Grand Valley State will have an opportunity to get redemption and make a huge statement to the 15 other teams remaining in the 2024 NCAA Division II Football Championship. 

In the second round of this year’s playoffs, the Lakers will play host to defending national champion Harding, which eliminated GVSU on the way to title in 2023.

The game is a rematch of the quarterfinal battle the squads had last year and will get underway at Lubbers Stadium in Allendale, Michigan, on Saturday at 1 p.m. Eastern. Last year was the first meeting in history between the two programs.

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Last December, Grand Valley State went on the road and saw its season come to an end against the Bisons in a 7-6 nailbiter that was very winnable for the Lakers.

GVSU was limited to just two field goals, both of which came in the second quarter. The Lakers were dinged for 10 penalties in the contest, and the difference ended up being a 15-play, 73-yard Harding drive with just under four minutes to play. 

Though the Lakers held their opponents to half their nation-leading season average on the ground (205 yards) and just 20 more yards through the air, the GVSU offense was silenced, too, accounting for only 222 total yards. 

GVSU enters this year’s game at 11-1 over and coming off a 24-7 win over UIndy last weekend in the opening round of the playoffs. The Lakers scored the final 17 points of the game to get past the Greyhounds.

Harding, also 11-1, dominated Pittsburg State last week on the road, scoring 24 points in the second quarter to put the game out of reach early. The Bisons finished the 48-3 win with 518 rushing yards and 585 yards overall, while holding the Gorillas to 148 yards of offense. 

The performance from Harding was on par, as the Bisons lead Division II in more than a dozen statistical categories this season, including 51.9 points per game and 432.5 rushing yards per contest. 

In the pre-playoff American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches Poll, Harding was ranked at No. 4, while GVSU landed at No. 5.

This is the ninth playoff appearance for the Bisons, but the postseason is where GVSU has shined. 

The Lakers are making their 23rd appearance in the Division II Playoffs, own a 40-19 record (including 26-5 at home) and have made six trips to the championship game since the turn of the century, winning four – 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006.

In 52 years of action, GVSU also has won 19 conference championships and is the winningest FBS/FCS/Division II program in the country with a 453-152-3 record all-time, a winning percentage of nearly 75%. This is the Lakers’ 20th season with 10 or more wins.

Can Grand Valley State slow what seems to be an impossible-to-stop Harding offense? Can the Lakers figure out how to beat the average of 8.2 points the Bisons’ opponents have scored this year?

The winner will advance to next week's quarterfinals and meet the winner of the Ferris State-Central Oklahoma game.

How To Watch The Harding Football Vs. Grand Valley State Division II Playoff Game

The Harding vs. Grand Valley State playoff football game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

Highlights, breaking news and full coverage of the Division II playoffs will be available on FloFootball. 

When Are The NCAA Division II Football Playoffs?

• First round: Saturday, Nov. 23
• Second round: Saturday, Nov. 30 
• Quarterfinals: Saturday, Dec. 7 
• Semifinals: Saturday, Dec. 14
• National championship: Saturday, Dec. 21

When Is The NCAA Division II Championship Game?

The NCAA Division II championship game is set for Saturday, Dec. 21 in McKinney, Texas.

NCAA Division II Football Playoff Schedule

First Round: Saturday, Nov. 23

• Slippery Rock def. New Haven, 14-7
• Ashland def. Charleston (W.Va.), 40-38
• California (Pa.) def. East Stroudsburg, 30-27
• Miles def. Carson-Newman, 14-13
• Virginia Union def. Wingate, 34-31
• Lenoir-Rhyne def. West Alabama, 37-34
• Central Oklahoma def. Ouachita Baptist, 38-31
• Grand Valley State def. UIndy, 24-7
• Harding def. Pittsburg State, 48-3
• Minnesota State def. Augustana (S.D.), 20-19
• Western Colorado def. Central Washington, 28-21
• Bemidji State def. Angelo State, 24-14

Second Round: Saturday, Nov. 30

• Kutztown vs. Slippery Rock
• Ashland vs. California (Pa.)
• Valdosta State vs. Miles
• Virginia Union vs. Lenoir-Rhyne
• Ferris State vs. Central Oklahoma
• Grand Valley State vs. Harding
• CSU Pueblo vs. Minnesota State
• Western Colorado vs. Bemidji State

AFCA Division II Football Rankings

As of Nov. 18, 2024

1. Valdosta St. (Ga.) (27) 10-0
2. Ferris St. (Mich.) (3) 10-1
3. Kutztown (Pa.) 11-0
4. Harding (Ark.) 10-1
5. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 10-1
6. Charleston (W.Va.) 11-0
7. Colorado St.-Pueblo 10-1
8. Central Oklahoma 10-1
9. Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 10-1
10. Western Colorado 10-1
11. Slippery Rock (Pa.) 9-1
12. West Alabama 9-1
13. Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 8-2
14. Indianapolis (Ind.) 10-1
15. Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 9-2
16. Angelo St. (Tex.) 9-2
17. Wingate (N.C.) 9-1
18. Colorado School of Mines 8-3
19. Central Washington 8-3
20. California (Pa.) 8-2
21. West Florida 7-3
22. Augustana (S.D.) 8-3
23. Southern Arkansas 9-2
24. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 9-2
25. Central Missouri 8-3

Dropped Out: Minnesota St. (18), Findlay (Ohio) (22).

Others Receiving Votes: Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 65; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 45; Virginia Union, 38; Miles (Ala.), 36; Minnesota St., 34; New Haven (Conn.), 21; Findlay (Ohio), 18; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 9; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 4; Davenport (Mich.), 3; Ashland (Ohio), 2; Glenville St. (W.Va.), 1.

To see the D2Football.com Top 25 Poll, click here.

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