# 2005 NCAA Division II football season

The 2005 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 August 27, 2005, and concluded with the NCAA Division II Football Championship on December 10, 2005, at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama, hosted by the University of North Alabama. The Grand Valley State Lakers defeated the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats, 21–17, to win their third Division II national title.
The Harlon Hill Trophy was awarded to Jimmy Terwilliger, quarterback from East Stroudsburg.

## Conference changes and new programs

| School | Former conference | New conference |
| Central State Marauders | New program | Independent |
| Charleston Golden Eagles | Independent | WVIAC |
| Missouri–Rolla Miners | MIAA | Independent |
| Saint Paul's Tigers | New program | CIAA |
| Stillman Tigers | Independent | SIAC |
Stillman completed their transition to Division II and became eligible for the postseason.

## Conference standings
### Northeast Region

2005 Northeast-10 Conference football standings :
| 2005 Northeast-10 Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  No. 22 C. W. Post $^  8 –1  10 –3   Southern Connecticut ^  7 –2  8 –3   Bentley  7 –2  7 –3   Bryant  6 –3  7 –3   American International  5 –4  5 –4   Stonehill  4 –5  4 –6   Assumption  3 –6  4 –6   Merrimack  3 –6  4 –6   Pace  2 –7  3 –7   Saint Anselm  0 –9  1 –9   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from AFCA poll | 2005 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  East No. 7 Bloomsburg x^  6 –0  11 –1   West Chester ^  5 –1  8 –4   No. 5 East Stroudsburg ^  4 –2  11 –3   Millersville  3 –3  5 –6   Kutztown  2 –4  2 –8   Cheyney  1 –5  1 –10   Mansfield  1 –5  1 –10   West California (PA) x  5 –1  8 –2   Edinboro x  5 –1  8 –2   IUP  4 –2  5 –5   Slippery Rock  4 –2  5 –5   Shippensburg  2 –4  4 –7   Clarion  1 –5  3 –7   Lock Haven  0 –6  2 –9   x – Division champion/co-champions^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from AFCA poll | 2005 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  No. 20 Shepherd $^  8 –0  11 –1   Glenville State  7 –1  9 –2   Charleston (WV)  6 –2  8 –3   West Liberty  4 –4  6 –5   Fairmont State  4 –4  4 –6   Concord  3 –5  4 –7   West Virginia Wesleyan  2 –6  3 –8   West Virginia State  2 –6  2 –9   West Virginia Tech  0 –8  0 –11   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from AFCA poll |

### Southeast Region

2005 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings :
| 2005 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Eastern Bowie State # xy  5 –2  8 –4   Virginia State x  5 –2  6 –4   Shaw  4 –3  5 –5   Saint Paul's  3 –4  4 –6   Virginia Union  2 –5  3 –7   Elizabeth City State  1 –6  2 –8   Western No. 19 North Carolina Central xy$^  6 –1  10 –2   Winston-Salem State x  6 –1  6 –4   Fayetteville State  4 –3  6 –4   Livingstone  1 –6  1 –9   Johnson C. Smith  0 –7  0 –10   St. Augustine's @  0 –2  0 –2   Championship: North Carolina Central 26, Bowie State 23 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participant^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant # – Pioneer Bowl participant @ – St. Augustine's vacated 8 wins including 5 in conference play Rankings from AFCA poll | 2005 Gulf South Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  No. 6 Central Arkansas $^  8 –1  11 –3   No. 4 North Alabama ^  7 –2  11 –3   No. 14 Valdosta State ^  7 –2  9 –3   West Georgia  7 –2  7 –4   Delta State  6 –3  7 –4   Arkansas Tech  6 –3  7 –3   Harding  4 –5  6 –5   Southern Arkansas  4 –5  6 –5   Henderson State  2 –7  3 –8   Ouachita Baptist  2 –7  2 –8   Arkansas–Monticello  1 –8  1 –10   West Alabama  0 –9  2 –9   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from AFCA poll | 2005 South Atlantic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  No. 10 Presbyterian $^  7 –0  10 –2   Carson–Newman  5 –2  8 –2   Newberry  4 –3  5 –4   Catawba  3 –4  6 –5   Lenoir–Rhyne  3 –4  5 –5   Mars Hill  3 –4  4 –6   Wingate  2 –5  5 –5   Tusculum  1 –6  3 –7   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from AFCA poll |
| 2005 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  No. 11 Tuskegee # +  8 –1  11 –1   No. 9 Albany State +^  8 –1  8 –2   Fort Valley State  7 –2  7 –3   Stillman  5 –4  6 –4   Kentucky State  5 –4  6 –5   Benedict  4 –5  6 –5   Miles  3 –6  4 –7   Clark Atlanta  3 –6  3 –8   Morehouse  2 –7  3 –7   Lane  0 –9  0 –10   + – Conference co-champions^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant # – Pioneer Bowl participant Rankings from AFCA Poll | 2005 NCAA Division II Southeast Region independents football records vteConfOverall Team W L W L  North Greenville   –  2 –8   Rankings from AFCA Poll |

