The Northwest Missouri State Bearcats football team has appeared in nine NCAA Division II national title games – winning five – since going 0–11 in Mel Tjeerdsma's first season in 1994. The Bearcats have made the playoffs in 18 seasons and have also won or shared 27 MIAA titles. The team's best-attended local home game was 11,002 on October 18, 2014 against Pittsburg State University.