2015 NCAA Division II football season

Last updated

2015 NCAA Division II football season
Regular seasonSeptember 4 – November 14, 2015
PlayoffsNovember 21 – December 19, 2015
National Championship Children's Mercy Park, Kansas City, KS December 19, 2015
Champion Northwest Missouri State
Harlon Hill Trophy Jason Vander Laan, Ferris State

The 2015 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began on September 4, 2015 and ended with the NCAA Division II Football Championship on December 19, 2015 at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas. Northwest Missouri State won its second national title in three seasons and fifth overall, defeating Shepherd, 34–7.

Contents

Conference changes and new programs

SchoolFormer conferenceNew conference
McMurry War Hawks Lone Star American Southwest (D-III)
Oklahoma Baptist Bison CSFL (NAIA) Great American
Paine Lions SIAC Dropped program

Northwestern Oklahoma State and Virginia–Wise completed their transitions to Division II and became eligible for the postseason.

Conference standings

Super Region 1

2015 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
Northern
Bowie State xy^  7 0   9 3  
Virginia Union ^  6 1   8 2  
Chowan  4 3   6 4  
Virginia State  4 3   6 4  
Elizabeth City State  2 5   4 5  
Lincoln (PA)  1 6   3 7  
Southern
Winston-Salem St. xy$  5 2   6 5  
Livingstone  4 3   5 3  
Johnson C. Smith  3 4   4 6  
Fayetteville State  4 3   4 6  
Shaw  1 6   1 9  
St. Augustine's  1 6   1 9  
Championship: Winston–Salem St. 17, Bowie St. 14
  • $ Conference champion
  • x Division champion/co-champions
  • y Championship game participant
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2015 Mountain East Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 2 Shepherd $^  10 0   13 1  
No. 20 Charleston (WV) ^  9 1   10 2  
Glenville State  6 4   7 4  
Fairmont State  6 4   6 4  
Concord  5 5   5 5  
Notre Dame (OH)  5 5   5 6  
West Liberty  5 5   5 6  
West Virginia State  5 5   5 6  
West Virginia Wesleyan  2 8   2 8  
Urbana  1 9   2 9  
Virginia–Wise  1 9   1 10  
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA poll
2015 Northeast-10 Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 17 Assumption y$^  8 1   11 2  
New Haven y  7 2   7 4  
Merrimack  6 3   6 5  
LIU Post  5 4   7 4  
Stonehill  5 4   7 4  
Bentley  5 4   5 6  
American International  4 5   4 7  
Southern Connecticut  3 6   4 7  
Saint Anselm  2 7   3 8  
Pace  0 9   1 10  
Championship: Assumption 17, New Haven 14
  • $ Conference champion
  • y Championship game participant
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA poll
2015 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
East
West Chester xy  6 1   7 4  
Shippensburg  5 2   8 3  
Bloomsburg  5 2   7 4  
Kutztown  5 2   7 4  
East Stroudsburg  4 3   6 5  
Lock Haven  2 5   2 9  
Millersville  1 6   2 9  
Cheyney  0 7   0 11  
West
No. 7 Slippery Rock xy$^  6 1   11 1  
No. 19 IUP x^  6 1   9 2  
California (PA)  5 2   8 3  
Clarion  4 3   7 4  
Gannon  3 4   6 5  
Mercyhurst  2 5   5 6  
Seton Hill  2 5   3 8  
Edinboro  0 7   0 11  
Championship: Slippery Rock 61, West Chester 12
  • $ Conference champion
  • x Division champion/co-champions
  • y Championship game participant
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA poll

