The Ferris State Bulldogs won the 2024 NCAA DII football championship in dominating fashion, beating Valdosta State 49-14 for the program's third national title in the last four years. It's Ferris State's third championship.
Here's everything you need to know about the 2024 DII football championship, which consists of 28 teams in a single-elimination bracket.
The field was announced on Sunday, Nov. 17 on krikya18.com. The first round features 24 teams, with the top seed in each super region receiving a first-round bye and will be available to watch on ESPN+. The semifinal teams will also be re-seeded. The tournament concludes with the championship game on Dec. 21 in McKinney, Texas.
2024 DII football tournament bracket
Click or tap here for the 2024 interactive bracket
2024 DII football tournament schedule
National championship:
First round: Saturday, Nov. 23
- No. 4 Miles 14, Carson-Newman 13
- No. 4 Slippery Rock 14, New Haven 7
- Ashland 40, No. 2 Charleston (WV) 38
- Minnesota State 20, No. 4 Augustana (SD) 19
- No. 3 California (PA) 30, East Stroudsburg 27
- Virginia Union 34, No. 2 Wingate 31
- No. 2 Grand Valley State 24, UIndy 7
- Harding 48, No. 3 Pittsburg State 3
- Lenoir-Rhyne 37, No. 3 West Alabama 34
- No. 4 Central Oklahoma 38, Ouachita Baptist 31
- Bemidji State 24, No. 3 Angelo State 14
- No. 2 Western Colorado 28, Central Washington 21
Second round: Saturday, Nov. 30
- No. 4 Slippery Rock 25, No. 1 Kutztown 24
- No. 1 Ferris State 78, No. 4 Central Oklahoma 17
- No. 1 Valdosta State 33, No. 4. Miles 17
- Harding 44, No. 2 Grand Valley State 26
- No. 3 California (PA) 34, Ashland 33
- Virginia Union 44, Lenoir Rhyne 12
- Minnesota State 26, No. 1 CSU Pueblo 23
- Bemidji State20, No. 2 Western Colorado 19
Quarterfinals: Saturday, Dec. 7
- No. 4 Slippery Rock 31, No. 3 California (PA) 13
- No. 1 Valdosta State 49, Virginia Union 14
- No. 1 Ferris State 41, Harding 7
- Minnesota State 27, Bemidji State 23
Semifinals: Saturday, Dec. 14 on ESPN+
NCAA DII football championship history
Harding won its first-ever DII football championship last season, defeating Colorado School of Mines, 38-7. Ferris State won the previous two championships in 2021 and 2022. Here is the full list of DII football champions since 1973.
| Year | Champion | Coach | Score | Runner-Up | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Ferris State | Tony Annese | 49-14 | Valdosta State | McKinney, Texas |
| 2023 | Harding | Paul Simmons | 38-7 | Colorado School of Mines | McKinney, Texas |
| 2022 | Ferris State | Tony Annese | 41-14 | Colorado School of Mines | McKinney, Texas |
| 2021 | Ferris State | Tony Annese | 58-17 | Valdosta State | McKinney, Texas |
| 2020 | Canceled due to Covid-19 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2019 | West Florida | Pete Shinnick | 48-40 | Minnesota State | McKinney, Texas |
| 2018 | Valdosta State | Kerwin Bell | 49-47 | Ferris State | McKinney, Texas |
| 2017 | Texas A&M-Commerce | Colby Carthel | 37-27 | West Florida | Kansas City, Kan. |
| 2016 | Northwest Missouri State | Adam Dorrel | 29-3 | North Alabama | Kansas City, Kan. |
| 2015 | Northwest Missouri State | Adam Dorrel | 34-7 | Shepherd | Kansas City, Kan. |
| 2014 | Colorado State-Pueblo | John Wristen | 13-0 | Minnesota State-Mankato | Kansas City, Kan. |
| 2013 | Northwest Missouri State | Adam Dorrel | 43-28 | Lenoir-Rhyne | Florence, Ala. |
| 2012 | Valdosta State | David Dean | 35-7 | Winston-Salem State | Florence, Ala. |
