American college football season
The 2003 NCAA Division III football season , part of the college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States, began in August 2003, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship , also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 2003 at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia . The Saint John's (MN) Johnnies won second Division III championship by defeating the three-time defending national champion Mount Union Purple Raiders , 24−6.
The Gagliardi Trophy , given to the most outstanding player in Division III football, was awarded to Blake Elliott , wide receiver, punter, and kick returner from Saint John's (MN) .[1]
Conference changes and new programs [ ]
School
2002 conference
2003 conference
New Jersey City Gothic Knights
NJAC
Dropped program
Upper Iowa Peacocks
Iowa
Northern Sun (Division II)
Conference standings [ ]
2003 American Southwest Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 15 Mary Hardin–Baylor +
8
–
1
9
–
1
Hardin–Simmons +
8
–
1
8
–
2
No. 14 East Texas Baptist +^
8
–
1
9
–
3
Howard Payne
6
–
3
6
–
4
McMurry
4
–
5
4
–
6
Louisiana College
4
–
5
4
–
6
Austin
3
–
6
3
–
7
Mississippi College
2
–
7
3
–
7
Texas Lutheran
2
–
7
2
–
8
Sul Ross
0
–
9
0
–
10
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2003 Atlantic Central Football Conference standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
Frostburg State $
3
–
0
4
–
5
Salisbury
2
–
1
7
–
2
Wesley
1
–
2
6
–
4
Apprentice §
0
–
3
1
–
8
$ – Conference champion § – Not an NCAA member
2003 Centennial Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 25 Johns Hopkins +
5
–
1
10
–
1
Muhlenberg +
5
–
1
7
–
3
McDaniel
4
–
2
5
–
5
Franklin & Marshall
3
–
3
4
–
6
Gettysburg
2
–
4
5
–
5
Dickinson
2
–
4
4
–
6
Ursinus
0
–
6
3
–
7
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2003 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 6 Wheaton (IL) $^
7
–
0
12
–
1
Augustana (IL)
6
–
1
7
–
3
Millikin
4
–
3
7
–
3
North Central (IL)
4
–
3
7
–
3
Elmhurst
3
–
4
6
–
4
Illinois Wesleyan
3
–
4
5
–
5
Carthage
1
–
6
3
–
7
North Park
0
–
7
2
–
8
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2003 Empire 8 Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 10 Ithaca $^
4
–
0
10
–
3
St. John Fisher
3
–
1
8
–
3
Alfred
2
–
2
5
–
5
Hartwick
1
–
3
2
–
7
Utica
0
–
4
1
–
9
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2003 Freedom Football Conference standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 13 Springfield (MA) $^
6
–
0
10
–
1
Norwich
4
–
2
6
–
5
Merchant Marine
3
–
3
6
–
4
Western Connecticut
3
–
3
6
–
4
Coast Guard
3
–
3
4
–
5
WPI
2
–
4
4
–
6
Plymouth State
0
–
6
0
–
10
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2003 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
Hanover $^
6
–
0
8
–
3
Anderson (IN)
5
–
1
7
–
3
Mount St. Joseph
4
–
2
6
–
4
Defiance
3
–
3
4
–
6
Franklin (IN)
2
–
4
2
–
8
Manchester
1
–
5
2
–
8
Bluffton
0
–
6
2
–
8
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2003 Illini–Badger Football Conference standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
Concordia (WI) $^
7
–
0
9
–
2
Lakeland
6
–
1
8
–
2
Aurora
5
–
2
5
–
5
MacMurray
3
–
4
5
–
5
Greenville
2
–
5
3
–
7
Benedictine (IL)
2
–
5
2
–
8
Concordia (IL)
2
–
5
2
–
8
Eureka
1
–
6
1
–
9
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2003 Iowa Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 4 Wartburg $^
8
–
0
11
–
1
No. 23 Simpson
7
–
1
9
–
2
Loras
5
–
3
7
–
3
Buena Vista
4
–
4
6
–
4
Luther
4
