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If you’re only going with four “bluebloods” and the criteria is # of titles and championship game appearances, then I’d go with NWMSU (6/10), VSU (4/7), GVSU (4/6) and FSU (4/5).
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It also depends on how deeply you look. There are years where the elite teams play each other earlier in the playoffs due to regionality or bracket pairings.
NW, GV, FSU, Pitt, VSU, WF, HU, and UMD have all been in that spot.
( The old NCC teams had that struggle bitd, too. Heck, back then, 1 or 2 of the top 4 teams in the country may not even make the playoffs.)
Last edited by Predatory Primates; 03-19-2026, 10:27 AM.
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ExactlyOriginally posted by Predatory Primates View Post
Just for fun, I went back to 1973, and solely based off playoff success, ranked all the teams based on that using the NACDA scoring (just because I didn't come up with my own). I think that scoring system is meh....schools that are consistently making the playoffs get lots of points but it's whatever.
There were six current D2 programs who totaled 1,000+ points: Northwest Missouri (1794), Grand Valley (1470), Valdosta (1286), Pitt State (1187), Ferris (1137) and IUP (1141).Comment
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Going back in time. Princeton and Yale are the most successful Division 1 Football programs. That's why I always evaluate teams over the past 4 or 5 years.Comment
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Issue with that is if a team has 1 great year, it over values it in a small sample size. 2011 Wayne as example.Originally posted by Eagle74 View PostComment
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Ferris is a tough edge case to me. They’ve had a peak that matches the best schools in D2 (2018-2025), and two other strong stretches (2014-2017, leading into the peak, and 1992-1996), but also went for a long time without a playoff appearance (97-2013). I think I’d say yes to calling them a blue blood, but I can also see a reasonable argument against on the grounds of that long playoff drought and lack of consistency across decades (yet).“No matter how badly things get blown apart, we will always plant flowers again.”Comment
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Typically I will strongly favor the last 20-25 years of a programs history. In this case I don't think going back to the start of the playoff era was too bad. All of the schools mentioned previously have won a title in the 2000's. But, I agree with your sentiment. Recruits don't care if your team won a title 20 years before they were born.Originally posted by Eagle74 View PostComment
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I was trying to go back and look. These are the only top 10 matchups in the first round I could find. Should top 10 be extended to top 20? Are 11-20 considered elite for that year?Originally posted by Predatory Primates View Post
Top 10 Matchups in the First Round (1973–2025)Year Matchup National Rankings Context Result 2025 NW Missouri St @ Harding #9 vs. #2 First year of 32-team field (No byes). Harding 37–21 2025 Minnesota Duluth @ Ashland #11 vs. #10 High-stakes meeting of northern powers. Ashland 30–27 2024 Pittsburg State @ Harding #6 vs. #1 28-team field era: Pitt State was a #6 seed in their region. Harding 48–3 2017 Ferris State @ Ouachita Baptist #9 vs. #11 28-team field era: Rare at-large vs. seed meeting. Ferris St. 24-19
I just went back and search for top 25 teams that played in the first round since 1973 and got this.
Top 25 Matchups in the First Round (1973–2025)Year Matchup Rankings (AFCA) Winner Context 2025 NW Missouri St @ Harding #9 vs. #2 Harding First #1 vs #2 (Regional Seed) in Rd 1 history. 2025 Minnesota Duluth @ Ashland #11 vs. #10 Ashland Battle of Top 12 northern powers. 2025 Valdosta State @ Albany State #21 vs. #19 Albany St Traditional GSC vs. SIAC ranked clash. 2024 Pittsburg State @ Harding #6 vs. #1 Harding Rare "Power Region" logjam forced this. 2024 Augustana @ Minnesota State #14 vs. #13 Minnesota St NSIC conference rivals met as ranked foes. 2024 UIndy @ Grand Valley State #16 vs. #4 GVSU Top 20 road test for UIndy in the GLIAC. 2023 Lenoir-Rhyne @ Shepherd #25 vs. #13 Lenoir-Rhyne Significant upset by a lower-ranked SAC team. 2022 Slippery Rock @ Assumption #23 vs. #15 Slippery Rock Defensive battle between PSAC and NE10. 2021 Lindenwood @ Grand Valley St #18 vs. #5 GVSU GVSU survived a high-scoring GLVC offense. 2017 Ferris State @ Ouachita Baptist #9 vs. #11 Ferris St The rare "Pre-2025" Top 10 first-round game. 2014 Henderson St @ Ouachita Baptist #14 vs. #9 Ouachita Bapt. The "Battle of the Ravine" in the playoffs. 2010 North Alabama @ Valdosta St #13 vs. #12 N. Alabama Most famous GSC playoff rivalry ever. 2007 Catawba @ Valdosta State #22 vs. #8 Valdosta St Valdosta started their title run here. Last edited by KPKCBC; 03-20-2026, 11:56 AM.Comment
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It isn't usually the first round. It happens most often in the quarters or semis. Regionality and luck of the draw often has the really good teams playing their toughest game before the NC.Originally posted by KPKCBC View Post
Top ten and elite are 2 very different things. Polls are just for fun. They're fraught with political appeasement. There are often only 1 to 5 truly elite teams in the country. As recently as a few years ago, there was a year where SR 3 probably had the top 4 teams in the nation in it. Under the PO system, there is no way to avoid things like that.
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NWMSU was the 1st DII team to go 15-0 when they won the title in 1998.Originally posted by SW_Mustang View Post
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Valdosta State
Pit State
MW Mo
Grand Valley
Ferris State
Minnesota Duluth
Harding
Carson -Newman
West Chester
Indiana (PA)
Texas A & M Kingsville
that's my list
Augie and Mankato have done quite well recently in the nSIC but are not blue bloods. Augie was the bottom of the old NCC with Morningside. Mankato has a chance to join the list if they stay D2Comment
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When I think of D2 traditional Blue Bloods I think of -
Valdosta State
Northwest Missouri
Ferris State
GV
Texas A&I
and now recently HardingComment
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It’s worth noting that Harding and Lehigh are the only two non-public universities to ever win D2 national championships in football.Last edited by OldBison; 03-23-2026, 03:33 PM.Comment
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Piggy backing on this 2024 Pitt versus Harding was flipped.Originally posted by KPKCBC View PostComment
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I think the afca poll started around the year 2000.Originally posted by GorillaTeacher View PostComment
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