Code Orange

Appalachian State already defeated Richmond last night 55-35 to advance to the I-AA/FCS Championship Game in Chattanooga next week.  They’ll play the winner of Delaware vs. Southern Illinois, who kickoff at 4pm.

One half of each of the Division II and Division III title games were decided earlier today as, in the first Division II semifinal, Valdosta State defeated California (PA) 28-24.  Meanwhile, two-time defending Mt. Union rolled to yet another Division III title game by destroying Bethel (MN)  62-14.

The 2nd Division III semifinal, Mary Hardin-Baylor vs. Wisconsin-Whitewater, is currently in progress as the other Division II semifinal will be played at 8pm tonight as two-time defending champion Grand Valley State takes on Northwest Missouri State, the team they have defeated to earn each of their last two championships.

We have an interesting situation where the Division I-AA, Division II, and Division III championships may all feature two-time defending champions going for a third in a row.

Division I-AA has never had a 3-time champion.

Division II has had a back-to-back-to-back championship run once: North Alabama did it between  1993 and 1995.

Division III has also has had a back-to-back-to-back championship run three times before: Augustana (Ill) won 4 straight titles between 1983 and 1986, while this same Mt. Union team did it between 1996 and 1998 and again between 2000 and 2002.  Mt. Union has played in 9 of the last 11 Division III championships, winning 8 of them.  If Wisconsin-Whitewater wins their semifinal, it would be the 3rd straight year that they would face Mt. Union in the championship game.