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2025 NCAA Division III football season

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The 2025 NCAA Division III football season will be the component of the 2025 college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States. The regular season will begin on September 4 and end on November 15. This will be the 52nd season that the NCAA has sponsored a Division III championship.

North Central (IL) were the defending national champions.

The season's playoffs will be played between November 22 and January 10, 2026, culminating in the national championship—also known as the Stagg Bowl—at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

Conference changes and new programs

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Membership changes

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Team Former conference New conference Source
Alfred State Pioneers ECFC Empire 8 [1]
Anna Maria Amcats ECFC MASCAC [2]
Carnegie Mellon Tartans PAC Centennial [3]
Castleton Spartans MASCAC NJAC [4]
Dean Bulldogs ECFC MASCAC [5]
Ferrum Panthers ODAC Carolinas (D-II) [6]
Gallaudet Bison ECFC ODAC [7]
Hendrix Warriors SAA SCAC [8]
Hilbert Hawks Empire 8 Liberty [9]
Hiram Terriers NCAC PAC [10]
John Carroll Blue Streaks OAC NCAC [11]
Keystone Giants Landmark Independent [12]
Maine Maritime Mariners Independent CNE [13]
Maryville Scots USA South SAA [14]
New England College Pilgrims New program CNE [15][16]
Roanoke Maroons New program ODAC [17]
Western Connecticut Wolves MASCAC Landmark [18]

Other headlines

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  • April 18 – The NESCAC announced that it would begin allowing its teams to participate in the NCAA Division III Championship, beginning in the 2026 season.[19]

