Cortland Takes Home First National Title
December 18, 2023
Cortland (N.Y.) sealed the program’s first NCAA Division III national title after stopping North Central (Ill.) on a two-point conversion with 1:20 left to go in the 50th Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl to win 38-37. Quarterback Zac Boyes passed for 349 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 123 yards to help lead the Red Dragons to victory. Cortland rises from No. 13 to No. 1 in the final AFCA Division III Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for 2023. North Central, who had been ranked No. 1 the entire season, falls to No. 2.
Wartburg (Iowa), who lost to North Central, 34-27 in the semifinals, stays at the No. 3 spot, followed by No. 4 Wisconsin-La Crosse and No. 5 Wisconsin-Whitewater, who both lost in the quarterfinals. Randolph-Macon (Va.) finishes at No. 6 with a 13-1 record after its run to the semifinals.
Alma (Mich.) ends one of their best seasons in school history at No. 7. The Scots finished 12-1 on the season and lost a shootout with eventual national champion Cortland in the quarterfinals. Union (N.Y.) rises from unranked status to end the season ranked No. 20. The Garnet Chargers went 10-2 on the year and got knocked out in the second round by No. 8 Johns Hopkins (Md.).
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Postseason Head Coach
1 Cortland (N.Y.) (49) 14-1 1225 13 D. No. 1 North Central (Ill.), 38-37, in national championship Curt Fitzpatrick
2 North Central (Ill.) 14-1 1176 1 Lost to No. 13 Cortland (N.Y.), 38-37, in national championship Brad Spencer
3 Wartburg (Iowa) 13-1 1122 3 Lost to No. 1 North Central (Ill.), 34-27, in semifinals Chris Winter
4 Wisconsin-La Crosse 11-2 994 6 Lost to No. 1 North Central (Ill.), 55-42, in quarterfinals Matt Janus
5 Wisconsin-Whitewater 11-2 988 5 Lost to No. 3 Wartburg (Iowa), 31-28, in quarterfinals Jace Rindahl
6 Randolph-Macon (Va.) 13-1 987 8 Lost to No. 13 Cortland (N.Y.), 49-14, in semifinals Pedro Arruza
7 Alma (Mich.) 12-1 889 11 Lost to No. 13 Cortland (N.Y.), 58-41, in quarterfinals Jason Couch
8 Johns Hopkins (Md.) 12-1 866 7 Lost to No. 8 Randolph-Macon (Va.), 39-36, in quarterfinals Greg Chimera
9 Mount Union (Ohio) 11-1 818 2 Lost to No. 11 Alma (Mich.), 24-20, in second round Geoff Dartt
10 Grove City (Pa.) 11-1 731 16 Lost to No. 13 Cortland (N.Y.), 25-24, in second round Andrew DiDonato
11 Trinity (Tex.) 10-2 723 4 Lost to No. 1 North Central (Ill.), 71-28, in second round Jerheme Urban
12 Aurora (Ill.) 11-1 687 9 Lost to No. 6 Wisconsin-La Crosse, 56-35, in second round Don Beebe
13 Wheaton (Ill.) 10-2 659 12 Lost to No. 5 Wisconsin-Whitewater, 49-42, in second round Jesse Scott
14 Susquehanna (Pa.) 10-1 548 10 Lost to No. 16 Grove City (Pa.), 21-20, in first round Tom Perkovich
15 Endicott (Mass.) 9-2 512 14 Lost to No. 13 Cortland (N.Y.), 23-17, in first round Paul McGonagle
16 Whitworth (Wash) 10-1 467 18t Lost to No. 3 Wartburg (Iowa), 42-20, in second round Rod Sandberg
17 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) 9-2 372 15 Lost to No. 4 Trinity (Tex.), 20-6, in first round Jesse Burleson
18 Ithaca (N.Y.) 9-3 316 23 Lost to No. 8 Randolph-Macon (Va.), 46-0, in second round Michael Toerper
19 Muhlenberg (Pa.) 10-1 273 17 D. Lebanon Valley (Pa.), 23-7, in Centennial-MAC Bowl Nate Milne
20 Union (N.Y.) 10-2 244 NR Lost to No. 7 Johns Hopkins (Md.), 39-17, in second round Jon Poppe
21 DePauw (Ind.) 10-1 220 21 Lost to No. 11 Alma (Mich.), 32-17, in first round Brett Dietz
22 St. John’s (Minn.) 8-2 195 20 DNQ Playoffs Gary Fasching
23 Berry (Ga.) 9-1 177 22 DNQ Playoffs Tony Kunczewski
24 Linfield (Ore.) 8-1 172 18t DNQ Playoffs Joseph Smith
25 John Carroll (Ohio) 8-2 96 24 DNQ Playoffs Jeff Behrman
Dropped out: Delaware Valley (Pa.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Wisconsin-River Falls, 93; Carnegie Mellon (Pa.), 79; Delaware Valley (Pa.), 79; Coe (Iowa), 62; Bethel (Minn.), 29; Mount St. Joseph (Ohio), 29; Christopher Newport (Va.), 23; Belhaven (Miss.), 17; Wisconsin-Platteville, 17; Springfield (Mass.), 12; Trinity (Conn.), 8; Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 8; Chapman (Calif.), 4; Illinois College, 3; Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 2; Washington & Jefferson (Pa.), 2; Rensselaer (N.Y.), 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
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Cortland (N.Y.) sealed the program’s first NCAA Division III national title after stopping North Central (Ill.) on a two-point conversion with 1:20 left to go in the 50th Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl to win 38-37. Quarterback Zac Boyes passed for 349 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 123 yards to help lead the Red Dragons to victory. Cortland rises from No. 13 to No. 1 in the final AFCA Division III Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for 2023. North Central, who had been ranked No. 1 the entire season, falls to No. 2.
