Jan 3, 2026
Every road in Division III football eventually points to Canton, Ohio. This season is no different.
On Sunday night, under the lights at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, North Central and UW River Falls will meet for the 2026 Stagg Bowl with a national championship on the line. One program is chasing legacy. The other is chasing history. Both earned their way here.
What we know going in is simple. North Central is back again. UW River Falls is here for the first time. And neither team plans on leaving quietly. North Central has made consistency look routine. This will be the Cardinals’ sixth straight appearance in the Division III National Championship game, a run that has turned the program into the standard everyone else is measured against. Championships in 2019, 2022, and 2024. Runner up finishes in 2021 and 2023. At this point, December football in Canton feels less like a destination and more like a yearly obligation for them.
This season followed that same script. North Central entered the playoffs as the top ranked team in the country and played like it. Balanced offense. Disciplined defense. No panic moments. No wasted possessions. They controlled games instead of surviving them, leaning on experience in moments where other teams blink. Quarterback play has once again been steady and efficient, the run game has worn teams down late, and the defense has been built to eliminate big mistakes. They do not beat themselves. In championship football, that matters more than anything.
On the other sideline stands a team with zero championship baggage and everything to gain. UW River Falls arrives in Canton for its first ever Stagg Bowl appearance after one of the most explosive playoff runs in Division III this year. Their semifinal win over Johns Hopkins was the type of game that changes a program’s identity. Back and forth scoring. No fear. And a late touchdown strike that sealed a trip to the national title game. At the center of it all is quarterback Kaleb Blaha. Statistically, he has been one of the most productive players in Division III football this season. Over 5,700 yards of total offense. One of the nation’s leaders in passing yards and touchdowns. He is the engine, the decision maker, and the reason River Falls believes it can score on anyone at any time. This Falcons offense does not ease into games. They attack early, stretch the field, and force defenses to defend every blade of grass. If they find rhythm, the scoreboard can move fast. That sets up the defining tension of this championship. North Central thrives on control. River Falls thrives on chaos. One team wants long drives, clean possessions, and a steady pace. The other wants explosive plays and momentum swings.
Experience versus momentum is the headline, but the real chess match happens between North Central’s defense and Blaha’s arm. If the Cardinals can pressure him and force extended drives, they tilt the game back into familiar territory. If Blaha gets comfortable early and starts connecting downfield, the pressure shifts instantly.
North Central head coach Brad Spencer summed it up best when asked about the matchup. UW River Falls is as advertised. That acknowledgment alone says plenty. For North Central, this is about continuing a run that already sits among the best in Division III history. Another title would further cement a dynasty that refuses to slow down.
For UW River Falls, this is about seizing the moment. Programs get few chances to rewrite their ceiling. This is theirs.
When the ball is kicked Sunday night, consistency meets confidence on college football’s biggest Division III stage. One team leaves with another ring. The other leaves knowing it changed what is possible.
That is what the Stagg Bowl is supposed to be.
You can get all of your Stagg Bowl updates right here on prepsportscentral.com as we are covering this event.