INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Northwest Missouri and Pittsburg State will represent the MIAA in the 2025 NCAA Division II football postseason. The first round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs begins Saturday, November 22, with the Bearcats taking on Harding in Searcy, Arkansas, and the Gorillas will host Chadron State in Pittsburg.
 
The 2025 regular season concluded on Saturday, November 15, with Northwest Missouri and Pittsburg State both earning a share of the MIAA championship crown. The Gorillas earned the MIAA’s automatic qualifier into the NCAA postseason with a 27-14 win over the Bearcats in Kansas City last Saturday.
 
Pittsburg State, the No. 6-ranked team in Division II, makes its 22nd all-time postseason appearance on Saturday, November 22. The Gorillas (9-2) host Chardon State (8-3) from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) in a first-round playoff game at 1 p.m. Central Time at Pitt State’s Carnie Smith Stadium in Pittsburg, Kansas.  This will mark the fourth meeting between the Gorillas and Eagles in a series that dates back to 2008, with Pitt State leading the series 3-0.
 
To find ticket information and more information on Pittsburg State’s first round playoff game against Chadron State, visit PittStateGorillas.com.
 
Northwest Missouri earned an at-large bid from the NCAA and will make its 27th all-time NCAA Division II playoff appearance. The No. 14 nationally ranked Bearcats (9-2) will face No. 2 Harding (11-0) at 1 p.m. Central Time at the Bisons’ First Security Stadium in Searcy, Arkansas. Northwest and Harding have met four times in the NCAA postseason, with the Bearcats leading the all-time series 4-0.
 
To find ticket information and more information on Northwest’s first round playoff game against Harding, visit BearcatSports.com.
 
The winners of Saturday’s games will advance to the second round of the playoffs, set for Saturday, November 29. To view the official 32-team postseason bracket and find more information on the 2025 NCAA Division II Football Championship, visit NCAA.com.