The first dozen D2 football programs that come to mind outside your region?

[Eagle74]

Unfortunately, since the Coach Sparks era has sadly passed, and I hate to say, but Carson Newman has dropped from being one of the consistent better teams year in year out in SR2.


Not sure how long The University of West Florida can keep Coach Shinnick around, but you can tell that players really want to play for that guy (and that team). They have over 44 college transfers (many Division-1) on the Argonaut's roster this year, and again it looks as though they are the odds on favorite to win it all again this year. Just like VSU, NWMS, and a couple of others, they have quickly achieved 'powerhouse status' in D2 Football.

[Predatory Primates]

Not 100% sure what region everyone is in this season.

1. Valdosta
2. Carson Newman
3. Grand valley
4. Duluth
5. Mankato
6. Ferris
7. Delta state
8. Central Washington
9. West Florida (great name)
10. Col. Mines
11. Chadron
12. Notre dame

[NW Normal]

Hell, I can't even remember who is in what region?

[cwfenn]

[cwfenn]

Are there any teams in your region that take down the big dogs with some regularity? Albany State has gotten a few wins off Valdosta State over the years.

Or how about a team that used to be competitive but has fallen off? Fort Valley used to win an occasional game against us but have yet to win one this century. Carson Newman did get us this century but that was 2003. There was a time when they were who we needed to get by to make a deep playoff run.

West Georgia and West Florida do get national mentions and for good reason, West Florida has built a national powerhouse seemingly overnight and West Georgia has 2 time NC coach David Dean. Don't be surprised if they get a NC soon. Lenoir-Rhyne has made back to back deep playoff runs and coming from SR2 that's no easy feat. They were less than a touchdown away from beating the eventual champs.

[I guess I could have started another thread but I thought this subject was closely related in that the point of this thread was to bring up schools that rarely get into the national conversation].

From 1992-2001 New Haven could hang with just about anybody-wins over several D1 schools (UConn in 1992 and beating Villanova with Brian Westbrook in 2001 stand out) and some close calls against nationally-ranked D1 schools (Youngstown State and Western Kentucky twice). They went to undefeated West Chester and beat them in the 2018 playoffs and beat Kutztown in the 2011 playoffs when both were PSAC champs.

The 1997 championship game, though-that was a tough one.

[Gliac_fan10]

Hell, I can't even remember who is in what region?

[4_tattoos]

Or how about a team that used to be competitive but has fallen off?

While still competitive, Winston-Salem State has fallen off in the CIAA. They've been the big bad final boss of the conference so often that any time they finish second in their division seems like they've had a bad season. As a Bowie State fan I'm glad the Bulldogs have had a run at or near the top of the CIAA for the last 5+ seasons, but I know at some point WSSU is going to be the big bad rams again.

[OldBison]

[Gliac_fan10]

[Gliac_fan10]

Or how about a team that used to be competitive but has fallen off?

GLIAC wise at least in SR3 I would put Northwood in this category (In terms of the last 25/30 years). Now their period of success was pretty much limited to the 2000s but a number of years in that time they had some really good teams that competed at the top with GV & SV. They made the playoffs and were ranked in the top 10 a handful of times. Most of the 2010s they were at the bottom/near the bottom of the league, especially since the Ohio schools left. And I expect them to be in the bottom 2 teams this year.

[Inkblot]

Western Washington football is no more, alas.

[twolfbenchwarmer]

Western Washington football is no more, alas.

[CalifOKRA]

Great thread idea, boyblue. It makes me happy to see Delta State on a lot of the lists. I'm going to keep my list to current/active D2 football teams.

1. Grand Valley State - powerhouse
2. Northwest Missouri - powerhouse
3. Pitt State - always heard about them and unique nickname
4. West Texas A&M - a few of my JUCO teammates played here
5. Texas A&M Kingsville - played in AF2 with a few guys from here
6. Minnesota State - powerhouse the last decade
7. Colorado Mesa - recruited by them; almost signed
8. Minot State - recruited by them
9. Western New Mexico - recruited by them
10. Bloomsburg - DSU beat them in the 2000 NC
11. Minnesota Duluth - DSU lost to them in the 2010 NC
12. UNC Pembroke - I remember them starting their program during my time at DSU

I'd add Cal PA, Ferris State, and the former GSC teams.

[EastStroud13]

Grand Valley State
NWMSU
Ferris State
Colorado School of Mines
West Florida
Valdosta State
Bowie State
Wayne State
TAMU Commerce
Indianapolis
Pittsburg State
Minnesota State