### Northwest Region

2005 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings :
| 2005 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  No. 1 Grand Valley State $^  9 –0  13 –0   No. 3 Saginaw Valley State * ^  9 –1  11 –2   No. 18 Northwood ^  8 –2  9 –3   Ashland  8 –2  9 –2   Michigan Tech  6 –3  6 –3   Indianapolis  5 –5  6 –5   Hillsdale  4 –6  5 –6   Wayne State (MI)  3 –7  3 –7   Ferris State  3 –7  3 –8   Gannon  3 –7  3 –8   Findlay  2 –8  3 –8   Mercyhurst  2 –8  2 –8   Northern Michigan  2 –8  2 –8   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant * – Saginaw Valley State forfeited all wins, giving all other GLIAC teams except Grand Valley State, Ashland, and Gannon one more official win than shown. Rankings from AFCA poll | 2005 Great Northwest Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Central Washington $  6 –0  8 –2   Western Washington  3 –3  4 –6   Western Oregon  2 –4  5 –6   Humboldt State  1 –5  5 –6   $ – Conference champion | 2005 North Central Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  No. 17 South Dakota +  4 –2  9 –2   No. 8 North Dakota +^  4 –2  10 –3   No. 16 Nebraska–Omaha +^  4 –2  8 –3   Minnesota–Duluth +^  4 –2  8 –4   St. Cloud State  3 –3  8 –3   Augustana (SD)  2 –4  6 –5   Minnesota State  0 –6  2 –9   + – Conference co-champions^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from AFCA Poll |
| 2005 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Concordia–St. Paul # +  6 –1  9 –3   Winona State +  6 –1  8 –3   Northern State  5 –2  6 –5   Bemidji State  4 –3  7 –3   Wayne State (NE)  4 –3  4 –7   SW Minnesota State  1 –6  4 –7   Minnesota State–Moorhead  1 –6  1 –9   Minnesota–Crookston  1 –6  1 –10   + – Conference co-champions # – Mineral Water Bowl participant | 2005 NCAA Division II Northwest Region independents football records vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Saint Joseph's (IN)   –  7 –4   Tiffin   –  6 –5   Upper Iowa #   –  3 –8   Central State #   –  1 –5   # – Provisional Division II member Rankings from AFCA Poll |

### Southwest Region

2005 Lone Star Conference football standings :
| 2005 Lone Star Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  North Division SE Oklahoma State  7 –2  8 –2   Texas A&M–Commerce  5 –4  5 –5   Central Oklahoma  3 –6  3 –7   East Central  2 –7  3 –7   Northeastern State  2 –7  2 –8   SW Oklahoma State  0 –9  1 –10   South Division No. 15 West Texas A&M $^  8 –1  10 –2   No. 23 Angelo State ^  7 –2  9 –3   Tarleton State  6 –3  7 –3   Midwestern State  5 –4  6 –4   Texas A&M–Kingsville  5 –4  6 –4   Eastern New Mexico  4 –5  5 –6   Abilene Christian  4 –5  4 –6   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from AFCA Poll | 2005 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  No. 13 Washburn $^  7 –1  9 –3   No. 25 Missouri Western #  6 –2  9 –3   No. 2 NW Missouri State ^  6 –2  11 –4   No. 12 Pittsburg State ^  6 –2  10 –4   Central Missouri State  5 –3  7 –3   Emporia State  3 –5  4 –6   Missouri Southern  2 –6  3 –7   Southwest Baptist  2 –7  3 –8   Truman  0 –8  2 –9   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant # – Mineral Water Bowl participant Rankings from AFCA Poll | 2005 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  No. 24 Nebraska–Kearney $^  7 –1  9 –3   Fort Lewis  6 –2  6 –4   Colorado Mines  6 –2  6 –5   Adams State  5 –3  6 –5   Mesa State  4 –4  5 –6   Chadron State  4 –4  4 –6   Fort Hays State  2 –6  2 –8   Western State  2 –6  2 –9   New Mexico Highlands  0 –8  0 –10   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from AFCA Poll |
| 2005 NCAA Division II Southwest Region independents football records vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Missouri–Rolla   –  7 –4   Western New Mexico   –  5 –5   Lincoln (MO)   –  2 –7   OK Panhandle State   –  1 –10   Rankings from AFCA Poll |

## Conference summaries

* Conference Champions
* Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association – North Carolina Central
* Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Grand Valley State
* Great Northwest Athletic Conference – Central Washington
* Gulf South Conference – Central Arkansas
* Lone Star Conference – West Texas A&M
* Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association – Washburn
* North Central Conference – Minnesota–Duluth, Nebraska–Omaha, North Dakota, and South Dakota
* Northeast-10 Conference – C.W. Post
* Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference – Concordia–Saint Paul and Winona State
* Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference – Bloomsburg (East), California (PA) and Edinboro (West)
* Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference – Nebraska–Kearney
* South Atlantic Conference – Presbyterian
* Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Albany State
* West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Shepherd

## Postseason

The 2005 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the 32nd 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 18th time.

