The 2025 NCAA Division II football playoff field has been revealed, and North Carolina has placed two teams into the 32-team tournament.
Johnson C. Smith, champions of the CIAA, earned the No. 2 seed in Super Region 1 and will play Frostburg State in its opener. Wingate garnered the No. 4 seed in Super Region 2 and will host Benedict in its first-round game.
Fayetteville State and UNC Pembroke were among the top contenders left out of the field. UNCP lost to North Greenville 34-20 in Saturday’s Conference Carolinas Bowl in the battle for the league’s automatic berth. Fayetteville State didn’t have quite enough on its resume to get in.
This story will be updated throughout the evening as more details become available. Refresh this page for updates. A printable bracket (PDF) is at the bottom of this story.
2025 D2 Football Playoffs: North Carolina Contenders
Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls — CIAA Champion
Fresh off the schools’ first CIAA football championship since 1969, the Golden Bulls entered Selection Sunday as a lock to make the field. At 10-1, JCSU posted one of the best seasons in the region and owns wins over two fellow playoff participants: Virginia Union (1-1) and Valdosta State.
The Bulls’ opening foe, Frostburg State (9-2), earned the automatic berth from the Mountain East Conference. If both Johnson C. Smith and Virginia Union opening round matchups, they’ll meet for a third time in the region semifinals. VUU won the first matchup 28-10 on Sept. 20. JCSU rolled 45-21 in Saturday’s CIAA title game.
Super Region 1 Opening Round: Saturday, Nov. 22
Frostburg State at (2) Johnson C. Smith (1 p.m. start)
California (PA) at (3) Virginia Union
Bentley at (1) Kutztown
Assumption at (4) Indiana (PA)
Selection Sunday in Charlotte with @JCSUFootball pic.twitter.com/gcwKkGANIw — HBCU Gameday (@HBCUGameday) November 16, 2025
Wingate Bulldogs — South Atlantic Conference Runner-up
Ranked fifth in SR2 entering the weekend, Wingate appeared safely in the field after winning six straight games to close the season (9-2 overall, 7-2 SAC). The Bulldogs make their third D2 playoff appearance since 2022 and their sixth in eight years. Benedict finished second in the SIAC with a 9-2 record.
Albany State is the top seed in Super Region 2. The Wingate-Benedict winner will face either Albany State or 2024 D2 runner-up Valdosta State in the second round.
Super Region 2 Opening Round: Saturday, Nov. 22
Benedict at (4) Wingate
Valdosta State at (1) Albany State
North Greenville at (2) West Florida
Kentucky State at (3) Newberry
Selection Sunday in Charlotte with @JCSUFootball pic.twitter.com/gcwKkGANIw — HBCU Gameday (@HBCUGameday) November 16, 2025
Fayetteville State Broncos — Third-Place CIAA
Fayetteville State sat No. 8 in the final Super Region 1 rankings released last Monday, making the Broncos either the “last team in” or one of the first teams left out depending on how Saturday’s games played out.
FSU’s 6-3 record vs Division II opponents — including losses to Benedict, Johnson C. Smith and UNC Pembroke — left them squarely on the cut line. In the end, Valdosta State beating West Florida to steal the Gulf South’ title game ‘s auto bid proved FSU’s demise.
UNC Pembroke Braves — Conference Carolinas Runner-Up
UNC Pembroke entered the week ranked 6th in Super Region 2, but a 34-20 loss to North Greenville in the Conference Carolinas title game threw their bid into jeopardy. The Braves do have a head-to-head win over Valdosta State, which swiped the Gulf South’s automatic bid over regular-season champion West Florida on Saturday. But the rest of the resume, including a weak conference overall keeps them out.
What’s Next
First-round games will be played Saturday, Nov. 22, with higher seeds hosting.
Winners advance to the regional semifinals on Nov. 29. If Johnson C. Smith, it will host in the second round. Wingate likely will have to travel unless the No. 1 seed, Albany State, is upset.
About the 2025 Division II Football Playoffs
The 2025 NCAA Division II Football Championship will be played on December 20, 2025, at McKinney ISD Stadium in McKinney, Texas. This year marks a structural shift for Division II, as the playoff field expands from 28 to 32 teams and introduces automatic bids for all conference champions — 16 automatic qualifiers and 16 at-large selections.
Teams are divided into four eight-team super regions, with higher seeds hosting through the regional rounds. Winners advance to the national semifinals, with the championship game once again staged in Texas.
Defending champion: Ferris State, which defeated Valdosta State 49-14 in the 2024 title game.
🏆 NCAA Division II Football Championship | Printable Bracket
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