{{one source|date=January 2025}} {{Short description|NCAA Division III college football championship game}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{infobox college football game | year_game_played = 2025 | game_name = NCAA Division III Football Championship | subheader = Stagg Bowl LI | football_season = 2024 | football_division = NCAA Division III | visitor_school = University of Mount Union | visitor_name_short = Mount Union | visitor_nickname = Purple Raiders | home_school = North Central College | home_name_short = North Central | home_nickname = Cardinals | visitor_record = 13–0 | visitor_conference = OAC | home_record = 13–0 | home_conference = CCIW | visitor_coach = Geoff Dartt | home_coach = Brad Spencer | visitor_1q = 7 | visitor_2q = 3 | visitor_3q = 7 | visitor_4q = 8 | home_1q = 7 | home_2q = 7 | home_3q = 7 | home_4q = 20 | date_game_played = January 5 | stadium = Shell Energy Stadium | city = Houston, Texas | MVP = Luke Lehnen, QB, North Central<ref>{{Cite news |title=North Central wins third title |date=2025-01-05 |url=https://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2024/north-central-wins-stagg-bowl |access-date=2026-01-13 |work=D3football.com}}</ref> | referee = Steven Gorski (LC) | attendance = 1,938 | us_network = ESPN/ESPN+ | intl_network = Canada: TSN+ | different_previous = 2023 | different_next = 2026 }} The '''2025 NCAA Division III Football Championship Game''', more commonly referred to as the '''2025 Stagg Bowl''' or '''Stagg Bowl LI''', was a postseason college football played on January 5, 2025, at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas. It determined a national champion in NCAA Division III for the 2024 season. The game began at 8:00 p.m. EST, and aired on ESPN and ESPN+. The game featured the two finalists of the 40-team single elimination playoff bracket, Mount Union and North Central; North Central won 41–25 to claim their third national championship.
==Teams== The participants of the 2024 NCAA Division III Football Championship Game are the finalists of the 2024 Division III Playoffs, a 40-team single elimination brackets tournament which began on November 16. The winners of each of the four 8-team regions qualified for the national semifinals.<ref>{{cite web |title=2024 Division III Football Official Bracket |url=https://www.ncaa.com/brackets/football/d3/2024 |website=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=January 3, 2025 |language=en}}</ref>
===National semifinals=== {{4TeamBracket | RD1 = '''Semifinals'''<br>December 21<br>{{small|''Asterisk denotes host''}} | RD2 = '''National Championship'''<br>January 5, 2025<br>{{small|Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, Texas}}
| RD1-seed1 = | RD1-team1 = {{cfb link|year=2024|team=Susquehanna River Hawks|title=Susquehanna}} | RD1-score1 = 0 | RD1-seed2 = * | RD1-team2 = '''North Central''' | RD1-score2 = '''66'''
| RD1-seed3 = | RD1-team3 = {{cfb link|year=2024|team=Johns Hopkins Blue Jays|title=Johns Hopkins}} | RD1-score3 = 37 | RD1-seed4 = * | RD1-team4 = '''{{cfb link|year=2024|team=Mount Union Purple Raiders|title=Mount Union}}''' | RD1-score4 = '''45'''
| RD2-seed1 = | RD2-team1 = '''North Central''' | RD2-score1 = '''41''' | RD2-seed2 = | RD2-team2 = Mount Union | RD2-score2 = 25 }}
