2022 Stagg Bowl

2022 NCAA Division III Football Championship
Stagg Bowl XLIX
Mount Union Purple Raiders North Central Cardinals (14–0) (14–0) OAC CCIW 21 28 Head coach:  Geoff Dartt Head coach:  Brad Spencer Seed 2 Seed 1
1 2 3 4 Total Mount Union 0 0 0 21 21 North Central 7 7 0 14 28
Date	December 16, 2022
Season	2022
Stadium	Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Location	Annapolis, Maryland
Attendance	3,231
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPNU

The 2022 NCAA Division III Football Championship Game, more commonly referred to as the 2022 Stagg Bowl or Stagg Bowl XLIX, was a postseason college football game played on December 16, 2022, at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland. It determined a national champion in NCAA Division III for the 2022 season. The game began at 7:00 p.m. EST, and aired on ESPNU. The game featured the two finalists of the 32-team single elimination playoff bracket, North Central and Mount Union; North Central won 28–21 to claim their second national championship.

Teams

The participants of the 2022 NCAA Division III Football Championship Game were the finalists of the 2022 Division III Playoffs, a 32-team single elimination brackets tournament which began on November 19. The winners of each of the four 8-team regions qualified for the national semifinals.

National semifinals

	Semifinals December 10 Hosted by higher seeded team					National Championship December 16 Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, MD
	Wartburg		31
	Mount Union		34
						Mount Union		21
						North Central		28
	North Central		49
	Mary Hardin–Baylor		14

Game summary

2022 Stagg Bowl

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Mount Union	0	0	0	21	21
North Central	7	7	0	14	28

at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium • Annapolis, Maryland

• Date: Friday, December 16, 2022
• Game time: 7:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: Clear • Temperature: 42 °F (6 °C) • Wind: W 4 mph
• Game attendance: 3,231
• Referee: David Hergert
• TV: ESPNU

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP Mount Union North Central 1 11:32 6 78 3:24 North Central Ethan Greenfield 34-yard touchdown reception from Luke Lehnen, Tanner Rains kick good 0 7 2 6:18 1 94 0:14 North Central Deangelo Hardy 94-yard touchdown reception from Luke Lehnen, Tanner Rains kick good 0 14 4 14:56 10 87 6:09 North Central Ethan Greenfield 4-yard touchdown run, Tanner Rains kick good 0 21 4 9:19 11 69 5:33 Mount Union Braxton Plunk 9-yard touchdown run, Thomas Piccirillo kick good 7 21 4 3:34 9 50 4:02 Mount Union Wayne Ruby Jr. 3-yard touchdown reception from Braxton Plunk, Thomas Piccirillo kick good 14 21 4 1:24 6 47 2:10 North Central Deangelo Hardy 3-yard touchdown reception from Luke Lehnen, Tanner Rains kick good 14 28 4 0:30 5 60 0:45 Mount Union Edwin Reed 4-yard touchdown reception from Braxton Plunk, Thomas Piccirillo kick good 21 28 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 21 28

Statistics

Team statistical comparison

Statistic	Mount Union	North Central
First downs	20	11
First downs rushing	8	8
First downs passing	9	3
First downs penalty	3	0
Third down efficiency	6–15	3–10
Fourth down efficiency	2–4	2–3
Total plays–net yards	72–294	49–374
Rushing attempts–net yards	35–60	39–233
Yards per rush	1.7	6.0
Yards passing	234	141
Pass completions–attempts	26–37	4–10
Interceptions thrown	0	0
Punt returns–total yards	0–0	2–32
Kickoff returns–total yards	5–70	2–25
Punts–average yardage	5–178	3–94
Fumbles–lost	0–0	0–0
Penalties–yards	4–30	6–60
Time of possession	33:50	26:10

Mount Union statistics

Purple Raiders passing
	C–A	Yds	TD–INT
Braxton Plunk	26–36	234	2–0
TEAM	0–1	0	0–0
Purple Raiders rushing
	Car	Yds	TD
Tyler Echeverry	12	38	0
Braxton Plunk	10	16	1
KJ Redmon	8	15	0
Lance Mitchell	4	3	0
TEAM	1	−12	0
Purple Raiders receiving
	Rec	Yds	TD
Wayne Ruby Jr.	9	109	1
Jaden Manley	4	41	0
KJ Redmon	4	35	0
Chase Lawson	4	23	0
Tyler Echeverry	4	22	0
Edwin Reed	1	4	1

North Central statistics

Cardinals passing
	C–A	Yds	TD–INT
Luke Lehnen	4–10	141	3–0
Cardinals rushing
	Car	Yds	TD
Ethan Greenfield	25	119	1
Luke Lehnen	10	98	0
Terrence Hill	3	18	0
TEAM	1	−2	0
Cardinals receiving
	Rec	Yds	TD
Deangelo Hardy	3	107	2
Ethan Greenfield	1	34	1