List of NCAA Division II football programs

This is a list of the schools in Division II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States that have football as a varsity sport. In the 2025 season,[1] there are a total of 161 Division II football programs - one fewer than 2024. Changes from last season were:
- The University of New Haven began its transition to NCAA Division I, joining the Northeast Conference for all sports.[2]
- Limestone University announced it would close its doors after the 2024-25 academic year.[3]
- Mississippi College announced that they would be dropping their program following the 2024 season.[4]
- The University of Jamestown began its transition to Division II from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), joining the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.[5]
- Ferrum College began its transition to Division II from Division III, joining the Conference Carolinas as it began sponsoring football again after a 50 year absence.[6]
NCAA Division II football programs
- Reclassifying institutions in yellow.
- Departing institutions in red.
- ^ Adams State was previously a Division II member during the 1983 season.
- ^ Institutional name changed from California University of Pennsylvania in July 2022. The athletic program continues to be known as California, typically referred to by media as "California (PA)" to distinguish from the D-I program of the University of California, Berkeley, known simply as "California".
- ^ Central Oklahoma, known then as Central State, was previously a Division II member between 1976 and 1978.
- ^ Central State was previously a Division II member between 1973 and 1986.
- ^ Central Washington was previously a Division II member between 1973 and 1975 and then again between 1982 and 1983.
- ^ Central Washington - LSC affiliate member / Primary: Great Northwest Athletic Conference.[7]
- ^ Institutional name changed from Clarion University of Pennsylvania in July 2022. The athletic program continues to be known as Clarion.
- ^ Colorado Mesa, known then as Mesa State, was previously a Division II member between 1982 and 1983.
- ^ CSU Pueblo, known then as Southern Colorado, was previously a Division II member between 1974 and 1984.
- ^ Institutional name changed from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in July 2022. The athletic program continues to be known as Edinboro.
- ^ Fairmont State was previously a Division II member between 1978 and 1979.
- ^ a b Transitioning from Division III.
- ^ Fort Lewis was previously a Division II member between 1973 and 1984.
- ^ Hillsdale was previously a Division II member between 1976 and 1978.
- ^ Jamestown was previously a Division II member from 1982 to 1983.
- ^ a b c Transitioning from the NAIA.
- ^ Minnesota State, then known as Mankato State, was previously a Division II member between 1973 and 1976.
- ^ Moorhead State was previously a Division II member between 1973 and 1982.
- ^ New Mexico Highlands was previously a Division II member between 1982 and 1984.
- ^ Northeastern State - Independent / Primary: MIAA.[9]
- ^ Northern State was previously a Division II member between 1980 and 1981.
- ^ Northwood was previously a Division II member between 1981 and 1987.
- ^ Post - NE-10 affiliate member / Primary: Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference.
- ^ Quincy was previously a Division II member between 1993 and 1994 and then again between 1996 and 2003.
- ^ Savannah State was previously a Division II member between 1981 and 2000.
- ^ Southwest Minnesota, known then as Southwest State, was previously a Division II member between 1978 and 1983.
- ^ West Texas A&M, then known as West Texas State, was previously a Division II member between 1986 and 1990.
- ^ West Virginia Wesleyan was previously a Division II member between 1973 and 1980.
- ^ Western Colorado, then known as Western State, was previously a Division II member between 1973 and 1978 and then again between 1982 and 1985.
- ^ Western New Mexico was previously a Division II member in 1983.
- ^ Western Oregon - LSC affiliate member / Primary: Great Northwest Athletic Conference.[7]
- ^ Winston-Salem State was previously a Division II member between 1973 and 2005.
Future Division II football programs
| School | Nickname | City | State | Future conference |
Stadium | Cap. | Note | Begins play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawnee State University | Bears | Portsmouth | Ohio | MEC | Spartan Municipal Stadium | 8,500 | [F2 1] | 2028 |
| Lackawanna College | Falcons | Scranton | Pennsylvania | PSAC | Scranton Memorial Stadium | [F2 2] | TBA |
Former Division II football programs
School names and nicknames reflect those last in use while each institution played D-II football. Name changes that do not reflect a complete change of identity (e.g., "College" to "University") are not included.
- ^ 16 states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin, Wyoming) and Washington, D.C., do not currently have Division II football programs.
- ^ According to conferences in football, not necessarily a team's primary conference.
- ^ Also known as AIC.
- ^ Also known as Anderson (SC).
- ^ Also known as Charleston (WV).
- ^ Also known as Concordia–St. Paul.
- ^ Also known as UMary.
- ^ Also known as UNK.
- ^ Unofficial nickname.
- ^ It may also be known as Truman State.
