2003 NCAA Division II football season

2003 NCAA Division II football season
Regular season	September 6 – November 15, 2003
Playoffs	November 22 – December 13, 2003
National Championship	Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL
Champion	Grand Valley State (2)
Harlon Hill Trophy	Will Hall, North Alabama

The 2003 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began on September 6, 2003, and concluded with the NCAA Division II Football Championship on December 13, 2003 at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama, hosted by the University of North Alabama. The Grand Valley State Lakers defeated the North Dakota Fighting Sioux, 10–3, to win their second Division II national title.

The Harlon Hill Trophy was awarded to Will Hall, quarterback from North Alabama.

Conference changes and new programs

Conference changes

School	2002 Conference	2003 Conference
Minnesota Morris	Northern Sun	UMAC (D-III)
Morningside	North Central	GPAC (NAIA)
North Greenville	NAIA Independent	Independent
Northern Colorado	North Central	Independent
Quincy	Independent	Mid-States (NAIA)
Shaw	Program Revived	CIAA
Tiffin	Mid-States (NAIA)	Independent

Conference standings

2003 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Eastern Virginia Union xy   5 – 2     6 – 5   Bowie State   5 – 2     6 – 4   Shaw   4 – 3     7 – 3   Virginia State   3 – 4     5 – 5   Elizabeth City State   2 – 5     2 – 8   Western Fayetteville State # xy$   5 – 2     8 – 3   Winston-Salem State   5 – 2     7 – 3   Livingstone   3 – 4     3 – 7   North Carolina Central   2 – 5     4 – 6   Johnson C. Smith   1 – 6     1 – 9   St. Augustine's @   0 – 4     0 – 5   Championship: Fayetteville State 23, Virginia Union 19 $ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant # – Pioneer Bowl participant @ – St. Augustine's vacated 5 wins including 3 in conference play.	2003 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 1 Saginaw Valley State $^   10 – 0     12 – 1   No. 4 Grand Valley State ^   9 – 1     14 – 1   Northwood   6 – 4     6 – 5   Ferris State   5 – 5     6 – 5   Findlay   5 – 5     6 – 5   Indianapolis   5 – 5     6 – 5   Michigan Tech   5 – 5     5 – 5   Mercyhurst   4 – 6     5 – 6   Hillsdale   4 – 6     4 – 7   Northern Michigan   3 – 7     3 – 8   Wayne State (MI)   2 – 8     3 – 8   Ashland   2 – 8     2 – 9   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA poll	2003 Great Northwest Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Western Washington $   3 – 0     4 – 6   Central Washington   2 – 1     6 – 4   Western Oregon   1 – 2     4 – 6   Humboldt State   0 – 3     3 – 7   $ – Conference champion First Humboldt State vs. Western Oregon game (Sept. 6) did not count as a conference game
2003 Gulf South Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 2 North Alabama $^   9 – 0     13 – 1   No. 5 Valdosta State ^   8 – 1     10 – 2   No. 12 Southern Arkansas ^   7 – 2     9 – 3   No. 14 Delta State   7 – 2     9 – 2   Ouachita Baptist   4 – 5     5 – 5   Arkansas Tech   4 – 5     5 – 6   Central Arkansas   3 – 6     5 – 6   Harding   3 – 6     4 – 6   Arkansas–Monticello   3 – 6     4 – 7   Henderson State   3 – 6     4 – 7   West Georgia   2 – 7     3 – 8   West Alabama   1 – 8     2 – 9   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA poll	2003 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 15 Central Missouri State +   7 – 2     9 – 2   No. 16 Emporia State +^   7 – 2     9 – 3   Missouri Western # +   7 – 2     9 – 3   No. 13 Pittsburg State +^   7 – 2     9 – 3   No. 25 NW Missouri State +   7 – 2     8 – 3   Truman   4 – 5     4 – 7   Washburn   3 – 6     5 – 6   Southwest Baptist   2 – 7     3 – 8   Missouri Southern   1 – 8     1 – 10   Missouri–Rolla   0 – 9     0 – 11   + – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant # – Mineral Water Bowl participant Rankings from AFCA Poll	2003 North Central Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 7 North Dakota $^   7 – 0     12 – 2   No. 23 North Dakota State   5 – 2     8 – 3   No. 24 Nebraska–Omaha   5 – 2     8 – 3   South Dakota State   4 – 3     7 – 4   St. Cloud State   4 – 3     7 – 4   South Dakota   2 – 5     5 – 6   Augustana (SD)   1 – 6     3 – 8   Minnesota State   0 – 7     0 – 11   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA Poll
2003 Northeast-10 Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 19 Bentley $^   9 – 0     10 – 1   C. W. Post   8 – 1     9 – 2   Southern Connecticut   7 – 2     9 – 2   Merrimack   6 – 3     6 – 3   American International   5 – 4     5 – 4   Bryant   3 – 6     3 – 7   Assumption   2 – 7     4 – 7   Saint Anselm   2 – 7     3 – 7   Pace   2 – 7     2 – 8   Stonehill   1 – 8     1 – 10   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA poll	2003 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 9 Winona State +^   7 – 1     11 – 2   Concordia–St. Paul +   7 – 1     8 – 4   Minnesota Duluth   6 – 2     8 – 3   Northern State   5 – 3     7 – 4   Bemidji State   5 – 3     7 – 4   Minnesota State–Moorhead   2 – 6     3 – 8   Wayne State (NE)   2 – 6     3 – 8   Southwest Minnesota State   1 – 7     3 – 8   Minnesota–Crookston   1 – 7     2 – 9   + – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA Poll	2003 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   East Division East Stroudsburg x   5 – 1     8 – 3   Bloomsburg x   5 – 1     7 – 4   West Chester   4 – 2     8 – 3   Mansfield   3 – 3     8 – 3   Kutztown   3 – 3     6 – 5   Millersville   1 – 5     4 – 7   Cheyney   0 – 6     2 – 9   West Division No. 6 IUP x   5 – 1     10 – 1   No. 18 Edinboro x^   5 – 1     9 – 3   Shippensburg   4 – 2     8 – 3   California (PA)   2 – 4     6 – 4   Slippery Rock   2 – 4     4 – 7   Clarion   1 – 5     3 – 8   Lock Haven   1 – 5     3 – 8   x – Division champion/co-champions ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA poll
2003 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Mesa State $^   8 – 0     10 – 2   Chadron State   6 – 2     8 – 2   Fort Hays State   5 – 3     6 – 5   Colorado Mines   4 – 4     6 – 5   Nebraska–Kearney   4 – 4     5 – 5   Western State (CO)   4 – 4     5 – 6   Adams State   3 – 5     4 – 7   Fort Lewis   2 – 6     3 – 8   New Mexico Highlands   0 – 8     0 – 11   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant	2003 South Atlantic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 8 Carson–Newman +^   6 – 1     11 – 2   No. 11 Catawba +   6 – 1     9 – 2   No. 17 Tusculum +   6 – 1     9 – 2   Mars Hill   3 – 4     7 – 4   Wingate   2 – 5     5 – 6   Presbyterian   2 – 5     4 – 6   Newberry   2 – 5     3 – 7   Lenoir–Rhyne   1 – 6     3 – 8   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA poll	2003 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Albany State # $   7 – 1     10 – 2   Miles   6 – 2     7 – 3   Kentucky State   6 – 2     7 – 4   Fort Valley State   5 – 3     7 – 4   Benedict   4 – 4     6 – 5   Tuskegee   4 – 4     5 – 6   Morehouse   3 – 5     4 – 7   Lane   1 – 7     2 – 9   Clark Atlanta   0 – 8     0 – 11   $ – Conference champion # – Pioneer Bowl participant
2003 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   West Virginia Wesleyan $   7 – 0     9 – 2   Glenville State   4 – 3     5 – 6   Shepherd   4 – 3     4 – 6   Fairmont State   3 – 4     4 – 6   West Liberty State   3 – 4     4 – 7   West Virginia State   3 – 4     3 – 8   Concord   2 – 5     3 – 8   West Virginia Tech   2 – 5     3 – 8   $ – Conference champion	2003 NCAA Division II independents football records Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   UC Davis   –     6 – 4   Quincy   –     5 – 6   Western New Mexico   –     3 – 7   Saint Joseph's (IN)   –     2 – 9   New Haven   –     1 – 9

