National Semifinal Pairings Announced

December 7th, 2024 4:30pm

Pairings for the Division II Football national semifinals were announced on Saturday night. The four remaining teams after the national quarterfinals are re-seeded 1-4, with the first and second seeds hosting the national semifinal contests. GSC Champion Valdosta State earned the No. 1 seed. The Blazers are the only remaining undefeated team in Division II with a perfect 12-0 record. They claimed the Super Region Two crown on Saturday with a 49-14 win over CIAA Champion Virginia Union. The Blazers will host a playoff game for the third week in a row with No. 4 seed Minnesota State coming to town. The Mavericks, who won road games in rounds one and two, survived with a goal line stand in the final seconds to defeat NSIC rival Bemidji State in the super region four final. The Mavericks will enter the contest with an 11-3 overall record. 

GLIAC Champion Ferris State is the No. 2 seed and will host the other semifinal. The Bulldogs finished the regular season at 9-1 and entered the playoffs as the top seed in super region three. Last week they defeated MIAA champion Central Oklahoma in a round two game at Top Taggert Stadium. They punched their ticket to the semifinals with a commanding 41-7 win over GAC co-champion and defending national champion Harding. Ferris State will host No. Slippery Rock who enters the semifinals as the No. 3 seed. The Rock finished the regular season 9-1, with their only loss to PSAC West foe California. That loss was avenged in the regional final as the Rock defeated Cal by a final of 31-13 to claim the super region one title. The Rock took their place in the regional final with a first round win at home over New Haven and a road win over SR1 No. 1 seed Kutztown in round two. Slippery Rock at Ferris State will kick off at 3:30, eastern. 

The winners of next Saturday's national semifinals will meet in McKinney, Texas on Saturday, December 21 to decide the national championship.