Super Region 2

2015 Gulf South Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 3 West Georgia +^  6 1   12 2  
No. 15 North Alabama +^  6 1   9 3  
No. 14 Valdosta State ^  5 2   9 3  
Florida Tech  5 2   7 4  
West Alabama  3 4   7 4  
Delta State  2 5   6 5  
Shorter  1 6   2 8  
Mississippi College #  0 7   2 8  
  • + Conference co-champions
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
  • # – Provisional Division II member
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2015 South Atlantic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 25 Catawba $^  6 1   9 3  
No. 21 Carson–Newman ^  5 2   9 3  
Mars Hill  5 2   6 5  
Newberry ^  4 3   7 5  
Wingate  3 4   6 5  
Lenoir–Rhyne  3 4   5 5  
Tusculum  2 5   4 7  
Brevard  0 7   0 11  
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2015 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
East
Albany State xy  4 0   6 4  
Fort Valley State  3 1   5 4  
Morehouse  2 2   5 5  
Clark Atlanta  1 3   1 8  
Benedict  0 4   0 10  
West
Miles xy$  5 0   7 5  
No. 11 Tuskegee ^  4 1   10 3  
Central State  2 3   5 5  
Kentucky State  2 3   3 7  
Stillman  1 4   3 6  
Lane  1 4   3 7  
Championship: Miles 20, Albany State 7
  • $ Conference champion
  • x Division champion/co-champions
  • y Championship game participant
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2015 NCAA Division II Super Region 2 independents football records
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
North Greenville    7 3  
UNC Pembroke    6 4  
Limestone    2 8  
Rankings from AFCA Poll

Super Region 3

2015 Great American Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 12 Henderson St. $^  10 1   11 2  
SW Oklahoma State #  8 3   8 4  
Arkansas Tech #  8 3   9 3  
Harding  7 4   7 4  
Ouachita Baptist  7 4   7 4  
Southern Arkansas  7 4   7 4  
SE Oklahoma State  6 5   6 5  
East Central  6 5   6 5  
NW Oklahoma State  3 8   3 8  
Oklahoma Baptist @  2 9   2 9  
Arkansas–Monticello  1 10   1 10  
Southern Nazarene  1 10   1 10  
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2015 Great Northwest Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 16 Humboldt State $^  6 0   10 2  
Western Oregon  5 1   7 4  
Azusa Pacific  3 3   6 4  
Central Washington  3 3   5 5  
South Dakota Mines  2 4   6 5  
Dixie State  2 4   3 7  
Simon Fraser  0 6   0 9  
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2015 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 1 NW Missouri State $^  11 0   15 0  
No. 8 Emporia State ^  9 2   11 3  
Central Missouri  8 3   8 3  
Fort Hays State #  8 3   8 4  
Central Oklahoma #  6 5   7 5  
Missouri Western  6 5   6 5  
Pittsburg State  6 5   6 5  
Washburn  5 6   5 6  
Lindenwood  3 8   3 8  
Northeastern State  3 8   3 8  
Missouri Southern  1 10   1 10  
Nebraska–Kearney  0 11   0 11  
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2015 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
North
Minnesota–Duluth #  8 3   9 3  
Bemidji State  7 4   7 4  
Northern State  6 5   6 5  
St. Cloud State  6 5   6 5  
MSU Moorhead  6 5   6 5  
Minot State  1 10   1 10  
Mary  1 10   1 10  
Minnesota–Crookston  1 10   1 10  
South
No. 13 Minnesota State $^  10 1   10 2  
No. 24 Augustana (SD) ^  9 2   9 3  
No. 22 Sioux Falls ^  9 2   9 3  
SW Minnesota State  8 3   8 3  
Upper Iowa  6 5   6 5  
Winona State  5 6   5 6  
Wayne State (NE)  4 7   4 7  
Concordia–St. Paul  1 10   1 10  
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
  • # – Mineral Water Bowl participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll

