# 2003 NAIA football national championship

The 2003 NAIA football championship series concluded on December 20, 2003 with the championship game played at Jim Carroll Stadium in Savannah, Tennessee. The game was won by the Carroll Fighting Saints over the Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers by a score of 41–28.

## Scoring Summary

Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers | Carroll Fighting Saints |
| 1 | 8:36 | 12 | 88 | - | Carroll Fighting Saints | 18-yard field goal by Rhett Crites | 0 | 3 |
| 1 | 4:33 | 10 | 74 | - | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Wes Scott 2-yard touchdown run, Keith Vermillion kick Good | 7 | 3 |
| 2 | 13:42 | 3 | 36 | - | Carroll Fighting Saints | Tyler Emmert 3-yard touchdown run, Rhett Crites kick Good | 7 | 10 |
| 2 | 2:43 | 11 | 80 | - | Carroll Fighting Saints | Mark Gallik 11-yard touchdown reception from Tyler Emmert, Rhett Crites kick Good | 7 | 17 |
| 3 | 10:06 | 5 | 37 | - | Carroll Fighting Saints | Mark Gallik 25-yard touchdown reception from Tyler Emmert, Rhett Crites kick Good | 7 | 24 |
| 3 | 8:51 | - | - | - | Carroll Fighting Saints | Interception returned 33 yards for touchdown by Brett Bermingham, Rhett Crites kick Good | 7 | 31 |
| 3 | 8:35 | - | - | - | Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers | Patrick Crayton 59 yard kickoff return for a touchdown, Keith Vermillion Kick Good | 14 | 31 |
| 3 | 7:14 | 3 | 60 | - | Carroll Fighting Saints | Mark Gallik 58-yard touchdown reception from Tyler Emmert, Rhett Crites kick Good | 14 | 38 |
| 3 | 1:02 | 9 | 64 | - | Carroll Fighting Saints | 23-yard field goal by Rhett Crites | 14 | 41 |
| 4 | 14:23 | 10 | 65 | - | Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers | Sam Breeden 6-yard touchdown reception from Patrick Crayton, 2-point Patrick Crayton Pass No Good | 20 | 41 |
| 4 | 0:09 | 1 | 41 | - | Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers | Michael Salters 41-yard touchdown reception from Patrick Crayton, 2-point Patrick Crayton Pass Good | 28 | 41 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers | Carroll Fighting Saints |

## Tournament bracket

| 1st Round November 22 | 1st Round November 22 | 1st Round November 22 | Quarterfinals November 29 | Quarterfinals November 29 | Quarterfinals November 29 | Semifinals December 6 | Semifinals December 6 | Semifinals December 6 | | Championship December 20 | Championship December 20 | Championship December 20 |
| 1 | Carroll (MT) | 40 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | McKendree (IL) | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | McKendree (IL) | 7 | 1 | Carroll (MT) | 49 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 7 | Mary (ND) | 7 | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Mary (ND) | 20 | 7 | Mary (ND) | 7 | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Azusa Pacific | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Azusa Pacific | 2 | | | | 1 | Carroll (MT) | 38 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 5 | Saint Francis (IN) | 14 | | | | |
| 5 | Saint Francis (IN) | 34 | | | | | | | 5 | Saint Francis (IN) | 14 | | | | |
| 10 | Georgetown (KY) | 23 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Georgetown (KY) | 23 | 5 | Saint Francis (IN) | 41 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 16 | Saint Ambrose (IA) | 14 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | MidAmerica Nazarene | 31 | 16 | Saint Ambrose (IA) | 14 | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Saint Ambrose (IA) | 32** | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Saint Ambrose (IA) | 32** | | | | | | | | 1 | Carroll (MT) | 41 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 6 | NW Oklahoma State | 28 |
| 2 | Sioux Falls (SD) | 24 | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | NW Oklahoma State | 28 |
| 12 | Benedictine (KS) | 21 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Benedictine (KS) | 21 | 2 | Sioux Falls (SD) | 33 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 8 | Northwestern (IA) | 7 | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Northwestern (IA) | 36 | 8 | Northwestern (IA) | 7 | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Ottawa (KS) | 33 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Ottawa (KS) | 33 | | | | 2 | Sioux Falls (SD) | 13 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 6 | NW Oklahoma State | 16 | | | | |
| 3 | Dickinson State | 12 | | | | | | | 6 | NW Oklahoma State | 16 | | | | |
| 11 | Lambuth (TN) | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Lambuth (TN) | 6 | 3 | Dickinson State | 17 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 6 | NW Oklahoma State | 24 | | | | | | | |
| 6 | NW Oklahoma State | 63 | 6 | NW Oklahoma State | 24 | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Tabor (KS) | 21 | | | | | | | | | | |
* ** denotes Double OT.