This article needs additional citations for verification .(July 2023) |
2023 NCAA Division II football season | |
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Total No. of teams | 163 |
Regular season | August 31 – November 11, 2023 |
Playoffs | November 18 – December 16, 2023 |
National Championship | McKinney Independent School District Stadium McKinney, TX December 16, 2023 |
Champion | Harding |
Harlon Hill Trophy | Zach Zebrowski, QB, Central Missouri |
The 2023 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level, began on August 31 and ended on December 16 with the Division II championship at the McKinney Independent School District Stadium in McKinney, Texas. Harding won the title, defeating Colorado Mines, 38–7.
September 2: Bowie State 22, Delaware State 11
September 2: Virginia State 33, Norfolk State 24
September 2: Central State (OH) 24, Mississippi Valley State 21
September 8: Barton 33, Davidson 31
September 9: Colorado Mesa 28, San Diego 21 OT
September 9: Miles 21, Alabama State 17
September 16: Delta State 35, Mississippi Valley State 7
School | Former conference | New conference |
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Alderson Broaddus Battlers | Mountain East | School closed |
Bluefield State Big Blues | Independent (D-II) | CIAA |
Chowan Hawks | CIAA | Gulf South |
Lincoln (MO) Blue Tigers | MIAA | GLVC |
Simon Fraser Red Leafs | Lone Star | Dropped program |
Thomas More Saints | Mid-South (NAIA) | G-MAC |
Upper Iowa Peacocks | Northern Sun | GLVC |
The top 25 from the AFCA Coaches' Poll.
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* — Indicates a team playing outside of its assigned super region.
First Round November 18, 2023 Campus sites | Second Round November 25, 2023 Campus sites | Quarterfinals December 2, 2023 Campus sites | ||||||||||||
1 | Tiffin* | 35 | ||||||||||||
4 | Slippery Rock | 45 | ||||||||||||
East Stroudsburg | 14 | |||||||||||||
4 | Slippery Rock* | 45 | ||||||||||||
4 | Slippery Rock* | 16 | ||||||||||||
3 | Kutztown | 28 | ||||||||||||
3 | Kutztown* | 38 | ||||||||||||
Virginia Union | 15 | |||||||||||||
3 | Kutztown | 32 | ||||||||||||
2 | Charleston (WV)* | 31 | ||||||||||||
New Haven | 44 | |||||||||||||
2 | Charleston (WV)* | 52 |
First Round November 18, 2023 Campus sites | Second Round November 25, 2023 Campus sites | Quarterfinals December 2, 2023 Campus sites | ||||||||||||
1 | Benedict* | 25 | ||||||||||||
4 | Lenoir–Rhyne | 35 | ||||||||||||
Shepherd | 17 | |||||||||||||
4 | Lenoir–Rhyne* | 63 | ||||||||||||
4 | Lenoir–Rhyne | 35 | ||||||||||||
3 | Valdosta State* | 7 | ||||||||||||
3 | Valdosta State* | 62 | ||||||||||||
Limestone | 41 | |||||||||||||
3 | Valdosta State | 38 | ||||||||||||
2 | Delta State* | 31 | ||||||||||||
West Florida | 14 | |||||||||||||
2 | Delta State* | 48 |
First Round November 18, 2023 Campus sites | Second Round November 25, 2023 Campus sites | Quarterfinals December 2, 2023 Campus sites | ||||||||||||
1 | Harding* | 35 | ||||||||||||
4 | Central Missouri | 34 | ||||||||||||
Henderson State | 14 | |||||||||||||
4 | Central Missouri* | 56 | ||||||||||||
1 | Harding* | 7 | ||||||||||||
2 | Grand Valley State | 6 | ||||||||||||
3 | Pittsburg State* | 35 | ||||||||||||
Indianapolis | 14 | |||||||||||||
3 | Pittsburg State | 21 | ||||||||||||
2 | Grand Valley State* | 24 | ||||||||||||
Ferris State | 14 | |||||||||||||
2 | Grand Valley State* | 21 |
First Round November 18, 2023 Campus sites | Second Round November 25, 2023 Campus sites | Quarterfinals December 2, 2023 Campus sites | ||||||||||||
1 | Colorado Mines* | 56 | ||||||||||||
4 | Augustana (SD) | 10 | ||||||||||||
Minnesota State | 24 | |||||||||||||
4 | Augustana (SD)* | 51 | ||||||||||||
1 | Colorado Mines* | 38 | ||||||||||||
Central Washington | 14 | |||||||||||||
3 | Texas–Permian Basin* | 3 | ||||||||||||
Bemidji State | 10 | |||||||||||||
Bemidji State* | 17 | |||||||||||||
Central Washington | 21 | |||||||||||||
Central Washington | 16 | |||||||||||||
2 | Western Colorado* | 13 |
Teams were re-seeded prior to semifinals.
