center" | 6,763 ||
|-
| || align=center|1989 || Mississippi College || 3–0 || Jacksonville State || align="center" | 10,538 ||
|-
| || align=center|1990 || North Dakota State (5) || 51–11 || || align="center" | 10,080 ||
|-
| || align=center|1991 || Pittsburg State (1) || 23–6 || Jacksonville State || align="center" | 11,682 ||
|-
| || align=center|1992 || Jacksonville State (1) || 17–13 || || align="center" | 11,733 ||
|-
| || align=center|1993 || North Alabama (1) || 41–34 || || align="center" | 15,631 || rowspan="3" |
|-
| || align=center|1994 || North Alabama (2) || 16–10 || || align="center" | 13,526
|-
| || align=center|1995 || North Alabama (3) || 27–7 || || align="center" | 15,241
|-
| || align=center|1996 || Northern Colorado (1) || 23–14 || || align="center" | 5,745 || rowspan="2" |
|-
| || align=center|1997 || Northern Colorado (2) || 51–0 || || align="center" | 3,352
|-
| || align=center|1998 || Northwest Missouri (1) || 24–6 || || align="center" | 6,149 || rowspan="2" |
|-
| || align=center|1999 || Northwest Missouri (2) || 58–52 || || align="center" | 8,451
|-
| || align=center|2000 || Delta State (1) || 63–34 || || align="center" | 7,123 ||
|-
| || align=center|2001 || North Dakota (1) || 17–14 || Grand Valley State || align="center" | 6,113 ||
|-
| || align=center|2002 || Grand Valley State (1) || 31–24 || || align="center" | 9,783 || rowspan="2" |
|-
| || align=center|2003 || Grand Valley State (2) || 10–3 ||North Dakota || align="center" | 7,236
|-
| || align=center|2004 || Valdosta State (1) || 36–31 || || align="center" | 8,604 ||
|-
| || align=center|2005 || Grand Valley State (3) || 21–17 || || align="center" | 6,837 || rowspan="2" |
|-
| || align=center|2006 || Grand Valley State (4) || 17–14 || || align="center" | 7,437
|-
| || align=center|2007 || Valdosta State (2) || 25–20 || || align="center" | 7,532 ||
|-
| || align=center|2008 || Minnesota–Duluth (1) || 21–14 || || align="center" | 6,215 ||
|-
| || align=center|2009 || Northwest Missouri (3) || 30–23 || Grand Valley State || align="center" | 6,211 ||
|-
| || align=center|2010 || Minnesota–Duluth (2) || 20–17 || || align="center" | 4,027 ||
|-
| || align=center|2011 || Pittsburg State (2) || 35–21 || Wayne State (MI) || align="center" | 7,276 ||
|-
| || align=center|2012 || Valdosta State (3) || 35–7 || Winston-Salem State || align="center" | 7,525 ||
|-
| || align=center|2013 || Northwest Missouri (4) || 43–28 || Lenoir–Rhyne || align="center" | 6,543 ||
|-
| || align=center|2014 || CSU Pueblo (1) || 13–0 || || rowspan="4" | Children's Mercy || rowspan="4" | Kansas City, KS ||align=center| 6,762 ||
|-
| || align=center|2015 || Northwest Missouri (5) || 34–7 || Shepherd || align="center" | 16,181 || rowspan="2" |
|-
| || align=center|2016 || Northwest Missouri (6) || 29–3 || North Alabama || align="center" | 9,576
|-
| || align=center|2017 || Texas A&M–Commerce (1) || 37–27 || West Florida || align="center" | 4,259 ||
|-
| || align=center|2018 || Valdosta State (4) || 49–47 || Ferris State || rowspan="2" | McKinney Stadium || rowspan="2" | McKinney, TX || align="center" | 4,306 ||
|-
| || align=center|2019 || West Florida (1) || 48–40 || || align="center" | 3,415 ||
|-
| || align=center|2020 || colspan=7 |
|-
| || align=center|2021 || Ferris State (1) || 58–17 || Valdosta State || rowspan="5" | McKinney Stadium || rowspan="5" | McKinney, TX || align="center" | 3,933 || rowspan="2" | Tony Annese
|-
| || align=center|2022 || Ferris State (2) || 41–14 || Colorado Mines || align="center" | 6,333
|-
| || align=center|2023 || Harding (1) || 38–7 || Colorado Mines || align="center" | 12,552 || Paul Simmons
|-
| || align=center|2024 || Ferris State (3) || 49–14 || Valdosta State || align="center" | 3,228 || rowspan="2" | Tony Annese
