The transition from a selection committee to the NCAA Power Index (NPI) has taken some of the guess work from the Division III football championship bracket. The expansion from 32 teams to 40 has ensured fewer snubs.
But that doesn't mean this year's field doesn't bring surprises. Geographic limitations and the NPI's difference of opinion with the D3Football.com rankings means there's plenty to quibble about with this year's schedule. Wheaton College, the first team to beat powerhouse North Central in the regular season since 2019, went from the poll's No. 1 team to the bracket's third overall seed. Wisconsin-Whitewater, chasing its first national title since 2014, will have home field advantage all the way to the national championship game in Salem,
Virginia after topping out the NPI formula.
Teams with solid resumes, like Bethel and reigning national champion Wisconsin-River Falls, were left out. The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) put three teams in the bracket even though the league didn't play a single out-of-conference game. North Central and DePauw, each ranked in the poll's top 15, will face off in a second round game that ensures at least one realistic title contender will be gone before the field is whittled down to 16 teams.
You can find the full bracket here. Or expand the image below.
The tournament begins November 21. The national title will be decided, on January 3, on ESPN.
What's the best second round matchup?
Glad you asked! DePauw at North Central is the obvious call. But that only gives way to a slate of third round bangers. We could get another Mary Hardin-Baylor vs. Whitewater matchup, a test of Calvin's mettle against Wisconsin-Platteville and Saint John's against whomever wins that DePauw/North Central showdown.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: The full Division III football bracket, along with at least 1 major snub
