Harding Rushes for First National Title
December 18, 2023
Colorado School of Mines scored on its first possession to take a 7-0 lead in the NCAA Division II National Championship game. They would never see the endzone again as Harding (Ark.) scored on their next six straight possessions and sacked Oredigger quarterback John Matocha six times in a dominate 38-7 victory. The Bisons rushing attack racked up 502 yards giving Harding their first national title. Harding ends the 2023 season ranked No. 1 in the final AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll while Colorado School of Mines drops to No. 2.
Two teams that lost to Harding in the playoffs finish the season at three and four. Grand Valley State (Mich.) lost a close game with the Bisons, 7-6, in the quarterfinals, while Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) had a tougher time in the semifinals, losing 55-14. Pittsburg State (Kan.) rounds out the top five after a second-round appearance and finishing with a 11-2 overall record.
Kutztown (Pa.), who wasn’t ranked at all during the regular season, jumps all the way to No. 7 in the final poll thanks to their semifinal run through the playoffs. The Bears fell to Colorado School of Mines, 35-7, but finish with a 12-3 overall mark.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Postseason Head Coach
1 Harding (Ark.) (28) 15-0 700 3 D. No. 1 Colorado Mines, 38-7, in national championship Paul Simmons
2 Colorado School of Mines 14-1 672 1 Lost to No. 3 Harding (Ark.), 38-7, in national championship Pete Sterbick
3 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 11-2 612 2 Lost to No. 3 Harding (Ark.), 7-6, in quarterfinals Scott Wooster
4 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 13-2 571 11 Lost to No. 3 Harding (Ark.), 55-14, in semifinals Mike Jacobs
5 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 11-2 525 7 Lost to No. 2 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 24-21, in second round Brian Wright
6 Central Missouri 11-2 523 6 Lost to No. 3 Harding (Ark.), 35-34, in second round Josh Lamberson
7 Kutztown (Pa.) 12-3 506 NR Lost to No. 1 Colorado School of Mines, 35-7, in semifinals Jim Clements
8 Valdosta St. (Ga.) 12-2 464 14 Lost to No. 11 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 35-7, in quarterfinals Tremaine Jackson
9 Ferris St. (Mich.) 8-3 436 5 Lost to No. 2 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 21-14, in first round Tony Annese
10 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 12-2 431 15 Lost to Kutztown (Pa.), 28-16, in quarterfinals Shawn Lutz
11 Delta St. (Miss.) 10-2 407 8 Lost to No. 14 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 38-31, in second round Todd Cooley
12 Benedict (S.C.) 11-1 404 4 Lost to No. 11 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 35-25, in second round Chennis Berry
13 Augustana (S.D.) 11-2 307 16 Lost to No. 1 Colorado School of Mines, 56-10, in second round Jerry Olszewski
14 Tiffin (Ohio) 11-1 302 9 Lost to No. 15 Slippery Rock (Pa.), 45-35, in second round Cris Reisert
15 Western Colorado 10-2 266 10 Lost to Central Washington, 16-13 OT, in first round Jas Bains
16 Bemidji St. (Minn.) 9-3 264 21 Lost to Central Washington, 21-17, in second round Brent Bolte
17 Central Washington 9-4 262 NR Lost to No. 1 Colorado School of Mines, 38-14, in quarterfinals Chris Fisk
18 Texas-Permian Basin 10-2 213 12 Lost to No. 21 Bemidji St. (Minn.), 10-3, in first round Kris McCullough
19 Charleston (W.Va.) 10-2 179 24 Lost to Kutztown (Pa.), 32-31, in second round Quinn Sanders
20 Virginia Union 10-2 161 13 Lost to Kutztown (Pa.), 38-14, in first round Alvin Parker
21 Minnesota St. 9-3 147 19 Lost to No. 16 Augustana (S.D.), 51-24, in first round Todd Hoffner
22 Indianapolis (Ind.) 9-2 141 17t Lost to No. 7 Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 35-14, in first round Chris Keevers
23 West Florida 8-4 113 23 Lost to No. 8 Delta St. (Miss.), 49-14, in first round Kaleb Nobles
24 Henderson St. (Ark.) 9-3 80 25 Lost to No. 6 Central Missouri, 56-14, in first round Scott Maxfield
25 Minnesota-Duluth 9-2 69 17t DNQ Playoffs Curt Wiese
Dropped Out: Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) (20), Davenport (Mich.) (22)
Others Receiving Votes: Davenport (Mich.), 58; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 51; Shepherd (W.Va.), 38; Southern Arkansas, 37; New Haven (Conn.), 25; Emporia St. (Kan.), 23; Limestone (S.C.), 18; Missouri Western St., 16; Southern Nazarene (Okla.), 15; Ashland (Ohio), 14; McKendree (Ill.), 13; Colorado St.-Pueblo, 12; Angelo St. (Tex.), 11; Virginia St., 11; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 2; Frostburg St. (Md.), 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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Colorado School of Mines scored on its first possession to take a 7-0 lead in the NCAA Division II National Championship game. They would never see the endzone again as Harding (Ark.) scored on their next six straight possessions and sacked Oredigger quarterback John Matocha six times in a dominate 38-7 victory. The Bisons rushing attack racked up 502 yards giving Harding their first national title. Harding ends the 2023 season ranked No. 1 in the final AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll while Colorado School of Mines drops to No. 2.