|-
| || align=center|2025 || Ferris State (4) || 42–21 || Harding || align="center" | 10,521
|-
| || align=center|2026 || |||| || align="center" |
|-
| || align=center|2027 || |||| || align="center" |
|}
;Notes
Team titles
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+ Current Division II members
! Team
! #
! Years
|-
| style=|
| 6
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1998, 1999, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2016
|-
| style=| Grand Valley State Lakers football|
|rowspan=3| 4
| style="font-size:90%;" | 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006
|-
| style=| Valdosta State Blazers football|
| style="font-size:90%;" | 2004, 2007, 2012, 2018
|-
| style=|
| style="font-size:90%;" | 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025
|-
| style=|
|rowspan=2| 2
| style="font-size:90%;" | 2008, 2010
|-
| style=| Pittsburg State Gorillas football|
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1991, 2011
|-
| style=| CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves football|
|rowspan=5| 1
| style="font-size:90%;" | 2014
|-
| style=| Delta State Statesmen football|
| style="font-size:90%;" | 2000
|-
| style=|
| style="font-size:90%;" | 2023
|-
| style=|
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1975
|-
| style=| West Florida Argonauts football|
| style="font-size:90%;" | 2019
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+ Former Division II members
! Team
! #
! Years
|-
| style=|
| 5
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990
|-
| style=| '
| 3
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1993, 1994, 1995
|-
| style=| '
|rowspan=3| 2
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1996, 1997
|-
| style=| '
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1981, 1982
|-
| style=| Troy Trojans football|
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1984, 1987
|-
| style=| '
|rowspan=10| 1
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1980
|-
| style=| '
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1974
|-
| style=| '
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1979
|-
| style=| Eastern Illinois Panthers football|
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1978
|-
| style=| Jacksonville State Gamecocks football|
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1992
|-
| style=| Lehigh Mountain Hawks football|
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1977
|-
| style=| Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football|
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1973
|-
| style=| '
| style="font-size:90%;" | 1976
|-
| style=| North Dakota Fighting Hawks football|
| style="font-size:90%;" | 2001
|-
| style=|
| style="font-size:90%;" | 2017
|-
| style=| '
| 0
| style="font-size:90%;" |
|}
Team titles
Championship game appearances
Programs that no longer compete in Division II are indicated in italics.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%; width: %; text-align: left;"
|-
! width= px style=""| Team
! width= px style=""|
! width= px style=""| Years
|-
| Northwest Missouri State || 10 ||1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2016
|-
| Valdosta State || 7 || 2002, 2004, 2007, 2012, 2018, 2021, 2024
|-
| North Dakota State || 7 || 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990
|-
| Grand Valley State || 6 || 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009
|-
| Ferris State || 5 || 2018, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025
|-
| North Alabama || 5 || 1985, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2016
|-
| Pittsburg State || 5 || 1991, 1992, 1995, 2004, 2011
|-
| Jacksonville State || 4 || 1977, 1989, 1991, 1992
|-