==Game summary== {{Americanfootballbox |titlestyle= {{CollegePrimaryStyle|National Collegiate Athletic Association|color=white}}; text-align:center; |state=autocollapse |bg=#fff |title=2025 Stagg Bowl |date=Sunday, January 5, 2025 |time=7:00 p.m. CST |road=No. 5 Mount Union |R1=7|R2=3|R3=7|R4=8 |home='''No. 1 North Central''' |H1=7|H2=7|H3=7|H4=20 |stadium= Shell Energy Stadium • Houston, Texas |attendance=1,938 |weather=Sunny |referee=Steven Gorski |TV=ESPN/ESPN+ |TVAnnouncers= |reference=<ref>{{cite web |title = 2024 DIII Football Championship |url = https://www.ncaa.com/game/6348827/ |publisher = NCAA |access-date = January 4, 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = DIII Championship |url = https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401741208/mt-union-n-central |publisher = ESPN |access-date = January 4, 2025 }}</ref> |scoring= '''First quarter''' *UMU – Tyler Echeverry 24-yard run (Ivan Maric kick), 8:30. ''Purple Raiders 7–0. '''Drive: 8 plays, 57 yards, 4:19.''''' *NCC – Myles Walton 24-yard pass from Luke Lehnen (Sean Ryniec kick), 4:35. ''Tied 7–7. '''Drive: 7 plays, 72 yards, 3:48.''''' '''Second quarter''' *NCC – Luke Lehnen 16-yard run (Sean Ryniec kick), 8:09. ''Cardinals 14–7. '''Drive: 11 plays, 88 yards, 5:17.''''' *UMU – Ivan Maric 30-yard field goal, 3:57. ''Cardinals 14–10. '''Drive: 7 plays, 52 yards, 4:07.''''' '''Third quarter''' *NCC – Jacob Paradee 1-yard pass from Luke Lehnen (Sean Ryniec kick), 5:57. ''Cardinals 21–10. '''Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 4:01.''''' *UMU – Nick Turner 31-yard pass from T. J. Deshields (Ivan Maric kick), 3:17. ''Cardinals 21–17. '''Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:40.''''' '''Fourth quarter''' *NCC – Jack Rummell 6-yard pass from Luke Lehnen (Sean Ryniec kick), 14:18. ''Cardinals 28–17. '''Drive: 7 plays, 51 yards, 3:49.''''' *UMU – Jerry Cooper 54-yard pass from T. J. Deshields (T. J. Deshields pass to Drew Sims), 13:37. ''Cardinals 28–25. '''Drive: 2 plays, 55 yards, 0:32.''''' *NCC – Charles Coleman 66-yard run (kick blocked), 12:41. ''Cardinals 34–25. '''Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 0:56.''''' *NCC – Jacob Paradee 12-yard pass from Luke Lehnen (Sean Ryniec kick), 2:32. ''Cardinals 41–25. '''Drive: 15 plays, 92 yards, 6:54.''''' }}
===Statistics=== {{AmFootballGameStatistics | Float = left | Visitor = Mount Union Purple Raiders | VisitorDisplay = UMU | Home = North Central Cardinals | HomeDisplay = NCC | VisFirsts = 23 | VisPlaysYds = 64–426 | VisRushing = 28–112 | VisPassYds = 314 | VisPassing = 21–36–0 | VisTOP = 29:32 | HomeFirsts = 25 | HomePlaysYds = 63–495 | HomeRushing = 37–197 | HomePassYds = 298 | HomePassing = 18–26–0 | HomeTOP = 30:28 }} {{AmFootballGameTopPlayers | Float = right | Visitor = Mount Union Purple Raiders | VisitorDisplay = Mount Union | Home = North Central Cardinals | HomeDisplay = North Central | VisPasser = T. J. Deshields | VisPassStats = 21/36, 314 yards, 2 TD | VisRusher = Tyler Echeverry | VisRushStats = 20 rushes, 83 yards, TD | VisReceiver = Nick Turner | VisReceivingStats = 7 receptions, 104 yards, TD | HomePasser = Luke Lehnen | HomePassStats = 18/26, 298 yards, 4 TD | HomeRusher = Charles Coleman | HomeRushStats = 2 rushes, 68 yards, TD | HomeReceiver = Thomas Skokna | HomeReceivingStats = 3 receptions, 94 yards }} {{clear}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{NCAA Division III football navbox}}
Stagg Bowl Category:Mount Union Purple Raiders football Category:North Central Cardinals football Category:American football competitions in Houston Stagg Bowl Stagg Bowl