Code Orange

The I-AA semifinals are set to get underway, starting with Richmond at Appalachian State tonight, and Delaware at Southern Illinois tomorrow afternoon.  The winners will play each other in Chattanooga December 14th.

As most people know, Appalachian State is going for their third consecutive national championship.  No other I-AA/FCS team has won three championships, but three straight championship game appearances is not unprecedented.  Attending at least 3 straight championships has occurred 4 times in the past: Eastern Kentucky went to four straight championships between 1979 and 1982, winning the first and last.  Georgia Southern went to 3 straight title games between 1988 and 1990, as well as in 1998 and 2000, winning the last two titles in both streaks.  Meanwhile, Youngstown state also played in 4 title games between 1991 and 1994, winning all but the 2nd.  Youngstown State is still the only school to have even won 3 titles in 4 years.

The 2005 and 2006 titles are the only national championship appearances for Appalachian State.  Their opponent, Richmond, has never played in a national championship game (in face, they have never played in a semi-final game either, until tonight).  Delaware has played in two championships: the 1982 championship, where they lost to Eastern Kentucky, and in 2003, when they defeated Colgate 40-0.  As an interesting note, Appalachian State has already defeated James Madison, who was the last time who won the championship before them.  Delaware was the team who won the championship before JMU.  Southern Illinois played in one title game, in 1983, defeating Western Carolina 43-7.

So three of the four teams in the semifinals have won national championships, though Southern Illinois last did it 14 years ago.  There may be a few players left on the Delaware team who got rings however, but they would have been redshirting that year.

There is also the possibility that we will have our first intra-conference national title since 1988 when Furman defeated Georgia Southern - both of the Southern Conference.  It can happen this year if Delaware and Richmond play each other in the title game.  That could end up being a wild game since in their regular season meeting, it took 5 overtimes for Richmond to finally defeat Delaware 62-56.