UIndy Football Earns First-Ever Division II Playoff Berth
UIndy Sports Information
INDIANAPOLIS – The University of Indianapolis football team's historic weekend continued Sunday, as the Greyhounds' postseason aspirations were officially realized. After notching their first-ever nine-win season and winning the Great Lakes Valley Conference football championship Saturday, the cherry on top came when the 19th-ranked Hounds (9-2, 8-0 GLVC) secured their first-ever NCAA Division II playoff berth when the pairings were announced by the NCAA Division II Football Committee Sunday evening.
UIndy is the GLVC's lone postseason representative as 20th-ranked Missouri S&T (10-1, 7-1) fell just shy of a playoff bid after entering the week seventh in the Super Region #4 rankings.
Just six teams from each of the nation's four regions advanced to the 2012 NCAA D-II Championships. UIndy's first-round contest is one of only eight playoff games taking place Saturday, as the top two teams from each region received byes.
The Greyhounds' 31-24 win at Urbana on Saturday helped secure the No. 4 seed in the upcoming Super Region #4 playoffs. UIndy will begin the postseason at home, hosting fifth-seeded Midwestern State (9-1, 7-1 Lone Star) Saturday, Nov. 17 at noon. The winner will travel top-seeded and undefeated Colorado State-Pueblo (11-0, 7-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic) for a second-round match-up Nov. 24.
Indianapolis, which has not lost to a D-II team since the season opener August 30, is making its first postseason appearance since joining Division II back in 1979. It's only other NCAA playoff berth came in 1975 when the team competed as a Division III squad.
Like UIndy, ninth-ranked Midwestern State has won nine games in a row after claiming a 35-17 win against West Georgia Saturday afternoon. The Lone Star Conference-champion Mustangs have won 19 of its last 20 regular season contests.
The Division II playoffs continue every Saturday until the national champion is crowned in Florence, Ala., Dec. 15.
FIRST ROUND
Saturday, Nov. 17
5 Midwestern State (Texas) at 4 Indianapolis, 12 PM
6 West Texas A&M at 3 Chadron State (Neb.), 12 PM
SECOND ROUND
Saturday, Nov. 24
MSU/UIndy winner at 1 Colorado State-Pueblo, TBA
WTAMU/CSU winner at 2 Ashland (Ohio), TBA
QUARTERFINALS
Saturday, Dec. 1
Second Round winners, TBA
SEMIFINALS
Saturday, Dec. 8
Super Region #4 winner vs. Super Region #1 winner, TBA
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, Dec. 15
Florence, Ala.