INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA Division II Football Committee released the 2024 championship bracket Sunday afternoon and both Wingate and Lenoir-Rhyne will represent North Carolina in the race for the championship, continuing the South Atlantic Conference's strong football tradition.

The Wingate Bulldogs (9-1) earned the No. 2 seed in Super Region Two and will host Virginia Union (8-3) in the first round on November 23 at Irwin Belk Stadium. Meanwhile, Lenoir-Rhyne (9-2) will travel to face third-seeded West Alabama (9-1) in Livingston, Alabama.

Wingate enters postseason play as one of the hottest teams in the country, riding a seven-game winning streak that includes three shutouts. The Bulldogs have outscored opponents 222-50 over their last seven games, culminating with Saturday's 28-13 victory over #19 Carson-Newman in the SAC title game. The victory secured Wingate's third SAC championship in program history.

The Bulldogs' success has been built on one of the nation's most dominant defenses. Wingate leads the nation in third-down defense while ranking second nationally in total defense and red zone defense. They're third in pass defense, fifth in scoring defense and eighth in tackles for loss. Reigning SAC and Region Defensive Player of the Year Marquise Fleming leads the nation in tackles for loss. The defense has held six different opponents to their lowest point total of the season this year.

For Lenoir-Rhyne, the path to the playoffs included bouncing back from an early October loss to Emory & Henry. The Bears responded by winning five of their final six games, with their only loss coming in a tight 14-10 battle against Wingate on November 2. They closed the regular season strong with victories over Catawba (33-14) and Anderson (27-24).

The Bears were particularly effective through the air, with quarterback Jalen Ferguson throwing for 2,613 yards and 14 touchdowns. The team showed good balance, adding 1,349 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns for the season, led by Alex Boyd and Zayvion Turner-Knox. The Bears' defense was a significant strength, forcing 19 interceptions and recording 20 sacks while holding opponents to under 17 points a game.

The two North Carolina schools could potentially meet again in the second round. If Wingate defeats Virginia Union, they would host the winner of the West Alabama-Lenoir-Rhyne matchup on November 30 at Irwin Belk Stadium.

Valdosta State (10-0) earned the top seed in Super Region Two and receives a first-round bye. Miles (9-2) rounds out the region's representation, hosting Carson-Newman (9-2) in the first round.

First-round games are scheduled for 1 p.m. local time on November 23, unless otherwise approved by the committee. The tournament will continue with second-round games on November 30, quarterfinals on December 7, and semifinals on December 14, leading up to the national championship game in McKinney, Texas on December 21. The championship game will be broadcast live on ESPN2 HD.

NCAA DII football championship history 

Harding, which won its first-ever DII football championship last season by defeating Colorado School of Mines 38-7, enters the tournament looking to become the first repeat winner since Ferris State captured back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022.

