Northern State's football program, which ranks 10th nationally in all-time victories and 11th in winning percentage among all NCAA II schools, ended the 2000 season with a 6-5 overall record and finished 5-3 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (tied for third). The Wolves placed 10 players on the all-conference squad, with three making the first team, one making the second and six earning honorable mention laurels.
Northern State peaked with three straight wins during midseason, highlighted by a 56-17 rout of Southwest State on homecoming and a 49-26 win two weeks later against Minnesota-Duluth on Swisher Field. An overtime loss to eventual conference champion Winona State ended the team's back-to-back conference title bid.
In addition to another winning season on the field, the Wolves were also commended for their work off the field, as four players earned academic all-district honors. Chief among those selections was senior running back Troy Hoff of Scotland. Hoff earned second-team honors for the second straight year. The biology and secondary education major is also a two-time third team recipient Last season, Hoff earned Burger King National Scholar-Athlete of the Week honors, which earned the University a check in his name for $10,000. Hoff was also named NSU's co-male athlete of the year for the 2000-01 season.