Conference standings

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2025 American Rivers Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 10 Wartburg   0 0     1 0  
Central (IA)   0 0     1 0  
Coe   0 0     1 0  
Nebraska Wesleyan   0 0     0 1  
Loras   0 0     0 1  
Dubuque   0 0     0 1  
Luther   0 0     0 1  
Simpson (IA)   0 0     0 1  
Buena Vista   0 0     0 1  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3football.com
2025 American Southwest Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Texas Baptist   0 0     1 0  
No. 6 Hardin–Simmons   0 0     1 0  
Howard Payne   0 0     1 0  
No. 7 Mary Hardin–Baylor   0 0     1 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3football.com
2025 Centennial Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 17 Carnegie Mellon   0 0     1 0  
Franklin & Marshall   0 0     1 0  
No. 3 Johns Hopkins   0 0     1 0  
Muhlenberg   0 0     1 0  
Ursinus   0 0     1 0  
Dickinson   0 0     0 1  
Gettysburg   0 0     0 1  
McDaniel   0 0     0 1  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3football.com
2025 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Augustana (IL)   0 0     0 0  
Carroll (WI)   0 0     0 0  
Carthage   0 0     0 0  
Elmhurst   0 0     0 0  
Illinois Wesleyan   0 0     0 0  
Millikin   0 0     0 0  
No. 1 North Central (IL)   0 0     0 0  
North Park   0 0     0 0  
Washington University   0 0     0 0  
No. 17 Wheaton (IL)   0 0     0 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3Football.com
2025 Conference of New England football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Curry   0 0     0 0  
Endicott   0 0     0 0  
Husson   0 0     0 0  
Maine Maritime   0 0     0 0  
New England (ME)   0 0     0 0  
New England (NH)   0 0     0 0  
Nichols   0 0     0 0  
Western New England   0 0     0 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3Football.com
2025 Empire 8 Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Alfred   0 0     0 0  
Alfred State   0 0     0 0  
Brockport   0 0     0 0  
No. 10 Cortland   0 0     0 0  
Hartwick   0 0     0 0  
Morrisville   0 0     0 0  
St. John Fisher   0 0     0 0  
Utica   0 0     0 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3Football.com
2025 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Anderson (IN)   0 0     0 0  
Bluffton   0 0     0 0  
Franklin (IN)   0 0     0 0  
Hanover   0 0     0 0  
Manchester   0 0     0 0  
Mount St. Joseph   0 0     0 0  
Rose–Hulman   0 0     0 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2025 Landmark Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Catholic University   0 0     0 0  
Juniata   0 0     0 0  
Lycoming   0 0     0 0  
Moravian   0 0     0 0  
No. 4 Susquehanna   0 0     0 0  
Western Connecticut   0 0     0 0  
Wilkes   0 0     0 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3Football.com
2025 Liberty League football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Buffalo State   0 0     0 0  
Hilbert   0 0     0 0  
Hobart   0 0     0 0  
Ithaca   0 0     0 0  
Rochester   0 0     0 0  
RPI   0 0     0 0  
St. Lawrence   0 0     0 0  
Union (NY)   0 0     0 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2025 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Fitchburg State   1 0     1 0  
Plymouth State   0 0     1 0  
Worcester State   0 0     0 0  
Anna Maria   0 0     0 1  
Bridgewater State   0 0     0 1  
Framingham State   0 0     0 1  
Massachusetts Maritime   0 0     0 1  
UMass Dartmouth   0 0     0 1  
Westfield State   0 0     0 1  
Dean   0 1     0 1  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2025 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Adrian   0 0     0 0  
Albion   0 0     0 0  
Alma   0 0     0 0  
Calvin   0 0     0 0  
No. 20 Hope   0 0     0 0  
Kalamazoo   0 0     0 0  
Olivet   0 0     0 0  
Trine   0 0     0 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3Football.com
2025 Middle Atlantic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Albright   0 0     0 0  
Alvernia   0 0     0 0  
Delaware Valley   0 0     0 0  
Eastern   0 0     0 0  
FDU–Florham   0 0     0 0  
King's (PA)   0 0     0 0  
Lebanon Valley   0 0     0 0  
Misericordia   0 0     0 0  
Stevenson   0 0     0 0  
Widener   0 0     0 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2025 Midwest Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Beloit   0 0     0 0  
Chicago   0 0     0 0  
Cornell (IA)   0 0     0 0  
Grinnell   0 0     0 0  
Illinois College   0 0     0 0  
Knox   0 0     0 0  
Lake Forest   0 0     0 0  
Lawrence   0 0     0 0  
Monmouth (IL)   0 0     0 0  
Ripon   0 0     0 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2025 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Div     Conf. Overall
Team   W   L         W   L     W   L  
Northwoods Division
Carleton   0 0     0 0     0 0  
Gustavus Adolphus   0 0     0 0     0 0  
No. 5 Saint John's (MN)   0 0     0 0     0 0  
St. Olaf   0 0     0 0     0 0  
St. Scholastica   0 0     0 0     0 0  
Skyline Division
Augsburg   0 0     0 0     0 0  
No. 12 Bethel (MN)   0 0     0 0     0 0  
Concordia–Moorhead   0 0     0 0     0 0  
Hamline   0 0     0 0     0 0  
Macalester   0 0     0 0     0 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3Football.com
2025 New England Small College Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Amherst   0 0     0 0  
