2024 NCAA Division II football season | |
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Total No. of teams | 162 |
Regular season | August 29 – November 16, 2024 |
Playoffs | November 23 – December 21, 2024 |
National Championship | McKinney Independent School District Stadium McKinney, TX December 21, 2024 |
Champion | Ferris State |
Harlon Hill Trophy | Zach Zebrowski, QB, Central Missouri |
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, began on August 29 and ended on December 21 with the Division II championship at the McKinney Independent School District Stadium in McKinney, Texas. Ferris State won the title, defeating Valdosta State, 49–14.
August 29: Sioux Falls 34, St. Thomas (MN) 13
September 7: Edinboro 23, Robert Morris 21
September 21: Clark Atlanta 38, Bethune–Cookman 37
September 28: Frostburg State 25, Mercyhurst 24
School | Former conference | New conference | Ref |
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Anderson (SC) Trojans | New program | SAC | [1] |
Erskine Flying Fleet | SAC | Gulf South | [2] [3] |
Lincoln (MO) Blue Tigers | Independent (D-II) | GLVC | [4] |
Mercyhurst Lakers | PSAC | Northeast (FCS) | [5] |
Northeastern State RiverHawks | MIAA | Independent (D-II) | [6] |
Notre Dame (OH) Falcons | Mountain East | School closed | [7] |
Post Eagles | Independent (D-II) | NE-10 | [8] |
Roosevelt Lakers | Mid-States (NAIA) | GLIAC | [9] [10] |
Shorter Hawks | Gulf South | Independent (D-II) | [11] |
St. Augustine's Falcons | CIAA | Program suspended | [12] [13] [14] |
Sul Ross Lobos | ASC (D-III) | Lone Star | [15] |
West Georgia Wolves | Gulf South | UAC (FCS) | [16] [17] [18] |
The top 25 from the AFCA Coaches' Poll.
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* - Host team
First Round November 23, 2024 Campus sites ESPN+ | Second Round November 30, 2024 Campus sites ESPN+ | Quarterfinals December 7, 2024 Campus sites ESPN+ | ||||||||||||
1 | Kutztown* | 24 | ||||||||||||
4 | Slippery Rock (OT) | 25 | ||||||||||||
New Haven | 7 | |||||||||||||
4 | Slippery Rock* | 14 | ||||||||||||
4 | Slippery Rock | 31 | ||||||||||||
3 | California (PA)* | 13 | ||||||||||||
3 | California (PA)* | 30 | ||||||||||||
East Stroudsburg | 27 | |||||||||||||
3 | California (PA)* | 34 | ||||||||||||
Ashland | 33 | |||||||||||||
Ashland | 40 | |||||||||||||
2 | Charleston (WV)* | 38 |
First Round November 23, 2024 Campus sites ESPN+ | Second Round November 30, 2024 Campus sites ESPN+ | Quarterfinals December 7, 2024 Campus sites ESPN+ | ||||||||||||
1 | Valdosta State* | 33 | ||||||||||||
4 | Miles | 17 | ||||||||||||
Carson–Newman | 13 | |||||||||||||
4 | Miles* | 14 | ||||||||||||
1 | Valdosta State* | 49 | ||||||||||||
Virginia Union | 14 | |||||||||||||
3 | West Alabama* | 34 | ||||||||||||
Lenoir–Rhyne | 37 | |||||||||||||
Lenoir–Rhyne* | 12 | |||||||||||||
Virginia Union | 44 | |||||||||||||
Virginia Union (OT) | 34 | |||||||||||||
2 | Wingate* | 31 |
First Round November 23, 2024 Campus sites ESPN+ | Second Round November 30, 2024 Campus sites ESPN+ | Quarterfinals December 7, 2024 Campus sites ESPN+ | ||||||||||||
1 | Ferris State* | 78 | ||||||||||||
4 | Central Oklahoma | 17 | ||||||||||||
Ouachita Baptist | 31 | |||||||||||||
4 | Central Oklahoma* (OT) | 38 | ||||||||||||
1 | Ferris State* | 41 | ||||||||||||
Harding | 7 | |||||||||||||
3 | Pittsburg State* | 3 | ||||||||||||
Harding | 48 | |||||||||||||
Harding | 44 | |||||||||||||
2 | Grand Valley State* | 26 | ||||||||||||
Indianapolis | 7 | |||||||||||||
2 | Grand Valley State* | 24 |
First Round November 23, 2024 Campus sites ESPN+ | Second Round November 30, 2024 Campus sites ESPN+ | Quarterfinals December 7, 2024 Campus sites ESPN+ | ||||||||||||
1 | CSU Pueblo* | 23 | ||||||||||||
Minnesota State | 26 | |||||||||||||
Minnesota State | 20 | |||||||||||||
4 | Augustana (SD)* | 19 | ||||||||||||
Minnesota State* | 27 | |||||||||||||
Bemidji State | 23 | |||||||||||||
3 | Angelo State* | 14 | ||||||||||||
Bemidji State | 24 | |||||||||||||
Bemidji State | 20 | |||||||||||||
2 | Western Colorado* | 19 | ||||||||||||
Central Washington | 21 | |||||||||||||
2 | Western Colorado* | 28 |
Teams were re-seeded prior to semifinals.