| 2011 | Pittsburg State | Tim Beck | 35-21 | Wayne State (Mich.) | Florence, Ala. |
| 2010 | Minnesota-Duluth | Bob Nielson | 20-17 | Delta State | Florence, Ala. |
| 2009 | Northwest Missouri State | Mel Tjeersdma | 30-23 | Grand Valley State | Florence, Ala. |
| 2008 | Minnesota-Duluth | Bob Nielson | 21-14 | Northwest Missouri State | Florence, Ala. |
| 2007 | Valdosta State | David Dean | 25-20 | Northwest Missouri State | Florence, Ala. |
| 2006 | Grand Valley State | Chuck Martin | 17-14 | Northwest Missouri State | Florence, Ala. |
| 2005 | Grand Valley State | Chuck Martin | 21-17 | Northwest Missouri State | Florence, Ala. |
| 2004 | Valdosta State | Christ Hatcher | 36-31 | Pittsburg State | Florence, Ala. |
| 2003 | Grand Valley State | Brian Kelly | 10-3 | North Dakota | Florence, Ala. |
| 2002 | Grand Valley State | Brian Kelly | 31-24 | Valdosta State | Florence, Ala. |
| 2001 | North Dakota | Dale Lennon | 17-14 | Grand Valley State | Florence, Ala. |
| 2000 | Delta State | Steve Campbell | 63-34 | Bloomsburg | Florence, Ala. |
| 1999 | Northwest Missouri State | Mel Tjeersdma | 58-52 (4ot) | Carson-Newman | Florence, Ala. |
| 1998 | Northwest Missouri State | Mel Tjeersdma | 24-6 | Carson-Newman | Florence, Ala. |
| 1997 | Northern Colorado | Joe Glenn | 51-0 | New Haven | Florence, Ala. |
| 1996 | Northern Colorado | Joe Glenn | 23-14 | Carson-Newman | Florence, Ala. |
| 1995 | North Alabama | Bobby Wallace | 27-7 | Pittsburg State | Florence, Ala. |
| 1994 | North Alabama | Bobby Wallace | 16-10 | Texas A&M-Kingsville | Florence, Ala. |
| 1993 | North Alabama | Bobby Wallace | 41-34 | Indiana (Pa.) | Florence, Ala. |
| 1992 | Jacksonville State | Bill Burgess | 17-13 | Pittsburg State | Florence, Ala. |
| 1991 | Pittsburg State | Chuck Broyles | 23-6 | Jacksonville State | Florence, Ala. |
| 1990 | North Dakota State | Rocky Hager | 51-11 | Indiana (Pa.) | Florence, Ala. |
| 1989 | *Mississippi College | John Williams | 3-0 | Jacksonville State | Florence, Ala. |
| 1988 | North Dakota State | Rocky Hager | 35-21 | Portland State | Florence, Ala. |
| 1987 | Troy | Rick Rhoades | 31-17 | Portland State | Florence, Ala. |
| 1986 | North Dakota State | Earle Solomonson | 27-7 | South Dakota | Florence, Ala. |
| 1985 | North Dakota State | Earle Solomonson | 35-7 | North Alabama | McAllen, Texas |
| 1984 | Troy | Chan Gailey | 18-17 | North Dakota State | McAllen, Texas |
| 1983 | North Dakota State | Don Morton | 41-21 | Central State (Ohio) | McAllen, Texas |
| 1982 | Texas State | Jim Wacker | 34-9 | UC Davis | McAllen, Texas |
| 1981 | Texas State | Jim Wacker | 42-13 | North Dakota State | McAllen, Texas |
| 1980 | Cal Poly | Joe Harper | 21-13 | Eastern Illinois | Albuquerque, N.M. |
| 1979 | Delaware | Tubby Raymond | 38-21 | Youngstown State | Albuquerque, N.M. |
| 1978 | Eastern Illinois | Darrell Mudra | 10-9 | Delaware | Longview, Texas |
| 1977 | Lehigh | John Whitehead | 33-0 | Jacksonville State | Wichita Falls, Texas |
| 1976 | Montana State | Sonny Holland | 24-13 | Akron | Wichita Falls, Texas |
| 1975 | Northern Michigan | Gil Krueger | 16-14 | Western Kentucky | Sacramento, Calif. |
| 1974 | Central Michigan | Roy Kramer | 54-14 | Delaware | Sacramento, Calif. |
| 1973 | Louisiana Tech | Maxie Lambright | 34-0 | Western Kentucky | Sacramento, Calif. |
*Mississippi College's participation in the 1989 Division II championship vacated by the krikya18.committee on Infractions
