NCAA Division II national football championship - Definition and Overview

The NCAA Division II National football championships began in 1973. Prior to 1973, four regional bowl games were played in order to provide postseason action for what was then called the NCAA College Division.

Most of the participants in early national championship games have moved into Division I, the main catalyst for their moves being the creation of Division I-AA in 1978. The following Division II title game participants later moved to Division I:

• Division I-A
  • Akron (runner-up 1976)
  • Central Michigan (champion 1974)
  • Louisiana Tech (champion 1973)
  • Troy (champion 1984, 1987 as Troy State)

• Division I-AA
  • Cal Poly (champion 1980)
  • Delaware (champion 1979; runner-up 1974, 1978)
  • Eastern Illinois (champion 1978; runner-up 1980)
  • Jacksonville State (champion 1992; runner-up 1977, 1989, 1991)
  • Lehigh (champion 1977)
  • Montana State (champion 1976)
  • North Dakota State (champion 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990; runner-up 1981, 1984)
  • Northern Colorado (champion 1996, 1997)
  • Portland State (runner-up 1987, 1988)
  • Texas State (champion 1981, 1982 as Southwest Texas State)
  • UC Davis (runner-up 1982)
  • Western Kentucky (runner-up 1973, 1975)
  • Youngstown State (runner-up 1979)