Wartburg (Iowa), who lost to North Central, 34-27 in the semifinals, stays at the No. 3 spot, followed by No. 4 Wisconsin-La Crosse and No. 5 Wisconsin-Whitewater, who both lost in the quarterfinals. Randolph-Macon (Va.) finishes at No. 6 with a 13-1 record after its run to the semifinals.
Alma (Mich.) ends one of their best seasons in school history at No. 7. The Scots finished 12-1 on the season and lost a shootout with eventual national champion Cortland in the quarterfinals. Union (N.Y.) rises from unranked status to end the season ranked No. 20. The Garnet Chargers went 10-2 on the year and got knocked out in the second round by No. 8 Johns Hopkins (Md.).
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Postseason | Head Coach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cortland (N.Y.) (49) | 14-1 | 1225 | 13 | D. No. 1 North Central (Ill.), 38-37, in national championship | Curt Fitzpatrick | |
| 2 | North Central (Ill.) | 14-1 | 1176 | 1 | Lost to No. 13 Cortland (N.Y.), 38-37, in national championship | Brad Spencer | |
| 3 | Wartburg (Iowa) | 13-1 | 1122 | 3 | Lost to No. 1 North Central (Ill.), 34-27, in semifinals | Chris Winter | |
| 4 | Wisconsin-La Crosse | 11-2 | 994 | 6 | Lost to No. 1 North Central (Ill.), 55-42, in quarterfinals | Matt Janus | |
| 5 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | 11-2 | 988 | 5 | Lost to No. 3 Wartburg (Iowa), 31-28, in quarterfinals | Jace Rindahl | |
| 6 | Randolph-Macon (Va.) | 13-1 | 987 | 8 | Lost to No. 13 Cortland (N.Y.), 49-14, in semifinals | Pedro Arruza | |
| 7 | Alma (Mich.) | 12-1 | 889 | 11 | Lost to No. 13 Cortland (N.Y.), 58-41, in quarterfinals | Jason Couch | |
| 8 | Johns Hopkins (Md.) | 12-1 | 866 | 7 | Lost to No. 8 Randolph-Macon (Va.), 39-36, in quarterfinals | Greg Chimera | |
| 9 | Mount Union (Ohio) | 11-1 | 818 | 2 | Lost to No. 11 Alma (Mich.), 24-20, in second round | Geoff Dartt | |
| 10 | Grove City (Pa.) | 11-1 | 731 | 16 | Lost to No. 13 Cortland (N.Y.), 25-24, in second round | Andrew DiDonato | |
| 11 | Trinity (Tex.) | 10-2 | 723 | 4 | Lost to No. 1 North Central (Ill.), 71-28, in second round | Jerheme Urban | |
| 12 | Aurora (Ill.) | 11-1 | 687 | 9 | Lost to No. 6 Wisconsin-La Crosse, 56-35, in second round | Don Beebe | |
| 13 | Wheaton (Ill.) | 10-2 | 659 | 12 | Lost to No. 5 Wisconsin-Whitewater, 49-42, in second round | Jesse Scott | |
| 14 | Susquehanna (Pa.) | 10-1 | 548 | 10 | Lost to No. 16 Grove City (Pa.), 21-20, in first round | Tom Perkovich | |
| 15 | Endicott (Mass.) | 9-2 | 512 | 14 | Lost to No. 13 Cortland (N.Y.), 23-17, in first round | Paul McGonagle | |
| 16 | Whitworth (Wash) | 10-1 | 467 | 18t | Lost to No. 3 Wartburg (Iowa), 42-20, in second round | Rod Sandberg | |
| 17 | Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) | 9-2 | 372 | 15 | Lost to No. 4 Trinity (Tex.), 20-6, in first round | Jesse Burleson | |
| 18 | Ithaca (N.Y.) | 9-3 | 316 | 23 | Lost to No. 8 Randolph-Macon (Va.), 46-0, in second round | Michael Toerper | |
| 19 | Muhlenberg (Pa.) | 10-1 | 273 | 17 | D. Lebanon Valley (Pa.), 23-7, in Centennial-MAC Bowl | Nate Milne | |
| 20 | Union (N.Y.) | 10-2 | 244 | NR | Lost to No. 7 Johns Hopkins (Md.), 39-17, in second round | Jon Poppe | |
| 21 | DePauw (Ind.) | 10-1 | 220 | 21 | Lost to No. 11 Alma (Mich.), 32-17, in first round | Brett Dietz | |
| 22 | St. John’s (Minn.) | 8-2 | 195 | 20 | DNQ Playoffs | Gary Fasching | |
| 23 | Berry (Ga.) | 9-1 | 177 | 22 | DNQ Playoffs | Tony Kunczewski | |
| 24 | Linfield (Ore.) | 8-1 | 172 | 18t | DNQ Playoffs | Joseph Smith | |
| 25 | John Carroll (Ohio) | 8-2 | 96 | 24 | DNQ Playoffs | Jeff Behrman | |
Dropped out: Delaware Valley (Pa.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Wisconsin-River Falls, 93; Carnegie Mellon (Pa.), 79; Delaware Valley (Pa.), 79; Coe (Iowa), 62; Bethel (Minn.), 29; Mount St. Joseph (Ohio), 29; Christopher Newport (Va.), 23; Belhaven (Miss.), 17; Wisconsin-Platteville, 17; Springfield (Mass.), 12; Trinity (Conn.), 8; Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 8; Chapman (Calif.), 4; Illinois College, 3; Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 2; Washington & Jefferson (Pa.), 2; Rensselaer (N.Y.), 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
