The 2015 NCAA Division III football season, part of the college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States, began on September 5, 2015, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, on December 18, 2015, at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. Mount Union, which made its 11th consecutive appearance in the title game, defeated St. Thomas (Minnesota) 49–35 to claim its 19th national title.

Conference changes and new programs

One school added football at the Division III level and eight programs changed conference affiliations.[1]

School2014 conference2015 conference
BelhavenMid-South (NAIA)Independent
Christopher NewportUSA SouthNJAC
FinlandiaNo programIndependent
Frostburg StateEmpire 8NJAC
McMurryLone Star (D-II)Independent
Morrisville StateNJACEmpire 8
SalisburyEmpire 8NJAC
SUNY CortlandNJACEmpire 8
WesleyIndependentNJAC

A full list of Division III teams can be viewed on the D3football website.[2]

Conference standings

2015 American Southwest Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 7 Mary Hardin–Baylor +^ 4–1  11–2 
No. 12 Hardin–Simmons +^ 4–1  9–2 
East Texas Baptist + 4–1  7–3 
Louisiana College 1–4  3–7 
Sul Ross 1–4  3–7 
Howard Payne 1–4  1–9 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3football.com
2015 Centennial Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 13 Johns Hopkins $^ 9–0  11–1 
Moravian 7–2  8–3 
Muhlenberg 7–2  8–3 
Gettysburg 6–3  7–3 
Franklin & Marshall 5–4  6–4 
Susquehanna 4–5  5–5 
Dickinson 3–6  3–7 
Juniata 2–7  3–7 
Ursinus 2–7  3–7 
McDaniel 0–9  0–10 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3football.com
2015 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 9 Wheaton (IL) $^ 7–0  11–1 
North Central (IL) 6–1  7–3 
Illinois Wesleyan 4–3  7–3 
Carthage 4–3  5–5 
Augustana (IL) 3–4  4–6 
North Park 2–5  3–7 
Elmhurst 1–6  4–6 
Millikin 1–6  2–8 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3football.com
2015 Eastern Collegiate Football Conference standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
Husson + 6–1  7–3 
Norwich +^ 6–1  6–5 
Castleton 5–2  7–3 
Becker 5–2  7–3 
Maritime 3–4  5–5 
Mount Ida 2–5  2–8 
Anna Maria 1–6  1–9 
Gallaudet 0–7  0–9 
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2015 Empire 8 Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 15 Cortland +^ 6–2  9–3 
St. John Fisher + 6–2  7–4 
Alfred 5–3  8–3 
Buffalo State 5–3  7–4 
Morrisville State 4–4  6–4 
Brockport 3–5  5–5 
Utica 3–5  4–6 
Ithaca 2–6  4–6 
Hartwick 2–6  4–6 
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3football.com
2015 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
Franklin (IN) $^ 8–0  8–3 
Rose–Hulman 6–2  8–2 
Mount St. Joseph 6–2  7–3 
Bluffton 5–3  6–4 
Manchester 5–3  5–4 
Anderson (IN) 2–6  2–8 
Defiance 2–6  2–8 
Hanover 2–6  2–8 
Earlham 0–8  0–10 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2015 Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 23 Dubuque $^ 7–0  8–3 
No. 24 Wartburg 6–1  9–1 
Central (IA) 4–3  6–4 
Coe 3–4  4–6 
Loras 3–4  4–6 
Simpson (IA) 3–4  4–6 
Luther 2–5  4–6 
Buena Vista 0–7  1–9 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3football.com
2015 Liberty League football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
RPI + 6–1  9–2 
St. Lawrence +^ 6–1  8–3 
Hobart 5–2  7–3 
WPI 4–3  7–4 
Rochester (NY) 3–4  5–4 
Springfield 2–5  4–6 
Merchant Marine 2–5  3–6 
Union (NY) 0–7  0–10 
