2024 NCAA Division II football season

2024 NCAA Division II football season
Total No. of teams	162
Regular season	August 29 – November 16, 2024
Playoffs	November 23 – December 21, 2024
National Championship	McKinney Independent School District Stadium McKinney, TX December 21, 2024

The 2024 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level, will begin on August 29 and will end on December 21 with the Division II championship at the McKinney Independent School District Stadium in McKinney, Texas.

D-II team wins over FCS teams

August 29: Sioux Falls 34, St. Thomas (MN) 13
September 7: Edinboro 23, Robert Morris 21
September 21: Clark Atlanta 38, Bethune-Cookman 37
September 28: Frostburg State 25, Mercyhurst 24

Conference changes and new programs

School	Former conference	New conference	Ref
Anderson (SC) Trojans	New program	SAC
Erskine Flying Fleet	SAC	Gulf South
Lincoln (MO) Blue Tigers	Independent (D-II)	GLVC
Mercyhurst Lakers	PSAC	Northeast (FCS)
Northeastern State RiverHawks	MIAA	Independent (D-II)
Notre Dame (OH) Falcons	Mountain East	School closed
Post Eagles	Independent (D-II)	NE-10
Roosevelt Lakers	Mid-States (NAIA)	GLIAC
Shorter Hawks	Gulf South	Independent (D-II)
St. Augustine's Falcons	CIAA	Program suspended
Sul Ross Lobos	ASC (D-III)	Lone Star
West Georgia Wolves	Gulf South	UAC (FCS)

Headlines

• January 13 - At the 2024 NCAA Convention, the D-II football membership approved a proposal to add a "Week Zero", allowing schools to play one week earlier than in previous seasons and extending the regular season from 11 weeks to 12. The maximum number of regular-season games remained at 11.

Rankings

Main article: 2024 NCAA Division II football rankings

The top 25 from the AFCA Coaches' Poll.

Preseason Poll

AFCA Ranking Team 1 Harding (25) 2 Central Missouri 3 Ferris State (1) 4 Grand Valley State (1) 5 Colorado Mines 6 Pittsburg State 7 Valdosta State 8 Central Washington 9 Lenoir-Rhyne 10 Kutztown 11 Slippery Rock 12 West Florida 13 Minnesota State 14 Augustana 15 Western Colorado 16 Indianapolis 17 Minnesota–Duluth 18 Delta State 19 Ouachita Baptist 20 Virginia Union 21 Texas-Permian Basin 22 Northwest Missouri State 23 Charleston 24 Angelo State 25 Bemidji State

Conference standings

Super Region 1

2024 Great Midwest Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Ashland   7 – 0     7 – 2   No. 25 Findlay   6 – 1     8 – 1   Tiffin   6 – 1     7 – 2   Hillsdale   4 – 3     4 – 5   Northwood   3 – 4     5 – 4   Walsh   3 – 4     4 – 5   Ohio Dominican   2 – 5     3 – 6   Thomas More*   2 – 5     3 – 6   Kentucky Wesleyan   1 – 6     2 – 7   Lake Erie   1 – 6     2 – 7   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant * – Thomas More ineligible for postseason play due to transition from NAIA Rankings from AFCA Poll	2024 Mountain East Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 9 Charleston (WV)   7 – 0     9 – 0   West Virginia State   5 – 2     6 – 3   Glenville State   5 – 2     5 – 4   Frostburg State   4 – 3     6 – 3   Fairmont State   4 – 3     5 – 4   UNC Pembroke   4 – 3     4 – 5   Wheeling   3 – 4     4 – 5   West Liberty   1 – 5     2 – 7   Concord   0 – 5     1 – 8   West Virginia Wesleyan   0 – 6     0 – 9   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA Poll	2024 Northeast-10 Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   New Haven   5 – 1     6 – 2   Saint Anselm   5 – 1     5 – 3   Bentley   4 – 2     6 – 2   Assumption   4 – 2     5 – 3   Franklin Pierce   4 – 2     4 – 4   American International   2 – 4     3 – 6   Pace   2 – 4     2 – 6   Southern Connecticut   2 – 5     3 – 6   Post   0 – 7     1 – 8   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA Poll
2024 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   East Division No. 4 Kutztown   6 – 0     9 – 0   East Stroudsburg   5 – 1     8 – 1   West Chester   3 – 2     4 – 5   Bloomsburg   3 – 3     5 – 4   Shepherd   3 – 3     5 – 4   Lock Haven   2 – 3     3 – 6   Shippensburg   1 – 5     2 – 7   Millersville   0 – 6     0 – 9   West Division No. 23 California (PA)   5 – 0     7 – 1   No. 14 Slippery Rock   4 – 1     7 – 1   IUP   3 – 3     6 – 3   Edinboro   2 – 3     3 – 6   Gannon   2 – 3     2 – 6   Clarion   1 – 4     3 – 6   Seton Hill   1 – 4     3 – 6   Championship: TBA $ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA Poll

