2023 NAIA Football National Championship

Last updated

2023 NAIA Football National Championship
1234Total
Northwestern0701421
Keiser7107731
DateDecember 18, 2023
Season 2023
Stadium Durham County Memorial Stadium
Location Durham, North Carolina
MVPJaden Meizinger (RB, Keiser) (Offensive)
Maddox Aprile (DL, Keiser) (Defensive)
Referee Brad Bunting
Attendance1,183
NAIA Football National Championship
 < 2022   2024 > 

The 2023 NAIA Football National Championship was a five-round, twenty team tournament played between November 18 and December 18, 2023. The tournament concluded with a single game, played as the 68th Annual NAIA Football National Championship.

Contents

The championship game was played at Durham County Memorial Stadium in Durham, North Carolina, between the undefeated 14–0 No. 1 Northwestern Red Raiders, representing Northwestern College from Orange City, Iowa, and the 11–2 No. 3 Keiser Seahawks, representing Keiser University from West Palm Beach, Florida. The game was played on December 18, 2023, with kickoff at 12:00 p.m. EST (11:00 a.m. local CST).

Teams

Northwestern (IA)

The Northwestern Red Raiders, led by 8th-year head coach Matt McCarty, entered the national championship game as the No. 1 seed and defending national champions. They were seeking to win their fourth national championship overall, having won in 1973, 1983, and 2022. They entered the game 14–0, 10–0 in GPAC play.

Keiser

The Keiser Seahawks, led by 6th-year head coach Doug Socha, entered the national championship game as the No. 3 seed and were looking to win the program's first-ever NAIA National Championship. They entered the game 11–2, 7–0 in Sun Conference play.

Series history

No.DateLocationWinning teamLosing team
1December 17, 2022 Durham, NC No. 3 Northwestern (IA)35No. 12 Keiser25
Northwestern (IA) leads 1–0

Game summary

[1] [2]

2023 NAIA Football National Championship Game
Period1234Total
No. 3 Keiser7107731
No. 1 Northwestern (IA)0701421

at Durham County Memorial StadiumDurham, North Carolina

  • Date: Monday, December 18, 2023
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST (11:00 a.m. CST)
  • Game weather: • Temperature: 56 °F (13 °C) • Wind: Sunny
  • Game attendance: 1,183
  • Referee: Brad Bunting
Game information
First Quarter
  • (14:49) UK – Jaden Meizinger 75-yard run, Nico Cavanillas kick (Drive: 1 plays, 75 yards, 0:11; Keiser 7–0)
Second Quarter
  • (7:00) UK – Nico Cavanillas 31-yard field goal (Drive: 9 plays, 66 yards, 6:23; Keiser 14–0)
  • (4:55) UK – Andrew Burnette 1-yard run, Nico Cavanillas kick (Drive: 4 plays, 14 yards, 1:14; Keiser 21–0)
  • (0:29) NWC – Austyn Gerard 6-yard pass from Jalyn Gramstad, Eli Stader kick (Drive: 6 plays, 45 yards, 1:14; Keiser 21–7)
Third Quarter
  • (5:17) UK – Maurico Porcha 30-yard pass from Justin Wake, Nico Cavanillas kick (Drive: 5 plays, 99 yards, 2:29; Keiser 28–7)
Fourth Quarter
  • (10:54) NWC – Konner McQuillan 53-yard pass from Jalyn Gramstad, Eli Stader kick (Drive: 7 plays, 86 yards, 2:30; Keiser 28–14)
  • (7:17) NWC – Konner McQuillan 2-yard run, Eli Stader kick (Drive: 7 plays, 52 yards, 3:37; Keiser 28–21)
  • (7:06) UK – Louis Lubin III 77-yard kickoff return, Nico Cavanillas kick (Keiser 35–21)

Statistics

StatisticsKUNWC
First downs2321
Total yards490338
Rushes–yards45–37330–51
Passing yards117287
Passing: Comp–Att–Int10–15–215–34–1
Time of possession28:5831:02
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
KeiserPassingJustin Wake10/15, 117 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
RushingJaden Meizinger22 carries, 261 yards, 1 TD
ReceivingMaurico Porcha2 receptions, 45 yards, 1 TD
Northwestern (IA)PassingJalyn Gramstad15/34, 287 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
RushingJalyn Gramstad18 carries, 47 yards
ReceivingMichael Storey6 receptions, 121 yards

Postseason playoffs

A total of sixteen teams were selected to participate in the single-elimination tournament from across the country, with invitations that were revealed on Sunday, November 12, 2023. The field included thirteen conference champions who received automatic bids. The field was then filled with at-large selections that were awarded to the highest ranked teams that were not conference champions. First-round seedings were based on the final regular-season edition of the 2023 NAIA Coaches' Poll, with certain minor modifications given based on travel and geographic considerations. Each subsequent round also saw minor modifications based on travel and the geography of the remaining teams. [3]

Second round pairings were announced by the NAIA on November 18, after the first round results were known. [4]

Quarterfinal pairings were announced by the NAIA on November 25, after the second round results were known.

Semifinal pairings were announced by the NAIA on December 2, soon after completion of the day's quarterfinal games. [5]

First Round
November 18
Campus Sites
Second Round
November 25
Campus Sites
Quarterfinals
December 2nd
Campus Sites
Semifinals
December 9
Campus Sites
Championship
December 18
Durham, North Carolina
5 Marian (IN) 21
12 Saint Xavier 31
12Saint Xavier17
1Northwestern (IA)34
1 Northwestern (IA) 7
Dordt 3516Dordt0
1Northwestern (IA)35
Ottawa 7
4Georgetown (KY)10
6 Indiana Wesleyan 24
10 Morningside 21
6Indiana Wesleyan21
4Georgetown (KY)31
4 Georgetown (KY) 42
Baker 5515Baker21
1Northwestern (IA)21
Louisiana Christian 28
3Keiser31
8 Montana Western 42
11 College of Idaho 49
11College of Idaho31
2Grand View17
2 Grand View 28
Montana Tech 2814Dickinson State3
11College of Idaho21
Dickinson State 35
3Keiser28
7 Bethel (TN) 40
9 Evangel 13
7Bethel (TN)14
3Keiser56
3 Keiser 45
St. Thomas (FL) 5513St. Thomas (FL)21
Reinhardt 7

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References

  1. "Keiser vs. Northwestern - Box Score - 12/18/2023". NAIA Stats. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  2. "No. 3 Football vs No. 1 Northwestern College (Iowa) on 12/18/2023 - Box Score". Keiser University Athletics. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  3. "2023 NAIA Football Championship Series Qualifiers Announced". NAIA. November 12, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  4. "2023 NAIA Football Championship Series - Second Round Pairings Announced". NAIA. November 18, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  5. "Semifinal Round Pairings in the 2023 NAIA Football Championship Series". NAIA. December 2, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023.