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2015 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
Framingham State $^ 8–0  9–2 
Fitchburg State 6–2  8–3 
Bridgewater State 6–2  7–4 
Western Connecticut 4–4  5–5 
Worcester State 4–4  4–6 
Massachusetts Maritime 3–5  4–6 
UMass Dartmouth 3–5  4–6 
Plymouth State 1–7  2–8 
Westfield State 1–7  2–8 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2015 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
Olivet + 5–1  9–1 
Albion +^ 5–1  9–2 
Adrian 4–2  7–3 
Trine 4–2  6–4 
Alma 2–4  5–5 
Kalamazoo 1–5  3–7 
Hope 0–6  2–8 
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2015 Middle Atlantic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 17 Albright $^ 8–1  10–2 
Stevenson 7–2  9–2 
Delaware Valley 7–2  9–2 
Widener 6–3  6–4 
Lebanon Valley 5–4  5–5 
Lycoming 4–5  4–6 
King's 3–6  3–7 
FDU Florham 2–7  3–7 
Wilkes 2–7  2–8 
Misericordia 1–8  1–9 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3football.com
2015 Midwest Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
North
St. Norbert xy$^ 5–0  10–1 
Carroll (WI) 4–1  6–4 
Ripon 3–2  7–3 
Macalester 2–3  4–6 
Beloit 1–4  3–7 
Lawrence 0–5  1–9 
South
Monmouth (IL) xy 5–0  8–2 
Cornell (IA) 3–2  5–5 
Illinois College 3–2  5–5 
Lake Forest 3–2  4–6 
Knox 1–4  3–7 
Grinnell 0–5  2–8 
Championship: St. Norbert 16, Monmouth 7
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2015 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 2 St. Thomas (MN) $^ 8–0  14–1 
No. 10 Saint John's (MN) ^ 7–1  10–2 
Concordia–Moorhead 5–3  7–3 
Gustavus Adolphus 5–3  7–3 
Augsburg 4–4  5–5 
Bethel (MN) 4–4  5–5 
Hamline 2–6  4–6 
St. Olaf 1–7  2–8 
Carleton 0–8  1–9 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3football.com
2015 New England Football Conference standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
Western New England $^ 7–0  10–1 
Salve Regina 5–2  8–2 
Endicott 5–2  5–5 
Coast Guard 4–3  5–5 
Curry 3–4  4–6 
Maine Maritime 2–5  3–6 
MIT 2–5  2–8 
Nichols 0–7  1–9 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2015 New England Small College Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
Amherst $ 8–0  8–0 
Trinity (CT) 7–1  7–1 
Tufts 6–2  6–2 
Middlebury 5–3  5–3 
Wesleyan 5–3  5–3 
Bates 2–6  2–6 
Bowdoin 2–6  2–6 
Hamilton 2–6  2–6 
Williams 2–6  2–6 
Colby 1–7  1–7 
  • $ – Conference champion
2015 New Jersey Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 6 Wesley $^ 8–1  11–2 
Salisbury ^ 7–1  7–3 
Kean 6–3  8–3 
Frostburg State 5–4  6–4 
Rowan 5–4  6–4 
TCNJ 4–4  4–5 
Montclair State 4–5  4–6 
Christopher Newport 4–5  4–6 
William Paterson 1–8  2–8 
Southern Virginia # 0–9  0–10 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
  • # – Provisional NCAA Division III member
2015 North Coast Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 8 Wabash $^ 9–0  12–1 
DePauw 7–2  8–2 
Wittenberg 7–2  8–2 
Denison 6–3  7–3 
Ohio Wesleyan 5–4  5–5 
Hiram 4–5  4–6 
Oberlin 3–6  3–7 
Kenyon 2–7  2–8 
Wooster 2–7  2–8 
Allegheny 0–9  0–10 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3football.com
2015 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
Lakeland $^ 6–0  8–3 
Benedictine (IL) 5–1  7–3 
Wisconsin Lutheran 4–2  5–5 
Concordia (WI) 3–3  3–7 
Aurora 2–4  3–7 
Rockford 1–5  3–7 
Concordia (IL) 0–6  2–8 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2015 Northwest Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 3 Linfield $^ 7–0  12–1 
No. 20 Whitworth ^ 6–1  9–2 
Puget Sound 5–2  6–3 
