NCAA Announces Division I Football Championship Bracket For 2013
NCAA Press Release
College Sports Journal
INDIANAPOLIS, IN. — The field of 24 teams competing for the 2013 NCAA Division I Football Championship was announced today by the NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee.
The top eight national seeds will host winners from the first round match-ups.
Two-time defending national champion North Dakota State University (11-0) tops the bracket as the number one seed after capturing the automatic qualifying berth from the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
The Bison are making their fourth straight appearance.
Second-seeded Eastern Illinois University (11-1) is making its second consecutive appearance and 15th overall. The Panthers captured the Ohio Valley Conference automatic berth.
Eastern Washington University (10-2), which is making its 10th overall tournament appearance, is the number-three seed. The 2010 national champion Eagles captured the Big Sky Conference automatic berth.
Southeastern Louisiana University (10-2) is the number-four seed after capturing the Southland Conference automatic berth. The Lions are making their first appearance in the championship.
The number-five seed is the University of Maine (10-2). The Colonial Athletic Association automatic qualifier, the Black Bears are making their seventh overall appearance.
McNeese State University (10-2) will be the number six seed. The Cowboys are making their 15th appearance in the championship.
The Tigers of Towson University (10-2) will be the seventh seed. This will only be the second appearance for Towson.
The eighth and final seeded team will be the University of Montana. The Grizzlies, national champions in 1995 and 2001, will be making their championship leading 22nd appearance.
First-round hosts include South Carolina State University (9-3), Big South automatic qualifier Coastal Carolina University (10-2), University of New Hampshire (7-4), Sam Houston State University (8-4), University of Northern Arizona (9-2), Jacksonville State University (9-3), Fordham University (11-1) and first-time participant Butler University (9-3).
The 2013 championship field consists of 11 automatic qualifiers and 13 at-large qualifiers.
Automatic Qualifiers (11)
Big Sky Conference – Eastern Washington (10-2)
Big South Conference – Coastal Carolina (10-2)
Colonial Athletic Association – Maine (10-2)
Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference – Bethune-Cookman (10-2)
Missouri Valley Football Conference – North Dakota State (11-0)
Northeast Conference – Sacred Heart (10-2)
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Illinois (11-1)
Patriot League – Lafayette (5-6)
Pioneer Football League – Butler (9-3)
Southern Conference – Furman (7-5)
Southland Conference – Southeastern Louisiana (10-2)
At-Large (13)
Big Sky Conference – Montana (10-2)
Big Sky Conference – Northern Arizona (9-2)
Big Sky Conference – Southern Utah (8-4)
Colonial Athletic Association – New Hampshire (7-4)
Colonial Athletic Association – Towson (10-2)
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State (9-3)
Missouri Valley Football Conference – South Dakota State (8-4)
Ohio Valley Conference – Jacksonville State (9-3)
Ohio Valley Conference – Tennessee State (9-3)
Patriot League – Fordham (11-1)
Southern Conference – Samford (8-4)
Southland Conference – McNeese State (10-2)
Southland Conference – Sam Houston State (8-4)
FIRST-ROUND GAMES
November 30 at Orangeburg, South Carolina, 1 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Furman (7-5) at South Carolina State (9-3)
November 30 at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, 1 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Bethune-Cookman (10-2) at Coastal Carolina (10-2)
November 30 at Durham, New Hampshire, Noon (ET) (ESPN3)
Lafayette (5-6) at New Hampshire (7-4)
November 30 at Huntsville, Texas, 3 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Southern Utah (8-4) at Sam Houston State (8-4)
November 30 at Flagstaff, Arizona, 8 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
South Dakota State (8-4) at Northern Arizona (9-2)
November 30 at Jacksonville, Alabama, 8 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Samford (8-4) at Jacksonville State (9-3)
November 30 at Bronx, New York, 1 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Sacred Heart (10-2) at Fordham (11-1)
November 30 at Indianapolis, Indiana, 1 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Tennessee State (9-3) at Butler (9-3)
SECOND-ROUND GAMES
December 7 at Fargo, North Dakota, 3:30 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Furman/South Carolina State winner at #1 North Dakota State (11-0)
December 7 at Missoula, Montana, 2 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Bethune-Cookman/Coastal Carolina winner at #8 Montana (10-2)
December 7 at Orono, Maine, 2 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Lafayette/New Hampshire winner at Maine (10-2)
December 7 at Hammond, Louisiana, 8 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Southern Utah/Sam Houston State winner at Southeastern Louisiana (10-2)
December 7 at Cheney, Washington, 4 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
South Dakota State/Northern Arizona winner at Eastern Washington (10-2)
December 7 at Lake Charles, Louisiana, 7 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Samford/Jacksonville State winner at McNeese State (10-2)
December 7 at Towson, Maryland, 1 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Sacred Heart/Fordham winner at Towson (10-2)
December 7 at Charleston, Illinois, 2 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Tennessee State/Butler winner at Eastern Illinois (11-1)
