The Cortland Red Dragons are DIII football champions for the first time in program history. The back-and-forth scoring contest ended in one victory, as Cortlandt defeated North Central (IL) 38-37 to win the title.
In Friday’s game, the two teams were tied at 31 points with 7:16 left on the clock in the fourth quarter. Cortland’s Cole Burgess’ second TD of the night came on a 21-yard pass from junior QB Zac Boyes with 1:41 remaining. North Central (IL) QB Luke Lehnen’s 60-yard TD pass to DeAngelo Hardy gave the Cardinals a chance to win their fourth straight Stagg Bowl, but the botched two-point conversion was incomplete to seal the game.
Boyes accounted for 472 of Cortlandt’s 503 offensive yards, 349 through the air and 154 on the ground.
Cortland finished its national championship-winning senior season 14-1 overall.
Here is the schedule for the 2023 NCAA Division III Football Championship Game:
2023 NCAA Division III Football Championship Schedule, Results
Opening round: Saturday, November 18
- mount union 56, Alfred State 14
- Alma 32,Debao 17
- courtland 28, Endicott 17
- Grove City 21Susquehanna 20
- johns hopkins 62, Western Connecticut 20
- Union (New York) 24, Delaware Valley 16
- ithaca 21, Springfield 7
- randolph macon 28, Christopher Newport 20
- wisconsin-la crosse 62, Minnesota-Morris 7
- aurora 20, Co 7
- Trinity (Texas) 20, Hardin Simmons 6
- North Central (IL) 65, Belhaven 0
- wartburg 49, Illinois College 14
- Wheaton (Illinois) 41, Mount Saint Joseph 34
- wisconsin-whitewater 42, Bethel (Minnesota) 14
- Whitworth 42Chapman 28
Second round: Saturday, November 25
Quarter-finals: Saturday, December 2
Semi-final: Saturday, December 9
Championship: Friday. December 15
2023 NCAA Division III Football Championship Bracket
Click or tap here to take a closer look at the bow
History of the DIII Championship
| year | hero | trainer | a result | runner up | location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | North Central (IL) | Brad Spencer | 28-21 | Mount Union | Annapolis, Maryland |
| 2021 | Mary Hardin Baylor | Fredenberg House | 57-24 | North Central | Canton, Ohio |
| 2020 | Canceled due to Covid-19 | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | North Central (IL) | Jeff Thorne | 41-14 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Shenandoah, Texas |
| 2018 | Mary Hardin Baylor | Fredenberg House | 24-16 | Mount Union | Shenandoah, Texas |
| 2017 | Mount Union | Vince Kehres | 12-0 | Mary Hardin Baylor | Salem, V. |
| 2016 | Mary Hardin Baylor | Fredenberg House | 10-7 | Wisconsin-Oshkosh | Salem, V. |
| 2015 | Mount Union | Vince Kehres | 49-35 | street. Thomas (Minnesota) | Salem, V. |
| 2014 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Lance Leipold | 43-34 | Mount Union | Salem, V. |
| 2013 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Lance Leipold | 52-14 | Mount Union | Salem, V. |
| 2012 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 28-10 | street. Thomas (Minnesota) | Salem, V. |
| 2011 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Lance Leipold | 13-10 | Mount Union | Salem, V. |
| 2010 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Lance Leipold | 31-21 | Mount Union | Salem, V. |
| 2009 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Lance Leipold | 38-28 | Mount Union | Salem, V. |
| 2008 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 31-26 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Salem, V. |
| 2007 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Lance Leipold | 31-21 | Mount Union | Salem, V. |
| 2006 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 35-16 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Salem, V. |
| 2005 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 35-28 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Salem, V. |
| 2004 | Linfield | Jay Lucy | 28-21 | Mary Hardin Baylor | Salem, V. |
| 2003 | street. John (Minnesota) | John Gagliardi | 24-6 | Mount Union | Salem, V. |
| 2002 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 48-7 | Trinity (Texas) | Salem, V. |
| 2001 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 30-27 | Bridgewater (Virginia) | Salem, V. |
| 2000 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 10-7 | street. John (Minnesota) | Salem, V. |
| 1999 | Lutheran Pacific | Western frosty | 42-13 | Rawan | Salem, V. |
| 1998 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 44-24 | Rawan | Salem, V. |
| 1997 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 61-12 | Lycoming | Salem, V. |
| 1996 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 56-24 | Rawan | Salem, V. |
| 1995 | Wisconsin-La Crosse | Roger Haring | 36-7 | Rawan | Salem, V. |
| 1994 | Albion | Pete Schmidt | 38-15 | Washington and Jefferson | Salem, V. |
| 1993 | Mount Union | Larry Kehres | 34-24 | Rawan | Salem, V. |
| 1992 | Wisconsin-La Crosse | Roger Haring | 16-12 | Washington and Jefferson | Bradenton, Florida |
| 1991 | Ithaca | Jim Butterfield | 34-20 | Dayton | Bradenton, Florida |
| 1990 | Allegheny | Ken O’Keefe | 21-14 | Lycoming | Bradenton, Florida |
| 1989 | Dayton | Mike Kelly | 17-7 | Union (New York) | Phoenix City, Ala. |
| 1988 | Ithaca | Jim Butterfield | 39-24 | Central (Iowa) | Phoenix City, Ala. |
| 1987 | Wagner | Walk Hamelin | 19-3 | Dayton | Phoenix City, Ala. |
| 1986 | Augustana (E.L.) | Bob Reed | 31-3 | Salisbury | Phoenix City, Ala. |
| 1985 | Augustana (E.L.) | Bob Reed | 20-7 | Ithaca | Phoenix City, Ala. |
| 1984 | Augustana (E.L.) | Bob Reed | 21-12 | Central (Iowa) | Kings Island, Ohio |
| 1983 | Augustana (E.L.) | Bob Reed | 21-17 | Union (New York) | Kings Island, Ohio |
| 1982 | West Georgia | Bobby Pat | 14-0 | Augustana (New York) | Phoenix City, Ala. |
| 1981 | Expanded | Bill Manlove | 10-24 | Dayton | Phoenix City, Ala. |
| 1980 | Dayton | Rick Carter | 63-0 | Ithaca | Phoenix City, Ala. |
| 1979 | Ithaca | Jim Buttersfield | 14-10 | Wittenberg | Phoenix City, Ala. |
| 1978 | Baldwin Wallace | Lee Tressel | 10-24 | Wittenberg | Phoenix City, Ala. |
| 1977 | Expanded | Bill Manlove | 39-36 | Wabash | Phoenix City, Ala. |
| 1976 | Saint John (Minnesota) | John Gagliardi | 31-28 | Tucson | Phoenix City, Ala. |
| 1975 | Wittenberg | Dave Maurer | 28-0 | Ithaca | Phoenix City, Ala. |
| 1974 | Central (Iowa) | Ron Schipper | 10-8 | Ithaca | Phoenix City, Ala. |
| 1973 | Wittenberg | Dave Maurer | 41-0 | Juniata | Phoenix City, Ala. |
The 2023 Stagg Bowl was a thrilling matchup that culminated in a historic victory for the Cortland football team. After a hard-fought season, the team emerged victorious in the Division III football championship, securing their place in the annals of college football history. With exceptional talent and unwavering determination, Cortland’s triumph in the Stagg Bowl was a testament to their dedication and skill. The team’s impressive performance on the field captured the hearts of fans and solidified their status as champions of DIII football.