Year	Champion	Coach	Score	Runner-Up	Site
2023	Harding	Paul Simmons	38-7	Colorado School of Mines	McKinney, Texas
2022	Ferris State	Tony Annese	41-14	Colorado School of Mines	McKinney, Texas
2021	Ferris State	Tony Annese	58-17	Valdosta State	McKinney, Texas
2020	Canceled due to Covid-19	--	--	--	--
2019	West Florida	Pete Shinnick	48-40	Minnesota State	McKinney, Texas
2018	Valdosta State	Kerwin Bell	49-47	Ferris State	McKinney, Texas
2017	Texas A&M-Commerce	Colby Carthel	37-27	West Florida	Kansas City, Kan.
2016	Northwest Missouri State	Adam Dorrel	29-3	North Alabama	Kansas City, Kan.
2015	Northwest Missouri State	Adam Dorrel	34-7	Shepherd	Kansas City, Kan.
2014	Colorado State-Pueblo	John Wristen	13-0	Minnesota State-Mankato	Kansas City, Kan.
2013	Northwest Missouri State	Adam Dorrel	43-28	Lenoir-Rhyne	Florence, Ala.
2012	Valdosta State	David Dean	35-7	Winston-Salem State	Florence, Ala.
2011	Pittsburg State	Tim Beck	35-21	Wayne State (Mich.)	Florence, Ala.
2010	Minnesota-Duluth	Bob Nielson	20-17	Delta State	Florence, Ala.
2009	Northwest Missouri State	Mel Tjeersdma	30-23	Grand Valley State	Florence, Ala.
2008	Minnesota-Duluth	Bob Nielson	21-14	Northwest Missouri State	Florence, Ala.
2007	Valdosta State	David Dean	25-20	Northwest Missouri State	Florence, Ala.
2006	Grand Valley State	Chuck Martin	17-14	Northwest Missouri State	Florence, Ala.
2005	Grand Valley State	Chuck Martin	21-17	Northwest Missouri State	Florence, Ala.
2004	Valdosta State	Christ Hatcher	36-31	Pittsburg State	Florence, Ala.
2003	Grand Valley State	Brian Kelly	10-3	North Dakota	Florence, Ala.
2002	Grand Valley State	Brian Kelly	31-24	Valdosta State	Florence, Ala.
2001	North Dakota	Dale Lennon	17-14	Grand Valley State	Florence, Ala.
2000	Delta State	Steve Campbell	63-34	Bloomsburg	Florence, Ala.
1999	Northwest Missouri State	Mel Tjeersdma	58-52 (4ot)	Carson-Newman	Florence, Ala.
1998	Northwest Missouri State	Mel Tjeersdma	24-6	Carson-Newman	Florence, Ala.
1997	Northern Colorado	Joe Glenn	51-0	New Haven	Florence, Ala.
1996	Northern Colorado	Joe Glenn	23-14	Carson-Newman	Florence, Ala.
1995	North Alabama	Bobby Wallace	27-7	Pittsburg State	Florence, Ala.
1994	North Alabama	Bobby Wallace	16-10	Texas A&M-Kingsville	Florence, Ala.
1993	North Alabama	Bobby Wallace	41-34	Indiana (Pa.)	Florence, Ala.
1992	Jacksonville State	Bill Burgess	17-13	Pittsburg State	Florence, Ala.
1991	Pittsburg State	Chuck Broyles	23-6	Jacksonville State	Florence, Ala.
1990	North Dakota State	Rocky Hager	51-11	Indiana (Pa.)	Florence, Ala.
1989	*Mississippi College	John Williams	3-0	Jacksonville State	Florence, Ala.
1988	North Dakota State	Rocky Hager	35-21	Portland State	Florence, Ala.
1987	Troy	Rick Rhoades	31-17	Portland State	Florence, Ala.
1986	North Dakota State	Earle Solomonson	27-7	South Dakota	Florence, Ala.
1985	North Dakota State	Earle Solomonson	35-7	North Alabama	McAllen, Texas
1984	Troy	Chan Gailey	18-17	North Dakota State	McAllen, Texas
1983	North Dakota State	Don Morton	41-21	Central State (Ohio)	McAllen, Texas
1982	Texas State	Jim Wacker	34-9	UC Davis	McAllen, Texas
1981	Texas State	Jim Wacker	42-13	North Dakota State	McAllen, Texas
1980	Cal Poly	Joe Harper	21-13	Eastern Illinois	Albuquerque, N.M.
1979	Delaware	Tubby Raymond	38-21	Youngstown State	Albuquerque, N.M.
1978	Eastern Illinois	Darrell Mudra	10-9	Delaware	Longview, Texas
1977	Lehigh	John Whitehead	33-0	Jacksonville State	Wichita Falls, Texas
1976	Montana State	Sonny Holland	24-13	Akron	Wichita Falls, Texas
1975	Northern Michigan	Gil Krueger	16-14	Western Kentucky	Sacramento, Calif.
1974	Central Michigan	Roy Kramer	54-14	Delaware	Sacramento, Calif.
1973	Louisiana Tech	Maxie Lambright	34-0	Western Kentucky	Sacramento, Calif

WINGATE – The Wingate Bulldogs captured their first South Atlantic Conference championship since 2017, stifling 19th-ranked Carson-Newman's potent rushing attack in a 28-13 victory Saturday afternoon at Irwin Belk Stadium.

