After Successful First Year, NCAA Division I Football Championship Game Returns to Frisco
Anyone who was in Frisco, Texas, the first Friday of January 2011 will no doubt remember the buzz in the city leading up to that night's NCAA Division I Football Championship Game, the first of at least three national championship games to be played at Pizza Hut Park.
Eastern Washington came from behind to score three times in the final 17 minutes to beat Delaware, 20-19, to win the school's first national championship. While the game was no doubt the highlight, it was a week's worth of events that separated the event from past championships.
There were nearly three weeks between the semifinals and national championship game, a stark contrast to the one week teams and fans had to prepare before the playoff bracket expanded from 16 to 20 teams in 2010.
"It's been nothing like this," Delaware head coach K.C. Keeler told NCAA.com about his previous trips to the national title games. "Apart from the fact it might be a bowl experience, we've had a chance to enjoy it because we didn't have to prepare during this week. We put our game plan together two weeks ago.
"But also just the way the town has embraced us and how everyone's just so excited to have us. You can tell, this is genuine, and I think they've made a great impression on everyone around us."
Delaware and Eastern Washington arrived to Texas on Tuesday and were greeted by signs and banners around town as well as great crowds at their respective team headquarters. Wednesday afternoon, the teams headed to two local elementary schools where they were welcomed by students eager to show off their school spirit for their newly adopted college teams.
"I'm sure we expected some exposure and stuff, but everything's been unexpected," Eastern Washington linebacker J.C. Sherritt said. "It's been wonderful. Everybody at the hotel to the elementary school, it's been really professional and well done."
Later that night, the two participating teams gathered at the Frisco Conference Center for the Great Texas Barbecue Bowl that showcased the legendary Texas culture and hospitality. Thursday, teams attended the Champions Luncheon that featured keynote speaker Everson Walls, the former Grambling Tiger and Dallas Cowboy, who was serving as the FCS ambassador for the championship.
The day of the game, fans of the teams began gathering at restaurants and parking lots surrounding Pizza Hut Park and took part in Tailgate Town that featured quality entertainment and even more Texas sounds and flavors. Ultimately, it was time for kickoff and the matchup did not disappoint the 13,000-plus fans who attended the first college football game in Frisco.
Along with the date change, the venue was well received. The stadium gives the championship room to accommodate around 23,500 fans and has all the requisite amenities for fans and the teams, including a number of practice fields.
"I think it's a great venue," Eastern Washington head coach Beau Baldwin said. "I think it's the perfect size. ...it's a great park. And the surrounding area is great. Obviously the facilities to practice on, I mean, you can't get any better than that."
Across the board, the response was positive for the change. The game is already scheduled to be played in Frisco following the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
The local organizing committee, collectively known as "Team Frisco" consists of the City of Frisco, its Economic Development Corporation and Convention & Visitors Bureau, Hunt Sports Group/Pizza Hut Park, the Frisco Chamber of Commerce and Frisco-based Southland Conference.
The Football Championship Subdivision 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 League, Southern and the Southland - in addition to two other conferences, the Ivy League and the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The FCS embodies a tradition of excellence through high level competition, student-athlete character and sportsmanship throughout the regular season and the championship experience.
Quotes provided by NCAA.com; Photos by Rick Yeatts, City of Frisco and the Southland Conference.