Lenoir-Rhyne vs. Benedict: 2023 DII football championship second round | FULL REPLAY
The 2023 NCAA DII football championship tournament consists of 28 teams divided into four Super Regions. Seven teams from each of the four Super Regions will be seeded by the NCAA selection committee with each No. 1 seed receiving a first-round bye.
Eight teams advanced to the quarterfinals following the conclusion of the second round of the 2023 tournament on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. Above, you can watch a full replay of one of the many thrilling second-round matchups.
Games from the first round, second round, and quarterfinals will be available to stream on NCAA.com, as well as Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV and Google TV devices through NCAA Championships Pass — click here for more information.
SELECTIONS TO TROPHY: How the DII football championship works
Here is the schedule of the 2023 NCAA Division II football tournament, including dates and locations:
2023 NCAA DII football tournament schedule, scores
- Quarterfinals: Saturday, Dec. 2, campus sites
- First round: Saturday, Nov. 18
- No. 3 Kutztown 38, Virginia Union 14
- No. 2 Charleston (WV) 52, New Haven 44
- No. 2 Grand Valley State 21, Ferris State 14
- No. 3 Valdosta State 62, Limestone 41
- No. 4 Augustana (SD) 51, Minnesota State 24
- No. 4 Lenoir-Rhyne 63, Shepherd 17
- No. 4 Slippery Rock 45, East Stroudsburg 14
- No. 2 Delta State 49, West Florida 14
- Central Washington 16, No. 2 Western Colorado 13 (OT)
- No. 3 Pittsburg State 35, UIndy 14
- Bemidji State 10, No. 3 Texas Permian Basin 3
- No. 4 Central Missouri 56, Henderson State 1
- Second round: Saturday, Nov. 25
- No. 4 Slippery Rock 45, No. 1 Tiffin 35Â
- No. 4 Lenoir-Rhyne 35, No. 1 Benedict 25
- No. 3 Kutztown 32, No. 2 Charleston (WV) 31Â
- No. 2 Grand Valley State 24, No. 3 Pittsburg State 21Â
- No. 3 Valdosta State 38, No. 2 Delta State* 31
- No. 1 Harding* 35, No. 4 Central Missouri 34
- No. 1 Colorado School of Mines* 56, No. 4 Augustana (SD) 10
- Central Washington 21, Bemidji State* 17
- Semifinals: Saturday, Dec. 9, campus sites
- Championship: Saturday, Dec. 16, McKinney, TX.
*Host institution
2023 NCAA DII football tournament bracket
Interactive bracket | View as a PDF
Championship history
Ferris State is the reigning national champion, winning back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022. Here is a list of every DII national champion since its start in 1973.
| YEAR | CHAMPION | COACH | SCORE | RUNNER-UP | SITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | ? | ? | ? | ? | McKinney, Texas |
| 2022 | Ferris State | Tony Annese | 41-14 | Colorado School of Mines | McKinney, Texas |
| 2021 | Ferris State | Tony Annese | 58-17 | Valdosta State | McKinney, Texas |
| 2020 | Canceled due to Covid-19 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2019 | West Florida | Pete Shinnick | 48-40 | Minnesota State | McKinney, Texas |
| 2018 | Valdosta State | Kerwin Bell | 49-47 | Ferris State | McKinney, Texas |
| 2017 | Texas A&M-Commerce | Colby Carthel | 37-27 | West Florida | Kansas City, Kan. |
| 2016 | Northwest Missouri State | Adam Dorrel | 29-3 | North Alabama | Kansas City, Kan. |
| 2015 | Northwest Missouri State | Adam Dorrel | 34-7 | Shepherd | Kansas City, Kan. |
| 2014 | Colorado State-Pueblo | John Wristen | 13-0 | Minnesota State-Mankato | Kansas City, Kan. |
| 2013 | Northwest Missouri State | Adam Dorrel | 43-28 | Lenoir-Rhyne | Florence, Ala. |
