North Carolina Central University

FOOTBALL

     DURHAM, NC - After defeating a ranked opponent to capture the CIAA Football Championship, North Carolina Central University jumped two spots in the final Southeast Regional poll to No. 2 and will host the winner of the No. 3 Valdosta State (9-2) versus No. 6 North Alabama (8-2) game on Nov. 19 in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium in Durham, N.C.
     NCCU (10-1) earned a first-round bye along with the region's top-seed Presbyterian (10-1), who will host the No. 4 Albany State versus No. 5 Central Arkansas winner.
     "I am happy and pleased for our kids to be able to win a conference championship and play a playoff game at home," said NCCU head coach Rod Broadway.
     The third-year leader of the Eagles was also pleased about the team's first-round bye. "I think we have earned that right," he said. "We can benefit from an extra week. We have played 11 straight games, and we could use a break." 
     When asked about the team's potential playoff opponents, Valdosta State or North Alabama, Broadway said, "I know both of them have a national championship under their belt."
    Valdosta State is the defending NCAA Division II Football National Champion, while North Alabama won the title three straight years from 1993-95.
     Second-round winners will meet in the quarterfinals at various campus sites on Nov. 26. Quarterfinal winners will advance to play in the semifinals on the campus of one of the competing institutions on Dec. 3. Six teams selected per region make up the field of 24 teams.
     The championship game will be played Dec. 10, at 3 p.m. Central time at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama and will be broadcast live on ESPN. The 2005 championship will mark 20 consecutive years that the Division II championship game has been played in Florence.
     On Saturday, the Eagles made history by becoming the first team in NCCU's 82-year gridiron tradition to win 10 games in a season. NCCU's 26-23 come-from-behind victory over Bowie State provided the Eagles with their first conference football championship in 25 years. A capacity crowd of 10,580 fans shared the moment with the Eagles.

Southeast Region
1. Presbyterian (10-1)
2. North Carolina Central (10-1)
3. Valdosta State (9-2)
4. Albany State (8-1)
5. Central Arkansas (9-2)
6. North Alabama (8-2)

Bracket of 2005 NCAA Division II Football Championship

INDIANAPOLIS--The NCAA Division II Football Committee announced the field of 24 teams for the 2005 NCAA Division II Football Championship. 

Eight first-round games will be conducted on the campus of one of the competing institutions. In addition, two teams per region have earned first-round byes. The first-round winners will all advance to face a bye team in their region in the second round on the campus of one of the competing institutions. Second-round winners will meet in the quarterfinals at various campus sites. Quarterfinal winners will advance to play in the semifinals on the campus of one of the competing institutions. Six teams selected per region make up the field of 24 teams. 

The first-round dates, sites and pairings are: 

November 12 at Albany, Georgia
University of Central Arkansas (9-2) vs. *Albany State University (Georgia) (8-1) 

November 12 at Valdosta, Georgia
University of North Alabama (8-2) vs. *Valdosta State University (9-2) 

November 12 at Kearney, Nebraska
Pittsburg State University (8-3) vs. *University of Nebraska at Kearney (9-2) 

November 12 at San Angelo, Texas
Northwest Missouri State University (7-3) vs. *Angelo State University (9-2) 

November 12 at Brookville, New York
West Chester University of Pennsylvania (8-3) vs. *C.W. Post Campus/Long Island University (8-2) 

November 12 at East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Southern Connecticut State University (8-2) vs. *East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania (8-2) 

November 12 at Grand Forks, North Dakota
University of Minnesota Duluth (8-3) vs. *University of North Dakota (9-2) 

November 12 at University Center, Michigan
Northwood University (9-2) vs. *Saginaw Valley State University (9-1) 

*Denotes Host Institution

The following institutions earned first-round byes in each region and also will host a second-round game on November 19, 2005:
Northeast:
1. Shepherd University (11-0)
2. Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania (11-0)
Southeast:
1. Presbyterian College (10-1)
2. North Carolina Central University (10-1)
Northwest:
1. Grand Valley State University (9-0)
2. University of Nebraska at Omaha (8-2)
Southwest:
1. West Texas A & M University (10-1)
2. Washburn University of Topeka (9-2)

All contests shall start at noon local time. Other times may be established if approved by the committee. Valdosta State defeated Pittsburg State in the 2004 national championship game to claim the NCAA title. The championship game will be played December 10, at 3 p.m. Central time at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama and will be broadcast live on ESPN. The 2005 championship will mark 20 consecutive years that the Division II championship game has been played in Florence. 

-- Courtesy NCAA.org