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| Year | Champion (Record) | Coach | Score | Runner-up | Attendance |
| 2007 | Valdosta St. (13-1) | David Dean | 25-20 | NW Missouri St. | 7,532 |
| 2006 | Grand Valley St. (13-0) | Chuck Martin | 17-14 | NW Missouri St. | 7,437 |
| 2005 | Grand Valley St. (13-0) | Chuck Martin | 21-17 | NW Missouri St. | 6,837 |
| 2004 | Valdosta St. (13-1) | Chris Hatcher | 36-31 | Pittsburg St. | 8,604 |
| 2003 | Grand Valley St. (14-1) | Brian Kelly | 10-3 | North Dakota | 7,236 |
| 2002 | Grand Valley St. (14-0) | Brian Kelly | 31-24 | Valdosta St. | 9,783 |
| 2001 | North Dakota (14-1) | Dale Lennon | 17-14 | Grand Valley St. | 6,113 |
| 2000 | Delta St. (14-1) | Steve Campbell | 63-34 | Bloomsberg | 8,000 |
| 1999 | NW Missouri St. (14-1) | Mel Tjeersdma | 58-52 (4OT) | Carson-Newman | 8,000 |
| 1998 | NW Missouri St. (15-0) | Mel Tjeerdsma | 24-6 | Carson-Newman | N/A |
| 1997 | Northern Colorado (13-2) | Joe Glenn | 51-0 | New Haven | 3,352 |
| 1996 | Northern Colorado (12-3) | Joe Glenn | 23-14 | Carson-Newman | 5,745 |
| 1995 | North Alabama (14-0) | Bobby Wallace | 27-7 | Pittsburg St. | 15,241 |
| 1994 | North Alabama (13-1) | Bobby Wallace | 16-10 | Texas A&M-Kingsville | 13,526 |
| 1993 | North Alabama (14-0) | Bobby Wallace | 41-34 | Indiana (Pa.) | 15,631 |
| 1992 | Jacksonville St. (12-1) | Bill Burgess | 17-13 | Pittsburg St. | 11,733 |
| 1991 | Pittsburg St. (13-1-1) | Chuck Broyles | 23-6 | Jacksonville St. | 11,500 |
| 1990 | North Dakota St. (14-0) | Rocky Hager | 51-11 | Indiana (Pa.) | 10,080 |
| 1989 | Mississippi Col.* | John Williams | 3-0 | Jacksonville St. | 9,750 |
| 1988 | North Dakota St. (14-0) | Rocky Hager | 35-21 | Portland St. | 6,763 |
| 1987 | Troy St. (12-1-1) | Rick Rhoades | 31-17 | Portland St. | 10,600 |
| 1986 | North Dakota St. (13-0) | Earle Solomonson | 27-7 | South Dakota | 11,506 |
| 1985 | North Dakota St. (11-2-1) | Earle Solomonson | 35-7 | North Alabama | 6,000 |
| 1984 | Troy St. (9-1) | Chan Gailey | 18-17 | North Dakota St. | 4,500 |
| 1983 | North Dakota St. (12-1) | Don Morton | 41-21 | Central St. | 5,275 |
| 1982 | SW Texas St. (14-0) | Jim Wacker | 34-9 | UC Davis | 8,000 |
| 1981 | SW Texas St. (13-1) | Jim Wacker | 42-13 | North Dakota St. | 9,415 |
| 1980 | Cal Poly SLO (10-3) | Joe Harper | 21-13 | Eastern Ill. | |
| 1979 | Delaware (13-1) | Harold Raymond | 38-21 | Youngstown St. | 4,000 |
| 1978 | Eastern Ill. (12-2) | Darrell Mudra | 10-9 | Delaware | 5,500 |
| 1977 | Lehigh (12-2) | John Whitehead | 33-0 | Jacksonville St. | 14,114 |
| 1976 | Montana St. (12-1) | Sonny Holland | 24-13 | Akron | 13,200 |
| 1975 | Northern Michigan (13-1) | Gil Krueger | 16-14 | Western Ky. | |
| 1974 | Central Mich. (12-1) | Roy Kramer | 54-14 | Delaware | |
| 1973 | Louisiana Tech (12-1) | Maxie Lambright | 34-0 | Western Ky. |
*Tournament participation vacated by the NCAA Committee on Infractions
