2016 NCAA Division II football season
Regular seasonSeptember 1 – November 12, 2016
PlayoffsNovember 19 – December 17, 2016
National ChampionshipChildren's Mercy Park
Kansas City, KS
December 17, 2016
ChampionNorthwest Missouri State
Harlon Hill TrophyJustin Dvorak, Colorado Mines

The 2016 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 September 1, 2016 and ended with the NCAA Division II Football Championship on December 17, 2016 at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas. Northwest Missouri State successfully defended its national title from the previous season (and won its sixth title overall) by defeating North Alabama, 29–3.[1][2]

Conference changes and new programs

Membership changes

School Former conference New conference
Alderson Broaddus Battlers Independent G-MAC
Dixie State Trailblazers GNAC RMAC
Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers Independent G-MAC
Malone Pioneers GLIAC G-MAC
Oklahoma Panhandle State Aggies Independent Lone Star
South Dakota Mines Hardrockers GNAC RMAC
Stillman Tigers SIAC Dropped program
UTPB Falcons New program Lone Star
West Florida Argonauts New program Gulf South
Western New Mexico Mustangs RMAC Lone Star

Mississippi College completed their transition to Division II and became eligible for the postseason.

Conference standings

Super Region 1

2016 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Northern
Bowie State xy   6 – 1     7 – 4  
Virginia State   5 – 2     8 – 2  
Elizabeth City State   4 – 3     5 – 5  
Virginia Union   4 – 3     5 – 5  
Chowan   4 – 3     6 – 4  
Lincoln (PA)   0 – 7     1 – 9  
Southern
Winston-Salem State xy$^   7 – 0     9 – 3  
Fayetteville State   4 – 3     4 – 6  
Johnson C. Smith   3 – 4     3 – 7  
Shaw   2 – 5     2 – 8  
St. Augustine's   2 – 5     2 – 8  
Livingstone   1 – 6     2 – 8  
Championship: Winston–Salem St. 43, Bowie St. 33
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2016 Mountain East Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 3 Shepherd $^   10 – 0     13 – 1  
No. 23 Fairmont State ^   9 – 1     10 – 2  
Notre Dame (OH)   8 – 2     9 – 2  
Virginia–Wise   5 – 5     6 – 5  
Glenville State   5 – 5     5 – 6  
West Liberty   4 – 6     4 – 7  
West Virginia Wesleyan   4 – 6     4 – 7  
Charleston (WV)   3 – 7     3 – 8  
West Virginia State   3 – 7     3 – 8  
Urbana   2 – 8     3 – 8  
Concord   2 – 8     2 – 9  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA poll
2016 Northeast-10 Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 11 LIU Post y$^   9 – 0     12 – 1  
Assumption y^   8 – 1     9 – 3  
New Haven   6 – 3     7 – 4  
Southern Connecticut   6 – 3     6 – 5  
Bentley   5 – 4     5 – 6  
Stonehill   4 – 5     5 – 6  
American International   3 – 6     4 – 7  
Merrimack   2 – 7     3 – 8  
Saint Anselm   2 – 7     2 – 9  
Pace   0 – 9     0 – 11  
Championship: LIU Post 43, Assumption 23
  • $ – Conference champion
  • y – Championship game participant
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA poll
2016 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Eastern
Kutztown xy   7 – 0     7 – 4  
West Chester   6 – 1     8 – 3  
Shippensburg   4 – 3     7 – 4  
Bloomsburg   4 – 3     6 – 5  
Lock Haven   4 – 3     4 – 7  
East Stroudsburg   2 – 5     4 – 7  
Millersville   1 – 6     2 – 9  
Cheyney   0 – 7     1 – 10  
Western
No. 7 California (PA) xy$^   7 – 0     11 – 1  
No. 12 IUP ^   6 – 1     10 – 2  
Edinboro   5 – 2     9 – 2  
Slippery Rock   3 – 4     7 – 4  
Clarion   3 – 4     4 – 7  
Seton Hill   2 – 5     5 – 6  
Gannon   1 – 6     5 – 6  
Mercyhurst   1 – 6     3 – 8  
Championship: California (PA) 49, Kutztown 7
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA poll