| Carson–Newman || 3 || 1996, 1998, 1999
|-
| Delaware || 3 || 1974, 1978, 1979
|-
| Harding || 2 || 2023, 2025
|-
| Colorado Mines || 2 || 2022, 2023
|-
| Delta State || 2 || 2000, 2010
|-
| Eastern Illinois || 2 || 1978, 1980
|-
| Indiana (PA) || 2 || 1990, 1993
|-
| Minnesota–Duluth || 2 || 2008, 2010
|-
| Minnesota State || 2 || 2014, 2019
|-
| North Dakota || 2 || 2001, 2003
|-
| Northern Colorado || 2 || 1996, 1997
|-
| Portland State || 2 || 1987, 1988
|-
| Texas State || 2 || 1981, 1982
|-
| Troy || 2 || 1984, 1987
|-
| Western Kentucky || 2 || 1973, 1975
|-
| West Florida || 2 || 2017, 2019
|-
| Akron || 1 || 1976
|-
| Bloomsburg || 1 || 2000
|-
| Cal Poly || 1 || 1980
|-
| Central Michigan || 1 || 1974
|-
| Central State || 1 || 1983
|-
| CSU Pueblo || 1 || 2014
|-
| East Texas A&M || 1 || 2017
|-
| Lehigh || 1 || 1977
|-
| Lenoir–Rhyne || 1 || 2013
|-
| Louisiana Tech || 1 || 1973
|-
| Montana State || 1 || 1976
|-
| New Haven || 1 || 1997
|-
| Northern Michigan || 1 || 1975
|-
| Shepherd || 1 || 2015
|-
| South Dakota || 1 || 1986
|-
| Texas A&M–Kingsville || 1 || 1994
|-
| UC Davis || 1 || 1982
|-
| Wayne State (MI) || 1 || 2011
|-
| Winston-Salem State || 1 || 2012
|-
| Youngstown State || 1 || 1979
|-
| Mississippi College || 0 || †
|}
Of the programs that no longer compete in D-II, Akron, Central Michigan, Delaware, Jacksonville State, Louisiana Tech, North Dakota State, Texas State, Troy and Western Kentucky currently compete in Division I FBS, while Mississippi College no longer fields a football team. All others compete in Division I FCS.
Notes
† Mississippi College's 1989 tournament participation, along with its championship, were vacated by the NCAA Committee on Infractions.
- During Texas State's entire tenure in Division II, its name was Southwest Texas State University. The school adopted its current name in 2003.
- During Troy's entire tenure in Division II, its name was Troy State University. The school adopted its current name in 2005.
- East Texas A&M was known by two names during its Division II tenure—first as East Texas State University through the 1995 season, then as Texas A&M University–Commerce. The school adopted its current name in 2024.
Teams that moved to Division I
Most of the participants in early national championship games have moved into Division I, the main catalyst for their moves being the creation of Division I-AA, now the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), in 1978. The following Division II title game participants later moved to Division I:
;Division I FBS (formerly I-A)
- Akron (1976 runner-up)
- Central Michigan (1974 champion)
- Delaware (1979 champion; 1974 and 1978 runner-up)
- Jacksonville State (1992 champion; 1977, 1989, and 1991 runner-up)
- Louisiana Tech (1973 champion)
- North Dakota State (1965, 1968, 1969, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, and 1990 champion; 1981 and 1984 runner-up)
- Texas State (1981 and 1982 champion as Southwest Texas State)
- Troy (1984 and 1987 champion as Troy State)
- Western Kentucky (1973 and 1975 runner-up)
;Division I FCS (formerly I-AA)
- Cal Poly (1980 champion)
- East Texas A&M (2017 champion as Texas A&M–Commerce)
- Eastern Illinois (1978 champion; 1980 runner-up)
- Lehigh (1977 champion)
- Montana State (1976 champion)
- New Haven (1997 runner-up)
- North Alabama (1993, 1994, and 1995 champion; 1985 and 2016 runner-up)
- North Dakota (2001 champion, 2003 runner-up)
- Northern Colorado (1996 and 1997 champion)
- Portland State (1987 and 1988 runner-up)
- South Dakota (1986 runner-up)
- UC Davis (1982 runner-up)
- Youngstown State (1979 runner-up)
Postseason bowls
Regional bowls
From 1964 to 1972, four regional bowl games were played in order to provide postseason action,