THIS WEEK'S GAMES
2010 DIVISION II NCAA PLAYOFFS
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Saturday, December 18th
#1 Minnesota-Duluth vs. DSU, 10:00 am
All times Central; GSC Teams in ALL CAPS
LAST WEEK'S RESULTS
2010 DIVISION II NCAA PLAYOFFS
NATIONAL SEMI-FINALS
Saturday, December 11th
@ DSU 29, #18 Shepherd 17
All times Central; GSC Teams in ALL CAPS
THE WEEK'S AHEAD
For the second time in four years, a Gulf South Conference squad will play for the NCAA Division II Football Title.
GSC and Super Region 2 Champion Delta State (11-3) advanced to its second NCAA Championship Game, first since 2000, thanks to a 29-17 home victory over Super Region 1 Champion Shepherd University (12-2) in the Semi-Finals of the NCAA Division II Playoffs.
DSU’s appearance marks the fifth time that a GSC team has advanced to the Title Game since 2000. The Statesmen took home the 2000 Championship and follow Valdosta State which advanced to the finals in 2002, 2004 and 2007. VSU hoisted the trophy in 2004 and 2007. The GSC has placed a team in the final game 16 total times and has earned 10 NCAA football crowns in 15 appearances for a 66.7 winning percentage.
Delta State takes on Super Region 3 Champion Minnesota-Duluth (14-0), which defeated defending Champion Northwest Missouri State at home, 17-13, in last weekend’s other Semi-Final game. UMD, 2008 NCAA Champions, enter as the nation’s top ranked team, while DSU is the first-ever unranked squad to advance to the final game. The 2010 NCAA Division II Football Championship Game is set to kick off at 10:00 am on Saturday December 18th at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama. The contest will be televised live on ESPN2.
Delta State (11-3) vs. #1 Minnesota-Duluth (14-0), 10:00 a.m. (CST)
Location: Braly Municipal Stadium, Florence, AL
Series: 0-0-0
Last Meeting: First meeting
Television: ESPN2/ESPN360.com
For the third week in a row, Delta State meets a team for the first time in school history when it battles No. 1 Minnesota-Duluth in the 2010 NCAA Division II Championship Game.
DSU’s Title Game run has already been one for the record books, as the Statesmen enter as the first-ever nationally unranked team to advance to the final game. The Statesmen entered the Super Region Two field as the No. 2 seed, while UMD was tabbed No. 1 in Super Region Three. DSU is also just the third three-loss team to advance to the finals.
Delta State and Minnesota-Duluth each seek their second NCAA Title after DSU claimed the 2000 crown and the Bulldogs won in 2008. Both teams overcame tough weather conditions at home to advance to Saturday’s action. The Statesmen overcame a 39-mintue lightning delay and soggy field conditions to defeat Shepherd, 29-17, while UMD withstood single-digit temperatures to clip Northwest Missouri State, 17-13.
Delta State is 12-4 all-time in the post-season, while Minnesota-Duluth is 5-3. DSU faces a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference foe for the first time in school history and the Statesmen are the first GSC team to battle a NSIC foe for the NCAA Crown.
Delta State ranks second in the GSC in total offense (460.6) which is good for 11th in the NCAA. DSU is also third in the league in scoring offense (32.9), pass offense (280.2), pass efficiency (146.0) and rushing offense (180.4). Minnesota-Duluth is tops in the NCAA in scoring defense (12.4) and pass efficiency (169.38) and places first in the NSIC in rushing offense (278.4), total offense (435.1), scoring offense (41.1), rushing defense (85.0) and total defense (254.6).
All eyes will be on the running back position for both teams. DSU’s Trevar Deed can become the first player in GSC history to rush for over 2,000 yards and also receive for over 2,000 yards in a career. Deed enters with 2,640 rushing and 1,978 receiving. For the season, Deed leads the GSC in rushing touchdowns (11) and is third in rushing (78.6). UMD counters with Brad Foss, who second in the NCIS in rushing (83.77).
DSU quarterback Micah Davis is tops in the GSC in passing touchdowns (31) and is also second in pass efficiency (145.7), third in passing (275.3) and fourth in total offense (287.6). Running back Brandon Lucas also has 11 rushing scores and is seventh in rushing (55.6). Wide out LJ Castille is first in TD catches (12) and also places eighth in receiving (58.6). Maurice Moore is second in all purpose yards (125.9).
GSC IN NCAA DIVISION II PLAYOFFS
A total of 19 different football-playing schools have belonged to the GSC at some point since 1973 and 12 of those have earned at least one Playoff bid. The GSC has compiled 92 wins during that span along with a .630 winning percentage (92-54). In fact, of the last 23 national champions, 10* have come from the GSC, seven from the North Central Conference, three from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association and three from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The GSC holds the playoff record for different schools to win the championship game (6), championship game appearances (16) and different schools to appear in the championship game (6). *--Mississippi College’s 1989 national championship was vacated for NCAA infractions.
WEEK IN REVIEW
@ DELTA STATE 29, #18 SHEPHERD 17 (NCAA SEMI-FINALS)
For the second week in a row, Delta State overcame a 7-0 deficit to advance in the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs, topping Shepherd University at home, 29-17, en route to a berth in the National Title Game.
The first-time foes traded scores throughout the first half, but DSU held a 17-14 edge heading into intermission capped by a 33-yard field goal by Matt Snyder as time expired. SU lit the scoreboard on the game’s opening possession, capping a 15-play, 8:52 drive with a touchdown at the six-minute mark. The Statesmen answered on their first possession when Bill Franks ran in a 12-yard TD at 1:21, then took a 14-7 edge at 7:15 in the second frame via wide out LJ Castile’s 29-yard scoring grab. The Rams tied matters at 4:42, but Snyder gave the home team a three-point edge at the break.
The teams battled through soggy field conditions in the second half as the third quarter was delayed for 39 minutes due to lightning. The Statesmen upped their advantage to 23-14 behind a 64-yard touchdown grab by Carlton Ollie at 5:17 in the third frame, but Shepherd closed within six points via a field goal with 40 seconds on the clock.
Neither offense found traction in the final 15 minutes until Delta State iced the contest with just 2:46 remaining when Castile caught a six-yard score on a key third down possession.
DSU running back Trevar Deed led all players with 104 yards on 20 carries, while quarterback Micah Davis passed for 193 yards and three scores. Castile collected five passes for 64 yards and a pair of scores. Box score