North Central (IL) vs. UW-River Falls: 2025 Stagg Bowl highlights
UW-River Falls won its first ever national title in a 24-14 victory against North Central (Illinois) in the Stagg Bowl. In their first playoff appearance since 1996, the Falcons defeated the defending champions, North Central (Illinois), to clinch the 2025 DIII football championship.
2025 DIII football championship bracket
👉 Click or tap here for the interactive bracket
2025 DIII football championship schedule, scores
All times listed in ET.
- Selection show: 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 16 on krikya188.com
- First round: Saturday, Nov. 22
- 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
- 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
- Semifinals: Saturday, Dec. 20
- National championship: 8 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 4 | ESPN
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. |
