| Year |
Champion |
Harlon Hill Trophy Winner |
Gene Upshaw Award Winner
|
| 1978
|
Eastern Illinois
|
—
|
—
|
| 1979
|
Delaware
|
—
|
—
|
| 1980
|
Cal Poly
|
—
|
—
|
| 1981
|
Southwest Texas State
|
—
|
—
|
| 1982
|
Southwest Texas State (2)
|
—
|
—
|
| 1983
|
North Dakota State
|
—
|
—
|
| 1984
|
Troy State
|
—
|
—
|
| 1985
|
North Dakota State (2)
|
—
|
—
|
| 1986
|
North Dakota State (3)
|
Jeff Bentrim, North Dakota State (QB)
|
—
|
| 1987
|
Troy State (2)
|
Johnny Bailey, Texas A&M–Kingsville (RB)
|
—
|
| 1988
|
North Dakota State (4)
|
Johnny Bailey, Texas A&M–Kingsville (RB)
|
—
|
| 1989
|
Mississippi College†
|
Johnny Bailey, Texas A&M–Kingsville (RB)
|
—
|
| 1990
|
North Dakota State (5)
|
Chris Simdorn, North Dakota State (QB)
|
—
|
| 1991
|
Pittsburg State
|
Ronnie West, Pittsburg State (WR)
|
—
|
| 1992
|
Jacksonville State
|
Ronald Moore, Pittsburg State (RB)
|
—
|
| 1993
|
North Alabama
|
Roger Graham, New Haven (RB)
|
—
|
| 1994
|
North Alabama (2)
|
Chris Hatcher, Valdosta State (QB)
|
—
|
| 1995
|
North Alabama (3)
|
Ronald McKinnon, North Alabama (LB)
|
—
|
| 1996
|
Northern Colorado
|
Jarrett Anderson, Truman State (RB)
|
—
|
| 1997
|
Northern Colorado (2)
|
Irvin Sigler, Bloomsburg (RB)
|
—
|
| 1998
|
Northwest Missouri State
|
Brian Shay, Emporia State (RB)
|
—
|
| 1999
|
Northwest Missouri State (2)
|
Corte McGuffey, Northern Colorado (QB)
|
—
|
| 2000
|
Delta State
|
Dusty Bonner, Valdosta State (QB)
|
—
|
| 2001
|
North Dakota
|
Dusty Bonner, Valdosta State (QB)
|
—
|
| 2002
|
Grand Valley State
|
Curt Anes, Grand Valley State (QB)
|
—
|
| 2003
|
Grand Valley State (2)
|
Will Hall, North Alabama (QB)
|
—
|
| 2004
|
Valdosta State
|
Chad Friehauf, Colorado Mines (QB)
|
Nathan Baker, Pittsburg State (OL)
|
| 2005
|
Grand Valley State (3)
|
Jimmy Terwilliger, East Stroudsburg (QB)
|
Mike McFadden, Grand Valley State (DL)
|
| 2006
|
Grand Valley State (4)
|
Danny Woodhead, Chadron State (RB)
|
Mike McFadden, Grand Valley State (DL)
|
| 2007
|
Valdosta State (2)
|
Danny Woodhead, Chadron State (RB)
|
Brandon Barnes, Grand Valley State (OT)
|
| 2008
|
Minnesota–Duluth
|
Bernard Scott, Abilene Christian (RB)
|
Sam Collins, Abilene Christian (C)
|
| 2009
|
Northwest Missouri State (3)
|
Joique Bell, Wayne State (RB)
|
Ben Staggs, West Liberty (OT)
|
| 2010
|
Minnesota–Duluth (2)
|
Eric Czerniewski, Central Missouri (QB)
|
Brandon Fusco, Sliperry Rock (C)
|
| 2011
|
Pittsburg State (2)
|
Jonas Randolph, Mars Hill (RB)
|
Joe Long, Wayne State (OT)
|
| 2012
|
Valdosta State (3)
|
Zach Zulli, Shippensburg (QB)
|
Garth Heikkinen, Minnesota–Duluth (OG)
|
| 2013
|
Northwest Missouri State (4)
|
Franklyn Quiteh, Bloomsburg (RB)
|
Darius Allen, CSU Pueblo (DE)
|
| 2014
|
CSU Pueblo
|
Jason Vander Laan, Ferris State (QB)
|
Darius Allen, CSU Pueblo (DE)
|
| 2015
|
Northwest Missouri State (5)
|
Jason Vander Laan, Ferris State (QB)
|
Matthew Judon, Grand Valley State (DE)
|
| 2016
|
Northwest Missouri State (6)
|
Justin Dvorak, Colorado Mines (QB)
|
Jordan Morgan, Kutztown (OT)
|
| 2017
|
Texas A&M-Commerce
|
Luis Perez, Texas A&M–Commerce (QB)
|
Marcus Martin, Slippery Rock (DE)
|
| 2018
|
Valdosta State (4)
|
Jayru Campbell, Ferris State (QB)
|
Markus Jones, Angelo State (DE)
|
| 2019
|
West Florida
|
Roland Rivers III, Slippery Rock (QB)
|
Austin Edwards, Ferris State (DE)
|
| 2020
|
The season concluded with the end of the regular season, as the playoffs and championship game were not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
|
| 2021
|
Ferris State
|
Tyson Bagent, Shepherd (QB)
|
Dylan Pasquali, Ferris State (OT)
|
| 2022
|
Ferris State (2)
|
John Matocha, Colorado Mines (QB)
|
Caleb Murphy, Ferris State (DE)
|
| 2023
|
Harding
|
Zach Zebrowski, Central Missouri (QB)
|
Levi Johnson, Colorado Mines (OT)
|
| 2024
|
Ferris State (3)
|
Zach Zebrowski, Central Missouri (QB) (2)
|
Marquise Fleming, Wingate (DE)
|
| 2025
|
Ferris State (4)
|
Curtis Allen, Virginia Union (RB)
|
Tim Anderson, Ferris State (OT)
|
