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] The game was originally scheduled for Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas, on the last year of a five-year contract,[2] but that contract was terminated in September 2018 to allow off-season renovation of the field for its primary tenant, professional soccer club Sporting KC.[3]

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)

Valdosta State beat Ferris State, 49-47, for the championship.

Headlines

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Conference changes and new programs

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Membership changes

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School Former conference New conference
Cheyney Wolves PSAC Dropped program
North Alabama Lions Gulf South Independent (FCS)
North Greenville Crusaders Independent Gulf South
Tiffin Dragons GLIAC G-MAC

Division II team wins over FCS teams

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Conference standings

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Super Region 1

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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  
IUP   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

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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 Golden Bulls football   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 (OH)   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

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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  
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 State   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 9  
Southwest Baptist   0 7     0 10  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
  • # – Mineral Water Bowl 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  
Rankings from AFCA Poll

Super Region 4

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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 6  
West Texas A&M   4 4     6 5  
Eastern New Mexico   4 4     5 6  
Texas A&M–Kingsville   2 6     4 7  
UT Permian Basin   1 7     2 9  
Western New Mexico   0 8     0 10  
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
  • # – Mineral Water Bowl 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

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2018 NCAA Division II Football Championship
Teams28
Finals Site
Champion
Runner-up
Semifinalists
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 No. 1 meeting No. 4 in the semifinals and No. 2 meeting No. 3.

Participating teams

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School Conference Regular
Season
Record
Region Seed
Azusa Pacific Great Northwest Athletic Conference 8–3 4 7
Bowie State Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association 9–2 2 4
Colorado Mines Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 10–1 4 4
CSU Pueblo Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 10–1 4 5
Ferris State Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 11–0 3 2
Florida Tech Gulf South Conference 8–3 2 6
Fort Hays State Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association 9–2 3 5
Grand Valley State Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 10–1 3 3
Harding Great American Conference 9–2 3 7
Hillsdale Great Midwest Athletic Conference 9–2 1 5
Indianapolis Great Lakes Valley Conference 9–1 3 4
Kutztown Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference 9–1 1 4
Lenoir–Rhyne South Atlantic Conference 10–1 2 3
LIU Post Northeast-10 Conference 10–0 1 2
Minnesota State Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference 11–0 4 1
Minnesota–Duluth Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference 11–0 4 3
New Haven Northeast-10 Conference 8–2 1 6
Northwest Missouri State Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association 9–2 3 6
Notre Dame (OH) Mountain East Conference 11–0 1 1
Ouachita Baptist Great American Conference 11–0 3 1
Slippery Rock Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference 9–2 1 7
Tarleton State Lone Star Conference 10–0 4 2
Texas A&M–Commerce Lone Star Conference 9–2 4 6
Valdosta State Gulf South Conference 10–0 2 1
West Alabama Gulf South Conference 8–3 2 5
West Chester Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference 10–0 1 3
West Georgia Gulf South Conference 10–1 2 2
Wingate South Atlantic Conference 8–3 2 7

Bids by conference

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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

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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

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References

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  1. ^ "2018 DII Football Championship headed to Texas". NCAA.com. NCAA. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
  2. ^ "2014-18 NCAA Championship Sites". NCAA.com. NCAA. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  3. ^ "NCAA seeks new D2 football title game host because Sporting KC will renovate field". KansasCity.com. Kansas City Star. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  4. ^ "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.