Two teams that lost to Harding in the playoffs finish the season at three and four. Grand Valley State (Mich.) lost a close game with the Bisons, 7-6, in the quarterfinals, while Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) had a tougher time in the semifinals, losing 55-14. Pittsburg State (Kan.) rounds out the top five after a second-round appearance and finishing with a 11-2 overall record.
Kutztown (Pa.), who wasn’t ranked at all during the regular season, jumps all the way to No. 7 in the final poll thanks to their semifinal run through the playoffs. The Bears fell to Colorado School of Mines, 35-7, but finish with a 12-3 overall mark.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Postseason | Head Coach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harding (Ark.) (28) | 15-0 | 700 | 3 | D. No. 1 Colorado Mines, 38-7, in national championship | Paul Simmons | |
| 2 | Colorado School of Mines | 14-1 | 672 | 1 | Lost to No. 3 Harding (Ark.), 38-7, in national championship | Pete Sterbick | |
| 3 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 11-2 | 612 | 2 | Lost to No. 3 Harding (Ark.), 7-6, in quarterfinals | Scott Wooster | |
| 4 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 13-2 | 571 | 11 | Lost to No. 3 Harding (Ark.), 55-14, in semifinals | Mike Jacobs | |
| 5 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 11-2 | 525 | 7 | Lost to No. 2 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 24-21, in second round | Brian Wright | |
| 6 | Central Missouri | 11-2 | 523 | 6 | Lost to No. 3 Harding (Ark.), 35-34, in second round | Josh Lamberson | |
| 7 | Kutztown (Pa.) | 12-3 | 506 | NR | Lost to No. 1 Colorado School of Mines, 35-7, in semifinals | Jim Clements | |
| 8 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 12-2 | 464 | 14 | Lost to No. 11 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 35-7, in quarterfinals | Tremaine Jackson | |
| 9 | Ferris St. (Mich.) | 8-3 | 436 | 5 | Lost to No. 2 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 21-14, in first round | Tony Annese | |
| 10 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 12-2 | 431 | 15 | Lost to Kutztown (Pa.), 28-16, in quarterfinals | Shawn Lutz | |
| 11 | Delta St. (Miss.) | 10-2 | 407 | 8 | Lost to No. 14 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 38-31, in second round | Todd Cooley | |
| 12 | Benedict (S.C.) | 11-1 | 404 | 4 | Lost to No. 11 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 35-25, in second round | Chennis Berry | |
| 13 | Augustana (S.D.) | 11-2 | 307 | 16 | Lost to No. 1 Colorado School of Mines, 56-10, in second round | Jerry Olszewski | |
| 14 | Tiffin (Ohio) | 11-1 | 302 | 9 | Lost to No. 15 Slippery Rock (Pa.), 45-35, in second round | Cris Reisert | |
| 15 | Western Colorado | 10-2 | 266 | 10 | Lost to Central Washington, 16-13 OT, in first round | Jas Bains | |
| 16 | Bemidji St. (Minn.) | 9-3 | 264 | 21 | Lost to Central Washington, 21-17, in second round | Brent Bolte | |
| 17 | Central Washington | 9-4 | 262 | NR | Lost to No. 1 Colorado School of Mines, 38-14, in quarterfinals | Chris Fisk | |
| 18 | Texas-Permian Basin | 10-2 | 213 | 12 | Lost to No. 21 Bemidji St. (Minn.), 10-3, in first round | Kris McCullough | |
| 19 | Charleston (W.Va.) | 10-2 | 179 | 24 | Lost to Kutztown (Pa.), 32-31, in second round | Quinn Sanders | |
| 20 | Virginia Union | 10-2 | 161 | 13 | Lost to Kutztown (Pa.), 38-14, in first round | Alvin Parker | |
| 21 | Minnesota St. | 9-3 | 147 | 19 | Lost to No. 16 Augustana (S.D.), 51-24, in first round | Todd Hoffner | |
| 22 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 9-2 | 141 | 17t | Lost to No. 7 Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 35-14, in first round | Chris Keevers | |
| 23 | West Florida | 8-4 | 113 | 23 | Lost to No. 8 Delta St. (Miss.), 49-14, in first round | Kaleb Nobles | |
| 24 | Henderson St. (Ark.) | 9-3 | 80 | 25 | Lost to No. 6 Central Missouri, 56-14, in first round | Scott Maxfield | |
| 25 | Minnesota-Duluth | 9-2 | 69 | 17t | DNQ Playoffs | Curt Wiese |
Dropped Out: Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) (20), Davenport (Mich.) (22)
Others Receiving Votes: Davenport (Mich.), 58; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 51; Shepherd (W.Va.), 38; Southern Arkansas, 37; New Haven (Conn.), 25; Emporia St. (Kan.), 23; Limestone (S.C.), 18; Missouri Western St., 16; Southern Nazarene (Okla.), 15; Ashland (Ohio), 14; McKendree (Ill.), 13; Colorado St.-Pueblo, 12; Angelo St. (Tex.), 11; Virginia St., 11; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 2; Frostburg St. (Md.), 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.
