List of NCAA Division II football championship appearances by team

The list of team that have participated in the NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs. The NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs began with eight teams in 1973 and expanded to include 16 teams in 1988, 24 teams in 2004, and 28 teams in 2015.

Qualified teams

 * Teams in bold participated in the 2023 postseason.
 * Updated through the 2023 national championship game, held on December 16, 2023

Not yet qualified

 * Teams in yellow are ineligible for the playoffs due to a transition to Division II.

Former NCAA Division II members
Former NCAA Division II teams that sponsored football at D-II level and had made at least one appearance in playoffs but had left NCAA Division II.

Defunct programs
NCAA Division II teams that sponsored football at D-II level and had made at least one appearance in playoffs but dropped their football programs.

Program changes

 * Program has since joined Division I FBS.
 * Program has since joined Division I FCS.
 * Program has since joined NCAA Division I but has dropped football.
 * Program has since joined Division III.
 * College has closed its doors.