Super Region 2

2024 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Virginia Union   6 – 0     7 – 2   No. 16 Johnson C. Smith   5 – 1     8 – 1   Virginia State   5 – 1     6 – 3   Winston-Salem State   4 – 2     6 – 3   Shaw   4 – 3     6 – 4   Livingstone   3 – 3     5 – 4   Fayetteville State   3 – 3     4 – 4   Bowie State   2 – 4     3 – 6   Lincoln (PA)   2 – 4     2 – 7   Elizabeth City State   0 – 6     2 – 7   Bluefield State   0 – 6     1 – 8   $ – Conference champion y – Championship game participant ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA Poll	2024 Gulf South Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 1 Valdosta State   4 – 0     8 – 0   No. 15 West Alabama   4 – 1     7 – 1   No. 21 West Florida   4 – 1     6 – 2   North Greenville   3 – 2     4 – 4   Delta State   2 – 2     5 – 3   Chowan   1 – 4     2 – 6   Mississippi College   1 – 5     1 – 7   Erskine   0 – 4     1 – 6   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA Poll	2024 South Atlantic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Mountain Division No. 24 Carson–Newman   6 – 1     8 – 1   Emory & Henry   5 – 2     7 – 2   Mars Hill   4 – 2     4 – 3   UVA Wise   2 – 4     3 – 5   Anderson (SC)   1 – 6     3 – 6   Tusculum   1 – 6     1 – 7   Piedmont Division Wingate   5 – 1     7 – 1   No. 12 Lenoir–Rhyne   5 – 2     7 – 2   Limestone   5 – 2     6 – 3   Newberry   3 – 3     3 – 5   Barton   2 – 5     3 – 6   Catawba   1 – 6     2 – 7   $ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA Poll
2024 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Miles   6 – 0     7 – 2   Fort Valley State   6 – 1     6 – 3   Clark Atlanta 5 – 2 – 0 6 – 2 – 1 Albany State   5 – 2     5 – 4   Tuskegee   5 – 2     5 – 4   Savannah State   4 – 3     5 – 4   Lane   3 – 4     3 – 5   Benedict   3 – 4     3 – 6   Kentucky State   3 – 4     3 – 6   Edward Waters   1 – 5     1 – 7   Morehouse   1 – 5     1 – 8   Allen   1 – 6     2 – 7   Central State (OH)   1 – 6     1 – 8   $ – Conference champion y – Championship game participant ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA Poll	2024 NCAA Division II Super Region 2 independents football records Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Shorter   –     3 – 4   Rankings from AFCA Poll

