2008 NCAA Division II National Football Championship game

2008 NCAA Division II National Football Championship game
Minnesota–Duluth Bulldogs Northwest Missouri State Bearcats
(14–0) (13–1)
21 14
Head coach: 
Bob Nielson		 Head coach: 
Mel Tjeerdsma
1 2 3 4 Total
Minnesota–Duluth 0 7 7 7 21
Northwest Missouri State 0 0 0 14 14
Date December 13, 2008
Stadium Braly Municipal Stadium
Location Florence, Alabama
Attendance 6,219
United States TV coverage
Network ESPN2
NCAA Division II National Football Championship game
 < 2007  2009 > 

The 2008 NCAA Division II National Football Championship game was held on December 13, 2008 at Braly Municipal Stadium near the campus of the University of North Alabama in Florence, Alabama.

Contents

Teams

Northwest Missouri State Bearcats

Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs

Playoffs

Main article: 2008 NCAA Division II National Football Championship playoffs

The 2008 NCAA Division II National Football Championship playoffs involved 24 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college football.[1]

The tournament began on November 15, 2008, and concluded on December 13, 2008 at Braly Municipal Stadium near the campus of the University of North Alabama in Florence, Alabama.[1]

Game summary

The Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs won the school's first NCAA Division II football championship in a 21-14 win over the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats. Minnesota Duluth's quarterback Ted Schlafke threw 38-yard touchdown pass to Tony Doherty with 14 seconds left in the second quarter to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead. Later he threw a 5-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter to Issac Odim for a 14-0 lead. Odim ran for a 4-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter for a 21-0 lead. Northwest Missouri's first score came on a 44-yard interception return by Aldwin Foster-Rettig cutting the score to 21-7. The Bearcats cut the lead to 21-14 as Raphael Robinson scored on a 2-yard touchdown catch with 1:36 left in the game. Minnesota Duluth recovered an onside kick attempt and ran out the clock.[2]

Minnesota Duluth finished the season with a 15-0 record. Northwest Missouri ended the season with a 13-2 record and suffered its fourth consecutive loss in the Division II championship game.[2]

Pre-game notes

Starting lineups

Minn-Duluth Position Northwest Mo. St.
OFFENSE
WR
LT
LG
C
RG
RT
TE
WR
QB
RB
TE
DEFENSE
LE
LDT/NT
RDT/RE
RE/LOLB
LOLB/MLB
MLB/ROLB
ROLB/DB
LCB
RCB
SS
FS

Officials

Scoring summary

Statistics

Records

Statistical comparison

  Minn-Duluth Northwest Mo. St.
First downs 17 19
Third down efficiency 6-15 6-12
Fourth down efficiency 1-1 0-0
Total yards
Passing yards 128 189
Passing – completions/attempts 14/23 18/30
Rushing yards 145 106
Rushing attempts 43 32
Yards per rush
Penalties-yards 1-12 3-30
Sacks against-yards 4-16 6-32
Fumbles-lost 0-0 6-2
Interceptions thrown 2 2
Time of possession 34:18 25:42

Source: "NCAA Game Summary - Northwest Mo. St. vs. Minn.-Duluth Game". NCAA. 2008-12-13. http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/worksheet.jsp?year=2008&game=200800000050720081213.xml. Retrieved 2009-01-02. 

Individual leaders

Northwest Mo. St. Passing
C/ATT* Yds TD INT
name
Northwest Mo. St. Rushing
Cara Yds TD LGb
name
name
Northwest Mo. St. Receiving
Recc Yds TD LGb
name
name
Minn-Duluth Passing
C/ATT* Yds TD INT
name
Minn-Duluth Rushing
Cara Yds TD LGb
name
name
Minn-Duluth Receiving
Recc Yds TD LGb
name
name


*Completions/Attempts aCarries bLong play cReceptions

Broadcasting

Television coverage and ratings

Radio

External links

References

  1. ^ a b "D-II Football Field Announced". 2008-11-09. http://www.ncaa.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/110908aaa.html. Retrieved 2008-11-14. 
  2. ^ a b "Bulldogs Bite Last!!!!". Shoals National Championship Committee. 2008-12-13. http://www.d2championship.com/. Retrieved 2008-12-14.