2012 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game, Dec. 8 e-Newsletter

12/8/2011 4:06:00 PM

2012 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game

January 7, 2012; Noon
Pizza Hut Park, Frisco, Texas

Interactive Bracket | Printable Bracket

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, is 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.

Less Than One Month Away
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 Missouri Valley Football and Big Sky conferences each have two teams still in the playoffs, while the Colonial Athletic Association, Patriot League, Southern Conference and 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. 16-17 in the semifinals and those winners will play for the national championship three weeks later at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas.

Quarterfinal Games
Friday, Dec. 9
No. 5 Northern Iowa (10-2) at No. 4 Montana (10-2), 7 p.m. (ESPN & ESPN3)

Saturday, Dec. 10
Montana State (10-2) at No. 1 Sam Houston State (12-0), 11 a.m. (ESPN & ESPN3)
Maine (9-3) at No. 3 Georgia Southern (10-2), 1 p.m. (ESPN3)
Lehigh (11-1) at No. 2 North Dakota State (11-1), 3 p.m. (ESPN3)

Second-Round Games, Saturday, Dec. 3
at No. 1 Sam Houston State 34, Stony Brook 27
at No. 2 North Dakota State 26, James Madison 14
at No. 3 Georgia Southern 55, Old Dominion 48
at No. 4 Montana 41, Central Arkansas 14
at No. 5 Northern Iowa 28, Wofford 21
Maine 34, at Appalachian State 12
at Montana State 26, New Hampshire 25
Lehigh 40, at Towson 38

First-Round Results, Saturday, Nov. 26
James Madison 20, at Eastern Kentucky 17
at Old Dominion 35, Norfolk State 18
at Stony Brook 31, Albany 28
Central Arkansas 34, at Tennessee Tech 14

Upcoming Championship Dates
Dec. 16-17: Semifinal Games at Campus Sites
Jan. 7: NCAA Division I Championship Game; Pizza Hut Park; Frisco, Texas; Noon

A Look at the Quarterfinal Teams
All eight teams that have reached the quarterfinals this year have played in the quarterfinal round previously, though only two of the teams played in the quarterfinal round a year ago. Georgia Southern and North Dakota State are among the final eight playoff teams for the second consecutive year. Georgia Southern advanced to the semifinal round last year before falling to Delaware. In its first trip to the Division I playoffs last year, North Dakota State lost its quarterfinal game at Eastern Washington, which went on to beat Delaware in the championship game last year in Frisco. Of the teams still in the playoffs, Georgia Southern has reached the quarterfinals the most with 16 appearances, followed by Northern Iowa (12) and Montana (11). Only two of this year's quarterfinalists - Maine and North Dakota State - have never advanced out of the round.

Quarterfinals Appearances of 2011 Teams
Georgia Southern (16), Northern Iowa (12), Montana (11), Lehigh (5), Maine (3), Montana State (3), Sam Houston State (3) and North Dakota State (2).

Three Remaining Teams have Won Championships
Three teams that are still alive in the playoffs have won national titles. Georgia Southern is the all-time leader with six championships (1986, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1999, 2000). Montana and Montana State have won three between them. Montana claimed titles in 1995 and 2001 and its rival Montana State won its title in 1984.

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

Recent NCAA Division I National Champions
2010: Eastern Washington
2009: Villanova
2008: Richmond
2007: Appalachian State
2006: Appalachian State
2005: Appalachian State

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.

Buy Tickets Now and Save
Now is the best time for fans to purchase their tickets 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 $45 for a midfield seat and $40 for a sideline seat. On game day to tickets will be $55 for a mid-field seat and $50 for a sideline seat. 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.

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.

Did You Know?
Dallas Cowboys' head coach Jason Garrett played in the Football Championship Subdivision at Princeton. He won the Asa S. Bushnell Cup as the Ivy League Player of the Year in 1988, when he was an honorable mention All-American. He still holds the Ivy League record for career completion percentage, having completed 66.5 percent of his passes.