FLORENCE, Ala. — LaRon Council rushed for 172 yards and two touchdowns and Northwest Missouri State captured the NCAA Division II national championship with a 30-23 victory over Grand Valley State on Saturday.

The Bearcats (14-1) won their third national championship after a string of four consecutive losses in the championship. The other two titles came in 1998 and 1999.
Council scored on runs of 14 and 17 yards to help Northwest Missouri take a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Grand Valley (13-2) closed to within 23-20 early in the fourth quarter, but Northwest Missouri got the clinching score on a 26-yard pass on fourth-and-4 from quarterback Blake Bolles to Jake Soy at the 10-minute mark.
Grand Valley got the ball back with 2:59 remaining but could not mount a threat.
Bolles passed for 198 yards. Grand Valley’s Brad Iciek passed for 290 yards and two touchdowns.