The 2025 NCAA Division III football season comes to an end Sunday with preeminent power North Central facing championship newcomer Wisconsin-River Falls for the national championship.
It's the sixth consecutive Stagg Bowl appearance for the Cardinals (14-0), who have won two of the last three D3 titles and spent the entire season ranked atop the polls.
The Falcons (13-1) are the upstarts, playing for a national title for the first time in their first D3 playoffs appearance since 1996. UWRF has plenty of weapons, though. Quarterback Kaleb Blaha threw for 520 yards in a wild semifinal win over Johns Hopkins and leads the nation with a D3-record 5,770 yards of total offense.
Can Blaha and Co. Outgun North Central's nearly unstoppable offense? The Cardinals average 49.4 points and 491 yards per game, led by QB Garret Wilson (42 TDs, 4 interceptions) and running back Donovan McNeal (1,462 rushing yards, 11 TDs).
Here's how to watch all the action as a national champion is crowned in Division III.
Where to watch D3 football championship: TV channel, live stream
The Stagg Bowl will air live on ESPN with Jay Alter (play-by-play), Rocky Boiman (analyst) and Madison Fitzpatrick (reporter) on the call. Fans can stream the game live on the ESPN app or via Fubo.
Now you can watch ESPN without cable. Stream live NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL and college sports, plus "SportsCenter," "First Take" and all your favorite ESPN shows — anytime, anywhere — only in the new ESPN app.
What time is the Stagg Bowl today?
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 4
- Time: 8 p.m. ET | 7 p.m. CT
North Central vs. Wisconsin-River Falls is set to kick off at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 4.
Where is the Stagg Bowl played?
- City: Canton, Ohio
- Location: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium
This year's Division III championship game will be played in Canton, Ohio at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. The venerable facility is home to the NFL's annual preseason-opening Hall of Fame Game.
Canton last hosted the Stagg Bowl in 2021 and will be home to the game again in the 2027 season.
NCAA D3 football playoffs 2025 schedule, scores
Sunday, Jan. 4 - Stagg Bowl
Played at Canton, Ohio
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| North Central vs. UW-River Falls | 8 p.m. | ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app |
Saturday, Dec. 20 - Semifinals
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| UW-River Falls 48, Johns Hopkins 41 | — | — |
| North Central 41, John Carroll 21 | — | — |
Saturday, Dec. 13 - Quarterfinals
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| Johns Hopkins 40, Susquehanna 10 | — | — |
| John Carroll 21, Berry 13 | — | — |
| North Central 35, Bethel 21 | — | — |
| UW-River Falls 46, Wheaton 21 | — | — |
Saturday, Dec. 6 - Third round
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| John Carroll 10, Mount Union 7 (2 OT) | — | — |
| Berry 31, Trinity (TX) 23 | — | — |
| Johns Hopkins 45, Salisbury 13 | — | — |
| Susquehanna 29, Eastern 0 | — | — |
| Wheaton 49, DePauw 24 | — | — |
| North Central 35, Wisconsin-La Crosse 27 | — | — |
| Bethel 35, Wisconsin-Platteville 24 | — | — |
| UW-River Falls 42, Saint John's (MN) 14 | — | — |
Saturday, Nov. 29 - Second round
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Union 49, Muhlenberg 7 | — | — |
| John Carroll 35, Randolph-Macon 6 | — | — |
| Berry 18, LaGrange 14 | — | — |
| Wisconsin-La Crosse 9, Hope 7 | — | — |
| Eastern 28, Franklin & Marshall 24 | — | — |
| Salisbury 35, Endicott 28 | — | — |
| Johns Hopkins 34, Springfield 14 | — | — |
| Susquehanna 42, Christopher Newport 28 | — | — |
| Trinity (TX) 34, Hardin-Simmons 24 | — | — |
| North Central (IL) 38, Hanover 6 | — | — |
| Wisconsin-Platteville 24, Alma 7 | — | — |
| Bethel (MN) 51, Coe 26 | — | — |
| Wheaton (IL) 28, Wartburg 24 | — | — |
| DePauw 26, Wisconsin-Whitewater 23 | — | — |
| Saint John's (MN) 49, Monmouth (IL) 15 | — | — |
| UW-River Falls 58, Chapman 7 | — | — |
Saturday, Nov. 22 - First round
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| Muhlenberg 34, Union (NY) 26 | — | — |
| LaGrange 24, Framingham State 21 | — | — |
| Susquehanna 38, Washington & Jefferson 32 | — | — |
| Springfield 21, Cortland 7 | — | — |
| Hanover 23, Grove City 15 | — | — |
| Coe 44, Concordia Wisconsin 7 | — | — |
| Wheaton (IL) 76, Crown (MN) 14 | — | — |
| Chapman 18, Whitworth 16 | — | — |
NCAA D3 football champions list
The last 10 Division III football champions are listed below.
| Year | Winner | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | North Central (Ill.) | Mount Union |
| 2023 | Cortland | North Central (Ill.) |
| 2022 | North Central (Ill.) | Mount Union |
| 2021 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | North Central (Ill.) |
| 2019 | North Central (Ill.) | Wisconsin-Whitewater |
| 2018 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Mount Union |
| 2017 | Mount Union | Mary Hardin-Baylor |
| 2016 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Wisconsin-Oshkosh |
| 2015 | Mount Union | St. Thomas (Minn.) |
| 2014 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | Mount Union |
Related Links
- Latest college football news
- College football schedule, scores
- This week's Top 25 polls
- How to bet on college football