2012 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game, Nov. 9 e-Newsletter
Weekly e-Newsletter, Nov. 9
2012
NCAA Division I Football Championship Game
January 7, 2012; Noon
Pizza Hut Park,
Frisco, Texas
The 2012 NCAA
Division I Football Championship Game will be played Saturday, January 7, 2012,
at noon, Central, at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. The game, which concludes
a 20-team national playoff, will be hosted by the Southland Conference, the
City of Frisco and Hunt Sports Group. Last year, Eastern Washington beat
Delaware, 20-19, in the first college football game at Pizza Hut Park. The
venue will host the championship again in 2013.
Buy Tickets Now and Save
With the championship
bracket announcement a little over two weeks away, fans can save by buying
their tickets now for the 2012 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game at
Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. Fans are encouraged to buy early for the most
affordable ticket options, which are just $35 for a midfield seat and $30 for a
sideline seat. After the playoff bracket is announced Nov. 20, tickets increase
to $45/$40 and on game day to $55/50. Tickets for the game are now available
online at ncaa.com/fcs or by calling (469) 365-0000 for group and
suite sales. Another attractive ticket package is the Family Four-Pack, which
includes four tickets to the game, four hot dogs and four drinks for $99.
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 Pizza Hut Park 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. 7.
Championship Bracket to be Announced Nov. 20
There are only two
weeks remaining in the regular season and conference races are heating up as
they head into the stretch run. The 20-team playoff bracket for this year's
championship will be announced Nov. 20 at 9 a.m., Central, on ESPNU. Ten member conferences have been granted
automatic qualification for this year's championship, including the Big Sky,
Big South, Colonial, Mid-Eastern Athletic, Missouri Valley Football, Northeast,
Ohio Valley, Patriot League, Southern and Southland. The remaining 10 teams
will be selected at large by the Division I Football Championship Committee,
made up of 10 individuals from the association.
FCS Automatic-Bid Conference Leaders
Big Sky: Montana State (9-1, 7-0)
Big South: Liberty (7-3, 5-0)
Colonial: Maine (7-2, 5-1), New Hampshire (7-2, 5-1) and
Towson (7-2, 5-1)
Mid-Eastern: Norfolk State (8-2, 6-1)
Missouri Valley: North Dakota State (9-0, 6-0)
Northeast: Albany (6-3, 5-0) and Duquesne (7-2, 5-1)
Ohio Valley: Eastern Kentucky (6-3, 5-1)
Patriot: Lehigh (8-1, 3-0)
Southern: Georgia Southern (8-1, 6-1)
Southland: Sam Houston State (9-0, 6-0)
Sam Houston State is First Team to Earn Automatic Bid
into Division I Playoffs
Sam Houston State, one of two undefeated teams in the
Football Championship Subdivision, became the first team nationally to already
earn its league's automatic bid into the NCAA Division I Championship. The
Bearkats are 9-0 overall and 6-0 in conference play. They will try to become
the Southland's first undefeated team in conference play since McNeese State in
2007 on Saturday when they play host to Northwestern State. Sam Houston State,
which is located in Huntsville, Texas, is one of five universities in the state
of Texas that play in the FCS. The Bearkats are ranked No. 3 in The Sports
Network Top 25 and No. 4 in the FCS Coaches Poll. There are a total of 166
players from Texas, including 44 from the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, that
play on teams ranked in this week's top 25.
This Week's National
FCS Polls
FCS
Coaches Poll (Nov. 7)
|
Rk.
|
Team (No. 1 Votes)
|
Record
|
|
1.
|
North
Dakota State (26)
|
9-0
|
|
2.
|
Montana
State (2)
|
9-1
|
|
3.
|
Georgia
Southern
|
8-1
|
|
4.
|
Sam
Houston State
|
9-0
|
|
5.
|
Northern
Iowa
|
7-2
|
|
6.
|
Lehigh
|
8-1
|
|
7.
|
Montana
|
8-2
|
|
8.
|
Appalachian
State
|
6-3
|
|
9.
|
Wofford
|
6-3
|
|
10.
|
New
Hampshire
|
7-2
|
For the complete FCS
Top 25 Coaches poll, click here.
The
Sports Network/Fathead.com Poll (Nov. 7)
|
Rk.
|
Team (No. 1 Votes)
|
Record
|
|
1.
|
North Dakota State (143)
|
9-0
|
|
2.
|
Montana State (16)
|
9-1
|
|
3.
|
Sam Houston State (1)
|
9-0
|
|
4.
|
Georgia Southern
|
8-1
|
|
5.
|
Northern Iowa
|
7-2
|
|
6.
|
Lehigh
|
8-1
|
|
7.
|
New Hampshire (1)
|
7-2
|
|
8.
|
Montana
|
8-2
|
|
9.
|
Wofford
|
7-2
|
|
10.
|
Appalachian State
|
6-3
|
For the complete
Sports Network/Fathead.com Top 25, click here.
FCS Game of the Week:
Nov. 12
No. 3/4 Georgia Southern (8-1)
at No. 9/9 Wofford (7-2), Gibbs Stadium, Spartanburg, S.C.
12:30 p.m., Central; TV: None
About the Football Championship Subdivision
The
Football Championship Subdivision, formerly named Division I-AA from 1978-2005,
is made up of 124 football playing institutions, though only 118 are eligible
for the championship. The FCS includes the conferences and institutions that
compete in the NCAA Division I Football Championship - Big Sky, Big South,
Colonial Athletic Association, Mid-Eastern Athletic, Missouri Valley Football,
Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot League, Pioneer Football, Southern and the
Southland - in addition to two other conferences, the Ivy League and the
Southwestern Athletic Conference. The FCS experience provides more than 12,000
NCAA student-athletes with an opportunity to compete while also working toward
an academic degree and ultimately graduation. The FCS embodies a tradition of
excellence through high level competition, student-athlete character and
sportsmanship throughout the regular season and the championship experience.
FCS History
The
2012 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game will be the 34th 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.
Most NCAA Division I
National Championships
6 Georgia Southern
4 Youngstown State
3 Appalachian State
2 Eastern Kentucky
2 Marshall
2 Montana
Most Appearances in
NCAA Division I National Championship Game
9 Georgia Southern
7 Montana
6 Marshall
6 Youngstown State
4 Delaware
4 Eastern Kentucky
Key Upcoming Dates
Nov. 19: Final Regular Season Games
Nov. 20: NCAA Announces 20-Team Bracket for 2012 NCAA
Championship, 9 a.m., Central (ESPNU)
Nov. 26: First-Round
Games at Campus Sites
Dec. 3:
Second-Round Games at Campus Sites
Dec. 9-10:
Quarterfinal Games at Campus Sites
Dec. 16-17: Semifinal
Games at Campus Sites
Jan. 7: NCAA
Division I Championship Game, Pizza Hut Park, Frisco
