The 2026 NCAA Division III football season is the component of the 2026 college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States. The regular season began on September 3 and will end on November 14. This is the 53rd season in which the NCAA has sponsored a Division III championship.
Wisconsin–River Falls is the defending national champion.
The season's playoffs will be played between November 21 and January 9, 2027, culminating in the national championship—also known as the Stagg Bowl—at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia.
Conference changes and new programs
Membership changes TeamFormer conferenceNew conferenceSourceAnna Maria AmcatsMASCACSchool closedAzusa Pacific CougarsRestarted programSCIACGallaudet BisonODACSCACLuther NorseAmerican RiversMidwestMcMurry War HawksSCACAmerican SouthwestSaint Francis Red WolvesNEC (D-I FCS)Presidents'Schreiner MountaineersNew programAmerican SouthwestWashington University BearsCCIWNorth CoastWhittier PoetsRestarted programSCIAC
Notes:
Other headlines The NESCAC announced that it would begin allowing its teams to participate in the NCAA Division III Championship, beginning in the 2026 season.
Conference standings
Rankings
Postseason Teams
Automatic bids (29) Automatic bidsConferenceSchoolRecordAppearanceLastAmerican RiversAmerican SouthwestCentennialCCIWEmpire 8HCACLandmarkLibertyMASCACMichiganMiddle AtlanticMidwestMinnesotaNESCACNEWMACNew EnglandNew JerseyNorth CoastNACCNorthwestOhioOld DominionPresidents'SAASCACSCIACUpper MidwestUSA SouthWisconsin
At-large bids (11) At-large bidsSchoolConferenceRecordAppearanceLast
Bracket
* - Host team
Bowl games Division III will hold 13 bowl games in 2026, featuring teams that did not qualify for the Division III postseason tournament.
DateTime (EST)GameSiteTelevisionTeamsAffiliationsResultsNov21TBDCentennial-MACBowl SeriesCampus sitesCentennialMACWhitelaw BowlMACEmpire 8Chapman BowlLibertyEmpire 8Bushnell BowlEmpire 8MASCACLakefront BowlRaabe StadiumWauwatosa, WisconsinMWCNACCFusion BowlCampus sitesCNENEWMACCape Henry BowlSalem Football StadiumSalem, VirginiaLandmarkODACCape Charles BowlIsthmus BowlBank of Sun Prairie StadiumSun Prairie, WisconsinWIACCCIWForeverLawn BowlTom Benson Hall of Fame StadiumCanton, OhioHCACNCACExtra Points BowlOACPAC * - Host team
Coaching changes Preseason and in-season This is restricted to coaching changes that took place on or after May 1, 2026, 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 Hilbert Ted Egger Before June 17, 2026 Fired John Noel Hilbert defensive line coach (2023–2025) Southern Virginia Joe DuPaix July 2, 2026 Resigned Chris Ehorn Jr. (interim) Southern Virginia defensive coordinator (2025) Bluffton Chris Hedden September 11, 2026 Fired Cody Crawford (interim) Bluffton defensive coordinator Albion Travis Rundle September 28, 2026 Fired Stephen Wasil (interim) Albion offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2019–2026)
See also 2026 NCAA Division I FBS football season 2026 NCAA Division I FCS football season 2026 NCAA Division II football season 2026 NAIA football season 2026 U Sports football season
References