UW-River Falls won their first national championship with a 24-14 victory over North Central (Illinois) in the Stagg Bowl. In their first playoff participation since 1996, the Falcons defeated the defending champions, North Central (Illinois), to win the 2025 DIII football title.
2025 DIII football championship bracket
2025 DIII football championship schedule, scores
All times listed in ET.
- Selection show: 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 16 on NCAA.com
- First round: Saturday, Nov. 22
- Muhlenberg 34, Union (NY) 26
- LaGrange 24, Framingham State 21
- Springfield 21, Cortland 7
- Susquehanna 38, Washington & Jeff. 32
- Hanover 23, Grove City 15
- Coe 44, ConcordIa Wisconsin 7
- Wheaton (Illinois) 76, Crown (Minnesota) 14
- Chapman 18, Whitworth 10
- Second round: Saturday, Nov. 29
- John Carroll 35, Randolph-Macon 6
- Berry 18, LaGrange 14
- Wisconsin-La Crosse 9, Hope 7
- Susquehanna 42, Chris. Newport 28
- Mount Union 49, Muhlenburg 7
- Eastern 28, Franklin & Marshall 24
- Salisbury 35, Endicott 28
- Johns Hopkins 34, Springfield 14
- Wisconsin-Platteville 24, Alma 7
- Bethel (Minnesota) 51, Coe 26
- North Central (Illinois) 38, Hanover 6
- Trinity (Texas) 34, Hardin-Simmons 24
- Wheaton (Illinois) 28, Wartburg 24
- DePauw 26, Wisconsin-Whitewater 23
- St. John’s (MN) 49, Monmouth (IL) 15
- Third Round: Saturday, Dec. 6
- Bethel (Minnesota) 35, Wisconsin-Platteville 24
- North Central (Illinois) 35, Wisconsin-La Crosse 27
- UW-River Falls 42, Saint John’s (Minnesota) 14
- Wheaton (Illinois) 49, DePauw 24
- John Carroll 10, Mount Union 7 (2OT)
- Johns Hopkins 45, Salisbury 13
- Susquehanna 29, Eastern 0
- Berry 31, Trinity (Texas) 23
- Quarterfinals: Saturday, Dec. 13
- John Carroll 21, Berry 13
- Johns Hopkins 40, Susquehanna 10
- North Central (Illinois) 35, Bethel (Minnesota) 21
- UW-River Falls 46, Wheaton (Illinois) 21
- Semifinals: Saturday, Dec. 20
- UW-River Falls 48, Johns Hopkins 41
- North Central (Illinois) 41, John Carroll 21
- National championship: 8 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 4 | ESPN
- UW-River Falls 24, North Central (Illinois) 14
2025 DIII football championship history
| Year | Champion | Coach | Score | Runner-Up | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | UW-River Falls | Matt Walker | 24-14 | North Central (IL) | Canton, Ohio |
| 2024 | North Central (IL) | Brad Spencer | 41-25 | Mount Union | Houston, Texas |
| 2023 | Cortland | Curt Fitzpatrick | 38-37 | North Central (IL) | Salem, Virginia |
| 2022 | North Central (IL) | Brad Spencer | 28-21 | Mount Union | Annapolis, Maryland |
| 2021 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Pete Fredenburg | 57-24 | North Central (IL) | Canton, Ohio |
| 2020 | Canceled due to Covid-19 | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | North Central (IL) | Jeff Thorne | 41-14 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Shenandoah, Texas |
| 2018 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Pete Fredenburg | 24-16 | Mount Union | Shenandoah, Texas |
| 2017 | Mount Union | Vince Kehres | 12-0 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Salem, Va. |
| 2016 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Pete Fredenburg | 10-7 | Wisconsin-Oshkosh | Salem, Va. |
| 2015 | Mount Union | Vince Kehres | 49-35 | St. Thomas (Minn.) | Salem, Va. |
| 2014 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Lance Leipold | 43-34 | Mount Union | Salem, Va. |
| 2013 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Lance Leipold | 52-14 | Mount Union | Salem, Va. |