| 2012 | Valdosta State | David Dean | 35-7 | Winston-Salem State | Florence, Ala. |
| 2011 | Pittsburg State | Tim Beck | 35-21 | Wayne State (Mich.) | Florence, Ala. |
| 2010 | Minnesota-Duluth | Bob Nielson | 20-17 | Delta State | Florence, Ala. |
| 2009 | Northwest Missouri State | Mel Tjeersdma | 30-23 | Grand Valley State | Florence, Ala. |
| 2008 | Minnesota-Duluth | Bob Nielson | 21-14 | Northwest Missouri State | Florence, Ala. |
| 2007 | Valdosta State | David Dean | 25-20 | Northwest Missouri State | Florence, Ala. |
| 2006 | Grand Valley State | Chuck Martin | 17-14 | Northwest Missouri State | Florence, Ala. |
| 2005 | Grand Valley State | Chuck Martin | 21-17 | Northwest Missouri State | Florence, Ala. |
| 2004 | Valdosta State | Christ Hatcher | 36-31 | Pittsburg State | Florence, Ala. |
| 2003 | Grand Valley State | Brian Kelly | 10-3 | North Dakota | Florence, Ala. |
| 2002 | Grand Valley State | Brian Kelly | 31-24 | Valdosta State | Florence, Ala. |
| 2001 | North Dakota | Dale Lennon | 17-14 | Grand Valley State | Florence, Ala. |
| 2000 | Delta State | Steve Campbell | 63-34 | Bloomsburg | Florence, Ala. |
| 1999 | Northwest Missouri State | Mel Tjeersdma | 58-52 (4ot) | Carson-Newman | Florence, Ala. |
| 1998 | Northwest Missouri State | Mel Tjeersdma | 24-6 | Carson-Newman | Florence, Ala. |
| 1997 | Northern Colorado | Joe Glenn | 51-0 | New Haven | Florence, Ala. |
| 1996 | Northern Colorado | Joe Glenn | 23-14 | Carson-Newman | Florence, Ala. |
| 1995 | North Alabama | Bobby Wallace | 27-7 | Pittsburg State | Florence, Ala. |
| 1994 | North Alabama | Bobby Wallace | 16-10 | Texas A&M-Kingsville | Florence, Ala. |
| 1993 | North Alabama | Bobby Wallace | 41-34 | Indiana (Pa.) | Florence, Ala. |
| 1992 | Jacksonville State | Bill Burgess | 17-13 | Pittsburg State | Florence, Ala. |
| 1991 | Pittsburg State | Chuck Broyles | 23-6 | Jacksonville State | Florence, Ala. |
| 1990 | North Dakota State | Rocky Hager | 51-11 | Indiana (Pa.) | Florence, Ala. |
| 1989 | *Mississippi College | John Williams | 3-0 | Jacksonville State | Florence, Ala. |
| 1988 | North Dakota State | Rocky Hager | 35-21 | Portland State | Florence, Ala. |
| 1987 | Troy | Rick Rhoades | 31-17 | Portland State | Florence, Ala. |
| 1986 | North Dakota State | Earle Solomonson | 27-7 | South Dakota | Florence, Ala. |
| 1985 | North Dakota State | Earle Solomonson | 35-7 | North Alabama | McAllen, Texas |
| 1984 | Troy | Chan Gailey | 18-17 | North Dakota State | McAllen, Texas |
| 1983 | North Dakota State | Don Morton | 41-21 | Central State (Ohio) | McAllen, Texas |
| 1982 | Texas State | Jim Wacker | 34-9 | UC Davis | McAllen, Texas |
| 1981 | Texas State | Jim Wacker | 42-13 | North Dakota State | McAllen, Texas |
| 1980 | Cal Poly | Joe Harper | 21-13 | Eastern Illinois | Albuquerque, N.M. |
| 1979 | Delaware | Tubby Raymond | 38-21 | Youngstown State | Albuquerque, N.M. |
| 1978 | Eastern Illinois | Darrell Mudra | 10-9 | Delaware | Longview, Texas |
| 1977 | Lehigh | John Whitehead | 33-0 | Jacksonville State | Wichita Falls, Texas |
| 1976 | Montana State | Sonny Holland | 24-13 | Akron | Wichita Falls, Texas |
| 1975 | Northern Michigan | Gil Krueger | 16-14 | Western Kentucky | Sacramento, Calif. |
| 1974 | Central Michigan | Roy Kramer | 54-14 | Delaware | Sacramento, Calif. |
| 1973 | Louisiana Tech | Maxie Lambright | 34-0 | Western Kentucky | Sacramento, Calif. |
*Mississippi College's participation in the 1989 Division II championship vacated by the NCAA Committee on InfractionsÂ