Conference summaries

See also: List of NCAA Division II football seasons

Conference Champions

Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Fayetteville State Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Saginaw Valley State Great Northwest Athletic Conference – Western Washington Gulf South Conference – North Alabama Lone Star Conference – Texas A&M–Kingsville Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association – Central Missouri State, Emporia State, Missouri Western State, Northwest Missouri State, and Pittsburg State North Central Conference – North Dakota Northeast-10 Conference – Bentley Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference – Concordia–Saint Paul and Winona State Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference – Bloomsburg and East Stroudsburg (East), Edinboro and Indiana (PA) (West) Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference – Mesa State South Atlantic Conference – Carson-Newman, Catawba, and Tusculum Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Albany State West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – West Virginia Wesleyan

Postseason

2003 NCAA Division II Football Championship
Teams	16
Finals Site	Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL
Champion	Grand Valley State (2nd title, title game)
Runner-up	North Dakota (2nd title game)
Semifinalists	North Alabama Texas A&M–Kingsville
Winning coach	championship

The 2003 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the 30th single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II. This was the final year of the 16-team bracket before the field expanded to 24 teams in 2004.

Playoff bracket

	First round Campus sites				Quarterfinals Campus sites				Semifinals Campus sites				Championship Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL
	North Dakota	24
	Pittsburg State	14
					North Dakota	36
					Winona State	29
	Winona State	10
	Emporia State	3
									North Dakota	29
									North Alabama	22
	North Alabama	48
	Southern Arkansas	24
					North Alabama	41
					Carson–Newman	9
	Carson–Newman	35
	Valdosta State	29
													North Dakota	3
													Grand Valley State	10
	Saginaw Valley State	33
	Edinboro	9
					Saginaw Valley State	3
					Grand Valley State	10
	Grand Valley State	65
	Bentley	36
									Grand Valley State	31
									Texas A&M–Kingsville	3
	Central Oklahoma	20
	Mesa State	15
					Central Oklahoma	6
					Texas A&M–Kingsville	49
	Texas A&M–Kingsville	34
	Tarleton State	10

See also

• 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season
• 2003 NCAA Division I-AA football season
• 2003 NCAA Division III football season
• 2003 NAIA football season