Semifinals December 9, 2023 Hosted by higher seeded team | Championship December 16, 2023 McKinney, Texas | ||||||||
1 | Colorado Mines | 35 | |||||||
4 | Kutztown | 7 | |||||||
1 | Colorado Mines | 7 | |||||||
2 | Harding | 38 | |||||||
3 | Lenoir–Rhyne | 14 | |||||||
2 | Harding | 55 |
There were four bowl games, which featured teams that did not qualify for the Division II postseason tournament.
The schedule included the inaugural edition of the Florida Beach Bowl, contested between teams from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), two conferences mostly consisting of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). [5]
Date | Time (EST) | Game | Site | Television | Teams | Affiliations | Results |
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Dec. 1 | 7:00 p.m. | America's Crossroads Bowl | Hammond Central High School Hammond, Indiana | No broadcast | McKendree (5–5) Ashland (8–3) | GLVC GMAC | Ashland 23 McKendree 20 |
Dec. 2 | 1:00 p.m. | Live United Bowl | Arkansas High School Texarkana, Arkansas | Southern Arkansas (9–2) Missouri Western (8–3) | GAC MIAA | Southern Arkansas 43 Missouri Western 27 | |
Dec. 2 | 1:00 p.m. | Heritage Bowl | Tiger Stadium Corsicana, Texas | Southern Nazarene (6–5) Emporia State (8–3) | GAC MIAA | Emporia State 55 Southern Nazarene 24 | |
Dec. 13 | 7:30 p.m. | Florida Beach Bowl | DRV PNK Stadium Fort Lauderdale, Florida | HBCU Go | Johnson C. Smith (7–3) Fort Valley State (7–3) | CIAA SIAC | Fort Valley State 23 Johnson C. Smith 10 |
This is restricted to coaching changes that took place on or after May 1, 2023, and will include any changes announced after a team's last regularly scheduled games but before its playoff games.
School | Outgoing coach | Date | Reason | Replacement | Previous position |
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Clark Atlanta | Willie Slater | October 2, 2023 | Fired [6] | Richard Moncrief | Clark Atlanta offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2022–2023) |
St. Augustine's | Howard Feggins | October 13, 2023 | Fired [7] | Jody Owens | St. Augustine's defensive coordinator (2023) |
This list includes coaching changes announced during the season that did not take effect until the end of the season.
School | Outgoing coach | Date | Reason | Replacement | Previous position |
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Morehouse | Gerard Wilcher | November 6, 2023 | Fired [8] | Terance Mathis [9] | Fellowship Christian (GA) assistant coach (2021) |
West Chester | Bill Zwaan | November 6, 2023 | Retired [10] | Duke Greco [11] | Delaware Valley head coach (2014–2023) |
Northeastern State | J. J. Eckert | November 13, 2023 | Contract expired [12] | Darrin Chiaverini | Chaffey College head coach (2023) |
Mississippi College | John Bland | November 13, 2023 | Resigned [13] | Mike Kershaw [14] | Rice wide receivers coach (2019–2023) |
West Georgia | David Dean | November 13, 2023 | Resigned [15] | Joel Taylor [16] | Mercer defensive coordinator (2020–2023) |
Wingate | Joe Reich | November 14, 2023 | Resigned (became school's athletic director) [17] | Rashaan Jordan | Wingate defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (2013–2023) |
Hillsdale | Keith Otterbein | November 14, 2023 | Retired [18] | Nate Shreffler | Hillsdale offensive coordinator (2011–2023) |
UVA Wise | Dane Damron | November 14, 2023 | Resigned [19] | Gary Bass | Quincy head coach (2017–2023) |
Southwestern Oklahoma State | Ruzell McCoy (interim) | November 16, 2023 | Permanent replacement [20] | Andrew Rice [21] | Southern Arkansas offensive coordinator (2022–2023) |
Lake Erie | DJ Boldin | November 21, 2023 | Resigned | David Price | Tiffin assistant head coach, defensive coordinator, and defensive line coach (2023) |
Clark Atlanta | Richard Moncrief (interim) | November 27, 2023 | Permanent replacement [22] | Teddy Keaton | Allen head coach (2018–2023) |
Allen | Teddy Keaton | November 27, 2023 | Hired by Clark Atlanta [22] | Cedric Pearl | Alabama A&M defensive line coach (2022–2023) |
William Jewell | Neil Linhart (interim) | November 28, 2023 | Permanent replacement [23] | Jason Ambroson | Smithville HS (MO) head coach (2015–2023) |
