McNeese earns first-round bye

LAKE CHARLES – McNeese State will go into the 2013 Division I Playoffs as the number six seed while garnering a first round bye as the field of 24 teams was announced Sunday by the NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee.

McNeese (10-2, 6-1 Southland Conference) will be making its league-record 15th appearance in the playoffs and its first since the 2009 season.

“Very excited to being back in the playoffs and getting the No. 6 seed,” said head coach Matt Viator. “I know the players are excited.”

The Cowboys will play the winner of the Samford-Jacksonville State game at 6 p.m. on Dec. 7 in Cowboy Stadium and broadcast on ESPN3.

“I don’t know a whole lot about either team but did see some film on Samford early in the year against Southeastern Louisiana,” said Viator. “They look like a real good team. We’ll give the players off for Thanksgiving then come back next Sunday for our regular routine.”

McNeese is 11-14 in playoff games with the last being a 49-13 loss to New Hampshire in the 2009 first round.

Samford earned a conference co-championship in the Southern Conference this season after posting a 6-2 league record and 8-4 overall. The Bulldogs dropped a 34-31 decision to Southland foe Southeastern Louisiana in the fourth week of the season.

Jacksonville State placed third in the Ohio Valley Conference with a 5-3 record, 9-3 overall. The Gamecocks did not play any similar opponents than McNeese this season but are no strangers to the Cowboys. JSU was a member of the Southland Football League from 1997-2002.

North Dakota State is the No. 1 seed in the field followed by Eastern Illinois at No. 2, No. 3 is Eastern Washington, fourth is Southeastern Louisiana, No. 5 Maine, McNeese State at No. 6, seventh is Towson and No. 8 is Montana.

One other Southland team made the field as Sam Houston State will host Southern Utah in the first round on Saturday at 2 p.m. while SLU will play the winner of that game in the second round contest.

Tickets for the Dec. 7 game are currently on sale at the McNeese ticket office. Prices are $20 for general admission, $25 for reserved seats, and $41 for premium seating (Touchdown Club, Blue and Gold).

2013 NCAA Division I Football Championship
First Round, Saturday, Nov. 30
Furman (7-5) at South Carolina State (9-3), 12 p.m.
Bethune-Cookman (10-2) at Coastal Carolina (10-2), 12 p.m.
Lafayette (5-6) at New Hampshire (7-4), 11 a.m.
Southern Utah (8-4) at Sam Houston State (8-4), 2 p.m.
South Dakota State (8-4) at Northern Arizona (9-2), 7 p.m.
Samford (8-4) at Jacksonville State (9-3), 7 p.m.
Sacred Heart (10-2) at Fordham (11-1), 12 p.m.
Tennessee State (9-3) at Butler (9-3), 12 p.m.

Second Round, Saturday, Dec. 7
Furman/S.C. State at #1 North Dakota State (11-0), 2:30 p.m.
Bethune-Cookman/Coastal Carolina at #8 Montana (10-2) 1 p.m.
Lafayette/New Hampshire at #5 Maine (10-2), 1 p.m.
Southern Utah/Sam Houston State at #4 Southeastern Louisiana (10-2), 7 p.m.
S.D. State/Northern Arizona at #3 Eastern Washington (10-2), 3 p.m.
Samford/Jacksonville State at #6 McNeese State (10-2), 6 p.m.
Sacred Heart/Fordham at #7 Towson (10-2), 12 p.m.
Tennessee State/Butler at #2 Eastern Illinois, 1 p.m.

Quarterfinals, Friday, Dec. 13 or Saturday, Dec. 14
Semifinals, Friday, Dec. 20 or Saturday, Dec. 21
National Championship, Saturday, Jan. 4, Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas