# 2021 Stagg Bowl

The 2021 NCAA Division III Football Championship Game, more commonly referred to as the 2021 Stagg Bowl or Stagg Bowl XLVIII, is a postseason college football game that determined a national champion in NCAA Division III for the 2021 season. It was played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on December 17, 2021. Kickoff was scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EST, and the game aired on ESPNU. The game featured the North Central Cardinals, from the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, and the Mary Hardin–Baylor Crusaders, from the American Southwest Conference.

## Teams

The participants of the 2021 NCAA Division III Football Championship Game were the finalists of the 2021 Division III Playoffs, a 32-team single-elimination bracket. The game featured North Central, the defending national champions after winning the 2019 Stagg Bowl, and making their second title game appearance, and Mary Hardin–Baylor, seeking their second championship (their 2016 championship victory was later vacated) in their fifth title game appearance. This contest was the first between the two teams.

### National semifinals

| Semifinals December 11 Hosted by team with asterisk | Semifinals December 11 Hosted by team with asterisk | Semifinals December 11 Hosted by team with asterisk | National Championship December 17 Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton, OH | National Championship December 17 Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton, OH | National Championship December 17 Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton, OH |
| | North Central | 26 | | | |
| * | Mount Union | 13 | | | |
| * | Mount Union | 13 | North Central | North Central | 24 |
| | | | Mary Hardin–Baylor | Mary Hardin–Baylor | 57 |
| | Mary Hardin–Baylor | 24 | Mary Hardin–Baylor | Mary Hardin–Baylor | 57 |
| * | Wisconsin–Whitewater | 7 | | | |

## Game summary

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Mary Hardin-Baylor | 16 | 3 | 14 | 24 | 57 |
| North Central | 7 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium • Canton, Ohio
* Date: Friday, December 17, 2021
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Cloudy • Temperature: 38 °F (3 °C) • Wind: -->
* Game attendance: 1,830
* Referee: Stuart Hindman
* TV: ESPNU
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | Mary Hardin-Baylor | North Central |
| 1 | 14:48 | 0 | 0 | 0:12 | North Central | 93 Yard Kickoff Return Touchdown by DeAngelo Hardy, Tanner Rains Kick Good | 0 | 7 |
| 1 | 11:51 | 6 | 62 | 2:53 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | 32-yard field goal by Brandon Cunningham | 3 | 7 |
| 1 | 9:39 | 3 | 25 | 0:47 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Brandon Jordan 19-yard touchdown reception from Kyle King, Brandon Cunningham kick blocked | 9 | 7 |
| 1 | 2:14 | 6 | 83 | 3:04 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | K.J. Miller 19-yard touchdown reception from Kyle King, Brandon Cunningham kick good | 16 | 7 |
| 2 | 5:32 | 14 | 90 | 6:58 | North Central | Ethan Greenfield 1-yard touchdown run, Tanner Rains kick good | 16 | 14 |
| 2 | 2:05 | 6 | 39 | 2:35 | North Central | 22-yard field goal by Tanner Rains | 16 | 17 |
| 2 | 0:00 | 8 | 56 | 1:58 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | 22-yard field goal by Brandon Cunningham | 19 | 17 |
| 3 | 9:39 | 12 | 81 | 5:13 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Aphonso Thomas 15-yard touchdown run, Brandon Cunningham kick good | 26 | 17 |
| 3 | 1:31 | 10 | 91 | 4:55 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Aphonso Thomas 3-yard touchdown run, Brandon Cunningham kick good | 33 | 17 |
| 4 | 14:49 | 4 | 1 | 0:53 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | 20-yard field goal by Brandon Cunningham | 36 | 17 |
| 4 | 10:10 | 5 | 46 | 2:09 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Kenneth Cormier 11-yard touchdown run, Brandon Cunningham kick good | 43 | 17 |
| 4 | 7:47 | 7 | 71 | 2:19 | North Central | Blake Williams 30-yard touchdown reception from Luke Lehnen, Tanner Rains kick good | 43 | 24 |
| 4 | 6:01 | 3 | 44 | 1:44 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Aaron Sims 37-yard touchdown reception from Kyle King, Brandon Cunningham kick good | 50 | 24 |
| 4 | 0:42 | 6 | 53 | 3:16 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Brenton Martin 17-yard touchdown reception from Ryan Redding, Brandon Cunningham kick good | 57 | 24 |
| "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. | 57 | 24 |

### Statistics

| Statistics | NCC | UMHB |
| First downs | 18 | 28 |
| Plays–yards | 61-287 | 65-596 |
| Rushes–yards | 34-85 | 32-133 |
| Passing yards | 202 | 463 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 18-27-3 | 24-33-0 |
| Time of possession | 28:48 | 31:12 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Central | Passing | Luke Lehnen | 18-27, 202 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT |
| North Central | Rushing | Ethan Greenfield | 25 carries, 124 yards, 1 TD |
| North Central | Receiving | Andrew Kamienski | 8 receptions, 115 yards |
| Mary Hardin–Baylor | Passing | Kyle King | 22-29, 436 yards, 3 TD |
| Mary Hardin–Baylor | Rushing | Aphonso Thomas | 13 carries, 65 yards, 2 TD |
| Mary Hardin–Baylor | Receiving | Brenton Martin | 9 receptions, 170 yards, 1 TD |