NCAA Division III football championship


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 40. In 2025, 27 playoff bids went to conference champions via automatic qualification, leaving 13 places for at-large selections.
The Division III championship game, known as the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl or Stagg Bowl, was held at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas in 2024. Other Stagg Bowl sites have included Annapolis, Maryland, Canton, Ohio, Shenandoah, Texas, Salem, Virginia, Bradenton, Florida, Phenix City, Alabama, and Kings Island, Ohio.

West and East Region Championships (1969–1972)

The Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl was founded by the NCAA in October 1969. Along with its counterpart, the Knute Rockne Bowl, it was "created by the NCAA... for its College Division II schools, those 100-plus smallest schools in the NCAA." Eligible schools were divided into an East Region and West Region, with the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl serving as the championship of the West Region, and the Knute Rockne Bowl as the championship of the East Region.
The NCAA thus provided postseason opportunities for College Division teams too small to compete for spots in the four regional bowls it had established in 1964. At least for the sport of football, this accommodation in 1969 foreshadowed the decision to subdivide the College Division four years later, into Division II and Division III.

Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl (West Region championship)

Knute Rockne Bowl (East Region championship)

National Championships (1973–present)

When the College Division was subdivided into the current Division II and Division III in 1973, the NCAA made the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl the Division III national championship game. Initially, Phenix City, Alabama continued as the host city.

Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl

;Notes

National championships by team

Active programs

Former programs

;Notes

Championship game appearances

TeamYears
Mount Union231993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2024
Wisconsin–Whitewater102005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2019
Ithaca71974, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1985, 1988, 1991
North Central 62019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Augustana 51982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986
Dayton51980, 1981, 1987, 1989, 1991
Rowan51993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999
Mary Hardin–Baylor42004, 2016§, 2017, 2018, 2021
Wittenberg41973, 1975, 1978, 1979
Saint John's 31976, 2001, 2003
Central 31974, 1984, 1988
Wisconsin–La Crosse21992, 1995
Widener21977, 1981
St. Thomas 22012, 2015
Lycoming21990, 1997
Washington & Jefferson21992, 1994
Union 21983, 1989
Wisconsin–River Falls12025
Cortland12023
Linfield12004
Pacific Lutheran11999
Albion11994
Allegheny11990
Wagner11987
West Georgia11982
Baldwin Wallace11978
Wisconsin–Oshkosh12016
Trinity 12002
Bridgewater 12001
Salisbury State11986
Wabash11977
Towson State11976
Juniata11973

Stagg Bowl Most Outstanding Player Award

As voted by the media at the game since 2000.
YearPlayerTeamClass
2000Chuck MooreMount UnionSeniorRB
2001Chuck MooreMount Union5th year SeniorRB
2002Dan PughMount UnionSeniorRB
2003Blake ElliotSaint John's SeniorWR
2004Riley JenkinsLinfieldSeniorRB
2005Nate KmicMount UnionFreshmanRB
2006Greg MicheliMount UnionSophomoreQB
2007Justin BeaverWisconsin–WhitewaterSeniorRB
2008Greg MicheliMount UnionSeniorQB
2009Levell CoppageWisconsin–WhitewaterSophomoreRB
2010Levell CoppageWisconsin–WhitewaterJuniorRB
2011Loussaint MinettWisconsin–WhitewaterSophomoreDE
2012Kevin BurkeMount UnionSophomoreQB
2013Matt BehrendtWisconsin–WhitewaterJuniorQB
2014Matt BehrendtWisconsin–WhitewaterSeniorQB
2015Taurice ScottMount UnionSeniorQB
2016Blake JacksonMary Hardin-BaylorSeniorQB
2017Nick BrishMount UnionSophomoreDB
2018T.J. JoseyMary Hardin–BaylorSeniorWR
2019Ethan GreenfieldNorth CentralSophomoreRB
2021Micah HackettMary Hardin–BaylorSeniorLB
2022Ethan GreenfieldNorth CentralSeniorRB
2023Zac BoyesCortlandJuniorQB
2024Luke LehnenNorth CentralSeniorQB
2025Kaleb BlahaWisconsin–River FallsSeniorQB