2017 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game

The 2017 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game that determined a national champion in NCAA Division II for the 2017 season. It was played at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas, on December 16, 2017,[1] with kickoff at 5:00 p.m. EST (4:00 p.m. local CST), and television coverage on ESPN2.

Not to be confused with 2018 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game or 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship.

2017 NCAA Division II Football Championship
West Florida Argonauts Texas A&M–Commerce Lions (11–3) (13–1) Gulf South Lone Star 27 37 Head coach:  Pete Shinnick Head coach:  Colby Carthel Seed 4 Seed 2
1 2 3 4 Total West Florida 7 7 6 7 27 Texas A&M–Commerce 14 6 14 3 37
Date	December 16, 2017
Season	2017
Stadium	Children's Mercy Park
Location	Kansas City, Kansas
Referee	Dwight Neibling
Attendance	4,259
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN2

Teams

The participants of the 2017 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game were the finalists of the 2017 Division II Playoffs, which began with four 7-team brackets to determine super region champions, who then qualified for the national semifinals.[2] The game featured the winners of those national semifinal games: No. 4 seed West Florida and No. 2 seed Texas A&M–Commerce. This was the first meeting between the two teams[3] and the first appearance for both teams in the championship game.[4]

National semifinals

Super region champions were seeded 1 to 4 for the national semifinals.

	Semifinals December 9 Hosted by higher seeded team					National Championship December 16 Children's Mercy Park, Kansas City, KS
	1	IUP	17
	4	West Florida	27
						4	West Florida	27
						2	Texas A&M–Commerce	37
	2	Texas A&M–Commerce	31
	3	Harding	17

Game summary

2017 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game

	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 4 West Florida	7	7	6	7	27
No. 2 Texas A&M–Commerce	14	6	14	3	37

at Children's Mercy Park • Kansas City, Kansas

• Date: Saturday, December 16, 2017
• Game time: 5:00 p.m. EST (4:00 p.m. CST)
• Game weather: Clear • Temperature: 61 °F (16 °C) • Wind: SE 7 mph
• Game attendance: 4,259
• Referee: Dwight Neibling
• TV: ESPN2
• Sources:[5]

Game information

First Quarter (11:52) TAMC – Luis Perez 50 yard pass to Shawn Hooks, Kristov Martinez kick (Drive: 7 plays, 97 yards, 3:08; Texas A&M–Commerce 7–0) (2:24) UWF – Chris Schwarz 1 yard rush, Austin Williams kick (Drive: 10 plays, 49 yards, 4:45; Tied 7–7) (2:10) TAMC – Reggie Kincade 99 yard kick return, Kristov Martinez kick (Texas A&M–Commerce 14–7) Second Quarter (13:42) TAMC – Kristov Martinez 29 yard field goal (Drive: 6 plays, 70 yards, 2:21; Texas A&M–Commerce 17–7) (8:51) TAMC – Kristov Martinez 29 yard field goal (Drive: 8 plays, 25 yards, 3:57; Texas A&M–Commerce 20–7) (0:58) UWF – Mike Beaudry 20 yard pass to Antoine Griffin, Austin Williams kick (Drive: 10 plays, 77 yards, 2:51; Texas A&M–Commerce 20–14) Third Quarter (10:03) UWF – Austin Williams 27 yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, –5 yards, 1:58; Texas A&M–Commerce 20–17) (6:08) TAMC – E.J. Thompson 9 yard rush, Kristov Martinez kick (Drive: 10 plays, 62 yards, 3:52; Texas A&M–Commerce 27–17) (1:57) UWF – Austin Williams 47 yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 8 yards, 1:14; Texas A&M–Commerce 27–20) (0:03) TAMC – Luis Perez 40 yard pass to Marquis Wimberly, Kristov Martinez kick (Drive: 4 plays, 61 yards, 1:21; Texas A&M–Commerce 34–20) Fourth Quarter (7:41) TAMC – Kristov Martinez 19 yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 86 yards, 5:34; Texas A&M–Commerce 37–20) (4:45) UWF – Chris Schwarz 3 yard rush, Austin Williams kick (Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 2:55; Texas A&M–Commerce 37–27)

Statistics

Statistics	UWF	TAMC
First downs	20	24
Plays–yards	71–276	73–477
Rushes–yards	23–24	40–154
Passing yards	252	323
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	22–48–1	23–33–2
Time of possession	27:35	32:25

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
West Florida	Passing	Mike Beaudry	22/48, 252 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Chris Schwarz	14 carries, 45 yards, 2 TD
	Receiving	Antoine Griffin	8 receptions, 112 yards, 1 TD
Texas A&M–Commerce	Passing	Luis Perez	23/30, 323 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	E.J. Thompson	21 carries, 110 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Shawn Hooks	4 receptions, 104 yards, 1 TD

References

1. "Tex. A&M-Commerce vs DII Football Game Summary - December 16th, 2017 | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
2. "2017 Division II Football Official Bracket | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
3. "Football History vs University of West Florida". Texas A&M University-Commerce Athletics. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
4. "DII Football Championship History | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
5. "Football vs West Florida on 12/16/2017 - Box Score". Texas A&M University-Commerce Athletics. Retrieved December 18, 2019.