Carson-Newman Receives First-Round Bye In NCAA Football Playoffs
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - After closing out the regular season with nine-straight wins and winning its 21st South Atlantic Conference title, No. 14 Carson-Newman received a first-round bye in the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs on Sunday as the No. 2 seed in Super Region Two.
The bye is the first for the Eagles (9-2) since the NCAA went to the 24-team format in 2004. C-N will host the winner of the Nov. 14 matchup between sixth-seeded West Alabama (7-4) and third-seeded Alabany State (8-2) on Nov. 21 at Burke-Tarr Stadium.
West Alabama, which is one of three Gulf South Conference teams to make the playoffs, secured its berth with a 31-28 upset win over No. 1 North Alabama in four overtimes on Saturday. The win gave the Tigers their first seven-win season since 1975. West Alabama wrapped up the 2009 regular season on a roll, winning four out of its last five contests, including two victories over top-25 teams. The Eagles and Tigers have never met on the gridiron.
Albany State, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference representative, enters the playoffs with two losses in its last three games after opening the season with seven-straight wins. The Golden Rams suffered a 35-13 loss to Fort Valley State on Saturday to conclude regular season play. C-N is 1-0 all-time against Albany State as it defeated the Golden Rams 23-22 in the quarterfinals of the 1997 playoffs.
On the opposite side of the Super Region Two bracket, Gulf South Conference champion North Alabama (10-1) is the No. 1 seed. The top-ranked Lions will host the winner of fifth-seeded UNC-Pembroke (9-1) and fourth-seeded Arkansas Tech (8-2) on Nov. 21 at Braly Stadium.
The Eagles are 1-1 against teams in the Super Region Two bracket this season. C-N fell at North Alabama, 31-14, on Sept. 5 and defeated UNC-Pembroke, 35-22, on Sept. 19 in Jefferson City.
C-N is 3-4 in the Division II Playoffs this decade. The Eagles reached the playoffs in 2008, where they fell to Valdosta State, 24-20, in the first round.