Semifinals December 14, 2024 Hosted by higher seeded team USA: ESPN+ Canada: TSN+ | Championship December 21, 2024 McKinney ISD Stadium McKinney, Texas USA: ESPN2/ESPN+ Canada: TSN+ | ||||||||
1 | Valdosta State | 35 | |||||||
4 | Minnesota State | 21 | |||||||
1 | Valdosta State | 14 | |||||||
2 | Ferris State | 49 | |||||||
3 | Slippery Rock | 38 | |||||||
2 | Ferris State | 48 |
Two bowl games were held which featured teams that did not qualify for the Division II postseason tournament. This is down from four bowl games in the previous season, as the Live United Texarkana Bowl went defunct and the Florida Beach Bowl was not held for 2024 due to funding issues. [21] Additionally, a regular season conference game between North Greenville and Shorter was postponed due to Hurricane Helene; it was rescheduled for the first week of the Division II postseason, restructured as a quasi-bowl game and dubbed the "Helene Relief Bowl". [22]
Date | Time (EST) | Game | Site | Television | Teams | Affiliations | Results |
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Dec 7 | 1:00 pm | Heritage Bowl | Tiger Stadium Corsicana, Texas | Livestream | UT Permian Basin Central Missouri | LSC MIAA | Central Missouri 39 UT Permian Basin 37 (2OT) |
2:00 pm | America's Crossroads Bowl | Hobart High School Hobart, Indiana | Livestream | Truman Tiffin | GLVC GMAC | Truman 29 Tiffin 10 |
The 2024 Division II College Football All-America Team is composed of the following College Football All-American first teams chosen by the following selector organizations: Associated Press (AP), American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Conference Commissioner's Association (CCA) and Don Hansen (DH).
OffenseQuarterback
Running back
Wide receiver
Tight end
Offensive linemen
| DefenseDefensive linemen
Linebacker
Defensive back
| Special TeamsPlacekicker
Punter
All-purpose / return specialist
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This is restricted to coaching changes that took place on or after May 1, 2024, 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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New Mexico Highlands | Ron Hudson | May 1, 2024 | Fired [27] | Kurt Taufa'asau [28] | New Mexico Military head coach (2021–2023) |
American International | Lou Conte | May 23, 2024 | Hired as head coach by Westfield State [29] | Daniel Chipka (full-season interim; named full-time on January 9, 2025) [30] [31] | American International offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2023) |
Henderson State | Scott Maxfield | June 26, 2024 | Retired | Greg Holsworth [32] | Henderson State assistant head coach and defensive coordinator (2017–2023) |
Emory & Henry | Curt Newsome | July 30, 2024 | Resigned [33] | Quintin Hunter (interim; named full-time on November 11, 2024) [34] | Emory & Henry offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach (2021–2023) |
McKendree | Mike Babcock | August 6, 2024 | Hired as assistant by UCLA [35] | Jason Rejfek [36] (interim; named full-time on November 19, 2024) [37] | McKendree defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach (2019–2023) |
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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Elizabeth City State | Marcus Hilliard | November 14, 2024 | Fired [38] | Adrian Jones [39] | Shaw head coach (2016–2024) |
Lane | Vyron Brown | November 15, 2024 | Resigned [40] | Stanley Conner [41] | Miles running backs coach (2016–2024) |
Adams State | Jarrell Harrison | November 18, 2024 | Resigned [42] | Levi Gallas [43] | West Texas A&M defensive coordinator and defensive line coach (2023–2024) |
Concord | Brian Ferguson | November 18, 2024 | Fired [44] | Cody Edwards [45] | Western Carolina special teams coordinator and linebackers coach (2024) |