Super Region 2

2016 Gulf South Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 2 North Alabama $^   7 – 0     11 – 2  
No. 18 Valdosta State ^   6 – 2     8 – 3  
West Alabama   6 – 2     7 – 4  
Florida Tech ^   5 – 2     8 – 3  
West Georgia   4 – 4     7 – 4  
West Florida   3 – 5     5 – 6  
Delta State †   3 – 5     4 – 6  
Mississippi College   1 – 7     3 – 7  
Shorter   0 – 8     0 – 11  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
  • † – Delta State's record is officially listed as 2–8 (1–7) due to the use of ineligible players in two wins, but the opponents are not credited with wins.
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2016 South Atlantic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 16 Newberry $^   7 – 0     10 – 2  
Wingate   5 – 2     8 – 3  
Catawba   5 – 2     5 – 6  
Mars Hill   3 – 4     5 – 6  
Tusculum   3 – 4     4 – 7  
Lenoir–Rhyne   3 – 4     3 – 8  
Carson–Newman   2 – 5     4 – 7  
Brevard   0 – 7     1 – 10  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2016 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East
Albany State x   3 – 1     5 – 4  
Fort Valley State xy$   3 – 1     5 – 6  
Benedict   2 – 2     5 – 5  
Clark Atlanta   2 – 2     5 – 5  
Morehouse   0 – 4     3 – 7  
West
No. 20 Tuskegee x^   3 – 1     9 – 3  
Kentucky State xy   3 – 1     4 – 7  
Miles   2 – 2     5 – 5  
Lane   1 – 3     5 – 5  
Central State   1 – 3     1 – 9  
Championship: Fort Valley State 33, Kentucky State 30 (2OT)
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2016 NCAA Division II independents football records
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 13 UNC Pembroke ^   –     10 – 2  
No. 17 North Greenville ^   –     9 – 5  
Limestone   –     5 – 6  
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll

Super Region 3

2016 Great American Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 6 Harding $^   11 – 0     13 – 1  
Southern Arkansas #   9 – 2     9 – 3  
Henderson State   8 – 3     8 – 3  
Ouachita Baptist   7 – 4     7 – 4  
SE Oklahoma State   7 – 4     7 – 4  
Arkansas Tech   6 – 5     6 – 5  
SW Oklahoma State   5 – 6     5 – 6  
Arkansas–Monticello   4 – 7     4 – 7  
NW Oklahoma State   4 – 7     4 – 7  
Oklahoma Baptist @   2 – 9     2 – 9  
Southern Nazarene   2 – 9     2 – 9  
East Central   1 – 10     1 – 10  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
  • # – Live United Texarkana Bowl participant

    @ – Provisional Division II member

Rankings from AFCA Poll
2016 Great Northwest Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 25 Azusa Pacific $^   8 – 0     9 – 3  
Central Washington   6 – 2     7 – 3  
Humboldt State   3 – 5     6 – 5  
Western Oregon   3 – 5     4 – 6  
Simon Fraser   0 – 8     0 – 10  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2016 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 1 NW Missouri State $^   11 – 0     15 – 0  
No. 10 Emporia State ^   10 – 1     11 – 2  
No. 21 Central Missouri ^   9 – 2     9 – 3  
Fort Hays State #   7 – 4     8 – 4  
Pittsburg State   7 – 4     7 – 4  
Washburn #   7 – 4     7 – 5  
Missouri Western   4 – 7     4 – 7  
Central Oklahoma   3 – 8     3 – 8  
Lindenwood   3 – 8     3 – 8  
Missouri Southern   2 – 9     2 – 9  
Northeastern State   2 – 9     2 – 9  
Nebraska–Kearney   1 – 10     1 – 10  
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2016 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
North
No. 14 Minnesota–Duluth ^   10 – 1     10 – 2  
Bemidji State #   8 – 3     9 – 3  
MSU Moorhead   7 – 4     7 – 4  
Northern State   6 – 5     6 – 5  
St. Cloud State   5 – 6     5 – 6  
Minot State   3 – 8     3 – 8  
Mary   1 – 10     1 – 10  
Minnesota–Crookston   0 – 11     0 – 11  
South
No. 8 Sioux Falls $^   11 – 0     12 – 1  
Augustana (SD)   8 – 3     8 – 3  
Minnesota State   8 – 3     8 – 3  
Winona State   8 – 3     8 – 3  
SW Minnesota State   5 – 6     5 – 6  
Upper Iowa   3 – 8     3 – 8  
Wayne State (NE)   3 – 8     3 – 8  
Concordia–St. Paul   2 – 9     2 – 9  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
  • # – Mineral Water Bowl participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll

Super Region 4

2016 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 4 Grand Valley State $^   10 – 0     12 – 1  
No. 5 Ferris State ^   9 – 2     12 – 3  
No. 19 Ashland   7 – 2     9 – 2  
Tiffin   7 – 3     8 – 3  
Ohio Dominican   7 – 4     7 – 4  
Wayne State (MI)   7 – 4     7 – 4  
Findlay   6 – 5     6 – 5  
Saginaw Valley State   5 – 5     5 – 5  
Hillsdale   4 – 5     5 – 5  
Michigan Tech   4 – 6     4 – 6  
Northern Michigan   3 – 7     3 – 8  
Northwood   3 – 8     3 – 8  
Walsh   0 – 10     1 – 10  
Lake Erie   0 – 11     0 – 11  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA poll
2016 Great Lakes Valley Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 22 Southwest Baptist +^   7 – 1     10 – 2  
Truman State +   7 – 1     8 – 3  
McKendree   6 – 2     8 – 3  
Indianapolis   5 – 3     6 – 5  
Missouri S&T   4 – 4     5 – 6  
Quincy   3 – 5     5 – 6  
Saint Joseph's (IN)   3 – 5     5 – 6  
William Jewell   1 – 7     1 – 9  
Lincoln (MO)   0 – 8     2 – 9  
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2016 Lone Star Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 9 Texas A&M–Commerce $^   8 – 1     10 – 2  
No. 24 Midwestern State ^   7 – 2     8 – 3  
Texas A&M–Kingsville #   6 – 3     9 – 3  
Eastern New Mexico #   6 – 3     7 – 5  
West Texas A&M   5 – 4     6 – 5  
Tarleton State   5 – 4     5 – 6  
Angelo State   4 – 5     5 – 6  
Western New Mexico   3 – 6     3 – 8  
Oklahoma Panhandle State   1 – 8     2 – 9  
Texas–Permian Basin   0 – 9     2 – 9  
Rankings from AFCA poll
2016 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 15 Colorado Mines +^   8 – 2     10 – 3  
Colorado Mesa +^   8 – 2     9 – 3  
CSU Pueblo +   8 – 2     8 – 3  
Western State   7 – 3     7 – 4  
Black Hills State   6 – 4     7 – 4  
Dixie State   6 – 4     6 – 5  
South Dakota Mines   4 – 6     5 – 6  
Fort Lewis   3 – 7     4 – 7  
Chadron State   3 – 7     3 – 8  
Adams State   2 – 8     2 – 8  
New Mexico Highlands   0 – 10     0 – 11  
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll
2016 Great Midwest Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Alderson Broaddus $   2 – 0     7 – 2  
Kentucky Wesleyan   1 – 1     3 – 8  
Malone   0 – 2     1 – 8  
  • $ – Conference champion

Postseason

The 2016 NCAA Division II Football Championship Postseason involved 28 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college football.

The tournament began on November 19, 2016 and concluded on December 17, 2016 with the 2016 NCAA Division II National Football Championship game at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas.

Format

The top seven teams per super regional made up the field of 28 teams.[3]

Twelve first-round games were conducted on the campus of one of highest seed of that matchup. In addition, one team per super regional earned first-round byes. Second-round winners met in the quarterfinals at the campus site of the highest seed. Quarterfinal winners advanced to play in the semifinals on the campus of the highest seed. The championship took place at Children's Mercy Park.

Qualifiers

The following teams were qualifiers for the 2016 NCAA Division II Football Tournament.

Conference Team Appearance Last bid
PSAC California (PA) 6th 2011
Mountain East Fairmont State 1st Never
PSAC Indiana (PA) 17th 2015
Northeast-10 LIU 3rd 2005
CIAA Winston-Salem State 2nd 2013
Mountain East Shepherd 10th 2015
Northeast-10 Assumption 2nd 2015
MIAA Northwest Missouri State 21st 2015
MIAA Emporia State 4th 2015
NSIC Minnesota–Duluth 10th 2014
NSIC Sioux Falls 3rd 2015
GNAC Azusa Pacific 1st Never
Great American Harding 2nd 2014
MIAA Central Missouri 3rd 2010
Gulf South North Alabama 21st 2015
Gulf South Valdosta State 15th 2015
Independent UNC Pembroke 3rd 2013
South Atlantic Newberry 4th 2015
SIAC Tuskegee 4th 2015
Gulf South Florida Tech 1st Never
Independent North Greenville 2nd 2011
GLIAC Grand Valley State 18th 2015
Lone Star Texas A&M–Commerce 5th 2015
RMAC Colorado Mesa 5th 2007
GLIAC Ferris State 8th 2015
Lone Star Midwestern State 7th 2015
Great Lakes Valley Southwest Baptist 1st Never
RMAC Colorado Mines 4th 2014