Carson–Newman | Mike Clowney | November 29, 2023 | Fired [24] | Ashley Ingram | Navy assistant head coach and offensive line coach (2023) |
Pittsburg State | Brian Wright | December 3, 2023 | Hired by Northern Arizona [25] | Tom Anthony | Pittsburg State assistant head coach and defensive coordinator (2022) |
Benedict | Chennis Berry | December 7, 2023 | Hired by South Carolina State [26] | Ron Dickerson Jr. | West Florida offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach (2023) |
Tusculum | Jerry Odom | December 8, 2023 | Resigned [27] | Billy Taylor [28] | East Tennessee State associate head coach and defensive coordinator (2013–2023) |
Midwestern State | Bill Maskill | December 10, 2023 | Retired [29] | Rich Renner | Midwestern State defensive coordinator (2008–2023) |
Lincoln (MO) | Jermaine Gales | December 11, 2023 | Hired as offensive coordinator by Alcorn State [30] | Moses Harper [31] | Nebraska–Kearney wide receivers coach (2023) |
Tiffin | Cris Reisert | December 12, 2023 | Hired by Gardner–Webb [32] | Brett Ekkens | Saginaw Valley State offensive coordinator and offensive line coach (2022–2023) |
Quincy | Gary Bass | December 13, 2023 | Hired by UVA Wise [33] | Jason Killday | Truman assistant head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach (2016–2023) |
Fairmont State | Jason Woodman | December 19, 2023 | Hired by Morehead State [34] | Luke Barker | Charleston (WV) associate head coach and offensive coordinator (2021–2023) |
Bluefield State | Tony Coaxum | January 10, 2024 | Fired [35] | Davon Morgan [36] | Florida A&M defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach (2022–2023) |
Lenoir–Rhyne | Mike Jacobs | January 18, 2024 | Hired as head coach by Mercer [37] | Doug Socha [38] | Keiser head coach (2017–2023) |
Truman | Gregg Nesbitt | February 9, 2024 | Retired [39] | Kellen Nesbitt (full season interim) [40] | Truman assistant head coach, defensive coordinator, and special teams coordinator (2016–2023) |
Limestone | Mike Furrey | February 29, 2024 | Hired as wide receivers coach for South Carolina [41] | Jerricho Cotchery [42] | Limestone assistant head coach and wide receivers coach (2022–2023) |
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) is a collegiate athletic conference whose full members are historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the Southeastern and the Mid-Atlantic United States. It participates in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I, and in football, in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level. Formed in 1913, it consists mostly of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), with all but one member located in the Southern United States.
The Coastal Athletic Association (CAA), formerly the ECAC South Conference and the Colonial Athletic Association, is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I whose full members are located in East Coast states, from Massachusetts to South Carolina. Most of its members are public universities, and the conference is headquartered in Richmond. The CAA was historically a Southern conference until the addition of four schools in the Northeastern United States after the turn of the 21st century, which added geographic balance to the conference.
The HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC), formerly known as the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, is a college athletic conference made up entirely of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that is affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas as well as the U.S. territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Savannah State Tigers and Lady Tigers are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic teams that play for Savannah State University in Savannah, Georgia.
The Eastern Illinois Panthers football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Eastern Illinois University located in the U.S. state of Illinois. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference. The school's first football team was fielded in 1899. The team plays its home games at the 10,000 seat O'Brien Field, which is named after former head coach Maynard O'Brien.