| 2012 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 28-10 | St. Thomas (Minn.) | Salem, Va. |
| 2011 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Lance Leipold | 13-10 | Mount Union | Salem, Va. |
| 2010 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Lance Leipold | 31-21 | Mount Union | Salem, Va. |
| 2009 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Lance Leipold | 38-28 | Mount Union | Salem, Va. |
| 2008 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 31-26 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Salem, Va. |
| 2007 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Lance Leipold | 31-21 | Mount Union | Salem, Va. |
| 2006 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 35-16 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Salem, Va. |
| 2005 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 35-28 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Salem, Va. |
| 2004 | Linfield | Jay Locey | 28-21 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Salem, Va. |
| 2003 | St. John’s (Minn.) | John Gagliardi | 24-6 | Mount Union | Salem, Va. |
| 2002 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 48-7 | Trinity (Texas) | Salem, Va. |
| 2001 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 30-27 | Bridgewater (Va.) | Salem, Va. |
| 2000 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 10-7 | St. John’s (Minn.) | Salem, Va. |
| 1999 | Pacific Lutheran | Frosty Westering | 42-13 | Rowan | Salem, Va. |
| 1998 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 44-24 | Rowan | Salem, Va. |
| 1997 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 61-12 | Lycoming | Salem, Va. |
| 1996 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 56-24 | Rowan | Salem, Va. |
| 1995 | Wisconsin-La Crosse | Roger Harring | 36-7 | Rowan | Salem, Va. |
| 1994 | Albion | Pete Schmidt | 38-15 | Washington & Jefferson | Salem, Va. |
| 1993 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 34-24 | Rowan | Salem, Va. |
| 1992 | Wisconsin-La Crosse | Roger Harring | 16-12 | Washington & Jefferson | Bradenton, Fla. |
| 1991 | Ithaca | Jim Butterfield | 34-20 | Dayton | Bradenton, Fla. |
| 1990 | Allegheny | Ken O’Keefe | 21-14 | Lycoming | Bradenton, Fla. |
| 1989 | Dayton | Mike Kelly | 17-7 | Union (N.Y.) | Phenix City, Ala. |
| 1988 | Ithaca | Jim Butterfield | 39-24 | Central (Iowa) | Phenix City, Ala. |
| 1987 | Wagner | Walkt Hameline | 19-3 | Dayton | Phenix City, Ala. |
| 1986 | Augustana (Ill.) | Bob Reade | 31-3 | Salisbury | Phenix City, Ala. |
| 1985 | Augustana (Ill.) | Bob Reade | 20-7 | Ithaca | Phenix City, Ala. |
| 1984 | Augustana (Ill.) | Bob Reade | 21-12 | Central (Iowa) | Kings Island, Ohio |
| 1983 | Augustana (Ill.) | Bob Reade | 21-17 | Union (N.Y.) | Kings Island, Ohio |
| 1982 | West Georgia | Bobby Pate | 14-0 | Augustana (N.Y.) | Phenix City, Ala. |
| 1981 | Widener | Bill Manlove | 24-10 | Dayton | Phenix City, Ala. |
| 1980 | Dayton | Rick Carter | 63-0 | Ithaca | Phenix City, Ala. |
| 1979 | Ithaca | Jim Butterfield | 14-10 | Wittenberg | Phenix City, Ala. |
| 1978 | Baldwin-Wallace | Lee Tressel | 24-10 | Wittenberg | Phenix City, Ala. |
| 1977 | Widener | Bill Manlove | 39-36 | Wabash | Phenix City, Ala. |
| 1976 | St.John’s (Minn.) | John Gagliardi | 31-28 | Towson | Phenix City, Ala. |
| 1975 | Wittenberg | Dave Maurer | 28-0 | Ithaca | Phenix City, Ala. |
| 1974 | Central (Iowa) | Ron Schipper | 10-8 | Ithaca | Phenix City, Ala. |
| 1973 | Wittenberg | Dave Maurer | 41-0 | Juniata | Phenix City, Ala. |
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