- ^ Also known as Texas–Permian Basin.
- ^ Nickname changed to Red Wolves in 2008.
- ^ California State University, East Bay since 2005.
- ^ Now athletically branded and academically marketed as UCF, although the legal name has not changed.
- ^ Nickname changed to Knights in 2007.
- ^ Now athletically branded and academically marketed as UConn, although the legal name has not changed.
- ^ UConn's campus is in Storrs, and the Huskies played football on campus until their current home venue, Pratt & Whitney Stadium, opened in East Hartford in 2003.
- ^ Utah Tech University since July 1, 2022. The nickname of Trailblazers did not change.
- ^ Nickname changed to Eagles in 1991.
- ^ Nickname changed to Phoenix in 2000.
- ^ Usually referred to in print as "Georgetown (KY)" to distinguish from the Division I FCS Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
- ^ California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt (Cal Poly Humboldt) since 2022.
- ^ Nickname changed to Mountain Hawks in 1996.
- ^ As the LIU Sharks. Long Island University merged the Post athletic program with the Division I non-football program of its other main campus, LIU Brooklyn, in 2019 to create the current LIU Sharks.
- ^ Mansfield currently plays sprint football, a variant played under standard college rules but with a strictly enforced player weight limit of 178 pounds (81 kg).
- ^ McNeese dropped the word "State" from its athletic branding in 2015. The university name has not changed.
- ^ Middle Tennessee no longer uses "State" in its athletic branding. The university name has not changed.
- ^ Now athletically branded as "Omaha", though the university's legal name has not changed.
- ^ The UNLV campus is not within the City of Las Vegas, but is instead in the unincorporated community of Paradise.
- ^ Nicholls dropped the word "State" from its athletic branding in 2017. The university name has not changed.
- ^ Nickname changed to Fighting Hawks during the 2015 football season.
- ^ University of Louisiana at Monroe since 1999. Its preferred athletic brand is "ULM", but national media continue to use "Louisiana-Monroe".
- ^ Nickname changed to Warhawks in 2006.
- ^ Sam Houston dropped the word "State" from its athletic branding in 2020. The university name has not changed.
- ^ The university uses "Southeast Missouri" and "SEMO" interchangeably in its athletic branding. National media continue to use "Southeast Missouri State".
- ^ Missouri State University since 2005.
- ^ Texas State University since 2013.
- ^ Now athletically branded as "Chattanooga", though the legal name has not changed.
- ^ Nickname changed to Skyhawks in 1995.
- ^ East Texas A&M University since 2024.
- ^ Towson University since 1997.
- ^ Troy University since 2004.
- ^ Nickname changed to Beacons in 2021.
- ^ WVU Tech relocated its campus to Beckley in 2016.
- ^ The athletic program is now branded as "Milwaukee", though the university's legal name has not changed.
See also
- NCAA Division II Football Championship
- List of NCAA Division II Football Championship appearances by team
- List of NCAA Division II institutions
- List of NCAA Division II baseball programs
- List of NCAA Division II lacrosse programs
- List of NCAA Division II men's soccer programs
- List of NCAA Division II wrestling programs
- List of NCAA Division II men's basketball programs
- List of NCAA Division I FBS football programs
- List of NCAA Division I FCS football programs
- List of NCAA Division III football programs
- List of NAIA football programs
- List of community college football programs
- List of colleges and universities with club football teams
- List of defunct college football teams
- Collegiate Sprint Football League
Notes
References
- ^ "Division II Football Institutions". NCAA Directory.
- ^ "Charging Ahead: University of New Haven accepts Northeast Conference membership invite". newhavenchagers.com. New Haven Chargers. May 6, 2025. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
- ^ "Limestone University Board Votes To Close The School, Discontinuing Both On-Campus & Online Degree Programs". Limestone University. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
- ^ "Important Message from Mississippi College". mc.edu. Mississippi College. November 18, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
- ^ "NSIC extends invitation to the University of Jamestown" (Press release). Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. November 21, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
- ^ "Conference Carolinas Unveils Addition of 16th Member in Ferrum College" (Press release). Conference Carolinas. April 5, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
- ^ a b "Central Washington, GNAC football members to join Lone Star Conference". Yakima Herald-Republic. November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
- ^ University of Mary Athletics Department. "MDU Resources Community Bowl". goumary.com.
- ^ "MIAA makes changes to Football lineup" (Press release). Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. November 20, 2023. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
- ^ "Wheeling Jesuit University to Launch Football Program". Wheeling (Jesuit) University. June 20, 2017. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
- ^ "Important Message from Mississippi College". mc.edu (Press release). Mississippi College. November 18, 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