–
4
6
–
4
Central (IA)
3
–
5
5
–
5
Coe
3
–
5
5
–
5
Cornell (IA)
2
–
6
4
–
6
Dubuque
1
–
7
2
–
8
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2003 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
Hope $^
5
–
1
7
–
4
Adrian
4
–
2
8
–
2
Albion
4
–
2
6
–
4
Alma
3
–
3
6
–
4
Wisconsin Lutheran
3
–
3
5
–
5
Kalamazoo
2
–
4
6
–
4
Olivet
0
–
6
4
–
6
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2003 Middle Atlantic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 11 Lycoming $^
8
–
1
9
–
2
Delaware Valley
7
–
2
9
–
2
Wilkes
7
–
2
8
–
3
Albright
6
–
3
7
–
3
King's (PA)
6
–
3
7
–
4
Widener
4
–
5
5
–
5
Susquehanna
4
–
5
4
–
6
Juniata
3
–
6
3
–
7
Moravian
3
–
6
3
–
7
Lebanon Valley
1
–
8
1
–
9
Fairleigh Dickinson–Florham
0
–
9
1
–
9
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2003 Midwest Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 16 St. Norbert $^
9
–
0
11
–
1
Monmouth (IL)
8
–
1
8
–
2
Lake Forest
6
–
3
7
–
3
Ripon
5
–
4
6
–
4
Beloit
3
–
6
4
–
6
Illinois College
3
–
6
4
–
6
Knox
3
–
6
4
–
6
Carroll (WI)
3
–
6
3
–
7
Lawrence
3
–
6
3
–
7
Grinnell
2
–
7
3
–
7
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2003 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 1 Saint John's (MN) $^
8
–
0
–
0
14
–
0
–
0
No. 12 Bethel (MN) ^
7
–
1
–
0
9
–
2
–
0
Concordia–Moorhead
6
–
2
–
0
7
–
3
–
0
Augsburg
4
–
4
–
0
5
–
5
–
0
Gustavus Adolphus
4
–
4
–
0
4
–
6
–
0
St. Olaf
3
–
5
–
0
4
–
6
–
0
St. Thomas (MN)
3
–
5
–
0
3
–
7
–
0
Carleton
1
–
7
–
0
3
–
7
–
0
Hamline
0
–
8
–
0
2
–
8
–
0
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2003 New England Football Conference standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
Bogan Division
Westfield State xy
6
–
0
7
–
3
Worcester State
5
–
1
8
–
3
Bridgewater State
4
–
2
6
–
3
Fitchburg State
3
–
3
5
–
4
Massachusetts Maritime
2
–
4
2
–
7
Maine Maritime
1
–
5
1
–
8
Framingham State
0
–
6
0
–
9
Boyd Division
Curry xy$^
6
–
0
11
–
1
UMass Dartmouth
4
–
2
9
–
2
Nichols
4
–
2
6
–
4
Endicott
3
–
3
5
–
4
Salve Regina
2
–
4
2
–
8
MIT
1
–
5
3
–
6
Western New England
1
–
5
2
–
7
Championship: Curry 36 , Westfield State 0
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2003 New Jersey Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 17 Montclair State $^
5
–
0
9
–
2
TCNJ
4
–
1
6
–
4
Rowan
3
–
2
7
–
3
Cortland
2
–
3
5
–
5
Kean
1
–
4
1
–
9
William Paterson
0
–
5
1
–
9
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2003 North Coast Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
Allegheny $^
7
–
0
7
–
4
Wittenberg
4
–
2
8
–
2
Wabash
4
–
2
7
–
3
Oberlin
4
–
2
5
–
5
Wooster
4
–
3
7
–
3
Ohio Wesleyan
2
–
4
4
–
6
Denison
2
–
4
3
–
7
Earlham
1
–
5
2
–
8
Hiram
0
–
6
1
–
9
Kenyon
0
–
0
2
–
8
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2003 Northwest Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 3 Linfield $^
5
–
0
11
–
1
Willamette
4
–
1
7
–
3
Pacific Lutheran
3
–
2
6
–
3
Whitworth
2
–
3
4
–
6
Lewis & Clark
1
–
4
3
–
6
Puget Sound
0
–
5
0
–
9
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2003 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 2 Mount Union $^
9
–
0
13
–
1
No. 9 Baldwin–Wallace ^
8
–
1
10
–
2
Capital
7
–
2
8
–
2
John Carroll
6
–
3
7
–
3
Muskingum
4
–
5
5
–
5
Ohio Northern
4
–
5
4
–
6
Otterbein
3
–
6
3
–
7
Wilmington (OH)
2
–
7
2
–
8
Marietta
1
–
8
2
–
8
Heidelberg
1
–
8
1
–
9
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2003 Old Dominion Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 7 Bridgewater $^
6
–
0
12
–
2
No. 21 Hampden–Sydney
5
–
1
