2019 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game
{{distinguish|2020 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|2020 College Football Playoff National Championship}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{infobox college football game
| name =
| year_game_played = 2019
| game_name = NCAA Division II Football Championship
| visitor_name_short = West Florida
| visitor_nickname = Argonauts
| home_nickname = Mavericks
| visitor_school = University of West Florida
| home_name_short = Minnesota State
| football_season = 2019
| home_school = Minnesota State University, Mankato
| visitor_record = 12–2
| home_record = 14–0
| visitor_conference = Gulf South
| home_conference = Northern Sun
| visitor_1q = 14
| home_1q = 14
| visitor_2q = 24
| visitor_3q = 7
| visitor_4q = 3
| home_2q = 7
| home_3q = 8
| home_4q = 11
| visitor_coach = Pete Shinnick
| home_coach = Todd Hoffner
| visitor_seed = 4
| home_seed = 3
| date_game_played = December 21
| stadium = McKinney ISD Stadium
| city = McKinney, Texas
| referee = Marcus Thornton
| attendance = 3,415
| us_network = ESPNU
| different_previous = 2018
| different_next = 2021
}}
The 2019 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game that determined a national champion in NCAA Division II for the 2019 season. It was played at McKinney ISD Stadium in McKinney, Texas, on December 21, 2019,{{cite web |title=West Fla. vs Minn. St. Mankato DII Football Game Summary - December 21st, 2019 {{!}} NCAA.com |url=https://www.ncaa.com/game/3909055 |website=www.ncaa.com |accessdate=December 17, 2019 |language=en}} with kickoff at 3:00 p.m. EST (2:00 p.m. local CST),{{cite web |last1=Davis |first1=Emily |title=City of McKinney announces final teams to compete in NCAA Division II National Football Championship on Dec. 21 |url=https://communityimpact.com/dallas-fort-worth/mckinney/sports/2019/12/16/city-of-mckinney-announces-final-teams-to-compete-in-ncaa-division-ii-national-football-championship-on-dec-21/ |website=impact |accessdate=December 17, 2019 |language=English |date=16 December 2019}} and television coverage on ESPNU.
Teams
The participants of the 2019 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game were the finalists of the 2019 Division II Playoffs, which began with four 7-team brackets to determine super region champions, who then qualified for the national semifinals.{{cite web |title=2019 Division II Football Official Bracket {{!}} NCAA.com |url=https://www.ncaa.com/brackets/football/d2/2019 |website=www.ncaa.com |accessdate=December 17, 2019 |language=en}} The game featured the winners of those national semifinal games: No. 4 seed West Florida and No. 3 seed Minnesota State. This was the first meeting between the two teams.{{cite web |title=2019 Football History Minnesota State University - Mankato Athletics |url=https://msumavericks.com/sports/football/opponent-history |website=Minnesota State University - Mankato Athletics |accessdate=December 17, 2019 |language=en}} West Florida defeated Minnesota State, 48–40 to win the 2019 NCAA Division II Football Championship.{{cite news|url=https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2019/12/21/uwf-football-wins-national-championship-over-minnesota-state/2721427001/|title=UWF football wins national championship with historic offensive explosion|date=December 21, 2019|agency=Pensacola News Journal|author=Wallace, Eric J.|accessdate=December 23, 2019|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222202327/https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2019/12/21/uwf-football-wins-national-championship-over-minnesota-state/2721427001/|archivedate=December 22, 2019}}
=National semifinals=
Super region champions were seeded 1 to 4 for the national semifinals.
