2023 NCAA Division II football season

The 2023 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, will begin on August 31 and will end on December 16 with the Division II championship at the McKinney Independent School District Stadium in McKinney, Texas.

2023 NCAA Division II football season
Total No. of teams163
Regular seasonAugust 31 – November 11, 2023
PlayoffsNovember 18 – December 16, 2023
National ChampionshipMcKinney Independent School District Stadium
McKinney, TX
December 16, 2023

Conference changes and new programs

Membership changes
SchoolFormer conferenceNew conference
Alderson Broaddus BattlersMountain EastSchool closed
Bluefield State Big BluesIndependent (D-II)CIAA
Chowan HawksCIAAGulf South
Lincoln (MO) Blue TigersMIAAIndependent (D-II)
Simon Fraser Red LeafsLone StarDropped program
Thomas More SaintsMid-South (NAIA)G-MAC
Upper Iowa PeacocksNorthern SunGLVC

Headlines
  • January 14 – At the 2023 NCAA Convention, the D-II football membership approved a change to redshirt rules to allow freshmen to play in up to three games without losing a season of athletic eligibility.[1]
  • January 26 – Conference Carolinas announced that Shorter University would join from the Gulf South Conference in 2024. This gave the conference 6 football sponsoring members, and accordingly, it was announced that they would begin sponsoring football again effective for the 2025 season, a sport they had previously discontinued in 1975. Inaugural members of the new league would be Barton and Erskine, who currently play in the South Atlantic Conference; UNC Pembroke, who plays in the Mountain East Conference; and Chowan, North Greenville, and Shorter, who all play in the Gulf South Conference.[2]

Rankings
Main article: 2023 NCAA Division II football rankings

The top 25 from the AFCA Coaches' Poll.

Preseason Poll
AFCA[3]
Ranking Team
1 Ferris State (29)
2 Colorado Mines
3 Grand Valley State
4 Pittsburg State
5 Angelo State
6 NW Missouri State
7 West Florida
8 Ouachita Baptist
9 Minnesota State
10 Delta State
11 Bemidji State
12 Ashland
13 Shepherd
14 Harding
15 Slippery Rock
16 IUP
17 Benedict (1)
18 Virginia Union
19 Emporia State
20 Indianapolis
21 Wingate
22 West Georgia
23 Assumption
24 Newberry
25 Lenoir-Rhyne

Conference standings

Super Region 1
2023 Great Midwest Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
Tiffin  5 –0   7 –0  
Findlay  4 –1   5 –2  
Ashland  4 –1   4 –3  
Thomas More  3 –2   4 –3  
Kentucky Wesleyan  2 –3   3 –4  
Ohio Dominican  2 –3   3 –4  
Hillsdale  2 –3   2 –5  
Northwood  2 –3   2 –5  
Walsh  1 –4   3 –4  
Lake Erie  0 –5   1 –6  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2023 Mountain East Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
Charleston (WV)  5 –0   6 –0  
Frostburg State  4 –1   5 –1  
West Virginia State  4 –1   4 –2  
Fairmont State  3 –2   5 –2  
Notre Dame (OH)  3 –3   4 –3  
UNC Pembroke  3 –3   4 –3  
Wheeling  3 –3   4 –3  
West Liberty  3 –3   3 –4  
Glenville State  2 –3   3 –3  
West Virginia Wesleyan  0 –5   0 –6  
Concord  0 –6   0 –7  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2023 Northeast-10 Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 21 Assumption  3 –0   5 –1  
New Haven  3 –1   5 –2  
Saint Anselm  3 –1   4 –3  
Bentley  2 –1   3 –3  
Franklin Pierce  2 –2   3 –3  
Pace  1 –3   2 –5  
Southern Connecticut  1 –3   1 –5  
American International  0 –4   1 –5  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2023 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
East Division
Kutztown  4 –0   5 –2  
East Stroudsburg  3 –1   6 –1  
No. 23 Shepherd  3 –1   6 –1  
Lock Haven  2 –2   4 –3  
West Chester  2 –2   4 –3  
Millersville  1 –3   3 –4  
Shippensburg  1 –3   1 –6  
Bloomsburg  0 –4   1 –6  
West Division
No. 10 Slippery Rock  4 –0   7 –0  
California (PA)  3 –0   4 –1  
Gannon  3 –1   3 –4  
IUP  2 –2   4 –3  
Seton Hill  1 –2   2 –4  
Edinboro  1 –3   2 –5  
Mercyhurst  1 –3   2 –5  
Clarion  0 –4   1 –6  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2023 NCAA Division II Super Region 1 independents football records
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
Post   –   0 –6  
Rankings from AFCA Poll