Pacific (OR) 4–3  6–4 
George Fox 2–5  4–6 
Pacific Lutheran 2–5  2–7 
Willamette 2–5  2–7 
Lewis & Clark 0–7  0–9 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3football.com
2015 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 1 Mount Union $^ 9–0  15–0 
No. 22 John Carroll 7–2  8–2 
No. 19 Ohio Northern ^ 7–2  9–3 
Baldwin Wallace 7–2  7–3 
Heidelberg 5–4  5–5 
Otterbein 4–5  4–6 
Capital 3–6  3–7 
Marietta 2–7  2–8 
Muskingum 1–8  1–9 
Wilmington (OH) 0–9  1–9 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3football.com
2015 Old Dominion Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 21 Washington and Lee $^ 7–0  10–1 
Guilford 6–1  9–1 
Emory & Henry 4–3  6–4 
Hampden–Sydney 4–3  6–4 
Randolph–Macon 3–4  4–6 
Bridgewater 2–5  4–6 
Shenandoah 1–6  4–6 
Catholic University 1–6  3–7 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3football.com
2015 Presidents' Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 11 Thomas More $^ 8–0  11–1 
Westminster (PA) 7–1  9–2 
Washington & Jefferson 6–2  8–2 
Carnegie Mellon 6–2  8–3 
Case Western Reserve 6–2  7–3 
Bethany (WV) 4–4  5–5 
Saint Vincent 3–5  4–6 
Waynesburg 2–6  3–7 
Geneva 1–7  2–8 
Thiel 1–7  2–8 
Grove City 0–8  0–10 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3football.com
2015 Southern Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
Hendrix $^ 7–1  8–3 
Centre 6–2  8–2 
Berry 6–2  7–3 
Chicago 5–3  6–4 
Washington University 5–3  6–4 
Birmingham–Southern 3–5  5–5 
Rhodes 2–6  4–6 
Millsaps 2–6  3–7 
Sewanee 0–8  1–9 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2015 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
La Verne $^ 7–0  8–2 
Claremont–Mudd–Scripps 6–1  7–2 
Occidental 4–3  5–4 
Chapman 4–3  4–5 
Redlands 4–3  4–5 
Cal Lutheran 2–5  4–5 
Pomona–Pitzer 1–6  2–7 
Whittier 0–7  0–9 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3football.com
2015 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 18 Texas Lutheran $ 3–0  8–2 
Trinity (TX) 2–1  8–2 
Austin 1–2  5–5 
Southwestern (TX) 0–3  2–8 
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from D3football.com
2015 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
St. Scholastica $^ 9–0  9–2 
Northwestern (MN) 8–1  8–3 
Westminster (MO) 6–3  6–4 
MacMurray 5–4  6–4 
Eureka 4–5  5–5 
Crown 4–5  4–6 
Minnesota–Morris 4–5  4–6 
Greenville 3–6  3–7 
Martin Luther 1–8  2–8 
Iowa Wesleyan # 1–8  1–9 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
  • # – Provisional NCAA Division III member
2015 USA South Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 25 Huntingdon $^ 7–0  10–2 
Maryville (TN) 5–2  8–2 
North Carolina Wesleyan 5–2  5–5 
Averett 2–4  2–7 
LaGrange 2–4  2–7 
Methodist 2–5  4–6 
Greensboro 2–5  3–7 
Ferrum 2–5  2–8 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3football.com
2015 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 5 Wisconsin–Oshkosh $^ 7–0  11–2 
No. 4 Wisconsin–Whitewater ^ 6–1  12–2 
No. 14 Wisconsin–Platteville 5–2  8–2 
Wisconsin–Stevens Point 3–4  5–5 
Wisconsin–River Falls 3–4  4–6 
Wisconsin–La Crosse 2–5  3–7 
Wisconsin–Stout 2–5  3–7 
Wisconsin–Eau Claire 0–7  0–10 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3football.com
2015 NCAA Division III independents football records
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
McMurry # –  4–6 
Finlandia –  3–7 
Belhaven # –  2–8 
Maranatha Baptist –  1–8 
Alfred State # –  1–9 
  • # – Provisional Division III member

