Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5324

2025 NCAA Division III Football Championship Bracket

Nov. 16, 2025 - The North Central College football team will open its 17th postseason appearance at home after a waiting out a first-round bye. The pairings and initial site selections for the 2025 NCAA Division III Football Championships were made public Sunday.

The tournament field has been consists of 40 teams, 24 of which receive byes out of first-round competition. The remaining 16 teams will compete in eight first-round games Saturday, Nov. 22. North Central will host the winner of the first-round game between Hanover University (8-2) and Grove City University (8-2) in the second round on Saturday, Nov. 29 at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium. 

Third-round games will be played Dec. 6, followed by the national quarterfinals Dec. 13 and the semifinals Dec. 20. The national championship game, the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, will be played Sunday, Jan. 4 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

North Central (10-0) closed out its fifth straight unbeaten regular season Saturday with a 24-7 win over Illinois Wesleyan University. The Cardinals have won the last five College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Championships and will be seeking to make their fifth straight appearance in the Stagg Bowl. 

COVERAGE NOTE: All games from the first round through the semifinal round of the Division III Football Championship will be broadcast live exclusively on ESPN+. A subscription is required to view the broadcast. Visit plus.espn.com to learn about subscription options.