Division I-AA Selection Announcement
11/21/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
INDIANAPOLIS -- The field of 16 teams competing for the 2004 Division I-AA Football Championship was announced today by the NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee.
Southern Illinois University (10-1) tops the bracket as the top seed after capturing the automatic qualifying berth from the Gateway Football Conference. The Salukis, who were the 1983 national champion, have won nine straight games since dropping a 23-22 decision to I-A Northern Illinois.
Furman University (9-2), which is making its 13th tournament appearance and its fifth in six seasons, is the number-two seed. The Paladins finished the regular season as co-champion of the Southern Conference.
Third-seeded William and Mary College (9-2) is in the I-AA tournament for the seventh time. The Tribe, which captured the Atlantic 10 Conference automatic berth, last postseason appearance was in 2001.
Rounding out this year's seeded teams is Georgia Southern University (9-2) with the number four seed. The Eagles, who have won six I-AA football championships, are making their 15th tournament appearance and were the other co-champion from the Southern Conference.
Other first-round hosts include Sam Houston State University (9-2), the University of Montana (9-2), Lehigh University (9-2) and defending national champion University of Delaware (8-3).
Other automatic qualifiers in the tournament include Northwestern State University (8-3), which earned the automatic bid from the Southland Conference. Jacksonville State University (9-1) is making its second consecutive postseason appearance as the automatic winner from the Ohio Valley Conference. Lafayette College (8-3) earned the Patriot League's automatic bid. Hampton (9-1), from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, is the last automatic qualifier.
Other teams in the field are Eastern Washington University (8-3), the University of New Hampshire (9-2), Western Kentucky University (9-2) and James Madison University (9-2).
Eight conferences received automatic-qualifying berths: the Atlantic 10 Conference, Big Sky Conference, Gateway Football Conference, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, Ohio Valley Conference, Patriot League, Southern Conference and Southland Football Conference.
Following are the match-ups for the first round of competition to be played Saturday, November 27. Game times will be released Monday, November 22.
November 27 at Carbondale, Illinois
Eastern Washington (8-3) at No. 1 Southern Illinois (10-1)
November 27 at Huntsville, Texas
Western Kentucky (9-2) at Sam Houston State (9-2)
November 27 at Missoula, Montana
Northwestern St. (8-3) at Montana (9-2)
November 27 at Statesboro, Georgia (6 p.m. Eastern on ESPN 2)
New Hampshire (9-2) at No. 4 Georgia Southern (9-2)
November 27 at Williamsburg, Virginia
Hampton (9-1) at No. 3 William & Mary (9-2)
November 27 at Newark, Delaware (Time TBD on CSTV)
Lafayette (8-3) at Delaware (8-3)
November 27 at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
James Madison (9-2) at Lehigh (9-2)
November 27 at Greenville, South Carolina
Jacksonville State (9-1) at No. 2 Furman (9-2)
The 2004 championship field consists of eight automatic qualifiers and eight at-large qualifiers.
AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS (8)
Southern Illinois - Gateway Football Conference
Furman - Southern Conference
William & Mary - Atlantic 10 Conference
Montana - Big Sky Conference
Hampton - Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Jacksonville State - Ohio Valley Conference
Lafayette - Patriot League
Northwestern State - Southland Conference
AT-LARGE QUALIFERS (8)
Georgia Southern - Southern Conference
Eastern Washington - Big Sky Conference
Western Kentucky - Gateway Football Conference
James Madison - Atlantic 10 Conference
New Hampshire - Atlantic 10 Conference
Sam Houston State - Southern Conference
Lehigh - Patriot League
Delaware - Atlantic 10 Conference
ESPN2 and the College Sports Television Network will televise one first round game each on Saturday, November 27. The game on ESPN2 will begin at 6 p.m. Eastern and the CSTV kickoff time will be determined at a later time. There is a possibility that two more first round games could also be televised regionally by Comcast Sports South.
All of this year's quarterfinal games will be televised. One game will be on ESPN2 while the other three will be on a syndicated platform (local cable, regional sports networks, over-the air local channels). The three games will also be available through ESPN's regular season pay-per-view package, ESPN Game Plan, on Saturday, December 4. One semifinal game will be played on Friday, December 10 at 7 p.m. Eastern time. The other semifinal game will be played on Saturday, December 11 at 2 p.m. Eastern time. Both games will be televised on ESPN2.
The 2004 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship game is slated for 8 p.m. Eastern time Friday, December 17, at W. Max Finley Stadium/Davenport Field in Chattanooga, Tennessee. ESPN2 will televise the championship game while the Westwood One Radio Network will also broadcast the championship game nationally.
