Where to watch D3 football championship: TV channel, live stream, time for North Central vs. UW-River Falls Stagg Bowl

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Where to watch D3 football championship: TV channel, live stream, time for North Central vs. UW-River Falls Stagg Bowl
NCAA D3 football

Where to watch D3 football championship: TV channel, live stream, time for North Central vs. UW-River Falls Stagg Bowl originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The 2025 NCAA Division III football season comes to an end Sunday with preeminent power North Central facing championship newcomer Wisconsin-River Falls for the national championship. 

It’s the sixth consecutive Stagg Bowl appearance for the Cardinals (14-0), who have won two of the last three D3 titles and spent the entire season ranked atop the polls. 

The Falcons (13-1) are the upstarts, playing for a national title for the first time in their first D3 playoffs appearance since 1996. UWRF has plenty of weapons, though. Quarterback Kaleb Blaha threw for 520 yards in a wild semifinal win over Johns Hopkins and leads the nation with a D3-record 5,770 yards of total offense. 

Can Blaha and Co. outgun North Central’s nearly unstoppable offense? The Cardinals average 49.4 points and 491 yards per game, led by QB Garret Wilson (42 TDs, 4 interceptions) and running back Donovan McNeal (1,462 rushing yards, 11 TDs). 

Here’s how to watch all the action as a national champion is crowned in Division III. 

Where to watch D3 football championship: TV channel, live stream

The Stagg Bowl will air live on ESPN with Jay Alter (play-by-play), Rocky Boiman (analyst) and Madison Fitzpatrick (reporter) on the call. Fans can stream the game live on the ESPN app or via Fubo.

Now you can watch ESPN without cable. Stream live NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL and college sports, plus “SportsCenter,” “First Take” and all your favorite ESPN shows — anytime, anywhere — only in the new ESPN app.

What time is the Stagg Bowl today? 

  • Date: Sunday, Jan. 4
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET | 7 p.m. CT

North Central vs. Wisconsin-River Falls is set to kick off at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 4. 

Where is the Stagg Bowl played? 

  • City: Canton, Ohio 
  • Location: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium

This year’s Division III championship game will be played in Canton, Ohio at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. The venerable facility is home to the NFL’s annual preseason-opening Hall of Fame Game. 

Canton last hosted the Stagg Bowl in 2021 and will be home to the game again in the 2027 season. 

NCAA D3 football playoffs 2025 schedule, scores

Sunday, Jan. 4 – Stagg Bowl

Played at Canton, Ohio

MatchupTime (ET)TV/Live stream
North Central vs. UW-River Falls8 p.m.ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app

Saturday, Dec. 20 – Semifinals

MatchupTime (ET)TV/Live stream
UW-River Falls 48, Johns Hopkins 41
North Central 41, John Carroll 21

Saturday, Dec. 13 – Quarterfinals

MatchupTime (ET)TV/Live stream
Johns Hopkins 40, Susquehanna 10
John Carroll 21, Berry 13
North Central 35, Bethel 21
UW-River Falls 46, Wheaton 21

Saturday, Dec. 6 – Third round

MatchupTime (ET)TV/Live stream
John Carroll 10, Mount Union 7 (2 OT)
Berry 31, Trinity (TX) 23
Johns Hopkins 45, Salisbury 13
Susquehanna 29, Eastern 0
Wheaton 49, DePauw 24
North Central 35, Wisconsin-La Crosse 27
Bethel 35, Wisconsin-Platteville 24
UW-River Falls 42, Saint John’s (MN) 14

Saturday, Nov. 29 – Second round

MatchupTime (ET)TV/Live stream
Mount Union 49, Muhlenberg 7
John Carroll 35, Randolph-Macon 6
Berry 18, LaGrange 14
Wisconsin-La Crosse 9, Hope 7
Eastern 28, Franklin & Marshall 24
Salisbury 35, Endicott 28
Johns Hopkins 34, Springfield 14
Susquehanna 42, Christopher Newport 28
Trinity (TX) 34, Hardin-Simmons 24
North Central (IL) 38, Hanover 6
Wisconsin-Platteville 24, Alma 7
Bethel (MN) 51, Coe 26
Wheaton (IL) 28, Wartburg 24
DePauw 26, Wisconsin-Whitewater 23
Saint John’s (MN) 49, Monmouth (IL) 15
UW-River Falls 58, Chapman 7

Saturday, Nov. 22 – First round

MatchupTime (ET)TV/Live stream
Muhlenberg 34, Union (NY) 26
LaGrange 24, Framingham State 21
Susquehanna 38, Washington & Jefferson 32
Springfield 21, Cortland 7
Hanover 23, Grove City 15
Coe 44, Concordia Wisconsin 7
Wheaton (IL) 76, Crown (MN) 14
Chapman 18, Whitworth 16

NCAA D3 football champions list

The last 10 Division III football champions are listed below. 

YearWinnerRunner-up
2024North Central (Ill.)Mount Union
2023CortlandNorth Central (Ill.)
2022North Central (Ill.)Mount Union
2021Mary Hardin-BaylorNorth Central (Ill.)
2019North Central (Ill.)Wisconsin-Whitewater
2018Mary Hardin-BaylorMount Union
2017 Mount UnionMary Hardin-Baylor
2016Mary Hardin-BaylorWisconsin-Oshkosh
2015 Mount UnionSt. Thomas (Minn.)
2014Wisconsin-WhitewaterMount Union

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