2021 NCAA Division II Football Championship
Valdosta State Blazers Ferris State Bulldogs
(12–1) (13–0)
GSC GLIAC
17 58
Head coach: 
Gary Goff		 Head coach: 
Tony Annese
Seed
2
Seed
1
1234 Total
Valdosta State 17000 17
Ferris State 2021170 58
DateDecember 18, 2021
Season2021
StadiumMcKinney ISD Stadium
LocationMcKinney, Texas[1]
RefereeGreg Gompf
Attendance3,933
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPNU[1]
NCAA Division II Football Championship
 < 2019 2022 > 

The 2021 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game that determined a national champion in NCAA Division II for the 2021 season. It was played at McKinney ISD Stadium in McKinney, Texas, on December 18, 2021, with kickoff at 9:00 p.m. EST (8:00 p.m. local CST), and television coverage on ESPNU.[1][2]

The championship featured the top-seeded Ferris State Bulldogs from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference easily defeating the second-seed Valdosta State from the Gulf South Conference, 58–17. The win gave Ferris State their football program's first national championship.[3][4]

Teams

The participants of the 2021 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game were the finalists of the 2021 Division II Playoffs, which began with four 7-team brackets to determine super region champions, who then qualified for the national semifinals. The 2021 game featured the winners of those national semifinal games: No. 2 seed Valdosta State and No. 1 seed Ferris State.[5][6] This was the second meeting between the two teams. The first meeting was for the 2018 Championship game, which Valdosta State defeated Ferris State by two points, 49–47.[5] This was Ferris State's second championship game appearance, and Valdosta State's fifth; the Blazers were 4–1 in previous appearances.

National semifinals

Super region champions were seeded 1 to 4 for the national semifinals.

Semifinals
December 11
Hosted by higher seeded team 		National Championship
December 18
McKinney ISD Stadium, McKinney, TX
      
1 Ferris State 55
4 Shepherd 7
1 Ferris State 58
2 Valdosta State 17
2 Valdosta State 34
3 Colorado Mines 31

Game summary

2021 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game
Period 1 2 34Total
No. 2 Valdosta State 17 0 0017
No. 1 Ferris State 20 21 17058

at McKinney ISD Stadium • McKinney, Texas

Game information
First quarter
  • (13:09) FSU – Jared Bernhardt 56 yard rush, Sy Barnett kick failed (Drive: 1 play, 56 yards, 0:11; Ferris State 6–0)
  • (7:58) VSU – Seth McGill 18 yard pass from Ivory Durham, Estin Thiele kick (Drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 5:11; Valdosta State 7–6)
  • (6:37) FSU – Jared Bernhardt 5 yard rush, Sy Barnett kick (Drive: 3 plays, 60 yards, 1:21; Ferris State 13–7)
  • (3:44) VSU – Travon Roberts 8 yard pass from Ivory Durham, Estin Thiele kick (Drive: 6 plays, 77 yards, 2:53; Valdosta State 14–13)
  • (2:47) VSU – Estin Thiele 25 yard kick (Drive: 4 plays, 1 yards, 0:47; Valdosta State 17–13)
  • (1:55) FSU – Jeremy Burrell 78 yard rush, Sy Barnett kick (Drive: 2 plays, 75 yards, 0:52; Ferris State 20–17)
Second quarter
  • (9:18) FSU – Jared Bernhardt 2 yard rush, Sy Barnett kick (Drive: 10 plays, 44 yards, 4:14; Ferris State 27–17)
  • (1:36) FSU – Tyler Minor 1 yard rush, Sy Barnett kick (Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:44; Ferris State 34–17)
  • (0:11) FSU – Tyrese Hunt-Thompson 47 yard pass from Mylik Mitchell, Sy Barnett kick (Drive: 2 plays, 37 yards, 0:44; Ferris State 41–17)
Third quarter
  • (7:53) FSU – Sy Barnett 32 yard kick (Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 2:06; Ferris State 44–17)
  • (3:44) FSU – Evan Cummins 1 yard rush, Sy Barnett kick (Drive: 5 plays, 80 yards, 2:11; Ferris State 51–17)
  • (1:33) FSU – Liam Daly 37 yard interception return, Sy Barnett kick (Drive: 5 plays, 22 yards, 2:11; Ferris State 58–17)

Statistics

Statistics VAL FSU
First downs 18 19
Total yards 268 581
Rushing yards 110 459
Passing yards 158 122
Turnovers 3 2
Time of possession 28:53 31:07
Team Category Player Statistics
Valdosta State Passing Ivory Durham 14/34, 158 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Rushing Ivory Durham 13 carries, 45 yards
Receiving Brian Saunds 3 receptions, 64 yards
Ferris State Passing Mylik Mitchell 3/6, 122 yards, 1 TD
Rushing Jared Bernhardt 14 carries, 148 yards, 3 TD
Receiving Xavier Wade 1 receptions, 72 yards

References

  1. ^ a b c Raffel, John (December 11, 2021). "On to Texas: Bulldogs advance to national title game". Big Rapids News. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Brooks, Amanda. "ESPN College Football Coverage Continues: Bowl Season Begins, FCS Semifinals Kick Off, Champions Crowned in NCAA and NAIA". ESPN. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  3. ^ Jason, Hutton (December 19, 2021). "Ferris State routs Valdosta State to win first National Championship". WXMI. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  4. ^ Crawford, Kirkland (December 19, 2021). "Ferris State football wins Division II national title by trampling Valdosta State, 58-17". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Savage, Brendan (December 11, 2021). "Ferris State to play for Division II national football championship". MLive. Booth Newspapers. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  6. ^ Doles, Jack (December 11, 2021). "Ferris State headed to NCAA D-II championship game". Grand Rapids, Michigan: WOOD-TV. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
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