2017 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game

College football game

2017 NCAA Division II Football Championship

West Florida Argonauts

Texas A&M–Commerce Lions

(11–3)

(13–1)

Gulf South

Lone Star

Head coach:
Pete Shinnick

Head coach:
Colby Carthel

Seed

	1	2	3	4	Total
West Florida	7	7	6	7	27
Texas A&M–Commerce	14	6	14	3	37

Date

December 16, 2017

Season

2017

Stadium

Children's Mercy Park

Location

Kansas City, Kansas

Referee

Dwight Neibling

Attendance

4,259

United States TV coverage

Network

ESPN2

NCAA Division II Football Championship
< 2016	2018 >

The 2017 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game that determined a national champion in NCAA Division II for the 2017 season. It was played at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas, on December 16, 2017,^[1] with kickoff at 5:00 p.m. EST (4:00 p.m. local CST), and television coverage on ESPN2.

Teams

The participants of the 2017 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game were the finalists of the 2017 Division II Playoffs, which began with four 7-team brackets to determine super region champions, who then qualified for the national semifinals.^[2] The game featured the winners of those national semifinal games: No. 4 seed West Florida and No. 2 seed Texas A&M–Commerce. This was the first meeting between the two teams^[3] and the first appearance for both teams in the championship game.^[4]

National semifinals

Super region champions were seeded 1 to 4 for the national semifinals.

Semifinals December 9 Hosted by higher seeded team			National Championship December 16 Children's Mercy Park, Kansas City, KS

1	IUP	17

4	West Florida	27
			4	West Florida	27

			2	Texas A&M–Commerce	37
2	Texas A&M–Commerce	31

3	Harding	17

Game summary

2017 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 4 West Florida	7	7	6	7	27
No. 2 Texas A&M–Commerce	14	6	14	3	37

at Children's Mercy Park • Kansas City, Kansas

Date: Saturday, December 16, 2017
Game time: 5:00 p.m. EST (4:00 p.m. CST)
Game weather: Clear • Temperature: 61 °F (16 °C) • Wind: SE 7 mph
Game attendance: 4,259
Referee: Dwight Neibling
TV: ESPN2
Sources:^[5]

Game information
First Quarter (11:52) TAMC – Luis Perez 50 yard pass to Shawn Hooks, Kristov Martinez kick (Drive: 7 plays, 97 yards, 3:08; Texas A&M–Commerce 7–0) (2:24) UWF – Chris Schwarz 1 yard rush, Austin Williams kick (Drive: 10 plays, 49 yards, 4:45; Tied 7–7) (2:10) TAMC – Reggie Kincade 99 yard kick return, Kristov Martinez kick (Texas A&M–Commerce 14–7) Second Quarter (13:42) TAMC – Kristov Martinez 29 yard field goal (Drive: 6 plays, 70 yards, 2:21; Texas A&M–Commerce 17–7) (8:51) TAMC – Kristov Martinez 29 yard field goal (Drive: 8 plays, 25 yards, 3:57; Texas A&M–Commerce 20–7) (0:58) UWF – Mike Beaudry 20 yard pass to Antoine Griffin, Austin Williams kick (Drive: 10 plays, 77 yards, 2:51; Texas A&M–Commerce 20–14) Third Quarter (10:03) UWF – Austin Williams 27 yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, –5 yards, 1:58; Texas A&M–Commerce 20–17) (6:08) TAMC – E.J. Thompson 9 yard rush, Kristov Martinez kick (Drive: 10 plays, 62 yards, 3:52; Texas A&M–Commerce 27–17) (1:57) UWF – Austin Williams 47 yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 8 yards, 1:14; Texas A&M–Commerce 27–20) (0:03) TAMC – Luis Perez 40 yard pass to Marquis Wimberly, Kristov Martinez kick (Drive: 4 plays, 61 yards, 1:21; Texas A&M–Commerce 34–20) Fourth Quarter (7:41) TAMC – Kristov Martinez 19 yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 86 yards, 5:34; Texas A&M–Commerce 37–20) (4:45) UWF – Chris Schwarz 3 yard rush, Austin Williams kick (Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 2:55; Texas A&M–Commerce 37–27)