Super Regional One

First round
November 19 		Regional semifinals
November 26 		Regional Final
December 3
         
1 California (PA) 44
5 IUP 23
4 Fairmont State 13
5 IUP 62
1 California (PA) 30
3 Shepherd 41
2 LIU Post 48
7 Winston-Salem State 41
2 LIU Post 21
3 Shepherd 40
3 Shepherd 48
6 Assumption 31

Super Regional Two

First round
November 19 		Regional semifinals
November 26 		Regional Final
December 3
         
1 North Alabama 41
5 UNC Pembroke 17
4 Valdosta State 21
5 UNC Pembroke 24
1 North Alabama 38
6 North Greenville 0
2 Newberry 33
7 Tuskegee 35
7 Tuskegee 26
6 North Greenville 45
3 Florida Tech 13
6 North Greenville 27

Super Regional Three

First round
November 19 		Regional semifinals
November 26 		Regional Final
December 3
         
1 Northwest Missouri State 44
4 Emporia State 13
4 Emporia State 59
5 Minnesota–Duluth 26
1 Northwest Missouri State 35
3 Harding 0
2 Sioux Falls 34
7 Azusa Pacific 21
2 Sioux Falls 24
3 Harding 27† 
3 Harding 48
6 Central Missouri 31

Super Regional Four

First round
November 19 		Regional semifinals
November 26 		Regional Final
December 3
         
1 Grand Valley State 55
4 Texas A&M–Commerce 32
4 Texas A&M–Commerce 34
5 Colorado Mesa 23
1 Grand Valley State 32
2 Ferris State 47
2 Ferris State 65
7 Midwestern State 34
2 Ferris State 38
6 Colorado Mines 17
3 Southwest Baptist 35
6 Colorado Mines 63

† Overtime

Final Four

Teams that make it to the Final Four are re-seeded for the semifinal matches. The semifinal matchups are hosted by the team with the highest seed.

National semifinals
December 10 		National Championship Game
Kansas City, Kansas
December 17
      
1 Northwest Missouri State 35
4 Ferris State 20
1 Northwest Missouri State 29
3 North Alabama 3
2 Shepherd 13
3 North Alabama 23

Bowl games

Game Date Location Winning team
(record) 		Losing team
(record) 		Score MVP
Mineral Water Bowl December 3 Tiger Stadium
Excelsior Springs, Missouri 		Bemidji State
8–3 (8–3) 		Washburn
7–4 (7–4) 		36–23 Offensive: Jordan Hein (QB, Bemidji State)
Defensive: Kameel Al-Khouri (DB, Bemidji State)
Live United Bowl December 3 Razorback Stadium
Texarkana, Arkansas 		Texas A&M–Kingsville
8–3 (6–3) 		Southern Arkansas
9–2 (9–2) 		24–17 Devonte Williams
(SS, Texas A&M–Kingsville)
Heart of Texas Bowl December 3 Bulldawg Stadium
Copperas Cove, Texas 		Fort Hays State
7–4 (7–4) 		Eastern New Mexico
7–4 (6–3) 		45–12 Shaquille Cooper
(RB, Fort Hays State)

Attendances

2016 NCAA Division II football teams with an average home attendance of at least 10,000:[4]

Team Total attendance Home average
Grand Valley St. 100,388 12,549
Tuskegee 40,518 10,130

[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ Boyce, David (December 20, 2015). "DII Football: Northwest Missouri State ties NCAA DII record with its fifth title". NCAA. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  2. ^ Boyce, David (December 17, 2016). "Northwest Missouri repeats as Division II national champions". NCAA. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
  3. ^ "Division II football championship field announced". Indianapolis: NCAA. November 13, 2016.
  4. ^ a b "2016 National College Football Attendance (For All NCAA Men's Varsity Teams)" (PDF). NCAA.
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