NCAA Division II football championship

Prior to 1973, for what was then called the NCAA College Division, national champions were selected by polls conducted at the end of each regular season by two major wire services, the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI). In five years, the two polls named different number one teams. From 1964 to 1972, postseason bowl games crowned four regional champions. NCAA Division II bowl games still exist, but only as postseason contests for teams not qualifying for the championship playoffs. Polls to rank "small college" football teams were conducted by the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) during and at the end of each regular season. The AP polled a panel of experts, while UPI polled a panel of coaches. When UPI began its poll in 1958, it explained that the poll would cover college football programs not considered "major" by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), with the small schools (then numbering 519) belonging to the NCAA, the NAIA, both, or neither. The AP began its poll in 1960. National champions per wire service polls at Northwest Missouri State University. The two trophies in the middle are for the team's 1998 and 1999 national championships. The four trophies on the left are for appearances in the 2005–2008 title games ;Notes == NCAA Division II champions ==

Since 1973, a post-season tournament has been held to determine the Division II Champion. The current format, in use since 2025, features 32 teams organized into 4 super-regions of 8 teams each. Prior to the championship game, all contests are hosted by the higher-seeded team. the semi-final games are held at the home stadiums of the two highest-seeded remaining teams. Since 2018, the championship game has been played at the McKinney Independent School District Stadium, a 12,000 seat facility that opened in August 2018. Results ;Notes Team titles Team titles ==Championship game appearances==

Programs that no longer compete in Division II are indicated in italics. Of the programs that no longer compete in D-II, Akron, Central Michigan, Delaware, Jacksonville State, Louisiana Tech, North Dakota State, Texas State, Troy and Western Kentucky currently compete in Division I FBS, while Mississippi College no longer fields a football team. All others compete in Division I FCS. Notes † Mississippi College's 1989 tournament participation, along with its championship, were vacated by the NCAA Committee on Infractions. • During Texas State's entire tenure in Division II, its name was Southwest Texas State University. The school adopted its current name in 2003. • During Troy's entire tenure in Division II, its name was Troy State University. The school adopted its current name in 2005. • East Texas A&M was known by two names during its Division II tenure—first as East Texas State University through the 1995 season, then as Texas A&M University–Commerce. The school adopted its current name in 2024. ==Teams that moved to Division I==

Most of the participants in early national championship games have moved into Division I, the main catalyst for their moves being the creation of Division I-AA, now the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), in 1978. The following Division II title game participants later moved to Division I: ;Division I FBS (formerly I-A) • Akron (1976 runner-up) • Central Michigan (1974 champion) • Delaware (1979 champion; 1974 and 1978 runner-up) • Jacksonville State (1992 champion; 1977, 1989, and 1991 runner-up) • Louisiana Tech (1973 champion) • North Dakota State (1965, 1968, 1969, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, and 1990 champion; 1981 and 1984 runner-up) • Texas State (1981 and 1982 champion as Southwest Texas State) • Troy (1984 and 1987 champion as Troy State) • Western Kentucky (1973 and 1975 runner-up) ;Division I FCS (formerly I-AA) • Cal Poly (1980 champion) • East Texas A&M (2017 champion as Texas A&M–Commerce) • Eastern Illinois (1978 champion; 1980 runner-up) • Lehigh (1977 champion) • Montana State (1976 champion) • New Haven (1997 runner-up) • North Alabama (1993, 1994, and 1995 champion; 1985 and 2016 runner-up) • North Dakota (2001 champion, 2003 runner-up) • Northern Colorado (1996 and 1997 champion) • Portland State (1987 and 1988 runner-up) • South Dakota (1986 runner-up) • UC Davis (1982 runner-up) • Youngstown State (1979 runner-up) ==Postseason bowls==

Regional bowls From 1964 to 1972, four regional bowl games were played in order to provide postseason action, however these games took place after the AP and UPI polls were completed, therefore these games did not factor in selecting a national champion for the College Division. The bowl games were: Winners of regional bowls Playoff bowls From 1973 to 1977, some of the tournament games were also known by bowl names; • In 1973, one of the first-round games was the final playing of the Boardwalk Bowl. • From 1973 through 1975, the two semifinal games were the Grantland Rice Bowl and the Pioneer Bowl, while the final game was the Camellia Bowl. • In 1976 and 1977, the two semifinal games were the Grantland Rice Bowl and the Knute Rockne Bowl, while the final game was the Pioneer Bowl. ==References==