Game information

First Quarter

(11:52) TAMC – Luis Perez 50 yard pass to Shawn Hooks, Kristov Martinez kick (Drive: 7 plays, 97 yards, 3:08; Texas A&M–Commerce 7–0)
(2:24) UWF – Chris Schwarz 1 yard rush, Austin Williams kick (Drive: 10 plays, 49 yards, 4:45; Tied 7–7)
(2:10) TAMC – Reggie Kincade 99 yard kick return, Kristov Martinez kick (Texas A&M–Commerce 14–7)

Second Quarter

(13:42) TAMC – Kristov Martinez 29 yard field goal (Drive: 6 plays, 70 yards, 2:21; Texas A&M–Commerce 17–7)
(8:51) TAMC – Kristov Martinez 29 yard field goal (Drive: 8 plays, 25 yards, 3:57; Texas A&M–Commerce 20–7)
(0:58) UWF – Mike Beaudry 20 yard pass to Antoine Griffin, Austin Williams kick (Drive: 10 plays, 77 yards, 2:51; Texas A&M–Commerce 20–14)

Third Quarter

(10:03) UWF – Austin Williams 27 yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, –5 yards, 1:58; Texas A&M–Commerce 20–17)
(6:08) TAMC – E.J. Thompson 9 yard rush, Kristov Martinez kick (Drive: 10 plays, 62 yards, 3:52; Texas A&M–Commerce 27–17)
(1:57) UWF – Austin Williams 47 yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 8 yards, 1:14; Texas A&M–Commerce 27–20)
(0:03) TAMC – Luis Perez 40 yard pass to Marquis Wimberly, Kristov Martinez kick (Drive: 4 plays, 61 yards, 1:21; Texas A&M–Commerce 34–20)

Fourth Quarter

(7:41) TAMC – Kristov Martinez 19 yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 86 yards, 5:34; Texas A&M–Commerce 37–20)
(4:45) UWF – Chris Schwarz 3 yard rush, Austin Williams kick (Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 2:55; Texas A&M–Commerce 37–27)

Statistics

Statistics	UWF	TAMC
First downs	20	24
Plays–yards	71–276	73–477
Rushes–yards	23–24	40–154
Passing yards	252	323
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	22–48–1	23–33–2
Time of possession	27:35	32:25

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
West Florida	Passing	Mike Beaudry	22/48, 252 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Chris Schwarz	14 carries, 45 yards, 2 TD
	Receiving	Antoine Griffin	8 receptions, 112 yards, 1 TD
Texas A&M–Commerce	Passing	Luis Perez	23/30, 323 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	E.J. Thompson	21 carries, 110 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Shawn Hooks	4 receptions, 104 yards, 1 TD

References

^ "Tex. A&M-Commerce vs DII Football Game Summary - December 16th, 2017 | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
^ "2017 Division II Football Official Bracket | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
^ "Football History vs University of West Florida". Texas A&M University-Commerce Athletics. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
^ "DII Football Championship History | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
^ "Football vs West Florida on 12/16/2017 - Box Score". Texas A&M University-Commerce Athletics. Retrieved December 18, 2019.

NCAA Division II football

Seasons

Playoffs

Championship games

Bowl era	East: Tangerine Bowl (1964–1967), Boardwalk Bowl (1968–1972) Mideast: Grantland Rice Bowl (1964–1972) Midwest: Pecan Bowl (1964–1970), Pioneer Bowl (1971–1972) West: Camellia Bowl (1964–1967)
Playoff era	1973 2008 2009 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

Records & statistics

v t e Texas A&M–Commerce Lions football
Venues	Ernest Hawkins Field at Memorial Stadium (1950–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Tarleton State Texas A&M–Kingsville: Chennault Cup West Texas A&M
People	Head coaches NFL draftees
Seasons	1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943–1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
National championship seasons in bold

v t e West Florida Argonauts football
Venues	Admiral Fetterman Field (2016–2021) Pen Air Field (alternate 2021, 2022–present)
People	Head coaches
Seasons	2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
National championship seasons in bold