NCAA Division III Football Championship
The NCAA Division III Football Championship began in 1973. Before 1973, most of the schools now in Division III competed in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
The Division III playoffs begin with 32 teams selected to participate in the playoffs. The Division III championship game, known as the Stagg Bowl, has been played annually in Salem, Virginia at Salem Football Stadium since 1993. It was previously played in Phenix City, Alabama at Garrett-Harrison Stadium (1973–1982, 1985–1989), at the College Football Hall of Fame, when the Hall was located in Kings Island, Ohio at Galbreath Field (1983–1984), and Bradenton, Florida at Hawkins Stadium (1990–1992).
Mount Union has appeared in eleven consecutive Stagg Bowls, and eighteen of the last twenty—defeating Wisconsin–Whitewater in 2005, 2006, and 2008; losing to Wisconsin–Whitewater in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2014; and defeating University of St. Thomas in 2012 and 2015.
West and East Regional Championships (1969–1972)
In 1969, the NCAA started two regional championship games for small college teams: the East Regional's Knute Rockne Bowl and the West's Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl. When the NCAA developed a national Division III championship game in 1973, the Stagg Bowl name and the host city of Phenix City, Alabama was chosen.
West Regional championship (Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl)
| Year | Winner | Score | Runner up | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Wittenberg | 27–21 | William Jewell | Springfield, Ohio |
| 1970 | Capital | 34–21 | Luther | Columbus, Ohio |
| 1971 | Samford (vacated) | 20–10 | Ohio Wesleyan | Phenix City, Alabama |
| 1972 | Heidelberg | 28–16 | Fort Valley State | Phenix City, Alabama |
East Regional championship (Knute Rockne Bowl)
| Year | Winner | Score | Runner up | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Randolph–Macon | 47–28 | Bridgeport | Bridgeport, Connecticut |
| 1970 | Montclair State | 7–6 | Hampden–Sydney | Atlantic City, New Jersey |
| 1971 | Bridgeport | 17–12 | Hampden–Sydney | Atlantic City, New Jersey |
| 1972 | Bridgeport | 27–22 | Slippery Rock | Atlantic City, New Jersey |
National championship games
Appearances
| NCAA Division III Football Championship appearances | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Appearances | Years | ||||
| Mount Union | 19 | 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 | ||||
| Wisconsin–Whitewater | 9 | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014 | ||||
| Ithaca | 7 | 1974, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1985, 1988, 1991 | ||||
| Augustana (IL) | 5 | 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 | ||||
| Dayton | 5 | 1980, 1981, 1987, 1989, 1991 | ||||
| Rowan | 5 | 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999 | ||||
| Wittenberg | 4 | 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979 | ||||
| St. John's (MN) | 3 | 1976, 2001, 2003 | ||||
| Central (IA) | 3 | 1974, 1984, 1988 | ||||
| Widener | 2 | 1977, 1981 | ||||
| Wisconsin–La Crosse | 2 | 1992, 1995 | ||||
| Washington & Jefferson | 2 | 1992, 1994 | ||||
| Lycoming | 2 | 1990, 1997 | ||||
| Union (NY) | 2 | 1983, 1989 | ||||
| St. Thomas (MN) | 2 | 2012, 2015 | ||||
| Linfield | 1 | 2004 | ||||
| Albion | 1 | 1994 | ||||
| Allegheny | 1 | 1990 | ||||
| Baldwin-Wallace | 1 | 1978 | ||||
| Wagner | 1 | 1987 | ||||
| Pacific Lutheran | 1 | 1999 | ||||
| West Georgia | 1 | 1982 | ||||
| Mary Hardin-Baylor | 1 | 2004 | ||||
| Trinity (TX) | 1 | 2002 | ||||
| Bridgewater (VA) | 1 | 2001 | ||||
| Salisbury State | 1 | 1986 | ||||
| Wabash | 1 | 1977 | ||||
| Towson State | 1 | 1976 | ||||
| Juniata | 1 | 1973 | ||||
Most national championships
| NCAA Division III Football Championship championships | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Titles | Winning Years | ||||
| Mount Union | 12 | 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2015 | ||||
| Wisconsin–Whitewater | 6 | 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014 | ||||
| Augustana (IL) | 4 | 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 | ||||
| Ithaca | 3 | 1979, 1988, 1991 | ||||
| Dayton | 2 | 1980, 1989 | ||||
| St. John's (MN) | 2 | 1976, 2003 | ||||
| Widener | 2 | 1977, 1981 | ||||
| Wisconsin–La Crosse | 2 | 1992, 1995 | ||||
| Wittenberg | 2 | 1973, 1975 | ||||
| Albion | 1 | 1994 | ||||
| Allegheny | 1 | 1990 | ||||
| Baldwin-Wallace | 1 | 1978 | ||||
| Central (IA) | 1 | 1974 | ||||
| Linfield | 1 | 2004 | ||||
| Pacific Lutheran | 1 | 1999 | ||||
| Wagner | 1 | 1987 | ||||
| West Georgia | 1 | 1982 | ||||
Stagg Bowl Most Outstanding Player Award
As voted by the media at the game since 2000
- 2000 Chuck Moore Mt. Union Senior RB
- 2001 Chuck Moore Mt. Union 5th year Senior RB
- 2002 Dan Pugh Mt. Union Senior RB
- 2003 Blake Elliot St. John's Senior WR
- 2004 Riley Jenkins Linfield Senior RB
- 2005 Nate Kmic Mt. Union Freshman RB
- 2006 Greg Micheli Mt. Union Sophomore QB
- 2007 Justin Beaver Wisc-Whitewater Senior RB
- 2008 Greg Micheli Mt. Union Senior QB
- 2009 Levell Coppage Wisc-Whitewater Sophomore RB
- 2010 Levell Coppage Wisc-Whitewater Junior RB
- 2011 Loussaint Minett Wisc-Whitewater Sophomore DE
- 2012 Kevin Burke Mt. Union Sophomore QB
- 2013 Matt Behrendt Wisc-Whitewater Junior QB
- 2014 Matt Behrendt Wisc-Whitewater Senior QB
- 2015 Taurice Scott Mt. Union Senior QB
See also
- College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS
- NCAA Division I Football Championship
- NCAA Division I FCS Consensus Mid-Major Football National Championship
- NCAA Division II Football Championship
- NAIA National Football Championship
- NCCAA National Football Championship
- NJCAA National Football Championship
- List of college bowl games
- List of NCAA Division III football programs
