Complete 2008 NCAA DII Championship Bracket
Delta State Insider with coach Ron Roberts
INDIANAPOLIS, IND. – For the first time in program history, the Delta State University football team will enter the postseason as the top seed out of Super Regional II. The NCAA Division II Football Committee released the field of 24 on Sunday for the upcoming Division II Football Championship with DSU receiving one of four No. 1 seeds. Bloomsburg (Super Regional I), Grand Valley State (Super Regional III), and Abilene Christian (Super Regional IV) were the other No. 1 seeds.
The Statesmen finished the regular season with a 68-10 thumping of West Georgia on Saturday in Carrollton, Ga., to clinch the out-right Gulf South Conference title for a second consecutive year. Delta State enters the postseason ranked fourth nationally with a 9-1 overall record.
“We certainly believe we earned our way to this position,” said Ron Roberts, Statesmen head coach. “Our guys have battled all year long for the chance to host the playoffs at Parker Field-McCool Stadium and it feels nice to know that we've accomplished that.”
Super Regional II features some of the top teams in all of NCAA Division II football. The remaining five seeds in the region include: fifth-ranked North Alabama (10-1), thirteenth-ranked Valdosta State (8-2), South Atlantic Conference champion Tusculum (8-3), Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion Albany State (7-3), and Carson-Newman (7-3).
“This region is loaded with talented teams and coaches,” added Roberts. “The top half of our bracket features UNA, VSU and Carson-Newman, all three of which could easily advance to the quarters. While we haven't faced Tusculum, TC defensive coordinator Pete Golding played and coached here, so we have an idea of what we would be facing. Albany State is always a deep and talented team. Regardless of who plays against us, it will be a major test.”
The Statesmen and Lions will receive first round byes next week, as the region's top two seeds. Third-seed Valdosta State will host sixth-seed Carson-Newman, while fourth-seed Tusculum plays host to fifth-seed Albany State.
The VSU/CN winner will travel to Florence, Ala., on Saturday, Nov. 22, to face North Alabama, while the TC/ASU winner will square-off with the Statesmen at Parker Field-McCool Stadium in Cleveland on the same day. The winners will meet in the quarterfinals on Nov. 29 with the highest seeded team serving as host.
The NCAA uses a regional format to determine who advances to the championship game. The winner of Super Regional II is paired with the winner of Super Regional IV in the semifinals, while Super Regionals I and III will face off in the other game. The semifinals winners will meet in the national championship game at Braly Municipal Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 13, in Florence, Ala. The game will be televised nationally by the ESPN family of networks.
Sunday's selection marks the fifth NCAA postseason appearance and the third-consecutive for the Statesmen football program. DSU boasts an all-time 8-3 record in regional play, including the 2000 NCAA national championship.
Delta State advanced to the second round of the 2007 championships, only to be defeated by North Alabama, 17-20, in Florence.
“We're ready for the challenge that lies ahead,” stated Roberts. “Our road will be difficult, but it's been done before here at Delta State. We believe we can do it again.”