Bates   0 0     0 0  
Bowdoin   0 0     0 0  
Colby   0 0     0 0  
Hamilton   0 0     0 0  
Middlebury   0 0     0 0  
Trinity (CT)   0 0     0 0  
Tufts   0 0     0 0  
Wesleyan   0 0     0 0  
Williams   0 0     0 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
2025 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Maritime   0 0     1 0  
Merchant Marine   0 0     1 0  
MIT   0 0     1 0  
Salve Regina   0 0     1 0  
Coast Guard   0 0     0 1  
Norwich   0 0     0 1  
Springfield   0 0     0 1  
WPI   0 0     0 1  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2025 New Jersey Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Castleton   0 0     0 0  
Christopher Newport   0 0     0 0  
Kean   0 0     0 0  
Montclair State   0 0     0 0  
Rowan   0 0     0 0  
No. 7 Salisbury   0 0     0 0  
TCNJ   0 0     0 0  
William Paterson   0 0     0 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3Football.com
2025 North Coast Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Denison   0 0     0 0  
No. 14 DePauw   0 0     0 0  
No. 25 John Carroll   0 0     0 0  
Kenyon   0 0     0 0  
Oberlin   0 0     0 0  
Ohio Wesleyan   0 0     0 0  
Wabash   0 0     0 0  
Wittenberg   0 0     0 0  
Wooster   0 0     0 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3Football.com
2025 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Benedictine (IL)   0 0     1 0  
Concordia (IL)   0 0     1 0  
Concordia (WI)   0 0     1 0  
Eureka   0 0     1 0  
Rockford   0 0     1 0  
Aurora   0 0     0 1  
Lakeland   0 0     0 1  
St. Norbert   0 0     0 1  
Wisconsin Lutheran   0 0     0 1  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2025 Northwest Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Lewis & Clark   0 0     1 0  
No. 24 Whitworth   0 0     1 0  
George Fox   0 0     0 1  
Linfield   0 0     0 1  
Pacific (OR)   0 0     0 1  
Pacific Lutheran   0 0     0 1  
Puget Sound   0 0     0 1  
Willamette   0 0     0 1  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3Football.com
2025 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Baldwin Wallace   0 0     0 0  
Capital   0 0     0 0  
Heidelberg   0 0     0 0  
Marietta   0 0     0 0  
No. 2 Mount Union   0 0     0 0  
Muskingum   0 0     0 0  
Ohio Northern   0 0     0 0  
Otterbein   0 0     0 0  
Wilmington   0 0     0 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3Football.com
2025 Old Dominion Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Averett   0 0     0 0  
Bridgewater   0 0     0 0  
Gallaudet   0 0     0 0  
Guilford   0 0     0 0  
Hampden–Sydney   0 0     0 0  
No. 21 Randolph–Macon   0 0     0 0  
Roanoke   0 0     0 0  
Shenandoah   0 0     0 0  
Washington and Lee   0 0     0 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2025 Presidents' Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 15 Grove City 0 0 0 1 0 0
Saint Vincent 0 0 0 1 0 0
Case Western Reserve 0 0 0 0 0 1
Allegheny 0 0 0 0 1 0
Bethany (WV) 0 0 0 0 1 0
Geneva 0 0 0 0 1 0
Hiram 0 0 0 0 1 0
Thiel 0 0 0 0 1 0
Washington & Jefferson 0 0 0 0 1 0
Waynesburg 0 0 0 0 1 0
Westminster (PA) 0 0 0 0 1 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3Football.com
2025 Southern Athletic Association football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 25 Berry   0 0     1 0  
Centre   0 0     1 0  
Maryville (TN)   0 0     1 0  
Southwestern (TX)   0 0     1 0  
Trinity (TX)   0 0     1 0  
Sewanee   0 0     1 0  
Millsaps   0 0     0 1  
Rhodes   0 0     0 1  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3Football.com
2025 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Sun Division
La Verne   0 0     0 0  
Pomona–Pitzer   0 0     0 0  
Redlands   0 0     0 0  
Surf Division
Cal Lutheran   0 0     0 0  
Chapman   0 0     0 0  
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps   0 0     0 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2025 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Austin   0 0     0 0  
Centenary   0 0     0 0  
Hendrix   0 0     0 0  
Lyon   0 0     0 0  
McMurry   0 0     0 0  
Texas Lutheran   0 0     0 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2025 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Crown   0 0     0 0  
Greenville   0 0     0 0  
Martin Luther   0 0     0 0  
Minnesota Morris   0 0     0 0  
Northwestern (MN)   0 0     0 0  
Westminster (MO)   0 0     0 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2025 USA South Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Belhaven   0 0     0 0  
Brevard   0 0     0 0  
Greensboro   0 0     0 0  
Huntingdon   0 0     0 0  
LaGrange   0 0     0 0  
Methodist   0 0     0 0  
North Carolina Wesleyan   0 0     0 0  
Southern Virginia   0 0     0 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2025 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Wisconsin–Eau Claire   0 0     1 0  
No. 16 Wisconsin–Oshkosh   0 0     1 0  
No. 11 Wisconsin–Platteville   0 0     1 0  
No. 13 Wisconsin–River Falls   0 0     1 0  
Wisconsin–Stevens Point   0 0     1 0  
Wisconsin–Stout   0 0     1 0  
No. 21 Wisconsin–Whitewater   0 0     1 0  
No. 9 Wisconsin–La Crosse   0 0     0 0  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3Football.com
2025 NCAA Division III independents football records
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Keystone       0 0  

