INDIANAPOLIS – Four Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football programs were selected to compete in the 2023 NCAA Division II Football Championship, the NCAA announced Sunday evening: 2023 PSAC champion Kutztown, Slippery Rock, East Stroudsburg, and Shepherd.
The 2023 NCAA Division II Football Championship features 28 teams and begins on Saturday, Nov. 18.
The No. 3 seed in the first pod is Kutztown (9-2 overall). After its statement 31-7 victory over Slippery Rock on Saturday, the Golden Bears will host CIAA champion Virginia Union (10-1 overall) at Andre Reed Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 1 p.m. The winner of that game faces the winner of Charleston/New Haven on Nov. 25.
Despite its loss to Kutztown in the 2023 PSAC Football Championship Game, No. 4 seed Slippery Rock (10-1 overall record) remains one of the most potent offenses in the country. The Rock hosts East Stroudsburg (9-2 overall and coming off a win last Saturday against 7-3 California) on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 1 p.m. The winner of that game faces No. 1 seed Tiffin, who received a first-round bye, on Nov. 25.
The Shepherd Rams (9-2 overall) also were selected into the field in a separate pod. The Rams will face No. 4 seed Lenoir-Rhyne (10-1 overall and the SAC champions) in the opening round at 1 p.m. on Nov. 25. The winner of that game draws No. 1 seed Benedict in the next round.
Complete bracket information can be found here.
GROVE CITY TO FACE SUSQUEHANNA IN FIRST ROUND OF DIII CHAMPIONSHIPS
GROVE CITY, Pa. — The Grove City College football team will travel to Selinsgrove, Pa., in the first round of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament to face No. 9 Susquehanna at 12 p.m. Saturday. It is Grove City’s first trip to the NCAA playoffs in football.
Grove City wrapped up its first 10-0 regular season Saturday with a 31-0 win at Presidents’ Athletic Conference rival Thiel in the 39th Mercer County Cup game. The Wolverines earned the conference’s automatic bid by winning the league title. The Wolverines have moved up to No. 18 in this week’s D3football.com Top 25.
Susquehanna also enters the postseason undefeated as the River Hawks improved to 10-0 with a 49-10 home win Saturday over Landmark Conference rival Lycoming in the Stagg Hat Game. Susquehanna finished 6-0 in the Landmark Conference to win the inaugural league title, along with the conference’s automatic berth in the national playoffs.
In September, Susquehanna earned non-conference wins on successive weekends over a pair of New York powers. The River Hawks pulled out a 6-5 win September 9 at Brockport State. The next week, Susquehanna outlasted Cortland State, 38-35.
Previously, Susquehanna played football in the Centennial Conference as an associate member. Susquehanna went 10-0 last year and earned the Centennial Conference’s automatic playoff berth. The River Hawks fell to visiting Utica in the first round, 17-10. That marked Susquehanna’s first appearance in the national playoffs since 2009.
Susquehanna leads the all-time series, 4-2-1. Grove City won the most recent meeting, 14-7, in 1975 at Susquehanna.
The Grove City-Susquehanna winner will play Endicott or Cortland State in the second round November 25. Endicott will host that matchup at 12 p.m. Saturday in Beverly, Mass.
Complete bracket information can be found here.