Conference summaries

  • Conferences highlighted in yellow do not receive automatic bids to the 2015 playoffs.
Conference Champion Record Offensive Player of the Year Defensive Player of the Year Coach of the Year
ASC East Texas Baptist
Hardin–Simmons
Mary Hardin–Baylor		 7–3
9–2
10–1		 Jessie Ramos, HSU Teidrick Smith, UMHB Joshua Eargle, ETBU
Centennial Johns Hopkins 11–0 Bradley Munday, Johns Hopkins Keith Corliss, Johns Hopkins Jeff Pukszyn, Moravian
CCIW Wheaton (IL) 11–0 Sam Frasco, Augustana Adam Dansdill, Wheaton Mike Swider, Wheaton
ECFC Norwich 6–5 John Smith, Husson Bryant Wade, Husson Mike Lichten, Becker
Empire 8 SUNY Cortland 9–2 Dan Andrews, SUNY Brockport Tarik Bennett, SUNY Brockport Daniel MacNiell, SUNY Cortland
HCAC Franklin 8–3 Chase Burton, Franklin Ryan Aelker, Bluffton Nick Johnson, Earlham
IIAC Dubuque 8–3 Logan Schrader, Wartburg Blaine Snitker, Dubuque Stan Zweifel, Dubuque
Liberty St. Lawrence 8–3 Jeff Avery, RPI
Mike Lefflbine, St. Lawrence		 Max Nacewicz, Springfield Mark Raymond, St. Lawrence
MSCAC Framingham State 9–2 Matt Silva, Framingham State Matt Mangano, Framingham State Tom Kelley, Framingham State
MIAA Albion 9–2 Dominic Bona, Albion Terry Calagon, Alma
MAC Albright 10–1 Malik Pressley, FDU-Florham Brandon Jones, Widener John Marzka, Albright
Midwest St. Norbert 10–1 Jacob Bunk, St. Norbert Zach Hauser, Macalester Dan McCarty, St. Norbert
Chad Braun, Monmouth
MIAC St. Thomas (MN) 11–0 Ayrton Scott, Augsburg Ryan Winter, St. Thomas Glenn Caruso, St. Thomas
Peter Haugen, Gustavus Adolphus
NEFC Western New England 10–1 Tyler Ward, Western New England Obi Etuka, Western New England Keith Emery, Western New England
NESCAC Amherst 8–0 Chance Brady, Tufts Jimmy Fairfield-Sonn, Amherst E.J. Mills, Amherst
NJAC Salisbury 7–3 Joe Callahan, Wesley Darren Dungee, Rowan Sherman Wood, Salisbury
NCAC Wabash 11–0 Mason Zurek, Wabash Tyler McCullen, Wabash Eric Raeburn, Wabash
NACC Lakeland 8–3 Michael Whitley, Lakeland Landon Deringer, Lakeland
Tanner Behnke, Wisc. Lutheran		 Colin Bruton, Lakeland
Northwest Linfield 10–0 Sam Riddle, Linfield Alex Hoff, Linfield Joseph Smith, Linfield
OAC Mount Union 11–0 Justin Magazine, Ohio Northern
Anthony Latina, John Carroll
Devon Price, Ohio Northern		 Tom Lally, Mount Union
Tre Jones, Mount Union
Hank Spencer, Mount Union		 Dean Paul, Ohio Northern
ODAC Washington and Lee 10–1 Matt Pawlowski, Guilford Jake Payne, Shenandoah Scott Abell, Washington and Lee
PAC Thomas More 11–0 Sam Benger, Carnegie Mellon Erick Butler, Thomas More Regis Scafe, Thomas More
SAA Hendrix 8–3 Dayton Winn, Hendrix Michael Shield, Rhodes Buck Buchanan, Hendrix
SCIAC La Verne 8–2 Kwame Do, Occidental Paul Slaats, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Chris Krich, La Verne
SCAC Texas Lutheran 8–2 Trenton White, Texas Lutheran Julian Turner, Trinity Danny Padron, Texas Lutheran
UMAC St. Scholastica 9–2 Latif Adams, Westminster (MO) Alex Mangan, St. Scholastica Chris Douglas, MacMurray
USA South Huntingdon 10–1 Malik Adams, NC Wesleyan Anthony White, Huntingdon Mike Turk, Huntingdon
WIAC UW–Oshkosh 10–1 Brett Kasper, UW-Oshkosh Andrew Robinson, UW-Platteville Pat Cerroni, UW-Oshkosh

Postseason

Twenty-five conferences met the requirements for an automatic ("Pool A") bid to the playoffs. Besides the NESCAC, which does not participate in the playoffs, two conferences had no Pool A bid. The American Southwest, which had fallen below the required seven members in 2013, lost its Pool A bid after the two-year grace period; the SCAC had only four members. The MASCAC and SAA gained Pool A bids for the first time, having passed through the two-year waiting period.

