2006 NCAA Division II football season

2006 NCAA Division II football season
Regular season	September 2 – November 11, 2006
Playoffs	November 18 – December 16, 2006
National Championship	Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL
Champion	Grand Valley State
Harlon Hill Trophy	Danny Woodhead, Chadron State

The 2006 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began on September 2, 2006, and concluded with the NCAA Division II Football Championship on December 16, 2006 at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama, hosted by the University of North Alabama.

Grand Valley State defeated Northwest Missouri State in the championship game, 17–14, to win their fourth Division II national title.

The Harlon Hill Trophy was awarded to Danny Woodhead, running back from Chadron State.

Conference changes and new programs

School	2005 Conference	2006 Conference
Central Arkansas	Gulf South	D-II Independent
Fort Hays State	RMAC	MIAA

The University of West Georgia changed the name of its athletic teams from Braves to Wolves due to NCAA rules regarding Native American mascots.

Conference standings

2006 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 2 NW Missouri State $^   9 – 0     14 – 1   No. 15 Pittsburg State #   7 – 2     10 – 2   No. 16 Missouri Western ^   7 – 2     9 – 3   Washburn   6 – 3     7 – 4   Truman   6 – 3     6 – 5   Central Missouri   3 – 6     5 – 6   Missouri Southern   3 – 6     5 – 6   Emporia State   2 – 7     3 – 8   Fort Hays State   1 – 8     1 – 10   Southwest Baptist   1 – 8     1 – 10   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant # – Mineral Water Bowl participant Rankings from AFCA Poll

Conference summaries

See also: List of NCAA Division II football seasons

Conference Champions

Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association – North Carolina Central Great Lakes Football Conference – Saint Joseph's (IN) Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Grand Valley State Gulf South Conference – North Alabama Lone Star Conference – West Texas A&M Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Northwest Missouri State North Central Conference – Nebraska–Omaha and North Dakota Northeast-10 Conference – Bryant, C.W. Post, Merrimack, and Southern Connecticut State Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference – Bemidji State Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference – Bloomsburg (East), California (PA) and Indiana (PA) (West) Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference – Chadron State South Atlantic Conference – Newberry Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Albany State and Tuskegee West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Shepherd

Postseason

2006 NCAA Division II Football Championship
Teams	24
Finals Site	Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL
Champion	Grand Valley State (4th title, title game)
Runner-up	Northwest Missouri State (4th title game)
Semifinalists	Delta State Bloomsburg
Winning coach	championship

The 2006 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the 33rd single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college football. The championship game was held at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama for the 19th time.

Seeded teams

• Bloomsburg
• Chadron State
• Grand Valley State
• Nebraska–Omaha
• North Alabama
• North Carolina Central
• Northwest Missouri State
• Shepherd

Playoff bracket

	First Round November 18 Campus Sites					Second Round November 25 Campus Sites					Quarterfinals December 2 Campus Sites					Semifinals December 9 and 10 Campus Sites					National Championship Game December 16 Braly Municipal Stadium, Florence, Alabama
						—	Grand Valley State*	35
	—	South Dakota	31			—	South Dakota	17
	—	Northwood (MI)	28								—	Grand Valley State*	30
											—	North Dakota	20
						—	Nebraska–Omaha*	35
	—	North Dakota	42			—	North Dakota	38
	—	Winona State	0													—	Grand Valley State	49
																—	Delta State	30
						—	N.C. Central*	17
	—	Delta State	17			—	Delta State	24
	—	Elizabeth City State	10								—	Delta State	27
											—	North Alabama	10
						—	North Alabama*	38
	—	Newberry	34			—	Newberry	20
	—	Albany State (GA)	28																		—	Grand Valley State	17
																					—	NW Missouri State	14
						—	Shepherd*	31
	—	Merrimack	28			—	Merrimack	7
	—	So. Conn. State	26								—	Shepherd	21
											—	Bloomsburg	24
						—	Bloomsburg*	21
	—	West Chester	31			—	West Chester	20
	—	Bryant	29													—	Bloomsburg	3
																—	NW Missouri State	33
						—	NW Missouri State*	27
	—	Midwestern State	28			—	Midwestern State	0
	—	Missouri Western State	26								—	NW Missouri State	28
											—	Chadron State	21
						—	Chadron State*	43
	—	West Texas A&M†	30			—	West Texas A&M	17
	—	Abilene Christian	27

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