Super Region 4

2015 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 6 Ferris State +^  10 0   11 1  
No. 10 Ashland +^  10 0   10 1  
No. 4 Grand Valley State ^  8 2   12 3  
Ohio Dominican  7 3   8 3  
Michigan Tech  7 3   7 3  
Findlay  5 5   6 5  
Wayne State (MI)  5 5   6 5  
Hillsdale  5 5   5 6  
Northwood  5 5   5 6  
Northern Michigan  4 6   5 6  
Tiffin  4 6   5 6  
Walsh  2 8   2 8  
Lake Erie  2 8   2 9  
Saginaw Valley State  1 9   1 10  
Malone  0 10   0 10  
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA poll
2015 Great Lakes Valley Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 18 Indianapolis $^  8 0   10 2  
McKendree  6 2   8 2  
Missouri S&T  5 3   5 5  
Truman State  4 4   5 6  
William Jewell  4 4   4 7  
Saint Joseph's (IN)  3 5   4 6  
Southwest Baptist  3 5   4 6  
Quincy  3 5   3 7  
Lincoln (MO)  0 8   1 10  
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2015 Lone Star Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 23 Texas A&M–Commerce $^  6 0   8 4  
No. 9 Midwestern State ^  5 1   10 2  
Angelo State  3 3   7 4  
West Texas A&M  3 3   6 4  
Eastern New Mexico #  3 3   6 6  
Tarleton State  1 5   3 7  
Texas A&M–Kingsville  0 6   2 9  
Rankings from AFCA poll
2015 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 5 CSU Pueblo $^  9 0   12 2  
Colorado Mesa  8 1   9 2  
Colorado Mines  6 3   8 3  
Fort Lewis  6 3   7 4  
Chadron State  4 5   5 6  
Western State  4 5   4 7  
Western New Mexico  3 6   4 7  
Adams State  3 6   3 8  
New Mexico Highlands  2 7   2 9  
Black Hills State  0 9   0 11  
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2015 NCAA Division II Super Region 4 independents football records
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
Alderson Broaddus    7 4  
OK Panhandle State    5 5  
Kentucky Wesleyan    5 6  
Rankings from AFCA Poll

Postseason

The 2015 NCAA Division II Football Championship Postseason involved 28 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college football. [1] Miles College, the SIAC champion, was not eligible to postseason due to its participation to the 2015 Turkey Day Classic against Alabama State (FCS).

Playoff bracket

First round
November 21, 2015
Second round
November 28, 2015
Quarterfinals
December 5, 2015
Semifinals
December 12, 2015
Championship
December 19, 2015
               
1 Shepherd * 17
5 IUP 13
4 Charleston (WV)* 21
5 IUP 47
1Shepherd*28
2 Slippery Rock 16
2 Slippery Rock * 40
7 Virginia Union 21
2Slippery Rock* 41
3 Assumption 39
3 Assumption * 51
6 Bowie State 29
1 Shepherd*34
6 Grand Valley State 32
1 Midwestern State* 17
4CSU Pueblo26
4 CSU Pueblo * 27
5 Indianapolis 14
4 CSU Pueblo* 7
6Grand Valley State31
2 Ferris State * 48
7 Texas A&M–Commerce 30
2 Ferris State* 34
6Grand Valley State38
3 Ashland* 28
6 Grand Valley State 45
1 Shepherd 7
1 NW Missouri State34
1 West Georgia * 27
4 Valdosta State 20
4 Valdosta State * 61
5 Carson–Newman 59
1West Georgia*35
6 Tuskegee 6
2 North Alabama * 50
7 Newberry 7
2 North Alabama* 31
6Tuskegee35
3 Catawba* 16
6 Tuskegee 26
1 West Georgia 23
1 NW Missouri State*38
1 NW Missouri State * 54
4 Humboldt State 7
4 Humboldt State*45
5 Augustana (SD) 31
1NW Missouri State*38
7 Emporia State 17
2 Minnesota State* 49
7 Emporia State 51
7Emporia State29
3 Henderson State* 3
3 Henderson State*23
6 Sioux Falls 16

* Home team    Overtime   Winner

See also

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References

  1. "2015 Division II Football Tournament". NCAA.com. Retrieved September 1, 2015.