Schools not in Pool A conferences were eligible for Pool B. The number of Pool B bids was determined by calculating the ratio of Pool A conferences to schools in those conferences and applying that ratio to the number of Pool B schools. The 25 Pool A conferences contained 220 schools, an average of 8.8 teams per conference. Twelve schools were in Pool B, enough for one bid.

The remaining six playoff spots were at-large ("Pool C") teams.

Playoff bracket

First round
November 21, 2015 		Second round
November 28, 2015 		Quarterfinals
December 5, 2015 		Semifinals
December 12, 2015 		Championship
December 18, 2015
Salem Football Stadium
Salem, Virginia
St. Thomas (MN)* 57
La Verne 14 St. Thomas (MN)* 38
St. John's (MN)* 51 St. John's (MN) 19
Dubuque 7 St. Thomas (MN)* 38
Thomas More* 51 Wabash 7
Washington and Lee 21 Thomas More 27
Wabash* 35 Wabash* † 33
Albion 14 St. Thomas (MN)* 38
Linfield* 48 Linfield 17
Whitworth 10 Linfield* 38
SUNY Cortland* 45 SUNY Cortland 22
Salisbury 21 Linfield* 38
Huntingdon* 38 Mary Hardin–Baylor 35
Hendrix 27 Huntingdon 23
Hardin–Simmons* 19 Mary Hardin–Baylor* 43
Mary Hardin–Baylor 37 St. Thomas (MN) 35
Mount Union* 55 Mount Union 49
St. Lawrence 23 Mount Union* 66
Albright* 49 Albright 7
Norwich 0 Mount Union* 56
Wesley* 42 Wesley 35
Framingham State 22 Wesley 42
Johns Hopkins* 52 Johns Hopkins* 37
Western New England 20 Mount Union* 36
Wisconsin–Oshkosh* 48 Wisconsin–Whitewater 6
St. Scholastica 0 Wisconsin–Oshkosh* 42
Franklin* 22 Ohio Northern 7
Ohio Northern 27 Wisconsin–Oshkosh* 29
Wisconsin–Whitewater* 48 Wisconsin–Whitewater 31
St. Norbert 0 Wisconsin-Whitewater 31
Wheaton (IL)* 55 Wheaton (IL)* 17
Lakeland 6

* Home team    † Overtime    Winner

Bowl games

Date Bowl Location Home team Away team Score
Nov. 20, 2015 ECAC Chapman Bowl Arute Field
New Britain, Connecticut		 Husson Salve Regina 42–39
Nov. 20, 2015 ECAC President's Bowl Arute Field
New Britain, Connecticut		 WPI Kean 24–6
Nov. 21, 2015 Centennial–MAC Bowl Series Scotty Wood Stadium
Allentown, Pennsylvania		 Muhlenberg Stevenson 14–9
Nov. 21, 2015 Centennial-MAC Bowl Series James Work Memorial Stadium
Doylestown, Pennsylvania		 Delaware Valley Moravian 20–16
Nov. 21, 2015 ECAC Lynah Bowl Arute Field
New Britain, Connecticut		 St. John Fisher Westminster (PA) 42–21
Nov. 21, 2015 ECAC Bushnell Bowl Arute Field
New Britain, Connecticut		 Buffalo State RPI 20–13
Nov. 22, 2015 ECAC Legacy Bowl Arute Field
New Britain, Connecticut		 Bridgewater State Carnegie Mellon 48–13
Nov. 22, 2015 ECAC Whitelaw Bowl Arute Field
New Britain, Connecticut		 Alfred Fitchburg State 11–10

See also

References

  1. ↑ "NJAC goes big for 2015", D3football.com. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Division III Team Pages", D3football.com. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_NCAA_Division_III_football_season