Super Region 2
2023 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
Northern Division
No. 24 Virginia State  5 –0   7 –0  
Virginia Union  4 –1   6 –1  
Lincoln (PA)  3 –2   4 –3  
Bowie State  2 –3   3 –4  
Bluefield State  0 –5   1 –6  
Elizabeth City State  0 –5   1 –6  
Southern Division
Fayetteville State  5 –0   5 –2  
Johnson C. Smith  4 –1   5 –2  
Winston-Salem State  3 –2   3 –4  
Livingstone  2 –3   2 –5  
Shaw  2 –3   2 –5  
St. Augustine's  0 –5   0 –7  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2023 Gulf South Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 16 Delta State  5 –1   7 –1  
West Georgia  5 –1   6 –2  
No. 24 Valdosta State  4 –1   7 –1  
No. 18 West Florida  4 –1   6 –2  
Mississippi College  2 –3   3 –4  
West Alabama  2 –3   3 –4  
North Greenville  2 –4   3 –5  
Shorter  1 –5   3 –6  
Chowan  0 –6   0 –8  
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2023 South Atlantic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
Mountain Division
Mars Hill  4 –1   5 –1  
Tusculum  4 –1   4 –3  
Carson–Newman  2 –3   3 –4  
Emory & Henry  1 –4   3 –4  
Virginia–Wise  0 –5   1 –6  
Erskine  0 –5   0 –7  
Piedmont Division
No. 12 Lenoir–Rhyne  5 –0   7 –0  
Wingate  3 –1   4 –2  
Limestone  3 –1   3 –3  
Barton  3 –2   5 –2  
Newberry  3 –2   4 –3  
Catawba  1 –4   3 –4  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2023 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 11 Benedict  5 –0   7 –0  
Tuskegee  4 –0   5 –1  
Fort Valley State  5 –1   5 –2  
Allen  4 –1   6 –1  
Albany State  4 –1   4 –3  
Miles  3 –1   4 –2  
Edward Waters  3 –2   3 –3  
Savannah State  1 –3   2 –4  
Lane  1 –4   1 –5  
Kentucky State  0 –4   2 –4  
Central State  0 –4   1 –5  
Morehouse  0 –4   0 –6  
Clark Atlanta  0 –5   0 –6  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • y – Championship game participant
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll

Super Region 3
2023 Great American Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 9 Harding  6 –0   6 –0  
No. 5 Ouachita Baptist  6 –0   6 –0  
No. 18 Henderson State  5 –1   5 –1  
Southern Arkansas  5 –1   5 –1  
Oklahoma Baptist  3 –3   3 –3  
Southern Nazarene  3 –3   3 –3  
East Central  3 –4   3 –4  
Arkansas–Monticello  2 –4   2 –4  
Arkansas Tech  2 –4   2 –4  
SE Oklahoma State  2 –4   2 –4  
SW Oklahoma State  0 –6   0 –6  
NW Oklahoma State  0 –7   0 –7  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2023 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 16 Davenport  2 –0   5 –0  
No. 1 Ferris State  2 –0   4 –1  
No. 7 Grand Valley State  1 –0   4 –1  
Wayne State (MI)  1 –0   2 –4  
Michigan Tech  0 –2   3 –3  
Saginaw Valley State  0 –2   3 –4  
Northern Michigan  0 –2   0 –6  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2023 Great Lakes Valley Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 14 Indianapolis  3 –0   6 –0  
No. 19 Truman  2 –1   6 –1  
Quincy  2 –1   5 –2  
Missouri S&T  2 –1   2 –5  
William Jewell  1 –2   2 –4  
Southwest Baptist  1 –2   2 –5  
McKendree  1 –2   1 –5  
Upper Iowa  0 –3   2 –5  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2023 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 3 Pittsburg State  6 –0   6 –0  
No. 17 Central Missouri  5 –1   5 –1  
No. 25 Emporia State  4 –2   5 –2  
Missouri Western  4 –2   5 –2  
Fort Hays State  4 –2   4 –2  
NW Missouri State  3 –3   4 –3  
Missouri Southern  3 –3   3 –3  
Central Oklahoma  2 –4   2 –4  
Nebraska–Kearney  2 –5   2 –5  
Northeastern State  0 –5   1 –5  
Washburn  0 –6   1 –6  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2023 NCAA Division II Super Region 3 independents football records
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
Lincoln (MO)   –   0 –6  
Rankings from AFCA Poll

Super Region 4
2023 Lone Star Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
Central Washington  6 –0   7 –2  
No. 22 Texas–Permian Basin  5 –0   7 –1  
Texas A&M–Kingsville  3 –2   5 –2  
Angelo State  3 –2   4 –3  
Midwestern State  2 –3   3 –4  
Western Oregon  2 –3   3 –5  
West Texas A&M  2 –4   3 –5  
Eastern New Mexico  1 –5   3 –5  
Western New Mexico  0 –5   1 –6  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
As of October 27, 2023
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2023 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 4 Minnesota State  6 –0   6 –0  
No. 22 Augustana (SD)  5 –0   6 –0  
Minnesota Duluth  5 –1   6 –1  
No. 15 Bemidji State  5 –1   5 –1  
Wayne State (NE)  4 –2   5 –2  
Winona State  3 –2   3 –3  
MSU Moorhead  3 –3   4 –3  
Sioux Falls  3 –4   3 –4  
Northern State  2 –4   2 –4  
SW Minnesota State  1 –4   1 –5  
Concordia–St. Paul  1 –5   2 –5  
Minot State  1 –6   1 –6  
Mary  0 –7   0 –7  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2023 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 2 Colorado Mines  5 –0   7 –0  
No. 14 Western Colorado  4 –0   6 –0  
Black Hills State  3 –1   4 –2  
CSU Pueblo  3 –2   4 –3  
Adams State  2 –3   3 –3  
Chadron State  2 –3   3 –4  
Colorado Mesa  2 –3   3 –4  
South Dakota Mines  2 –3   3 –4  
New Mexico Highlands  1 –4   2 –5  
Fort Lewis  0 –5   0 –7  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll

See also

References
  1. "DII adopts football proposals providing more season-of-competition flexibility, spring scrimmage opportunities" (Press release). NCAA. January 14, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  2. "Conference Carolinas Unveils Addition of Shorter University and Return of Football in 2025" (Press release). Conference Carolinas. January 26, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  3. "Defending national champion Ferris State begins 2023 at No. 1". afca.com. AFCA. August 14, 2023. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
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