2018 NCAA Division II football season

The 2018 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 30, 2018 and ended with the Division II championship on December 15, 2018 at the McKinney Independent School District Stadium in McKinney, Texas, hosted by the Lone Star Conference.[1]

2018 NCAA Division II football season
Regular seasonAugust 30 - November 10, 2018
PlayoffsNovember 17 - December 15, 2018
National ChampionshipMcKinney Independent School District Stadium
McKinney, TX
December 15, 2018
ChampionValdosta State
Harlon Hill TrophyJayru Campbell (QB, Ferris State)

Originally, the game was awarded to another bid by the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association and Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas[2] but, due to field repairs, that contract was terminated in September of 2018.[3]

Texas A&M–Commerce Lions were the defending champions from the previous season.[4]

Headlines

Conference changes and new programs

Membership changes

SchoolFormer conferenceNew conference
Cheyney WolvesPSACDropped program
North Alabama LionsGulf SouthIndependent (FCS)
North Greenville CrusadersIndependentGulf South
Tiffin DragonsGLIACG-MAC

Division II team wins over FCS teams

Conference standings

Super Region 1

2018 Great Midwest Athletic Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 15 Hillsdale $^  8 0     10 3  
Ohio Dominican  6 2     9 2  
Tiffin  6 2     9 2  
Findlay  6 2     8 3  
Walsh  4 4     4 6  
Alderson Broaddus  3 5     4 7  
Kentucky Wesleyan  2 6     3 7  
Malone  1 7     2 8  
Lake Erie  0 8     0 11  
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2018 Mountain East Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 4 Notre Dame (OH) $^  10 0     13 1  
Fairmont State  8 2     9 2  
Shepherd  7 3     7 3  
Charleston (WV)  6 4     6 5  
West Virginia State  5 5     6 5  
Glenville State  5 5     5 6  
Urbana  4 6     5 6  
Virginia–Wise  4 6     4 6  
West Liberty  3 7     3 8  
Concord  2 8     2 9  
West Virginia Wesleyan  1 9     1 10  
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2018 Northeast-10 Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 21 LIU Post $^  9 0     10 1  
No. 23 New Haven ^  8 1     9 3  
Pace  6 3     7 3  
Assumption  6 3     6 4  
Merrimack  5 4     5 5  
Bentley  4 5     4 6  
Southern Connecticut  3 6     4 6  
Stonehill  2 7     2 8  
American International  1 8     1 8  
Saint Anselm  1 8     1 8  
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2018 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
East
No. 17 West Chester xy$^  6 0     10 1  
Kutztown ^  5 1     9 2  
Bloomsburg  4 2     6 5  
Shippensburg  3 3     6 5  
Millersville  2 4     2 9  
Lock Haven  1 5     2 9  
East Stroudsburg  0 6     2 9  
West
No. 12 Slippery Rock xy^  7 0     11 3  
Indiana (PA)  5 2     8 3  
California (PA)  5 2     7 4  
Edinboro  3 4     6 5  
Mercyhurst  3 4     5 6  
Clarion  2 5     4 7  
Gannon  2 5     2 9  
Seton Hill  1 6     1 10  
Championship: West Chester 33, Slippery Rock 10
  • $ Conference champion
  • x Division champion/co-champions
  • y Championship game participant
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll

