In 2017, the NCAA made the decision to move the Division III Football National Championship game out of Salem, Virginia, to visit other venues. While this decision may have been a tough pill to swallow, the history that Salem would write will live on forever. Tonight, Virginia's Championship City prepares to write what seems to be one last chapter of Stagg Bowl history in Salem, and the Fantom Sports Network will prepare for a monumental night of coverage by first sharing our 2023 NCAA Division III National Championship Game Preview.
In 1993, the Stagg Bowl kicked off for the first time ever under the lights of Salem Stadium in a game where Mount Union defeated Rowan 34-24 to become the 21st NCAA Division 3 Football National Champions. Following that historic game, the Stagg Bowl returned to Salem, Virginia, for 24 straight NCAA National Championships and multiple chapters of history. The Road To Salem has ended with 18 different Division 3 football programs and crowned 8 different National Champions throughout its 25 straight games — half of the Stagg Bowl lifespan.
The Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl has featured a plethora of historical matchups in Salem, Virginia. The 2001 National Championship, where Mount Union defeated Bridgewater in a 30-27 thriller surrounded by an attendance of 7,992 fans—the most ever to fill Salem Stadium—and the seven straight National Championship showdowns between Mount Union and Wisconsin-Whitewater from 2005 to 2011 are a few of the staple moments in Stagg Bowl history. While Salem Stadium has hosted some of the biggest final meetings in Division III, this Friday will be one of the most significant as the NCAA prepares for its 50th Anniversary Game back at the Stagg Bowl's historic home.
The North Central Cardinals will make their inaugural trip to Salem, Virginia, marking their fourth consecutive appearance in the National Championship since 2019 (due to the cancellation of the 2020 season). Having clinched the title in 2019 and 2022, the Cardinals are vying for their third National Championship and the opportunity to achieve a Back-2-Back victory in Salem—a feat accomplished only by some of the most historic teams.
North Central boasts the best offense in Division 3, averaging a total of 566 yards per game and scoring 60.1 points. They aim to continue their dominance, led by dynamic running back Joe Sacco, who averages nearly 10 yards per carry. The Cardinals will face a Cortland defense ranked 49th in the league, allowing up to 300 yards per game.
Across from the defending champions will stand a team aiming to make history of their own. Since Bridgewater in 2001, an East Coast program hasn't returned to Salem for a shot at a national championship. The opportunity arose following last week's semifinal contest, featuring two East Coast teams, each seeking to secure their first-ever national championship game appearance. The Cortland Red Dragons extended their historic playoff run against Randolph-Macon, securing a dominant victory with a final score of 49-14 and would earn their ticket to the first national championship game in their program's history.
Facing a North Central defense that allows 267 yards per game, Cortland will be led by one of the league's best quarterbacks and an offense with a clear motive. Steering the Cortland offense is none other than Zac Boyes, who has demonstrated remarkable accuracy with 3,671 yards and 39 touchdowns this season. The Cardinals, averaging over 500 yards per game for 46.8 points, are determined to continue their battle against the best, with the hope of securing their first-ever national championship.
Many of the league's most dominant teams have endured grueling battles through four rounds of playoffs. Now, it will be the North Central Cardinals and the Cortland Red Dragons who will face each other at Salem Stadium. The 50th anniversary of the Stagg Bowl will culminate in crowning the 102nd NCAA National Champion in Virginia's Championship City, and at the end of it all, only history will remain.
Twenty-five years of Stagg Bowl history have been etched in Salem, Virginia—a place many consider the home of the NCAA Division 3 National Championship. This year marks the Stagg Bowl's 50th anniversary and could potentially be its final appearance at Salem Stadium. As the NCAA explores other venues for the Stagg Bowl, Salem Stadium will return to its original landscape, soon to become the home of Roanoke College's newest football program within the ODAC. Virginia's Championship City is poised to script a new 25-plus-year history of its own, but first, it will cap off a historic era with one more game at home.
GAME INFO | 7:00 PM KICKOFF | BROADCASTED ON ESPNU | TICKETS ONLINE AND AT GATE
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