Southern Illinois University (10-1) tops the bracket as the top seed after capturing the automatic qualifying berth from the Gateway Football Conference. The Salukis, who were the 1983 national champion, have won nine straight games since dropping a 23-22 decision to I-A Northern Illinois.
Furman University (9-2), which is making its 13th tournament appearance and its fifth in six seasons, is the number-two seed. The Paladins finished the regular season as co-champion of the Southern Conference.
Third-seeded William and Mary College (9-2) is in the I-AA tournament for the seventh time. The Tribe, which captured the Atlantic 10 Conference automatic berth, last postseason appearance was in 2001.
Rounding out this year's seeded teams is Georgia Southern University (9-2) with the number four seed. The Eagles, who have won six I-AA football championships, are making their 15th tournament appearance and were the other co-champion from the Southern Conference.
Other first-round hosts include Sam Houston State University (9-2), the University of Montana (9-2), Lehigh University (9-2) and defending national champion University of Delaware (8-3).
Other automatic qualifiers in the tournament include Northwestern State University (8-3), which earned the automatic bid from the Southland Conference. Jacksonville State University (9-1) is making its second consecutive postseason appearance as the automatic winner from the Ohio Valley Conference. Lafayette College (8-3) earned the Patriot League's automatic bid. Hampton (9-1), from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, is the last automatic qualifier.
Other teams in the field are Eastern Washington University (8-3), the University of New Hampshire (9-2), Western Kentucky University (9-2) and James Madison University (9-2).
Eight conferences received automatic-qualifying berths: the Atlantic 10 Conference, Big Sky Conference, Gateway Football Conference, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, Ohio Valley Conference, Patriot League, Southern Conference and Southland Football Conference.
Following are the match-ups for the first round of competition to be played Saturday, November 27. Game times will be released Monday, November 22.
November 27 at Carbondale, Illinois
Eastern Washington (8-3) at No. 1 Southern Illinois (10-1)
November 27 at Huntsville, Texas
Western Kentucky (9-2) at Sam Houston State (9-2)
November 27 at Missoula, Montana
Northwestern St. (8-3) at Montana (9-2)
November 27 at Statesboro, Georgia (6 p.m. Eastern on ESPN 2)
New Hampshire (9-2) at No. 4 Georgia Southern (9-2)
November 27 at Williamsburg, Virginia
Hampton (9-1) at No. 3 William & Mary (9-2)
November 27 at Newark, Delaware (Time TBD on CSTV)
Lafayette (8-3) at Delaware (8-3)
November 27 at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
James Madison (9-2) at Lehigh (9-2)
November 27 at Greenville, South Carolina
Jacksonville State (9-1) at No. 2 Furman (9-2)
The 2004 championship field consists of eight automatic qualifiers and eight at-large qualifiers.
AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS (8)
Southern Illinois - Gateway Football Conference
Furman - Southern Conference
William & Mary - Atlantic 10 Conference
Montana - Big Sky Conference
Hampton - Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Jacksonville State - Ohio Valley Conference
Lafayette - Patriot League
Northwestern State - Southland Conference
AT-LARGE QUALIFERS (8)
Georgia Southern - Southern Conference
Eastern Washington - Big Sky Conference
Western Kentucky - Gateway Football Conference
James Madison - Atlantic 10 Conference
New Hampshire - Atlantic 10 Conference
Sam Houston State - Southern Conference
Lehigh - Patriot League
Delaware - Atlantic 10 Conference
ESPN2 and the College Sports Television Network will televise one first round game each on Saturday, November 27. The game on ESPN2 will begin at 6 p.m. Eastern and the CSTV kickoff time will be determined at a later time. There is a possibility that two more first round games could also be televised regionally by Comcast Sports South.
All of this year's quarterfinal games will be televised. One game will be on ESPN2 while the other three will be on a syndicated platform (local cable, regional sports networks, over-the air local channels). The three games will also be available through ESPN's regular season pay-per-view package, ESPN Game Plan, on Saturday, December 4. One semifinal game will be played on Friday, December 10 at 7 p.m. Eastern time. The other semifinal game will be played on Saturday, December 11 at 2 p.m. Eastern time. Both games will be televised on ESPN2.
The 2004 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship game is slated for 8 p.m. Eastern time Friday, December 17, at W. Max Finley Stadium/Davenport Field in Chattanooga, Tennessee. ESPN2 will televise the championship game while the Westwood One Radio Network will also broadcast the championship game nationally.
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