Super Region 2

2018 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
Northern
No. 19 Bowie State xy$^  5 1     10 3  
Virginia Union x  5 1     8 2  
Chowan  4 2     6 4  
Virginia State  3 3     4 5  
Lincoln (PA)  1 5     1 9  
Elizabeth City State  0 6     1 7  
Southern
Fayetteville State xy  5 1     6 3  
Shaw  4 2     5 5  
Winston-Salem State  4 2     5 4  
Johnson C. Smith  2 4     3 8  
St. Augustine's  2 4     2 7  
Livingstone  1 5     3 6  
Championship: Bowie State 30, Fayetteville State 10
  • $ Conference champion
  • x Division champion/co-champions
  • y Championship game participant
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2018 Gulf South Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 1 Valdosta State $^  8 0     14 0  
No. 16 West Georgia ^  7 1     10 2  
Florida Tech ^  5 3     8 4  
West Alabama ^  5 3     8 4  
West Florida  4 4     6 5  
North Greenville  3 4     4 6  
Delta State  2 6     2 8  
Mississippi College  1 6     3 7  
Shorter  0 8     0 11  
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2018 South Atlantic Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 8 Lenoir–Rhyne $^  7 0     12 2  
No. 24 Wingate ^  5 2     9 4  
Carson–Newman  4 3     7 4  
Tusculum  4 3     5 5  
Newberry  3 4     5 6  
Mars Hill  3 4     4 6  
Catawba  2 5     4 7  
Limestone  0 7     0 10  
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2018 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
East
Albany State xy  6 0     7 4  
Benedict  4 2     6 3  
Morehouse  3 3     7 3  
Clark Atlanta  2 4     3 7  
Fort Valley State  2 4     2 8  
West
Miles xy$  4 2     5 6  
Central State  3 3     5 5  
Tuskegee  3 3     5 5  
Lane  2 4     3 6  
Kentucky State  0 6     0 10  
Championship: Miles 50, Albany State 23
  • $ Conference champion
  • x Division champion/co-champions
  • y Championship game participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2018 NCAA Division II independents football records
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
UNC Pembroke       2 8  
Rankings from AFCA Poll

Super Region 3

2018 Great American Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 6 Ouachita Baptist $^  11 0     12 1  
No. 20 Harding ^  9 2     9 3  
Southern Arkansas  8 3     8 4  
SE Oklahoma State  6 5     6 5  
Arkansas–Monticello  6 5     6 6  
Henderson State  5 6     5 6  
Oklahoma Baptist  5 6     5 6  
NW Oklahoma State  4 7     4 7  
Arkansas Tech  3 8     3 8  
East Central  3 8     3 8  
Southern Nazarene  3 8     3 8  
SW Oklahoma State  3 8     3 8  
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2018 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 2 Ferris State $^  8 0     15 1  
No. 14 Grand Valley State ^  7 1     10 2  
Ashland  6 2     6 4  
Saginaw Valley State  5 3     8 3  
Davenport *  3 5     6 5  
Northwood  3 5     3 7  
Michigan Tech  2 6     4 6  
Northern Michigan  1 7     3 8  
Wayne State (MI)  1 7     2 9  
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
  • * – Provisional Division II member
Rankings from AFCA poll
2018 Great Lakes Valley Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 11 Indianapolis $^  7 0     10 2  
Missouri S&T  6 1     10 2  
Truman  5 2     6 5  
McKendree  4 3     6 5  
Quincy  3 4     4 7  
Lincoln (MO)  2 5     3 8  
William Jewell  1 6     1 8  
Southwest Baptist  0 7     0 10  
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2018 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 10 NW Missouri State +^  9 2     10 3  
No. 22 Fort Hays State +^  9 2     9 3  
Pittsburg State  8 3     8 3  
Central Oklahoma  7 4     8 4  
Emporia State  7 4     8 4  
Missouri Western  6 5     7 5  
Central Missouri  5 6     5 6  
Nebraska–Kearney  5 6     5 6  
Washburn  5 6     5 6  
Lindenwood  4 7     4 7  
Missouri Southern  1 10     1 10  
Northeastern State  0 11     0 11  
  • + Conference co-champions
Rankings from AFCA Poll

