Jacksonville State Earns Top Seed In NCAA’s FCS Playoff Field
Special to College Sports Journal
Editor’s note: This story is courtesy of NCAA.com
INDIANAPOLIS, IN. — The field of 24 teams competing for the 2015 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 matchups.
Jacksonville State University (10-1) tops the bracket as the number one seed after capturing the automatic qualifying berth from the Ohio Valley Conference. The Gamecocks are making their third straightappearance in the championship and sixth overall.
Illinois State University (9-2) is the number two seed after finishing as the co-champion of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Redbirds, the runner-up in last year’s national championship game, are making their sixthappearance in the championship.
Four-time defending national champion North Dakota State University (9-2) is the number three seed after capturing the automatic qualifying berth from the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Bison are making their sixth straightappearance in the championship.
McNeese State University (10-0) is the number four seed after capturing the Southland Conference automatic berth. The two-time national runner-up Cowboys are making their 16th appearance in the championship.
James Madison University (9-2), the 2004 national champion, will be the fifth seed. The Dukes are making their 12th appearance in the championship.
Portland State University (9-2), making its first appearance since 2000, will be the number six seed. The Vikings are only making their second appearance in the championship.
University of Richmond (8-3), the automatic qualifier from the Colonial Athletic Association, will be the seventh seed. The Spiders, who won the 2008 title, will be making their 10th appearance.
The eighth and final seeded team will be Charleston Southern University. The Buccaneers will be making its first appearance after capturing the Big South Conference automatic berth.
The 2015 championship field consists of 10 automatic qualifiers and 14 at-large qualifiers.
Automatic Qualifiers (10)
Big Sky Conference – Southern Utah (8-3)
Big South Conference – Charleston Southern (9-2)
Colonial Athletic Association – Richmond (8-3)
Missouri Valley Football Conference – North Dakota State (9-2)
Northeast Conference – Duquesne (8-3)
Ohio Valley Conference – Jacksonville State (10-1)
Patriot League – Colgate (7-4)
Pioneer Football League – Dayton (10-1)
Southern Conference – Chattanooga (8-3)
Southland Conference – McNeese State (10-0)
At-Large Qualifiers (14)
Big Sky Conference – Montana (7-4)
Big Sky Conference – Portland State (9-2)
Big South Conference – Coastal Carolina (9-2)
Colonial Athletic Association – James Madison (9-2)
Colonial Athletic Association – New Hampshire (7-4)
Colonial Athletic Association – William and Mary (8-3)
Missouri Valley Football Conference – Illinois State (9-2)
Missouri Valley Football Conference – South Dakota State (8-3)
Missouri Valley Football Conference – Western Illinois (6-5)
Missouri Valley Football Conference – University of Northern Iowa (7-4)
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Illinois (7-4)
Patriot League – Fordham (9-2)
Southern Conference – The Citadel (8-3)
Southland Conference – Sam Houston State (8-3)
Television schedules and games times for all rounds of the 2015 championship will be updated at www.NCAA.com/fcs.
FIRST-ROUND GAMES
November 28 at Dayton, Ohio, Noon (ET) (ESPN3)
Western Illinois (6-5) at Dayton (10-1)
November 28 at Chattanooga, Tennessee, 1 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Fordham (9-2) at Chattanooga (8-3)
November 28 at Conway, South Carolina, 2 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
The Citadel (8-3) at Coastal Carolina (9-2)
November 28 at Huntsville, Texas, 3 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Southern Utah (8-3) at Sam Houston State (8-3)
November 28 at Missoula, Montana, 3 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
South Dakota State (8-3) at Montana (7-4)
November 28 at Durham, New Hampshire, 3:30 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Colgate (7-4) at New Hampshire (7-4)
November 28 at Williamsburg, Virginia, 3:30 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Duquesne (8-3) at William & Mary (8-3)
November 28 at Cedar Falls, Iowa, 5 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Eastern Illinois (7-4) at Northern Iowa (7-4)
SECOND-ROUND GAMES
December 5 at Charleston, South Carolina, 1 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
The Citadel/Coastal Carolina winner at #8 Charleston Southern (9-2)
December 5 at Harrisonburg, Virginia, 1 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Colgate/New Hampshire winner at #5 James Madison (9-2)
December 5 at Richmond, Virginia, 1 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Duquesne/William & Mary winner at #7 Richmond (8-3)
December 5 at Jacksonville, Alabama, 2 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Fordham/Chattanooga winner at #1 Jacksonville St. (10-1)
December 5 at Normal, Illinois, 2 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Western Illinois/Dayton winner at #2 Illinois State (9-2)
December 5 at Fargo, North Dakota, 3:30 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
South Dakota St./Montana winner at #3 North Dakota State (9-2)
December 5 at Lake Charles, Louisiana, 7 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Southern Utah/Sam Houston State winner at #4 McNeese State (10-0)
December 5 at Portland, Oregon, 10 p.m. (ET) (ESPN3)
Eastern Illinois/Northern Iowa winner at #6 Portland State (9-2)