Washburn | Craig Schurig | November 18, 2024 | Fired [46] | Zach Watkins [47] | Washburn co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach (2014–2024) |
Northwest Missouri State | Rich Wright | November 19, 2024 | Contract not renewed [48] | John McMenamin [49] | Tulane pass game coordinator and wide receivers coach (2022) |
Texas A&M–Kingsville | Mike Salinas | November 19, 2024 | Resigned (became school's athletic director) [50] | Scott Parr [51] | Louisiana Tech co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach (2022–2024) |
Arkansas Tech | Kyle Shipp | December 2, 2024 | Resigned [52] | Roy Thompson Jr. [53] | Ouachita Baptist defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (2018–2024) |
Sul Ross | Barry Derickson | December 2, 2024 | Resigned [54] | Lee Hays [55] | Lubbock-Cooper HS (TX) offensive line coach (2018–2024) |
Shaw | Adrian Jones | December 3, 2024 | Fired [56] | Lamar Manigo [57] | Virginia State offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2022–2024) |
North Greenville | Jeff Farrington | December 4, 2024 | Resigned [58] | Nate Garner [59] | Limestone offensive line coach (2022–2024) |
Pace | Andy Rondeau | December 4, 2024 | Fired [60] | Chad Walker [61] | Christ School (NC) head coach (2021–2024) |
Fort Valley State | Shawn Gibbs | December 6, 2024 | Hired as head coach by North Carolina A&T [62] | Marlon Watson [63] | Prairie View A&M special teams coordinator and defensive ends coach (2023–2024) |
Edinboro | Jake Nulph | December 9, 2024 | Resigned [64] | Matthew Scott [65] | New Haven defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach (2017–2024) |
Bentley | Saj Thakkar | December 17, 2024 | Hired as head coach by Davidson [66] | CJ Scarpa [67] | Bentley co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach (2023–2024) |
Valdosta State | Tremaine Jackson | December 21, 2024 | Hired as head coach by Prairie View A&M [68] | Graham Craig [69] | Valdosta State offensive coordinator (2024) |
Miles | Sam Shade | December 29, 2024 | Hired as head coach by Alabama A&M [70] | Chris Goode [71] | Birmingham Steeldogs defensive coordinator (2000–2004) |
Central State (OH) | Kevin Porter | December 31, 2024 | Contract not renewed | Tony Carter [72] | Southeastern cornerbacks coach (2024) |
Roosevelt | Jared Williamson | January 2, 2025 | Hired as head coach by Illinois Wesleyan [73] | Bill McKeon [74] | Roosevelt defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach (2024) |
Winona State | Brian Bergstrom | January 8, 2025 | Hired as defensive coordinator by South Dakota State [75] | Brian Curtin [76] | Winona State special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach (2023–2024) [a] |
Charleston (WV) | Quinn Sanders | January 10, 2025 | Hired as offensive coordinator by Northern Illinois [77] | Michael Tesch [78] | Charleston (WV) offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach (2022–2024) |
Lock Haven | Dan Mulrooney | January 11, 2025 | Hired as defensive coordinator by Brown [79] | Joe Battaglia (interim) [80] | Lock Haven offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2022–2024) |
Colorado Mines | Pete Sterbick | January 21, 2025 | Hired as offensive coordinator by Montana State [81] | Bob Stitt [82] | Valor Christian HS (CO) offensive coordinator (2024) |
Southern Connecticut | Tom Godek | January 21, 2025 | Fired [83] | Rob Eggerling (interim) | Southern Connecticut defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (2020–2024) |
West Alabama | Brett Gilliland | February 3, 2025 | Resigned (became school's athletic director) | Scott Cochran [84] | Georgia special teams coordinator (2020–2023) |
Southwest Baptist | Robert Clardy | February 11, 2025 | Hired as head coach by Bolivar HS (MO) [85] | Paul Hansen [86] | MidAmerica Nazarene head coach (2020–2024) |