2013 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game
January 5, 2013; Noon, Central
FC Dallas Stadium, Frisco, Texas

The 2013 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game will be played Saturday, January 5, 2013, at noon, Central, at FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The game, which concludes a 20-team national playoff, is hosted by the Southland Conference, the City of Frisco and Hunt Sports Group. Last year, North Dakota State beat Sam Houston State 17-6 in front of a sell-out crowd in excess of 20,000 fans. In the 2011 game, Eastern Washington came from behind for a 20-19 win in the first college football game played at FC Dallas Stadium.

Less Than One Month Until Title Tilt
The championship game is less than one month away and the playoffs have reached the quarterfinal round. Twenty teams that made the playoffs have been whittled down to eight, including all five seeded teams. The Big Sky, Missouri Valley Football and Southern conferences each have two teams still in the playoffs, while the Colonial Athletic Association and the Southland Conference each have one team still in the hunt for a berth in the national championship game. The winners of this weekend’s four games will meet Dec. 14-15 in the semifinals and those winners will play for the national championship three weeks later at FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, Texas.

Quarterfinal Games
Friday, Dec. 7
Sam Houston St.(9-3) at No. 3 Montana St. (11-1), 7 p.m., CT (ESPN2)

Saturday, Dec. 8
No. 5 Georgia Southern (9-3) at No. 4 Old Dominion (11-1), 11 a.m., CT (ESPN)
Wofford (9-3) at No. 1 North Dakota St. (11-1), 2 p.m., CT (ESPN3)
Illinois St. (9-3) at No. 2 Eastern Washington (10-2), 5 p.m., CT (ESPN3)
All times Central

Second-Round Results (Saturday, Dec. 1)
North Dakota State 28, South Dakota State 3
Wofford 23, New Hampshire 7
Georgia Southern 24, Central Arkansas 16
Old Dominion 63, Coastal Carolina 35
Montana State 16, Stony Brook 10
Sam Houston State 18, Cal Poly 16
Illinois State 38, Appalachian State 37 (OT)
Eastern Washington 29, Wagner 19

First-Round Results (Saturday, Nov. 24)
at Wagner 31, Colgate 20
Coastal Carolina 24, at Bethune-Cookman 14
at South Dakota State 58, Eastern Illinois 10
at Stony Brook 20, Villanova 10

Upcoming Championship Dates
Dec. 14-15: Semifinal Games at Campus Sites
Jan. 5, 2013: NCAA Division I Championship Game, FC Dallas Stadium, Frisco, Texas

A Look at the Quarterfinal Teams
Seven of the eight teams that have reached this year’s quarterfinals have advanced to the round previously. Only Old Dominion is in the quarterfinals for the first time. Not surprising, Georgia Southern easily leads the remaining field with 17 quarterfinal appearances. Eastern Washington is next with its six trips to the quarterfinals, followed by Montana State, Sam Houston State and Wofford, who are all making their fourth appearances. Illinois State and North Dakota State are in the quarterfinals for the third time in their history. Georgia Southern, Montana State, Sam Houston State and North Dakota State reached the quarterfinals last year with all but Montana State advancing to the semifinals. There is still a chance for a rematch of last year’s title game between North Dakota State and Sam Houston State since the two are on opposing sides of the bracket.

Quarterfinals Appearances for 2012 Teams
Georgia Southern (17), Eastern Washington (6), Montana State (4), Sam Houston State (4), Wofford (4), Illinois State (3), North Dakota State (3), Old Dominion (1).

Montana State, Sam Houston State Also Met in 2011 Quarterfinals
Montana State and Sam Houston State are meeting in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year. The Bearkats handed the Bobcats a 49-13 loss in Huntsville a year ago, but this year the teams play in Bozeman Friday at 7 p.m., Central, on ESPN2. Last year, the Bearkats scored 14 points in the second quarter and 21 in the third quarter as Sam Houston rolled up 428 yards rushing and 501 total yards. Friday’s contest marks the sixth meeting between Sam Houston State and Montana State. The Bearkats hold a 3-2 edge in the series.

Winningest Division I Team Last Two Seasons is in FCS
North Dakota State’s 25-2 record in the past two seasons is unmatched by any team in NCAA Division I, regardless of subdivision. Alabama (23-2) and LSU (23-2) are tied for second among all Division I teams. Sam Houston State is 23-4 the last two years. Read more about the Division I Football Championship in this week’s NCAA.com notebook compiled by Mark Bedics, the NCAA media coordinator for this year’s championship.

Four Remaining Teams have Won Championships
Four teams that are still alive in the playoffs have won national titles, including two teams that have won titles in Frisco, Texas, site of this year’s championship game. Eastern Washington defeated Delaware 20-19 to win its first title after the 2010 season, while North Dakota State beat Sam Houston State 17-6 for its lone title following the 2011 season. Georgia Southern is the all-time leader with six championships (1986, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1999, 2000). Montana State won the title in 1984, beating former Southland Conference member Louisiana Tech 19-6.

All-Time NCAA Division I National Champions
Appalachian State (3 championships), Boise State, Delaware, Eastern Kentucky (2), Eastern Washington, Florida A&M, Furman, Georgia Southern (6), Idaho State, James Madison, Louisiana-Monroe, Massachusetts, Marshall (2), Montana (2), Montana State, North Dakota State, Richmond, Southern Illinois, Western Kentucky, Villanova, and Youngstown State (4).

Last Five Champions
2011: North Dakota State
2010: Eastern Washington
2009: Villanova
2008: Richmond
2007: Appalachian State

FCS History
The 2013 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game will be the 35th edition. The first championship took place in 1978 when Florida A&M beat Massachusetts 35-28 in Wichita Falls, Texas. Chattanooga, Tenn., has hosted the championship game more than any other city with 13 games between 1997-2009. The FCS was formerly named Division I-AA from 1978-2005. Since the NCAA does not sponsor a championship for the FBS, the tournament to determine the FCS winner was changed to be called the Division I Football Championship in 2006. Georgia Southern has won the most championships with six.

Tailgate Town Opens at 9 a.m. on Game Day
Where’s the best place to get ready for the NCAA Division I Football Championship game? It is just outside of FC Dallas Stadium in Tailgate Town! This fun-filled, interactive area allows fans of any age a chance to experience the thrills, excitement and spirit of college football. Whether you try your hand at quarterback, ride the mechanical bull, cheer on your favorite team’s band and cheerleaders, or just kick back with some of Frisco’s best food and drink… this is the place to be before the big game! Admission is FREE. Tailgate Town opens at 9 a.m. on game day, Saturday, Jan. 5.

Road to the Championship
There are 122 teams within 13 conferences competing in FCS football. The championship bracket consists of 20 teams, 10 of which are selected via automatic qualification. The remaining at-large teams are selected by the Division I Football Championship Committee, assisted by four regional advisory committees that serve in an advisory capacity only. At-large selections are based on multiple factors including overall record and strength of schedule. The championship bracket consists of 20 teams, 10 of which are selected via automatic qualification. The championship is conducted via single elimination format. All preliminary-round games (first round, second round, quarterfinals and semifinals) are hosted on campus sites. Sites are selected and announced during the selection show and as teams advance throughout the championship. The championship game is hosted at FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, Texas. In 2013 the championship bracket will expand from 20 to 24 teams, increasing the number of AQ conferences from 10 to 11. The remaining teams will be selected on an at-large basis. The top-eight teams in the bracket will be seeded and receive first-round byes.

#FCSPlayoffs &  #RoadToFrisco