9
–
1
Emory & Henry
3
–
3
5
–
5
Randolph–Macon
3
–
3
4
–
6
Catholic University
2
–
4
3
–
7
Washington and Lee
1
–
5
3
–
7
Guilford
1
–
5
2
–
8
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2003 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
Redlands $^
5
–
1
6
–
4
Occidental
4
–
2
7
–
2
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
4
–
2
6
–
3
Cal Lutheran
4
–
2
5
–
4
Pomona-Pitzer
3
–
3
5
–
4
Whittier
1
–
5
1
–
8
La Verne
0
–
6
1
–
8
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2003 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
Centre +
5
–
1
8
–
2
No. 24 Trinity (TX) +^
5
–
1
8
–
3
Rhodes
4
–
2
7
–
3
DePauw
3
–
3
5
–
5
Rose–Hulman
3
–
3
5
–
5
Millsaps
1
–
5
1
–
9
Sewanee
0
–
6
3
–
7
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2003 University Athletic Association football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
Washington University $
3
–
0
6
–
4
Carnegie Mellon
2
–
1
6
–
4
Chicago
1
–
2
2
–
7
Case Western Reserve
0
–
3
5
–
4
2003 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
Westminster (MO) $
7
–
0
7
–
2
Rockford
6
–
1
7
–
3
Martin Luther
5
–
2
7
–
2
Northwestern (MN)
5
–
2
6
–
4
Minnesota–Morris
4
–
3
5
–
5
Crown
3
–
4
4
–
6
Principia
2
–
5
3
–
6
Maranatha Baptist
2
–
5
2
–
7
Blackburn
1
–
6
2
–
8
Trinity Bible
0
–
7
0
–
9
2003 Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 5 RPI +^
3
–
1
11
–
2
Hobart +
3
–
1
6
–
4
Rochester (NY)
2
–
2
5
–
5
Union (NY)
2
–
2
5
–
5
St. Lawrence
0
–
4
2
–
8
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2003 USA South Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
Shenandoah +
5
–
1
8
–
2
No. 19 Christopher Newport +^
5
–
1
8
–
3
Ferrum
3
–
2
6
–
4
Averett
3
–
3
5
–
4
Methodist
3
–
3
4
–
5
Greensboro
1
–
5
3
–
7
Chowan
0
–
5
2
–
7
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2003 NCAA Division III independents football records
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 20 Brockport ^
–
9
–
2
Menlo
–
7
–
3
Thomas More
–
6
–
4
Mount Ida
–
4
–
6
Chapman
–
3
–
7
Colorado College
–
2
–
7
Buffalo State
–
2
–
8
Maryville (TN)
–
2
–
8
Macalester
–
1
–
8
Huntingdon
–
0
–
7
Husson
–
0
–
7
^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
Conference champions [ ]
Conference champions
American Southwest Conference – East Texas Baptist , Hardin–Simmons , and Mary Hardin–Baylor
Atlantic Central Football Conference – Frostburg State
Centennial Conference – Johns Hopkins and Muhlenberg
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin – Wheaton (IL)
Empire 8 Conference – Ithaca
Freedom Football Conference‡ – Springfield
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference – Hanover
Illini-Badger Football Conference – Concordia (WI)
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Wartburg
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Hope
Middle Atlantic Conference – Lycoming
Midwest Conference – St. Norbert
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Saint John's (MN)
New England Football Conference – Westfield State (Bogan Division), Curry (Boyd Division)
Championship Game: Curry 36, Westfield State 0
New England Small College Athletic Conference – Trinity (CT)
New Jersey Athletic Conference – Montclair State
North Coast Athletic Conference – Allegheny
Northwest Conference – Linfield
Ohio Athletic Conference – Mount Union
Old Dominion Athletic Conference – Bridgewater
Presidents' Athletic Conference – Waynesburg
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Redlands