### Seeded teams

* Bloomsburg
* Grand Valley State
* Nebraska–Omaha
* North Carolina Central
* Presbyterian
* Shepherd
* Washburn
* West Texas A&M

### Playoff bracket

| First round November 12 Campus Sites | First round November 12 Campus Sites | First round November 12 Campus Sites | | | Second round November 19 Campus Sites | Second round November 19 Campus Sites | Second round November 19 Campus Sites | Quarterfinals November 26 Campus Sites | Quarterfinals November 26 Campus Sites | Quarterfinals November 26 Campus Sites | Semifinals December 3 Campus Sites | Semifinals December 3 Campus Sites | Semifinals December 3 Campus Sites | National Championship Game December 10 Braly Municipal Stadium, Florence, Alabama | National Championship Game December 10 Braly Municipal Stadium, Florence, Alabama | National Championship Game December 10 Braly Municipal Stadium, Florence, Alabama |
| | | | | | 1 | Presbyterian* | 28 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 5 | Central Arkansas | 52 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Central Arkansas | 28 | | | 5 | Central Arkansas | 52 | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Albany State | 20 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Albany State | 20 | | | | | | 5 | Central Arkansas | 38 | | | | | | |
| Super Region 2 | Super Region 2 | Super Region 2 | Super Region 2 | Super Region 2 | Super Region 2 | Super Region 2 | Super Region 2 | 5 | Central Arkansas | 38 | | | | | | |
| Super Region 2 | Super Region 2 | Super Region 2 | Super Region 2 | Super Region 2 | Super Region 2 | Super Region 2 | Super Region 2 | 6 | North Alabama | 41 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | North Carolina Central* | 21 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 6 | North Alabama | 24 | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | North Alabama | 40 | | | 6 | North Alabama | 24 | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Valdosta State | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Valdosta State | 13 | | | | | | | | | 6 | North Alabama | 24 | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | NW Missouri State | 25 | | | |
| | | | | | 1 | West Texas A&M* | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 5 | Pittsburg State | 41 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Pittsburg State | 49 | | | 5 | Pittsburg State | 41 | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Nebraska–Kearney | 20 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Nebraska–Kearney | 20 | | | | | | 5 | Pittsburg State | 10 | | | | | | |
| Super Region 4 | Super Region 4 | Super Region 4 | Super Region 4 | Super Region 4 | Super Region 4 | Super Region 4 | Super Region 4 | 5 | Pittsburg State | 10 | | | | | | |
| Super Region 4 | Super Region 4 | Super Region 4 | Super Region 4 | Super Region 4 | Super Region 4 | Super Region 4 | Super Region 4 | 6 | NW Missouri State | 21 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Washburn* | 32 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 6 | NW Missouri State | 42 | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | NW Missouri State | 45 | | | 6 | NW Missouri State | 42 | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Angelo State | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Angelo State | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | NW Missouri State | 17 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Grand Valley State | 21 |
| | | | | | 1 | Shepherd* | 21 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 4 | C.W. Post | 28 | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | C.W. Post | 24 | | | 4 | C.W. Post | 28 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | West Chester | 20 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | West Chester | 20 | | | | | | 4 | C.W. Post | 28 | | | | | | |
| Super Region 1 | Super Region 1 | Super Region 1 | Super Region 1 | Super Region 1 | Super Region 1 | Super Region 1 | Super Region 1 | 4 | C.W. Post | 28 | | | | | | |
| Super Region 1 | Super Region 1 | Super Region 1 | Super Region 1 | Super Region 1 | Super Region 1 | Super Region 1 | Super Region 1 | 3 | East Stroudsburg | 55 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Bloomsburg* | 39 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 3 | East Stroudsburg | 52 | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | East Stroudsburg | 55 | | | 3 | East Stroudsburg | 52 | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | S. Connecticut | 33 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | S. Connecticut | 33 | | | | | | | | | 3 | East Stroudsburg | 20 | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Grand Valley State | 55 | | | |
| | | | | | 1 | Grand Valley State* | 17 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 4 | North Dakota | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | North Dakota | 23 | | | 4 | North Dakota | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Minnesota–Duluth | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Minnesota–Duluth | 12 | | | | | | 1 | Grand Valley State | 24 | | | | | | |
| Super Region 3 | Super Region 3 | Super Region 3 | Super Region 3 | Super Region 3 | Super Region 3 | Super Region 3 | Super Region 3 | 1 | Grand Valley State | 24 | | | | | | |
| Super Region 3 | Super Region 3 | Super Region 3 | Super Region 3 | Super Region 3 | Super Region 3 | Super Region 3 | Super Region 3 | 3 | Saginaw Valley | 17 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Nebraska–Omaha* | 21 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 3 | Saginaw Valley | 24 | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Saginaw Valley State | 31 | | | 3 | Saginaw Valley | 24 | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Northwood | 16 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
* Home team † Overtime