Rankings

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Postseason

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Teams

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Bracket

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First round
November 22
Campus sites
Second round
November 29
Campus sites
Third round
December 6
Campus sites
Quarterfinals
December 13
Campus sites
Semifinals
December 20
Campus sites
Championship
2026 Stagg Bowl
January 10, 2026
Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium
Canton, Ohio
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
 
 

* - Host team

Coaching changes

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Preseason and in-season

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This is restricted to coaching changes that took place on or after May 1, 2025, and will include any changes announced after a team's last regularly scheduled games but before its playoff games.

School Outgoing coach Date Reason Replacement Previous position
Western Connecticut Joe Loth May 6, 2025 Hired as head coach by Southern Connecticut[20] Kevin Jones (interim)[21] Western Connecticut defensive coordinator (2018–2024)
Chapman Bob Owens May 9, 2025 Retired[22] Casey Shine (interim)[23] Chapman offensive coordinator (2012–2024)
Augsburg Derrin Lamker May 21, 2025 Hired as head coach by Osseo HS (MN)[24] KiJuan Ware[25] Shippensburg offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2024)
Lawrence Tony Aker June 9, 2025 Fired Adam Gonzaga[26] Lake Forest defensive coordinator and associate head coach (2024)

End of season

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This list includes coaching changes announced during the season that did not take effect until the end of the season.

School Outgoing coach Date Reason Replacement Previous position
Geneva Geno DeMarco June 30, 2025 Retired[27] (effective at season's end)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Alfred State College to Join Empire 8 as Football Affiliate Member in 2025" (Press release). Empire 8 Conference. October 10, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  2. ^ "Anna Maria College Accepts Invitation to Join MASCAC" (Press release). Anna Maria College Athletics. October 4, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  3. ^ "Carnegie Mellon Football to Join Centennial Conference For 2025 Season". Carnegie Mellon Tartans Athletics. September 9, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  4. ^ "VTSU Castleton Finds a New Home For Football In The NJAC". VTSU Castleton Spartans Athletics. October 30, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  5. ^ "Dean College Football to Join MASCAC in 2025" (Press release). Dean College. October 10, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  6. ^ "Conference Carolinas Unveils Addition of 16th Member in Ferrum College" (Press release). Conference Carolinas. April 5, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  7. ^ "Gallaudet football to join the ODAC as an Associate Member in 2025" (Press release). Gallaudet University. July 3, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  8. ^ "Hendrix College Announces Return to SCAC in 2025". Hendrix Warriors Athletics. June 11, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  9. ^ "Empire 8 and Liberty League Announce Football Non-Conference Scheduling Agreement". Hilbert Hawks Athletics. June 21, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  10. ^ "Hiram College to Return to Presidents' Athletic Conference". Hiram College. April 23, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  11. ^ "John Carroll University Joins North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC)". John Carroll University. January 18, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  12. ^ "Keystone heading into season of change". d3football.com. April 24, 2025. Retrieved May 29, 2025. The small school in northeast Pennsylvania has had to battle erroneous published reports that it was closing its doors in December, as well as a threat to its academic accreditation, and the loss of its spot in the Landmark Conference for football.
  13. ^ "CCC Welcomes Maine Maritime as Associate Member in Football". Conference of New England. January 9, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  14. ^ "Southern Athletic Association (SAA) invites Maryville College to join prestigious DIII conference". Maryville College. July 18, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  15. ^ "New England College Adds Football to Its Athletics Playbook". New England College Pilgrims. June 13, 2023.
  16. ^ "NEC Football to Join CCC for 2025". New England College Pilgrims. November 15, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  17. ^ "Roanoke College Raises $1.3M to Reinstate Football, Add Cheerleading and Marching Band". Roanoke Maroons. June 1, 2023.
  18. ^ "Western Connecticut State Joins Landmark as Football Affiliate". Landmark Conference. August 27, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  19. ^ "NESCAC to Begin Participating in NCAA Division III Football Championship" (Press release). New England Small College Athletic Conference. April 18, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  20. ^ "Joe Loth Named SCSU Football Head Coach" (Press release). Southern Connecticut Owls Athletics. May 6, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  21. ^ "Kevin Jones Elevated To WestConn Interim Head Football Coach" (Press release). Western Connecticut Wolves Athletics. May 9, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  22. ^ "Owens announces retirement after 19 years at Chapman" (Press release). Chapman Panthers Athletics. May 9, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  23. ^ "Shine promoted to Interim Head Coach" (Press release). Chapman Panthers Athletics. July 18, 2025. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
  24. ^ "Sources: Division III head coach previously at center of unprecedented situation to take new role". FootballScoop. May 21, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
  25. ^ "KiJuan Ware named new Augsburg football coach" (Press release). Augsburg Auggies Athletics. June 27, 2025. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
  26. ^ "Gonzaga chosen to lead Lawrence football program" (Press release). Lawrence Vikings Athletics. June 9, 2025. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
  27. ^ "DeMarco Stepping Down Following the 2025 Season" (Press release). Geneva Golden Tornadoes Athletics. June 30, 2025. Retrieved September 2, 2025.