2023-12-16 14:20:52
The Cortland Red Dragons are the DIII football champions for the first time in program history. A back-and-forth scoring match ended with one victor, as Cortland defeated North Central (IL) 38-37 to win the title.
In Friday’s matchup, both teams were tied 31 a piece with 7:16 left on the clock in the fourth quarter. Cortland’s Cole Burgess’ second TD of the night came on a 21-yard pass from junior QB Zac Boyes with 1:41 left. North Central (IL) QB Luke Lehnen’s 60-yard TD pass to DeAngelo Hardy gave the Cardinals a possibility to win their fourth Stagg Bowl in a row, but a failed two-point conversion fell incomplete to close out the game.
Boyes accounted for 472 of Cortland’s 503 offensive yards, 349 through the air and 154 on the ground.
Cortland finishes its first national championship-winning season 14-1 overall.
Here is the schedule of the 2023 NCAA Division III football tournament:
2023 NCAA Division III football tournament schedule, scores
Opening Round: Saturday, Nov. 18
- Mount Union 56, Alfred State 14
- Alma 32DePauw 17
- Cortland 28, Endicott 17
- Grove City 21, Susquehanna 20
- Johns Hopkins 62, Western Connecticut State 20
- Union (NY) 24, Delaware Valley 16
- Ithaca 21, Springfield 7
- Randolph-Macon 28, Christopher Newport 20
- Wisconsin-La Crosse 62, Minnesota-Morris 7
- Aurora 20, Coe 7
- Trinity (TX) 20, Hardin-Simmons 6
- North Central (IL) 65, Belhaven 0
- Wartburg 49, Illinois College 14
- Wheaton (IL) 41, Mount St. Joseph 34
- Wisconsin-Whitewater 42, Bethel (MN) 14
- Whitworth 42, Chapman 28
Second Round: Saturday, Nov. 25
Quarterfinals: Saturday, Dec. 2
Semifinals: Saturday, Dec. 9
Championship: Friday, December 15
2023 NCAA Division III football tournament bracket
Click or tap here for a closer look at the bracket
DIII Championship History
Year
Champion
Coach
Score
Runner-Up
Site
2022
North Central (IL)
Brad Spencer
28-21
Mount Union
Annapolis, Maryland
2021
Mary Hardin-Baylor
Pete Fredenburg
57-24
North Central
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 Buttersfield
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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