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 32, with the current bracket size dating from 2005. In 2023, 28 playoff bids went to conference champions via automatic qualification, leaving just four places for at-large selections.
The Wisconsin–Whitewater Warhawks are the athletic teams of the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. Twenty Warhawk athletic teams compete in NCAA Division III. The Warhawks often rank among the top of NCAA Division III schools in the NACDA Director's Cup standings.
The Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The team competes in NCAA Division III and is a member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). Wisconsin-Whitewater's first football team was fielded in 1889. The team plays its home games at the 13,500-seat Perkins Stadium in Whitewater, Wisconsin. Jace Rindahl has served as the head coach for the Warhawks since 2023, taking over for eight-year head coach Kevin Bullis.
The 1993 NCAA Division III football season, part of the college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States, began in August 1993, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 1993 at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. The Mount Union Purple Raiders won their first Division III championship by defeating the Rowan Profs, 34−24. The first Gagliardi Trophy was awarded to Mount Union's quarterback Jim Ballard.
The 1996 NCAA Division III football season, part of the college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States, began in August 1996, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 1996 at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. The Mount Union Purple Raiders won their second Division III championship by defeating the Rowan Profs, 56−24. The Gagliardi Trophy, given to the most outstanding player in Division III football, was awarded to Lon Erickson, quarterback from Illinois Wesleyan.
The 1998 NCAA Division III football season, part of the college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States, began in August 1998, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 1998 at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. The Mount Union Purple Raiders won their fourth, and third consecutive, Division III championship by defeating the Rowan Profs, 44−24.
The 2005 NCAA Division III football season, part of the college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States, began in August 2005, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 2005 at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. The Mount Union Purple Raiders won their eighth Division III championship by defeating the Wisconsin–Whitewater Warhawks, 35−28. This was the first of eight subsequent championship games between Mount Union and Wisconsin–Whitewater ; only the 2012 Stagg Bowl featured a different team.
The 2006 NCAA Division III football season, part of the college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States, began in August 2006, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 2006 at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. The Mount Union Purple Raiders won their ninth Division III championship by defeating the Wisconsin–Whitewater Warhawks, 35−16. This was the second of seven straight championship games between Mount Union and Wisconsin–Whitewater and the second straight win for Mount Union.
The 2007 NCAA Division III football season, part of the college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States, began in August 2007, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 2007 at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. The Wisconsin–Whitewater Warhawks won their first Division III championship by defeating the Mount Union Purple Raiders, 31−21. This was the third of seven straight championship games between Mount Union and Wisconsin–Whitewater.
The 2008 NCAA Division III football season, part of the college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States, began in August 2008, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 2008 at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. The Mount Union Purple Raiders won their tenth Division III championship by defeating the Wisconsin–Whitewater Warhawks, 31−26. This was the fourth of seven straight championship games between Mount Union and Wisconsin–Whitewater.
The 2010 NCAA Division III football season, part of the college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States, began in August 2010, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 2010 at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. The Wisconsin–Whitewater Warhawks won their first Division III championship by defeating the Mount Union Purple Raiders, 31−21. This was the sixth of seven straight championship games between Mount Union and Wisconsin–Whitewater.
The 2011 NCAA Division III football season, part of the college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States, began in August 2011, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 2011 at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. The Wisconsin–Whitewater Warhawks won their fourth, and third consecutive, Division III championship by defeating the Mount Union Purple Raiders, 13−10. This was the seventh of seven straight championship games between Mount Union and Wisconsin–Whitewater.
The 2012 NCAA Division III football season, part of the college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States, began in August 2012, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 2012 at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. The Mount Union Purple Raiders won their eleventh Division III championship by defeating the St. Thomas (MN) Tommies, 28−10.
The 2013 NCAA Division III football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division III level, began on August 31, 2013, and concluded with the National Championship Game of the NCAA Division III Football Championship on December 20, 2013, at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. This was the twenty-first consecutive title game held in Salem. The Wisconsin–Whitewater Warhawks defeated the Mount Union Purple Raiders, 52–14, to win their fifth national title.
The 2014 NCAA Division III football season, play of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division III level, was the most recent season of NCAA Division III football. The season began on September 4 and concluded on December 19 with title game of the NCAA Division III Football Championship. Wisconsin–Whitewater won their sixth Division III title with a 43–34 win over Mount Union at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. This was the ninth time in ten seasons that Mount Union and Wisconsin–Whitewater met in the title game.
The 2015 NCAA Division III football season, part of the college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States, began on September 5, 2015, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, on December 18, 2015, at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. Mount Union, which made its 11th consecutive appearance in the title game, defeated St. Thomas (Minnesota) 49–35 to claim its 19th national title.
The 2016 NCAA Division III football season, part of the college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States, began on September 5, 2016 and ended with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, on December 16, 2016 at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. However, UMHB's championship was later vacated by the NCAA.
The 2017 NCAA Division III football season was the portion of the 2017 college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States. Under Division III rules, teams were eligible to begin play on August 31, 2017. The season ended with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, on December 15, 2017, at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. Mount Union earned their 13th national title, defeating defending national champions Mary Hardin–Baylor.
The 2018 NCAA Division III football season is the component of the 2018 college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States. The regular season began on August 30 and culminated on November 17.
The 2019 NCAA Division III football season is the component of the 2019 college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States. The regular season began on September 5 and culminated on November 16.