Photo via Brian L. Butler

Three football teams will walk away with a national championship trophy this weekend, as gridiron titles will be decided in NCAA Division II and Division III, and NAIA, starting Friday.

Here's a look at the title contests:

NCAA Division III

Mount Union (14-0) vs. Mary Hardin-Baylor (14-0), Stagg Bowl, Salem Stadium, Salem, Virginia, 7 p.m. ET Friday

Winners of the last two crowns, the D-III powerhouses should provide a tremendous game. 

Mount Union (Ohio), which will try to win its 13th championship, survived Wisconsin-Oshkosh - last year's runner-up to Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) - in a 43-40 semifinal classic in which the Purple Raiders came back from a 35-10 deficit.

 

Mary Hardin-Baylor advanced with an impressive 24-0 win over Brockport (New York), as Markeith Miller had 139 yards and a TD, to become the sixth player in program history with 2,500 rushing yards. Even the Texas governor celebrated the win.

Congrats to reigning Nat’l Champ Mary Hardin Baylor returning to the NCAA National Championship game. @crufootball https://t.co/Sf8kzWZVkh

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) December 11, 2017

NCAA Division II

West Florida (11-3) vs. Texas A&M-Commerce (13-1), Children's Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kansas, 6 p.m. ET Saturday

It's unlikely anyone had this matchup penciled in three months ago, as both schools make their first title game appearance. 

After a 5-6 record in its inaugural campaign in 2016, West Florida rolled all the way to the national championship with a slew of impressive wins, including Saturday's 27-17 triumph over No. 1 seed and previously unbeaten Indiana (Pennsylvania), as Argonauts running back Chris Schwarz set school records with 29 carries and 175 yards.

We're goin' to Kansas City!!! #Arete #GoArgos pic.twitter.com/gH3HYYAYXz

— UWF Football (@UWFFootball) December 9, 2017

Like West Florida, Texas A&M-Commerce navigated a path filled with higher-ranked teams, and advanced to the final with a 31-17 victory over Harding, as quarterback Luis Perez went 24-of-34 for 288 yards and two touchdowns.

This one is special... Coach Hawkins and the Lions #CallTheRoll on the 45th anniversary of the 1972 National Championship at Memorial Stadium! And now, one more step #ToTheTop! pic.twitter.com/AH1qOhDytL

— Bk2Bk2Bk LSC Champs (@Lions_FB) December 10, 2017

NAIA

St. Francis (Indiana) (13-0) vs. Reinhardt (Georgia) (12-0), Municipal Stadium, Daytona Beach, Florida, 6 p.m. ET Saturday

Defending champ St. Francis returns with a 22-game winning streak, including its 43-36 semifinal win over Morningside (Iowa), as running back Justin Green powered the Cougars with 234 yards and three scores on 36 carries. 

📞 "Hi, my name is Justin Green and I'd like to book a trip to Daytona Beach" 📞@USF_Football is headed back to Florida after a MONSTER second half performance from their junior running back! pic.twitter.com/ypu06xcifU

— Petar Hood (@PetarWFFT) December 2, 2017

Reinhardt - in just its fifth season - locked up its  appearance with a thrilling 37-34 double-overtime triumph over Southern Oregon. How exciting was it? Assistant coach Fred Jones' celebration should tell you.

Coach jones after the big win. So proud of this team, we natty bound baby. Coach Moses, we love you. #LLQMO pic.twitter.com/32mfd0AnPQ

— Brian Tillery (@TilleryBrian) December 2, 2017

Here's a look at a few more football news item's in today's PM Blitz, presented by PhysioControl: 

Postseason changes on the way in New Jersey

Photo via Michael Karas/North Jersey.com

The 2018 high school football season will look different when it reaches the playoff time. As columnist Darren Cooper explains, sectional championships for public school teams are now a thing of the past.

Cooper says sections will be decided after the top 16 teams qualify, and a new point system - yet to be finalized - will be implemented. It still won’t deliver one state champion per group, and it isn't clear how the new "bowls" will work, but the apparent goal is to have as many of the games together to showcase the state's best, probably at MetLife Stadium.

Browns name High School Coach of the Year

The Cleveland Browns announced Bay High School coach Ron Rutt is their 2017 High School Coach of the Year. Rutt is 37-13 since 2014, with three playoff berths, while developing a program that went 10-40 the previous four seasons. In 2017, the Rockets went 10-0 for the school’s first undefeated regular season since 1954, and won two playoff games.

Rutt will represent the Browns as Cleveland’s Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year nominee. As the local honoree, he will receive an all-expenses paid trip to the 2018 Pro Bowl in Orlando, Florida, courtesy of the NFL and the Browns, and would receive another $15,000 in grants if named the NFL’s national honoree. 

During a special event at Bay High, the Browns added a surprise announcement. 

#10DaysofGiving Day 7️⃣: On Sunday we named Bay High School football coach Ron Rutt our 2017 HS Coach of the Year — today we surprised him with $25,000 for new helmets

📰 » https://t.co/KPW8ND6HMP#give10 pic.twitter.com/5vhJuhnUSF

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 11, 2017