Super Region 3

2024 Great American Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 9 Ouachita Baptist   8 – 1     8 – 1   No. 4 Harding   8 – 1     8 – 1   Henderson State   7 – 2     7 – 2   Southern Arkansas   7 – 2     7 – 2   SE Oklahoma State   5 – 4     5 – 4   Arkansas Tech   4 – 5     4 – 5   Arkansas–Monticello   4 – 5     4 – 5   East Central   4 – 5     4 – 5   NW Oklahoma State   2 – 7     2 – 7   Oklahoma Baptist   2 – 7     2 – 7   SW Oklahoma State   2 – 7     2 – 7   Southern Nazarene   1 – 8     1 – 8   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA Poll	2024 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 2 Ferris State   4 – 0     8 – 1   No. 7 Grand Valley State   4 – 1     8 – 1   Saginaw Valley State   4 – 1     7 – 2   Davenport   3 – 2     6 – 3   Michigan Tech   3 – 2     6 – 3   Roosevelt*   1 – 4     1 – 7   Northern Michigan   0 – 4     0 – 9   Wayne State (MI)   0 – 5     0 – 9   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant * – Roosevelt ineligible for postseason play due to transition from NAIA Rankings from AFCA Poll	2024 Great Lakes Valley Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 19 Indianapolis   6 – 0     8 – 1   McKendree   4 – 2     5 – 4   Truman   4 – 2     5 – 4   Upper Iowa   4 – 2     5 – 4   Quincy   4 – 3     4 – 3   Missouri S&T   3 – 3     4 – 5   William Jewell   2 – 4     4 – 5   Southwest Baptist   1 – 5     2 – 6   Lincoln (MO)   0 – 7     1 – 8   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA Poll
2024 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 13 Central Oklahoma   6 – 1     8 – 1   No. 5 Pittsburg State   6 – 2     7 – 2   No. 11 Emporia State   5 – 2     7 – 2   Fort Hays State   5 – 3     7 – 3   Central Missouri   4 – 3     6 – 3   NW Missouri State   4 – 3     5 – 4   Nebraska–Kearney   2 – 4     4 – 4   Missouri Western   2 – 6     3 – 6   Washburn   2 – 6     2 – 7   Missouri Southern   0 – 7     1 – 8   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA Poll	2024 NCAA Division II Super Region 3 independents football records Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Northeastern State   –     2 – 7   Rankings from AFCA Poll

Super Region 4

2024 Lone Star Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 23 Angelo State   7 – 0     7 – 2   Western Oregon   5 – 1     5 – 3   Central Washington   5 – 2     6 – 3   Texas A&M–Kingsville   4 – 2     5 – 3   UT Permian Basin   4 – 3     5 – 4   West Texas A&M   3 – 3     3 – 5   Midwestern State   2 – 4     3 – 5   Sul Ross*   2 – 5     3 – 6   Eastern New Mexico   1 – 6     3 – 6   Western New Mexico   0 – 7     2 – 7   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant * – Sul Ross ineligible for postseason play due to transition from NCAA Division III Rankings from AFCA Poll

2024 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 20 Augustana (SD)   7 – 1     7 – 2   No. 22 Minnesota State   6 – 2     7 – 2   Sioux Falls   6 – 2     7 – 2   Bemidji State   5 – 3     6 – 3   Wayne State (NE)   5 – 3     6 – 3   MSU Moorhead   5 – 3     5 – 4   Northern State   5 – 4     5 – 5   Minnesota Duluth   4 – 4     5 – 4   Winona State   4 – 4     4 – 5   Minot State   3 – 6     4 – 6   Concordia–St. Paul   2 – 6     2 – 7   Mary   1 – 7     2 – 7   SW Minnesota State   0 – 8     0 – 9   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA Poll

2024 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 10 CSU Pueblo   7 – 0     8 – 1   No. 8 Western Colorado   6 – 1     8 – 1   Colorado Mesa   6 – 1     7 – 2   No. 18 Colorado Mines   5 – 2     7 – 2   Black Hills State   3 – 4     4 – 5   South Dakota Mines   3 – 4     4 – 5   Chadron State   2 – 5     3 – 6   New Mexico Highlands   2 – 5     2 – 7   Fort Lewis   0 – 6     1 – 7   Adams State   0 – 6     0 – 8   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA Poll

Postseason

See also: List of NCAA Division II Football Championship appearances by team

Coaching changes

Preseason and in-season

This is restricted to coaching changes that took place on or after May 1, 2024, and will include any changes announced after a team's last regularly scheduled games but before its playoff games.

School	Outgoing coach	Date	Reason	Replacement	Previous position
New Mexico Highlands	Ron Hudson	May 1, 2024	Fired	Kurt Taufa'asau	New Mexico Military head coach (2021–2023)
American International	Lou Conte	May 23, 2024	Hired as head coach by Westfield State	Daniel Chipka (interim)	American International offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2023)
Henderson State	Scott Maxfield	June 26, 2024	Retired	Greg Holsworth	Henderson State assistant head coach and defensive coordinator (2017–2023)
Emory & Henry	Curt Newsome	July 30, 2024	Resigned	Quintin Hunter (interim)	Emory & Henry offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach (2021–2023)
McKendree	Mike Babcock	August 6, 2024	Hired as assistant by UCLA	Jason Rejfek (interim)	McKendree defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach (2019–2023)

See also

• 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season
• 2024 NCAA Division I FCS football season
• 2024 NCAA Division III football season
• 2024 NAIA football season
• 2024 U Sports football season