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Postseason college football game
College football game
The 2023 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game was a college football game played on December 16, 2023, at McKinney ISD Stadium in McKinney, Texas . The game determined the national champion of NCAA Division II for the 2023 season . The game was scheduled to begin at 12:00 p.m. CST and was broadcast by ESPNU .
The game featured the two finalists of the 28-team playoff bracket, which began on November 18, 2022. The three-seed Harding Bisons from the Great American Conference (GAC) defeated the top-seeded Colorado Mines Orediggers from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC), 38–7. The win gave the Harding football program its first national championship.[ 1] [ 2] [ 3]
The participants of the 2023 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game were the finalists of the 2023 Division II Playoffs , which began on November 18 with four 7-team brackets to determine super region champions, who then qualified for the national semifinals.[ 4]
National semifinals [ edit ] Super region champions were reseeded 1 to 4 for the national semifinals.
2023 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game
Quarter
Total
No. 3 Harding 7
14
10 7 38
No. 1 Colorado Mines
7
0
0 0 7
at McKinney ISD Stadium • McKinney, Texas
Date : Saturday, December 16, 2022Game time : 12:00 p.m. CST Game weather : Sunny, 53 °F (12 °C)Game attendance : 12,552Referee : Bryan EarlTV : ESPNU Box score , Recap
Scoring summary
Quarter
Time
Drive
Team
Scoring information
Score
Plays
Yards
TOP
Harding
Colorado Mines
1
9:06
11
75
5:54
Colorado Mines
Noah Roper 2-yard touchdown reception from John Matocha , Jacob Click kick good
0
7
1
3:49
9
75
5:14
Harding
Jhalen Spicer 10-yard touchdown run, Grant Ennis kick good
7
7
2
4:30
17
74
10:23
Harding
Braden Jay 10-yard touchdown run, Grant Ennis kick good
14
7
2
0:33
6
90
2:05
Harding
Braden Jay 9-yard touchdown run, Grant Ennis kick good
21
7
3
12:58
4
87
1:59
Harding
Braden Jay 73-yard touchdown run, Grant Ennis kick good
28
7
3
4:11
10
57
6:07
Harding
32-yard field goal by Grant Ennis
31
7
4
11:58
7
83
4:17
Harding
Braden Jay 73-yard touchdown run, Cole Keylon kick good
38
7
"TOP" = time of possession . For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football .
38
7
Team statistical comparison
Statistic
Harding
Colorado Mines
First downs
21
18
First downs rushing
20
5
First downs passing
1
12
First downs penalty
0
1
Third down efficiency
7–11
7–12
Fourth down efficiency
2–2
0–3
Total plays–net yards
60–563
54–344
Rushing attempts–net yards
58–502
21–71
Yards per rush
8.7
3.4
Yards passing
46
270
Pass completions–attempts
2–2
33–24
Interceptions thrown
0
1
Punt returns–total yards
0–0
0–0
Kickoff returns–total yards
2–17
1–3
Punts–average yardage
1–36.0
2–41.5
Fumbles–lost
0–0
1–0
Penalties–yards
2–17
2–20
Time of possession
36:10
23:50
Seasons
Playoffs
Championship games
Records & statistics
Venues First Security Stadium (1959–present)
Bowls & rivalries People Seasons National championship seasons in bold
