2023 STAGG BOWL

2023 NCAA Division III Football Championship
2023 NCAA Division III Football Championship
Stagg Bowl L
Cortland Red Dragons	North Central Cardinals
(13–1)	(14–0)
Empire 8	CCIW
38	37
Head coach: ; Curt Fitzpatrick	Head coach: ; Brad Spencer
Date	December 15, 2023
Season	2023
Stadium	Salem Football Stadium
Location	Salem, Virginia
Attendance	3,381
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPNU
NCAA Division III Football Championship
< 2022	2024 >

The 2023 NCAA Division III Football Championship Game, more commonly referred to as the 2023 Stagg Bowl or Stagg Bowl L, was a postseason college football game scheduled played on December 15, 2023, at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. It determined a national champion in NCAA Division III for the 2023 season. The game began at 7:00 p.m. EST, and aired on ESPNU. The game featured the two finalists of the 32-team single elimination playoff bracket, Cortland and North Central; Cortland won 38–37 to claim their first national championship.

Teams

The participants of the 2023 NCAA Division III Football Championship Game were the finalists of the 2023 Division III Playoffs, a 32-team single elimination brackets tournament which began on November 18. The winners of each of the four 8-team regions qualified for the national semifinals.^[1]

National semifinals

Semifinals December 9 Asterisk denotes host			National Championship December 15 Salem Football Stadium, Salem, VA

	Cortland	49

*	Randolph–Macon	14
			Cortland	38

			North Central	37
	North Central	34

*	Wartburg	27

Game summary

2023 Stagg Bowl

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Cortland	0	3	14	21	38
North Central	0	7	10	20	37

at Salem Football Stadium • Salem, Virginia

Date: Friday, December 15, 2023
Game time: 7:00 p.m. EST
Game weather: Clear • Temperature: 45 °F (7 °C) • Wind: E 0 mph
Game attendance: 3,381
Referee: Justin Ackley
TV: ESPNU

Scoring summary

Quarter	Time	Drive			Team	Scoring information	Score
Quarter	Time	Plays	Yards	TOP	Team	Scoring information	Cortland	North Central
2	0:57	15	92	6:21	North Central	Charles Coleman 7-yard touchdown reception from Luke Lehnen, Sean Ryniec kick good	0	7
2	0:02	7	55	0:55	Cortland	31-yard field goal by Mike Baloga	3	7
3	11:33	7	72	3:27	Cortland	Cole Burgess 9-yard touchdown reception from Zac Boyes, Mike Baloga kick good	10	7
3	6:34	5	47	2:14	North Central	Joe Sacco 4-yard touchdown run, Sean Ryniec kick good	10	14
3	6:21	2	65	0:13	Cortland	JJ Laap 65-yard touchdown reception from Zac Boyes, Mike Baloga kick good	17	14
3	3:16	7	62	3:05	North Central	24-yard field goal by Sean Ryniec	17	17
4	14:56	8	73	3:20	Cortland	Joe Iadevaio 9-yard touchdown reception from Zac Boyes, Mike Baloga kick good	24	17
4	13:39	3	65	1:17	North Central	Luke Lehnen 4-yard touchdown run, Sean Ryniec kick good	24	24
4	8:16	10	63	5:23	Cortland	Joe Iadevaio 10-yard touchdown reception from Zac Boyes, Mike Baloga kick good	31	24
4	7:16	3	71	1:00	North Central	Luke Lehnen 64-yard touchdown run, Sean Ryniec kick good	31	31
4	1:41	10	73	5:35	Cortland	Cole Burgess 21-yard touchdown reception from Zac Boyes, Mike Baloga kick good	38	31
4	1:20	2	72	0:21	North Central	DeAngelo Hardy 60-yard touchdown reception from Luke Lehnen, 2-point run by Luke Lehnen was stopped short of the end zone	38	37
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.							38	37

Statistics

Team statistical comparison^[2]
Statistic	Cortland	North Central
First downs	28	21
First downs rushing	18	7
First downs passing	9	14
First downs penalty	1	0
Third down efficiency	6–12	6–10
Fourth down efficiency	2–3	0–2
Total plays–net yards	71–503	58–583
Rushing attempts–net yards	37–154	41–404
Yards per rush	4.2	9.9
Yards passing	349	179
Pass completions–attempts	26–34	8–17
Interceptions thrown	0	0
Punt returns–total yards	0–0	0–0
Kickoff returns–total yards	5–105	6–136
Punts–average yardage	2–27.5	1–47
Fumbles–lost	0–0	1–1
Penalties–yards	2–10	6–64
Time of possession	32:43	27:17

Cortland statistics^[2]
Red Dragons passing
	C–A	Yds	TD–INT
Zac Boyes	26–34	349	5–0
Red Dragons rushing
	Car	Yds	TD
Zac Boyes	16	123	0
Ashton Capone	5	28	0
Jaden AlfanoStJohn	13	26	0
TEAM	3	–15	0
Red Dragons receiving
	Rec	Yds	TD
Cole Burgess	11	134	2
Joe Iadevaio	8	95	2
JJ Laap	2	75	1
Omari Kendrick	3	26	0
Jaden AlfanoStJohn	2	19	0

North Central statistics^[2]
Cardinals passing
	C–A	Yds	TD–INT
Luke Lehnen	8–17	179	2–0
Cardinals rushing
	Car	Yds	TD
Joe Sacco	14	157	1
Luke Lehnen	11	115	2
Charles Coleman	10	94	0
Sean Allen	5	38	0
DeAngelo Hardy	1	0	0
Cardinals receiving
	Rec	Yds	TD
DeAngelo Hardy	5	146	1
Joe Sacco	1	14	0
Jack Rummell	1	12	0
Charles Coleman	1	7	1

References

^ "2023 Division III Football Official Bracket". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Football vs North Central on 12/15/2023 - Box Score". SUNY Cortland. December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.

[1] "2023 Division III Football Official Bracket". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 15, 2023.

[stats-2] "Football vs North Central on 12/15/2023 - Box Score". SUNY Cortland. December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.

[1]

[2]

Teams

National semifinals

Game summary

Statistics

References

Teams

National semifinals

Game summary

Statistics

References

Videos

Websites

Encyclopedia

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