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference – Centre and Trinity (TX)
University Athletic Association – Washington–Saint Louis
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference – Westminster (MO)
Upstate Collegiate Athletic Conference – Hobart and RPI
USA South Athletic Conference – Christopher Newport and Shenandoah
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Wisconsin–La Crosse
Postseason [ ]
The 2003 NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs were the 31st annual single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division III college football. The championship Stagg Bowl game was held at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia for the 11th time. This was the fifth bracket to feature 28 teams since last expanding in 1999.[2]
Playoff bracket [ ]
First Round Campus Sites
Second Round Campus Sites
Quarterfinals Campus Sites
Semifinals Campus Sites
National Championship Game Salem Football Stadium Salem, Virginia
Mount Union
39
UW–La Crosse
52
UW–La Crosse
14
Concordia Wisconsin
13
Mount Union
56
Wheaton (IL)
55
Wheaton (IL)
10
Hope
45
Wheaton (IL)
16
Baldwin Wallace
54
Baldwin Wallace
12
Hanover
32
Mount Union
66
Bridgewater (VA)
0
Lycoming
16*
East Texas Baptist
42
East Texas Baptist
15
Trinity (TX)
41
Lycoming
9
Bridgewater (VA)
28
Bridgewater (VA)
13
Waynesburg
24
Bridgewater (VA)
26
Christopher Newport
24
Christopher Newport
3
Muhlenberg
20
Mount Union
6
Saint John's (MN)
24
Springfield
34
RPI
34
RPI
40
Curry
20
RPI
21
Ithaca
14
Ithaca
16
Brockport
9
Ithaca
33
Montclair State
20
Montclair State
13
Allegheny
19
RPI
10
Saint John's (MN)
38
Saint John's (MN)
38
St. Norbert
26**
St. Norbert
13
Simpson
20
Saint John's (MN)
31
Wartburg
21
Linfield
25
Bethel (MN)
7
Wartburg
20
Linfield
31
Linfield
23
Redlands
23
* Overtime
[ ]
Team
Final Record
Points
1. St. John's (25)
14–0
625
2. Mount Union
13–1
595
3. Linfield
11–1
575
4. Wartburg
11–1
489
5. RPI
11–2
483
6. Wheaton
12–1
475
7. Bridgewater
12–2
453
8. UW-La Crosse
10–2
441
9. Baldwin-Wallace
10–2
399
10. Ithaca
10–3
355
11. Lycoming
9–2
353
12. Bethel
9–2
342
13. Springfield
10–1
336
14. East Texas Baptist
9–3
259
15. Mary Hardin-Baylor
9–1
234
16. St. Norbert
11–1
218
17. Montclair State
9–2
189
18. UW-Stevens Point
8–2
176
19. Christopher Newport
8–3
175
20. Brockport State
9–2
163
21. Hampden-Sydney
9–1
140
22. Waynesburg
9–2
103
23. Simpson
9–2
81
24. Trinty(Tx.)
8–3
66
25. Johns Hopkins
10–1
60
Others receiving votes: 26. Capital 50, 27. Hardin-SImmons 47, 28. Allegheny 42, 29. Trinity(Conn.) 38, 30. Redlands 22, 31. Hope 21, 32. UW-Whitewater 19, 32. Hanover 19, 34. Curry 18, 35. Concordia(Wis.) 16, 36. Washington and Jefferson 12, 37. Muhlenberg 9, 38. Rowan 7, 38. Augustana 7, 40. Delaware Valley 6, 41. Menlo 3, 42. Willamette 2, 43. New Jersey 1, 43. Shenandoah 1.
[3]
Awards [ ]
Gagliardi Trophy : Blake Elliott
AFCA Coach of the Year : John Gagliardi
AFCA Regional Coach of the Year: Region 1 : Mike DeLong , Springfield College Region 2 : Jeff Hand , Waynesburg College Region 3 : , East Texas Baptist University Region 4 : Mike Swider , Wheaton College Region 5 : John Gagliardi, St. John’s University (Minn.)[4]
See also [ ]
References [ ]
Pre-NCAA
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1893
1894
1895
1896
1897
1898
1899
1900
1901
1902
1903
1904
1905
NCAA pre-divisional NCAA University Division
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
NCAA Division I NCAA Division I-A/FBS NCAA Division I-AA/FCS NCAA College Division NCAA Division II NCAA Division III