The"NCAA Division III Football Championship" is the Division III NCAA Football Game that is played every year in December to determine the National Champion of College Football's Division III level. The NCAA Division III Football Championship began in 1973. Before 1973, most of the schools now in Division III competed in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The Division III playoffs begin with 32 teams selected to participate in the playoffs. The Division III championship game, known as the "Stagg Bowl", has been played annually in Salem, Virginia at Salem Football Stadium since 1993. It was previously played in Phenix City, Alabama at Garrett-Harrison Stadium (1973