The Bulldogs' defense, which entered the game as one of the nation's best units, held Carson-Newman to just 84 total yards - including a mere 54 yards rushing. The Eagles had been averaging 295 yards on the ground and 386 total yards per game before meeting Wingate's defensive wall.

Place-kicker Caleb Bonesteel earned MVP honors, connecting on all five of his field goal attempts from distances of 43, 38, 48, 36, and 36 yards. His consistent performance kept the Bulldogs in control throughout a game that remained close into the fourth quarter.

Wingate (9-1) took command in the third quarter after leading just 9-6 at halftime. Jake Snapp's 49-yard kickoff return to open the second half set up the Bulldogs at the Carson-Newman 44-yard line. The drive culminated in Noah Bell's one-yard touchdown plunge on fourth down, extending the lead to 16-6.

The Eagles (9-2) showed life early in the fourth quarter when Zane Whitson scored on a one-yard run to cut the deficit to 19-13. But Wingate responded immediately with an explosive four-play, 81-yard drive, highlighted by quarterback Brooks Bentley's 26-yard run and capped by Corey Siemer's 38-yard touchdown burst.

Siemer finished with 86 yards on 13 carries to lead all rushers, while O'Brien Barnett added 70 yards on 13 attempts for the Bulldogs. The Wingate ground game accumulated 165 yards overall, complemented by Bentley's 91 passing yards.

The Bulldogs' defense, which has now held Carson-Newman under 180 rushing yards in both meetings this season, was led by Kai Russell's 10 tackles, including 1.5 for loss. Daniel Morrison and Dontorian Best each contributed seven tackles, while Joseph Reddish sealed the victory with two fourth-quarter interceptions.

Carson-Newman's offensive struggles were particularly evident in the second half, when they managed just 10 yards of total offense. The Eagles' passing game never found rhythm, completing only 2 of 6 attempts for 30 yards with two interceptions.

The game's tone was set early when Wingate capitalized on field position and Carson-Newman miscues. After a methodical 12-play drive resulted in Bonesteel's first field goal, the Bulldogs quickly added another three points following a fumble recovery by Darius Randolph at the Carson-Newman 25-yard line.

The Eagles briefly showed life in the second quarter with two field goals from Bennett Smith, including a 45-yarder that tied the game at 6-6. However, Wingate reclaimed the lead just before halftime on Bonesteel's 48-yard kick and never trailed again.

The Bulldogs' defense took over in the fourth quarter, with Russell and Morrison recording consecutive sacks that pushed Carson-Newman into a fourth-and-28 situation. The defensive effort helped Wingate control the clock, holding possession for nearly 34 minutes in the contest.

Wingate now awaits Sunday's NCAA Division II playoff selection show to learn its postseason fate. The Bulldogs entered the game ranked second in Super Region 2, positioning themselves for a potential home playoff game when the bracket is announced.

The victory marks Wingate's third conference championship in program history, achieved through a suffocating defensive performance that limited one of the conference's most productive offenses to its lowest output of the season by more than 150 yards.

3A State Championship

Hickory 33, Seventy-First 26
MVP: Brady Stober

Hickory Offensive MOP – Isaiah Lackey
Hickory Defensive MOP – Henry Pitts
Seventy-First Offensive MOP – Deandre Nance 
Seventy-First Defensive MOP – Zayvion Hill

Hickory Wins 3A Title in Nail-Biting Finish

4A State Championship

Weddington 56, Hoggard 21
MVP: Keenan Jackson

Weddington Offensive MOP – Tyler Budge
Weddington Defensive MOP – Aiden Harris
Hoggard Offensive MOP – Hudson Wilharm
Hoggard Defensive MOP – Kamar Fulton

Weddington Dominates in Fourth Title Win in Eight Years

The 2023 NCHSAA football playoffs kicked off with a bang as teams from across North Carolina battled it out in the first round, delivering some thrilling matchups and surprising results. With a combination of dominant victories and close contests, the stage is set for what promises to be an action-packed second round of playoff action.