Super Region 4

2018 Great Northwest Athletic Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
Azusa Pacific +^  7 1     8 4  
Central Washington +  7 1     8 3  
Western Oregon  4 4     5 6  
Humboldt State  2 6     2 8  
Simon Fraser  0 8     1 9  
  • + Conference co-champions
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2018 Lone Star Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 5 Tarleton State $^  8 0     12 1  
No. 9 Texas A&M–Commerce ^  7 1     10 3  
No. 25 Midwestern State  6 2     8 2  
Angelo State  4 4     6 5  
West Texas A&M  4 4     6 5  
Eastern New Mexico  4 4     5 6  
Texas A&M–Kingsville  2 6     4 7  
Texas–Permian Basin  1 7     2 9  
Western New Mexico  0 8     0 10  
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA poll
2018 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
North
No. 13 Minnesota–Duluth +^  11 0     11 1  
MSU Moorhead  8 3     8 4  
Bemidji State  7 4     7 4  
St. Cloud State  7 4     7 4  
Northern State  4 7     4 7  
Minnesota–Crookston  1 10     1 10  
Minot State  1 10     1 10  
Mary  1 10     1 10  
South
No. 3 Minnesota State +^  11 0     13 1  
Winona State  8 3     8 3  
Sioux Falls  7 4     7 4  
Augustana (SD)  7 4     7 4  
Concordia–St. Paul  5 6     5 6  
SW Minnesota State  4 7     4 7  
Wayne State (NE)  3 8     3 8  
Upper Iowa  3 8     3 8  
  • + Conference co-champions
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2018 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 7 CSU–Pueblo +^  9 1     11 2  
No. 18 Colorado Mines +^  9 1     10 2  
Chadron State  7 3     7 3  
Dixie State  7 3     7 4  
Colorado Mesa  6 4     7 4  
South Dakota Mines  4 6     5 6  
Adams State  4 6     4 7  
New Mexico Highlands  4 6     4 7  
Black Hills State  2 8     3 8  
Western Colorado  2 8     2 9  
Fort Lewis  1 9     1 9  
  • + Conference co-champions
  • ^ NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll

Playoffs

2018 NCAA Division II Football Championship
Teams28
Finals Site
Champion
Runner-up
  • Ferris State
  • (1st title game)
Semifinalists
  • Minnesota State
  • Notre Dame (OH)
Winning Coach

The 2018 NCAA Division II Football Championship was the 46th edition of the Division II playoffs. The playoffs began on November 17 and concluded with the championship game on December 15.

The field consisted of 28 teams, seven from each of the four super regions. The participants in each region were determined by the regional rankings; if a conference's highest-ranked team was ranked in the top nine, that team qualified via the "earned access" provision, and all other participants were selected directly from the rankings. The top seed in each region received a first-round bye. After the quarterfinals, the regional winners were reseeded one through four, with #1 meeting #4 in the semifinals and #2 meeting #3.

Participating teams

SchoolConferenceRegular
Season
Record
RegionSeed
Azusa PacificGreat Northwest Athletic Conference8–347
Bowie StateCentral Intercollegiate Athletic Association9–224
Colorado MinesRocky Mountain Athletic Conference10–144
CSU–PuebloRocky Mountain Athletic Conference10–145
Ferris StateGreat Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference11–032
Florida TechGulf South Conference8–326
Fort Hays StateMid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association9–235
Grand Valley StateGreat Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference10–133
HardingGreat American Conference9–237
HillsdaleGreat Midwest Athletic Conference9–215
IndianapolisGreat Lakes Valley Conference9–134
KutztownPennsylvania State Athletic Conference9–114
Lenoir–RhyneSouth Atlantic Conference10–123
LIU PostNortheast-10 Conference10–012
Minnesota StateNorthern Sun Intercollegiate Conference11–041
Minnesota–DuluthNorthern Sun Intercollegiate Conference11–043
New HavenNortheast-10 Conference8–216
Northwest Missouri StateMid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association9–236
Notre Dame (OH)Mountain East Conference11–011
Ouachita BaptistGreat American Conference11–031
Slippery RockPennsylvania State Athletic Conference9–217
Tarleton StateLone Star Conference10–042
Texas A&M–CommerceLone Star Conference9–246
Valdosta StateGulf South Conference10–021
West AlabamaGulf South Conference8–325
West ChesterPennsylvania State Athletic Conference10–013
West GeorgiaGulf South Conference10–122
WingateSouth Atlantic Conference8–327

