| Year | Champion | Coach | Runner-Up | Score |
| 2018 | North Dakota State | Chris Klieman | Eastern Washington | 38-24 |
| 2017 | North Dakota State | Chris Klieman | James Madison | 17-13 |
| 2016 | James Madison | Mike Houston | Youngstown State | 28-14 |
| 2015 | North Dakota State | Chris Klieman | Jacksonville State | 37-10 |
| 2014 | North Dakota State | Chris Klieman | Illinois State | 29-27 |
| 2013 | North Dakota State | Craig Bohl | Towson | 35-7 |
| 2012 | North Dakota State | Craig Bohl | Sam Houston State | 39-13 |
| 2011 | North Dakota State | Craig Bohl | Sam Houston State | 17-6 |
| 2010 | Eastern Washington | Beau Baldwin | Delaware | 20-19 |
| 2009 | Villanova | Andy Talley | Montana | 23-21 |
| 2008 | Richmond | Mike London | Montana | 24-7 |
| 2007 | Appalachian State | Jerry Moore | Delaware | 49-21 |
| 2006 | Appalachian State | Jerry Moore | Massachusetts | 28-17 |
| 2005 | Appalachian State | Jerry Moore | Northern Iowa | 21-16 |
| 2004 | James Madison | Mickey Matthews | Montana | 31-21 |
| 2003 | Delaware | K.C. Keeler | Colgate | 40-0 |
| 2002 | Western Kentucky | Jack Harbaugh | McNeese State | 34-14 |
| 2001 | Montana | Joe Glenn | Furman | 13-6 |
| 2000 | Georgia Southern | Paul Johnson | Montana | 27-25 |
| 1999 | Georgia Southern | Paul Johnson | Youngstown State | 59-24 |
| 1998 | Massachusetts | Mark Whipple | Georgia Southern | 55-43 |
| 1997 | Youngstown State | Jim Tressel | McNeese State | 10-9 |
| 1996 | Marshall | Bob Pruett | Montana | 49-29 |
| 1995 | Montana | Don Read | Marshall | 22-20 |
| 1994 | Youngstown State | Jim Tressel | Boise State | 28-14 |
| 1993 | Youngstown State | Jim Tressel | Marshall | 17-5 |
| 1992 | Marshall | Jim Donnan | Youngstown State | 31-28 |
| 1991 | Youngstown State | Jim Tressel | Marshall | 25-17 |
| 1990 | Georgia Southern | Tim Stowers | Nevada | 36-13 |
| 1989 | Georgia Southern | Erk Russell | Stephen F. Austin | 37-34 |
| 1988 | Furman | Jimmy Satterfield | Georgia Southern | 17-12 |
| 1987 | Northeast Louisiana | Pat Collins | Marshall | 43-42 |
| 1986 | Georgia Southern | Erk Russell | Arkansas State | 48-21 |
| 1985 | Georgia Southern | Erk Russell | Furman | 44-42 |
| 1984 | Montana State | Dave Arnold | Louisiana Tech | 19-6 |
| 1983 | Southern Illinois | Rey Dempsey | Western Carolina | 43-7 |
| 1982 | Eastern Kentucky | Roy Kidd | Delaware | 17-14 |
| 1981 | Idaho State | Dave Kragthorpe | Eastern Kentucky | 34-23 |
| 1980 | Boise State | Jim Criner | Eastern Kentucky | 31-29 |
| 1979 | Eastern Kentucky | Roy Kidd | Lehigh | 30-7 |
| 1978 | Florida A&M | Rudy Hubbard | Massachusetts | 35-28 |
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