4A West

#1 Weddington 42, #32 Providence 7

#16 Chambers 45, #17 Northwest Guilford 20

#8 Roberson 42, #25 Reagan 21

#9 Myers Park 24, #24 Charlotte Catholic 42

#5 Hough 51, #28 Asheville 0

#12 Porter Ridge 41, #21 Cuthbertson 0

#13 Sun Valley 44, #20 Cox Mill 18

#4 Grimsley 54, #29 North Mecklenburg 0

#3 Mooresville 24, #30 A.L. Brown 18 (OT)

#14 Davie County 26, #19 Mt. Tabor 48

#6 Butler 49, #27 Alexander Central 7

#11 West Forsyth 32, #22 Ardrey Kell 15

#7 East Forsyth 42, #26 Page 6

#10 Lake Norman 0, #23 Independence 35

#15 Marvin Ridge 7, #18 Mallard Creek 41

#2 Watauga 54, #31 Hickory Ridge 34

4A East:

#1 Rolesville 62, #32 Swett 0

#16 Garner 19, #17 Wake Forest 42

#8 Jack Britt 9, #25 Fuquay-Varina 17

#9 Pine Forest 19, #24 Ashley 35

#5 Cardinal Gibbons 40, #28 Overhills 0

#12 Millbrook 28, #21 Heritage 21

#13 Clayton 55, #20 South View 20

#4 Pinecrest 45, #29 South Garner 31

#3 Hoggard 52, #30 Chapel Hill 0

#14 Holly Springs 21, #19 Jordan 42

#6 Apex Friendship 27, #27 Southeast Raleigh 6

#11 Laney 27, #22 Middle Creek 13

#7 Hillside 6, #26 New Hanover 23

#10 New Bern 51, #23 Apex 35

#15 Leesville Road 27, #18 Richmond Senior 0

#2 Cleveland 57, #31 Gray's Creek 13

3A West:

#1 Crest 53, #32 Parkwood 0

#16 Statesville 28, #17 South Point 27

#8 West Charlotte 21, #25 Northeast Guilford 0

#9 Hibriten 41, #24 Tuscola 40

#5 Jay M. Robinson 42, #28 North Davidson 0

#12 Northwest Cabarrus 52, #21 West Rowan 21

#13 Eastern Guilford 27, #20 Central Davidson 30

#4 Dudley 63, #29 West Iredell 14

#3 West Henderson 61, #30 Erwin 15

#14 Ledford 13, #19 East Lincoln 49

#6 Oak Grove 34, #27 Ashbrook 0

#11 Pisgah 35, #22 North Henderson 17

#7 A.C. Reynolds 45, #26 North Gaston 0

#10 Kings Mountain 37, #23 Smoky Mountain 7

#15 North Lincoln 50, #18 Rockingham County 7

#2 Hickory 51, #31 Hunter Huss 32

3A East:

#1 Havelock 62, #32 Dixon 0

#16 Cape Fear 33, #17 Western Alamance 13

#8 White Oak 19, #25 J.H. Rose 21

#9 North Brunswick 28, #24 Person 27

#5 Scotland County 48, #28 Rocky Mount 23

#12 Eastern Alamance 7, #21 Southern Durham 44

#13 Northern Nash 56, #20 Richlands 28

#4 Southern Nash 49, #29 Croatan 15

#3 Southern Alamance 44, #30 Orange 0

#14 Jacksonville 55, #19 C.B. Aycock 21

#6 Vance County 27, #27 Terry Sanford 34

#11 Harnett Central 42, #22 West Carteret 30

#7 Fike 43, #26 Southern Lee 21

#10 Currituck County 28, #23 South Johnston 21

#15 Williams 44, #18 Hunt 22

#2 Seventy-First 56, #31 Triton 7

2A West:

#1 Reidsville 58, #32 Madison 0

#16 West Stokes 19, #17 Southwestern Randolph 6

#8 Brevard 44, #25 Trinity 13

#9 North Stanly 34, #24 T.W. Andrews 32

#5 Monroe 63, #28 Bandys 13

#12 West Lincoln 53, #21 Chase 35

#13 Burns 63, #20 Pine Lake Prep 34

#4 Bunker Hill 61, #29 East Rutherford 7

#3 Community School of Davidson 38, #30 Lexington 16

#14 East Surry 42, #19 Providence Grove 13

#6 Randleman 43, #27 West Stanly 0

#11 Forest Hills 28, #22 Anson 7

#7 Shelby 62, #26 Mount Pleasant 14

#10 North Surry 21, #23 Lincolnton 35

#15 Maiden 31, #18 East Gaston 21

#2 Salisbury 55, #31 East Davidson 21

2A East:

#1 Clinton 64, #32 Kinston 12

#16 Beddingfield 18, #17 James Kenan 16

#8 Cummings 27, #25 Heide Trask 22

#9 Martin County, #24 Southeast Alamance 27

#5 Wallace-Rose Hill 55, #28 Greene Central 6

#12 Hertford 44, #21 S. Pauls 36

#13 West Craven 22, #20 North Pitt 12

#4 Nash Central 47, #29 Roanoke Rapids 8

#3 SouthWest Edgecombe 36, #30 Red Springs 13

#14 Farmville Central 42, #19 Southwest Onslow 35

#6 Whiteville 42, #27 South Granville 0

#11 East Duplin 41, #22 Eastern Wayne 18

#7 Princeton 63, #26 Camden County 20

#10 Louisburg 46, #23 Northwood 43

#15 Midway 13, #18 Holmes 38

#2 Northeastern 41, #31 North Johnston 21

1A West:

#1 Robbinsville 55, #32 Thomas Jefferson 7

#16 Mountain Island Charter 27, #17 Alleghany 22

#8 Bessemer City 52, #25 South Stanly 32

#9 Swain County 47, #24 Avery County 0

#5 Mountain Heritage 51, #28 Carver 6

#12 Starmount 35, #21 Cherokee 21

#13 Draughn 28, #20 Corvian Community 38

#4 North Rowan 63, #29 Elkin 19

#3 Eastern Randolph 68, #30 Cherryville 7

#14 Hayesville 28, #19 Christ the King 0

#6 Albemarle 49, #27 South Davidson 0

#11 Thomasville 49, #22 Andrews 6

#7 Bishop McGuinness 50, #26 South Stokes 8

#10 Murphy 57, #23 Polk County 21

#15 Mitchell 33, #18 East Wilkes 15

#2 Mount Airy 55, #31 Union Academy 3

1A East:

#1 Tarboro BYE

#17 Northampton 54, #16 Hobbton 36

#8 North Duplin 35, #25 Pamlico 27

#9 Southeast Halifax 66, #24 Union 0

#5 Bear Grass Charter BYE

#12 Rosewood 41, #21 Washington County 28

#13 East Bladen 57, #20 North Edgecombe 14

#4 Northside (Pinetown) BYE

#3 Wilson Prep BYE

#19 Weldon 20, #14 Gates County 14

#6 North Moore 28, #27 Chatham Central 0

#11 Bertie 34, #22 Southside 14

#7 Lakewood 60, #26 Northwest Halifax 16

#10 Perquimans 40, #23 East Columbus 6

#18 Pender 58, #15 Warren County 42

#2 West Columbus BYE

4A

New Bern 40, Grimsley 28
MVP – No'Tavien Green

Grimsley Def. MOP – Keshaun Jones
Grimsley Off. MOP – #22 Mitchell Summers
New Bern Def. MOP – KJ Sampson
New Bern Off. MOP – Aronne Herring

New Bern Rushes Past Grimsley for 4A Title