Bids by conference

Conference Total Schools Super
Region
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association 1 Bowie State 2
Great American Conference 2 Harding
Ouachita Baptist
3
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 2 Ferris State
Grand Valley State
3
Great Lakes Valley Conference 1 Indianapolis 3
Great Midwest Athletic Conference 1 Hillsdale 1
Great Northwest Athletic Conference 1 Azusa Pacific 4
Gulf South Conference 4 Florida Tech
Valdosta State
West Alabama
West Georgia
2
Lone Star Conference 2 Tarleton State
Texas A&M–Commerce
4
Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association 2 Fort Hays State
Northwest Missouri State
3
Mountain East Conference 1 Notre Dame (OH) 1
Northeast-10 Conference 2 LIU Post
New Haven
1
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference 2 Minnesota State
Minnesota–Duluth
4
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference 3 Kutztown
Slippery Rock
West Chester
1
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 2 Colorado Mines
CSU–Pueblo
4
South Atlantic Conference 2 Lenoir–Rhyne
Wingate
2

Bracket

  First round
November 17
Second round
November 24
Quarterfinals
December 1
Semifinals
December 8
Championship
McKinney, TX
December 15
                                               
       
       
  1 Notre Dame (OH)* 19  
    5 Hillsdale 14  
4 Kutztown* 26
5 Hillsdale 40  
  1 Notre Dame (OH)* 21  
Super Region 1
  7 Slippery Rock 17  
2 LIU Post* 14  
7 Slippery Rock 20  
  7 Slippery Rock 59
    6 New Haven* 20  
3 West Chester* 28
6 New Haven 35  
  4 Notre Dame (OH) 24  
  1 Valdosta State* 30  
       
       
  1 Valdosta State* 66
    4 Bowie State 16  
4 Bowie State* 41
5 West Alabama 35  
  1 Valdosta State* 61
Super Region 2
  3 Lenoir–Rhyne 21  
2 West Georgia* 21  
7 Wingate 41  
  7 Wingate 17
    3 Lenoir–Rhyne* 21  
3 Lenoir–Rhyne* 43
6 Florida Tech 21  
1 Valdosta State 49
3 Ferris State 47
       
       
  1 Ouachita Baptist* 35  
    4 Indianapolis 7  
4 Indianapolis* 38
5 Fort Hays State 27  
  1 Ouachita Baptist* 14  
Super Region 3
  2 Ferris State 37  
2 Ferris State* 21  
7 Harding 19  
  2 Ferris State* 27
    6 NW Missouri State 21  
3 Grand Valley State* 17
6 NW Missouri State 42  
  3 Ferris State 42
  2 Minnesota State* 25  
     
     
  1 Minnesota State* 24
    5 CSU–Pueblo 10  
4 Colorado Mines* 17
5 CSU–Pueblo 37  
  1 Minnesota State* 13      
Super Region 4
  2 Tarleton State 10        
2 Tarleton State* 58  
7 Azusa Pacific 0  
  2 Tarleton State* 34
    6 Texas A&M–Commerce 28  
3 Minnesota–Duluth* 17
6 Texas A&M–Commerce 33  

See also

References

  1. "2018 DII Football Championship headed to Texas". NCAA.com. NCAA. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  2. "2014-18 NCAA Championship Sites". NCAA.com. NCAA. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  3. "NCAA seeks new D2 football title game host because Sporting KC will renovate field". KansasCity.com. Kansas City Star. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  4. Cavadi, Wayne. "Texas A&M-Commerce wins first DII national championship". NCAA.com. NCAA. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  5. "Long Island University Announces Unification Into One LIU Division I Program" (Press release). LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds. October 3, 2018. Archived from the original on October 11, 2018. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
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