2012 NCAA Division II football season
The 2012 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began on September 1, 2012, and concluded with the NCAA Division II Football Championship on December 15, 2012 at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama, hosted by the University of North Alabama. The Valdosta State Blazers defeated the Winston-Salem State Rams, 35–7, to win their third Division II national title.
It proved to be the final season for the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Shortly before the start of the 2012–13 school year, the WVIAC's nine football-playing members announced plans to break away and form a new league. Before the new conference was announced, one of the nine breakaway schools chose instead to join the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference; the remaining eight schools joined with three other football-playing schools and one non-football WVIAC member left out of the original split. The new league, officially unveiled in August 2012 as the Mountain East Conference, began play in 2013.
The Harlon Hill Trophy was awarded to Zach Zulli, quarterback from Shippensburg.
Conference changes and new programs
- The Great Lakes Valley Conference began football play in 2012.
| School | Former conference | New conference |
| Azusa Pacific Cougars | Independent | GNAC |
| Black Hills State Yellow Jackets | Independent | RMAC |
| Central Oklahoma Bronchos | Independent | MIAA |
| Central State Marauders | Independent | GLVC |
| Indianapolis Greyhounds | GLIAC | GLVC |
| Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers | GLFC | GLVC |
| Lindenwood Lions | Independent | MIAA |
| Malone Pioneers | Independent | GLIAC |
| McKendree Bearcats | Independent | GLVC |
| McMurry War Hawks | American Southwest | Independent |
| Minot State Beavers | Independent | NSIC |
| Missouri S&T Miners | GLFC | GLVC |
| Nebraska–Kearney Lopers | RMAC | MIAA |
| Northeastern State RiverHawks | Independent | MIAA |
| Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers | CSFL | Independent |
| Notre Dame Falcons | Independent | GLIAC |
| Quincy Hawks | MSFA | GLVC |
| Saint Joseph's Pumas | GLFC | GLVC |
| Shorter Hawks | Mid-South | Gulf South |
| Sioux Falls Cougars | Independent | NSIC |
| Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm | CSFL | Independent |
| Southwest Baptist Bearcats | Independent | MIAA |
| Urbana Blue Knights | GLFC | GLVC |
| Walsh Cavaliers | Independent | GLIAC |
| William Jewell Cardinals | Independent | GLVC |
Minot State, Notre Dame, Simon Fraser, Sioux Falls, and William Jewell completed their transitions to Division II and became eligible for the postseason.
Regional realignment
The GNAC, MIAA, and Great American moved from Super Region 4 to Super Region 3, while the RMAC and GLIAC moved in the opposite direction; the GLVC, newly sponsoring football, was assigned to Super Region 4.Conference standings
Super Region 1
Super Region 2
Super Region 3
Super Region 4
Conference champions
| Conference Champions |
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Winston-Salem State Great American Conference – Henderson State Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Ashland Great Lakes Valley Conference – Indianapolis Great Northwest Athletic Conference – Central Washington Gulf South Conference – West Alabama Lone Star Conference – Midwestern State and West Texas A&M Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Missouri Western State Northeast-10 Conference – New Haven Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference – Minnesota–Duluth and Minnesota State–Mankato Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference – Indiana Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference – CSU Pueblo South Atlantic Conference – Lenoir-Rhyne Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Tuskegee West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference‡ – Shepherd |
Postseason
The 2012 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the 39th single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college football. The championship game was held at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama for the 25th time.Seeded teams
- Ashland
- Carson–Newman
- Colorado State–Pueblo
- Henderson State
- Minnesota State–Mankato
- New Haven
- Winston-Salem State
- Valdosta State
Playoff bracket
Awards and honors
Harlon Hill Trophy
The Harlon Hill Trophy is given to the year's most outstanding player.| Player | School | Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Total |
| Zach Zulli | Shippensburg | QB | 52 | 14 | 18 | 202 |
| Michael Hill | Missouri Western | RB | 23 | 26 | 17 | 138 |
| Franklyn Quiteh | Bloomsburg | RB | 8 | 27 | 23 | 101 |
| Dustin Vaughan | West Texas A&M | QB | 10 | 14 | 10 | 68 |
| Taylor Housewight | Ashland | QB | 7 | 14 | 15 | 64 |