The Jackson State Tigers football team represents Jackson State University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
The Sam Houston Bearkats football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Sam Houston State University located in the U.S. state of Texas. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of the Conference USA. Sam Houston's first football team was fielded in 1912. The team plays its home games at the 12,593-seat Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas. On January 23, 2014, K. C. Keeler was named the 15th head coach in Sam Houston program history.
The Chowan Hawks are the athletic teams that represent Chowan University, located in Murfreesboro, North Carolina, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports.
The North Carolina A&T Aggies are the athletic teams that represent North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. The Aggies compete in NCAA Division I and are members of the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) in all sports with the exception of football and women's bowling. North Carolina A&T fields varsity teams in 13 sports, five for men and eight for women. The football team competes in Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, in the CAA's technically separate football arm of CAA Football.
The Hobart Statesmen are composed of 15 teams representing Hobart and William Smith Colleges in intercollegiate athletics, including men's alpine skiing, basketball, baseball, cross country, football, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, rowing, sailing, soccer, squash, swimming and diving, tennis, and volleyball. The Statesmen compete in the NCAA Division III and are members of the Liberty League for all sports except men's volleyball, men's ice hockey (NEHC), and men's lacrosse, which competes in NCAA Division I, as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference.
Joe Taylor is an American college athletics administrator and former football coach. He is the athletic director at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia, a position he has held since 2013. Taylor served as the head football coach at Howard University in 1983, Virginia Union from 1984 to 1991, Hampton University from 1992 to 2007, and Florida A&M University from 2008 to 2012, compiling a career college football coaching record of 232–96–4. Taylor led the Hampton Pirates to five black college football national championships and eight conference titles. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
The Wisconsin–La Crosse Eagles football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse located in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Wisconsin–La Crosse competes at the NCAA Division III level and is a member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). The Eagles play their home games at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Wisconsin–La Crosse has won three national titles: the NAIA Division II Football National Championship in 1985 and the NCAA Division III Football Championship in 1992 and 1995, all during the tenure of Roger Harring, who served as head coach from 1969 to 1999 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
The West Virginia State Yellow Jackets are the athletic teams that represent West Virginia State University, located in Institute, West Virginia, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports. The Yellow Jackets compete as members of the Mountain East Conference for all ten varsity sports. West Virginia State was a founding member of the conference following the demise of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 2013. WVSU's main rivals are the University of Charleston (WV), Central State University (OH), and Kentucky State University.
The West Georgia Wolves are the athletic teams that represent the University of West Georgia, located in Carrollton, Georgia, in NCAA Division I intercollegiate sports. The Wolves compete as members of the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) for 15 of their 16 varsity sports. West Georgia had been a member of the Gulf South Conference since 1983, when it announced that it would be joining NCAA Division I as an ASUN member starting in 2024. The football team joined the United Athletic Conference, a football-only partnership between the ASUN and the Western Athletic Conference, at the same time.
The Tennessee State Tigers and Lady Tigers are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Tennessee State University (TSU), located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. The Tigers athletic program is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) and competes in the NCAA Division I, including the Football Championship Subdivision. The women's track team is also known as the Tigerbelles. As a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, Tennessee State is one of three HBCUs competing in Division I that is not a member of an athletic conference made up entirely of historically black institutions, the other two being Hampton University and North Carolina A&T State University of the Colonial Athletic Association. The TSU mascot is Aristocat the Tiger, and the school colors are blue and white. TSU's main rival historically has been Kentucky State University, an HBCU located in the capital of Tennessee's northern neighbor.
The 2022 HBCU Legacy Bowl was a post-season college football all-star game played on February 19, 2022, at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was the inaugural edition of the HBCU Legacy Bowl, whose founding was announced by the Black College Football Hall of Fame on March 18, 2021. The game was the last of the all-star games that concluded the 2021–22 bowl games. Television coverage was provided by NFL Network.
The 2022 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level, began on August 31 and ended on December 17 with the Division II championship at the McKinney Independent School District Stadium in McKinney, Texas. Ferris State defeated Colorado Mines, 41–14, for its second consecutive championship.
The 2024 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level, will begin on August 29 and will end on December 21 with the Division II championship at the McKinney Independent School District Stadium in McKinney, Texas.
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