2023 Stagg Bowl

2023 NCAA Division III Football Championship
Stagg Bowl L
Cortland Red Dragons North Central Cardinals (13–1) (14–0) Empire 8 CCIW 38 37 Head coach:  Curt Fitzpatrick Head coach:  Brad Spencer
1 2 3 4 Total Cortland 0 3 14 21 38 North Central 0 7 10 20 37
Date	December 15, 2023
Season	2023
Stadium	Salem Football Stadium
Location	Salem, Virginia
Attendance	3,381
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPNU

The 2023 NCAA Division III Football Championship Game, more commonly referred to as the 2023 Stagg Bowl or Stagg Bowl L, was a postseason college football game scheduled played on December 15, 2023, at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. It determined a national champion in NCAA Division III for the 2023 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, Cortland and North Central; Cortland won 38–37 to claim their first national championship.

Teams

The participants of the 2023 NCAA Division III Football Championship Game were the finalists of the 2023 Division III Playoffs, a 32-team single elimination brackets tournament which began on November 18. The winners of each of the four 8-team regions qualified for the national semifinals.

National semifinals

	Semifinals December 9 Asterisk denotes host					National Championship December 15 Salem Football Stadium, Salem, VA
		Cortland	49
	*	Randolph–Macon	14
						Cortland		38
						North Central		37
		North Central	34
	*	Wartburg	27

Game summary

2023 Stagg Bowl

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Cortland	0	3	14	21	38
North Central	0	7	10	20	37

at Salem Football Stadium • Salem, Virginia

• Date: Friday, December 15, 2023
• Game time: 7:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: Clear • Temperature: 45 °F (7 °C) • Wind: E 0 mph
• Game attendance: 3,381
• Referee: Justin Ackley
• TV: ESPNU

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP Cortland North Central 2 0:57 15 92 6:21 North Central Charles Coleman 7-yard touchdown reception from Luke Lehnen, Sean Ryniec kick good 0 7 2 0:02 7 55 0:55 Cortland 31-yard field goal by Mike Baloga 3 7 3 11:33 7 72 3:27 Cortland Cole Burgess 9-yard touchdown reception from Zac Boyes, Mike Baloga kick good 10 7 3 6:34 5 47 2:14 North Central Joe Sacco 4-yard touchdown run, Sean Ryniec kick good 10 14 3 6:21 2 65 0:13 Cortland JJ Laap 65-yard touchdown reception from Zac Boyes, Mike Baloga kick good 17 14 3 3:16 7 62 3:05 North Central 24-yard field goal by Sean Ryniec 17 17 4 14:56 8 73 3:20 Cortland Joe Iadevaio 9-yard touchdown reception from Zac Boyes, Mike Baloga kick good 24 17 4 13:39 3 65 1:17 North Central Luke Lehnen 4-yard touchdown run, Sean Ryniec kick good 24 24 4 8:16 10 63 5:23 Cortland Joe Iadevaio 10-yard touchdown reception from Zac Boyes, Mike Baloga kick good 31 24 4 7:16 3 71 1:00 North Central Luke Lehnen 64-yard touchdown run, Sean Ryniec kick good 31 31 4 1:41 10 73 5:35 Cortland Cole Burgess 21-yard touchdown reception from Zac Boyes, Mike Baloga kick good 38 31 4 1:20 2 72 0:21 North Central DeAngelo Hardy 60-yard touchdown reception from Luke Lehnen, 2-point run by Luke Lehnen was stopped short of the end zone 38 37 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 38 37

Statistics

Team statistical comparison

Statistic	Cortland	North Central
First downs	28	21
First downs rushing	18	7
First downs passing	9	14
First downs penalty	1	0
Third down efficiency	6–12	6–10
Fourth down efficiency	2–3	0–2
Total plays–net yards	71–503	58–583
Rushing attempts–net yards	37–154	41–404
Yards per rush	4.2	9.9
Yards passing	349	179
Pass completions–attempts	26–34	8–17
Interceptions thrown	0	0
Punt returns–total yards	0–0	0–0
Kickoff returns–total yards	5–105	6–136
Punts–average yardage	2–27.5	1–47
Fumbles–lost	0–0	1–1
Penalties–yards	2–10	6–64
Time of possession	32:43	27:17

Cortland statistics

Red Dragons passing
	C–A	Yds	TD–INT
Zac Boyes	26–34	349	5–0
Red Dragons rushing
	Car	Yds	TD
Zac Boyes	16	123	0
Ashton Capone	5	28	0
Jaden AlfanoStJohn	13	26	0
TEAM	3	–15	0
Red Dragons receiving
	Rec	Yds	TD
Cole Burgess	11	134	2
Joe Iadevaio	8	95	2
JJ Laap	2	75	1
Omari Kendrick	3	26	0
Jaden AlfanoStJohn	2	19	0

North Central statistics

Cardinals passing
	C–A	Yds	TD–INT
Luke Lehnen	8–17	179	2–0
Cardinals rushing
	Car	Yds	TD
Joe Sacco	14	157	1
Luke Lehnen	11	115	2
Charles Coleman	10	94	0
Sean Allen	5	38	0
DeAngelo Hardy	1	0	0
Cardinals receiving
	Rec	Yds	TD
DeAngelo Hardy	5	146	1
Joe Sacco	1	14	0
Jack Rummell	1	12	0
Charles Coleman	1	7	1