{{4TeamBracket
| RD1 = Semifinals
December 14
{{small|Hosted by higher seeded team}}
| RD2 = National Championship
December 21
{{small|McKinney ISD Stadium, McKinney, TX}}
| RD1-seed1 = 1
| RD1-team1 = Ferris State
| RD1-score1 = 14
| RD1-seed2 = 4
| RD1-team2 = West Florida
| RD1-score2 = 28
| RD1-seed3 = 2
| RD1-team3 = Slippery Rock
| RD1-score3 = 15
| RD1-seed4 = 3
| RD1-team4 = Minnesota State
| RD1-score4 = 58
| RD2-seed1 = 4
| RD2-team1 = West Florida
| RD2-score1 = 48
| RD2-seed2 = 3
| RD2-team2 = Minnesota State
| RD2-score2 = 40
}}
Game summary
{{Americanfootballbox
|titlestyle= {{CollegePrimaryStyle|National Collegiate Athletic Association}}; text-align:center;
|state=autocollapse
|bg=#fff
|bg2=#eee
|title=2019 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game
|date=Saturday, December 21, 2019
|time=3:00 p.m. EST (2:00 p.m. CST)
|road=No. 4 West Florida
|R1=14|R2=24|R3=7|R4=3
|home=No. 3 Minnesota State
|H1=14|H2=7|H3=8|H4=11
|stadium= McKinney ISD Stadium • McKinney, Texas
|attendance=3,415
|weather=Cloudy • Temperature: {{convert|47|F|C}} • Wind: N 4 mph
|referee=Marcus Thornton
|TV=ESPNU
|TVAnnouncers=
|reference=
|scoring=
;First Quarter
- (9:22) UWF – Austin Reed 5 yard pass to Kevin Grant, Austin Williams kick (Drive: 13 plays, 72 yards, 5:38; West Florida 7–0)
- (6:09) MNST – Ryan Schlichte 38 yard pass to Justin Arnold, Luke Williams kick (Drive: 7 plays, 68 yards, 3:05; Tied 7–7)
- (3:38) UWF – Austin Reed 12 yard pass to Ka'Ron Ashley, Austin Williams kick (Drive: 5 plays, 69 yards, 2:24; West Florida 14–7)
- (0:53) MNST – Nate Gunn 2 yard rush, Luke Williams kick (Drive: 7 plays, 60 yards, 2:38; Tied 14–14)
;Second Quarter
- (13:18) UWF – Austin Reed 2 yard pass to Quentin Randolph, Austin Williams kick (Drive: 7 plays, 59 yards, 2:26; West Florida 21–14)
- (10:58) UWF – Austin Williams 31 yard field goal (Drive: 5 plays, 21 yards, 1:20;West Florida 24–14)
- (6:21) MNST – Nate Gunn 6 yard rush, Luke Williams kick (Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:37; West Florida 24–21)
- (5:31) UWF – Austin Reed 34 yard pass to Quentin Randolph, Austin Williams kick (Drive: 3 plays, 72 yards, 0:44; West Florida 31–21)
- (0:18) UWF – Austin Reed 48 yard pass to Quentin Randolph, Austin Williams kick (Drive: 4 plays, 99 yards, 0:38; West Florida 38–21)
;Third Quarter
- (8:12) UWF – Austin Reed 8 yard pass to Tate Lehtio, Austin Williams kick (Drive: 7 plays, 40 yards, 2:27; West Florida 45–21)
- (3:48) MNST – Kaleb Sleezer 15 yard punt block return, 2-point pass good (West Florida 45–29)
;Fourth Quarter
- (14:39) UWF – Austin Williams 30 yard field goal (Drive: 6 plays, 33 yards, 1:24; West Florida 48–29)
- (9:52) MNST – Luke Williams 24 yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 45 yards, 2:36; West Florida 48–32)
- (4:03) MNST – Ryan Schlichte 7 yard pass to Shane Zylstra, 2-point pass good (Drive: 13 plays, 90 yards, 3:48; West Florida 48–40)
}}
=Statistics=
| class="wikitable" style="float: left;"
! Statistics !! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|West Florida Argonauts|border=0|color=white}}"|UWF !!style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Minnesota State Mavericks|border=0}}"|MNST | ||
| First downs | 21 | 30 |
| Total yards | 561 | 562 |
| Rushes–yards | 16–38 | 42–143 |
| Passing yards | 523 | 419 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 33–54–1 | 31–48–0 |
| Time of possession | 27:32 | 32:28 |
| class="wikitable" style="float: right;"
! Team !! Category !! Player !! Statistics | |||
| rowspan=3 style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|West Florida Argonauts|border=0|color=white}}; text-align:center;"|West Florida | Passing | Austin Reed | 33/54, 523 yards, 6 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Jaden Gardner | 7 receptions, 47 yards, | |
| Receiving | Quentin Randolph | 10 receptions, 254 yards, 3 TD | |
| rowspan=3 style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Minnesota State Mavericks|border=0}}; text-align:center;"|Minnesota State | Passing | Ryan Schlichte | 24/39, 309 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | Ryan Schlichte | 9 carries, 57 yards | |
| Receiving | Justin Arnold | 13 receptions, 154 yards, 1 TD |
{{Clear}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{NCAA Division II football navbox}}
{{Minnesota State Mavericks football navbox}}
{{West Florida Argonauts football navbox}}
Category:NCAA Division II Football Championship Games
Category:Minnesota State Mavericks football games
Category:West Florida Argonauts football games
Category:American football competitions in Texas
NCAA Division II Football Championship Game