The field for the 2026 Division II playoffs will be revealed on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 6:00pm EST, setting the bracket for the postseason and determining which teams move on in the D2 football playoffs.
The selection process includes 15 of the 16 conferences that sponsor football in Division II receiving an automatic playoff bid. The remaining spots in the field are filled by 17 at-large teams, which are selected by the NCAA Power Index.
That structure creates a clear split between automatic qualifiers and teams waiting on the committee-style selection process. For teams in Division II, the release will answer the biggest question of the season: who is in, who is out and where the bracket begins to take shape.
What to know about the selection show
The NCAA Division II Championship Selection Show is scheduled for Sunday at 6:00pm EST. Inside D2Football will then air reactions and analysis at 8pm EST, giving fans a second look at how the playoff field was assembled.
There is also a notable change on the horizon. Beginning in the 2026 / 2027 academic year, NPI will be used in all Division II team championship sports. For now, it remains the method used to help select at-large teams for the playoff field.
The playoff setup is not identical across every region. Super Region two has one fewer automatic qualifier and one more at-large team than Super Regions one, three and four, a small difference that can matter when the bracket is finalized.
