Nov. 28, 2009

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – (Updated Scoreboard) With an average margin of victory of 32 points, the NAIA Football Championship Series (FCS) Quarterfinals saw all four host schools win and advance to the Semifinals, set for Dec. 5 (see below). Scoring an average of nearly 50 points apiece, all four winners proved why they are ranked in the Top 10 nationally in scoring offense. No. 1 Sioux Falls (S.D.), No. 2 Carroll (Mont.), No. 3 Lindenwood (Mo.) and No. 4 Saint Xavier (Ill.) all defended their home turf, a first for all four hosts since the 2005 Quarterfinals.

For the second time in three weeks, two Great Plains Athletic Conference members faced each other and the result was the exact same – a 49-21 win for Sioux Falls. On Saturday, Sioux Falls (13-0) recorded nearly 500 yards of total offense, including 292 on the ground in taking down Morningside (Iowa). In the regular-season finale (Nov. 14), Sioux Falls held Morningside (10-2) scoreless in the second half and won 49-21 in Sioux Falls, S.D. This win extended the Cougars winning streak to 27 straight games, which is tied for college football’s longest among any division (NAIA or NCAA). In addition, Sioux Falls now has won 41-straight home games. Sioux Falls will enter its fifth straight Semifinal game on Dec. 5.

Carroll will advance to its third straight Semifinal as the Fighting Saints overwhelmed MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), 34-13 in Helena, Mont. Improving to 13-0 on the year, Carroll now has 32 all-time playoff wins, the most of any active school. In addition, Carroll stands 25-2 in its last 27 postseason games. MNU concludes its season with a 10-2 mark with both losses against Semifinalist participants (Lindenwood). Carroll faces Lindenwood at home for the second straight year next Saturday.

St. Xavier (Ill.) scored 52 unanswered points in the first three quarters en route to a 52-10 victory over Lambuth (Tenn.). Behind a single-game school record 10 sacks, St. Xavier led 35-0 at the half and sat its starters in the fourth quarter before Lambuth (12-1) was able to put up 10 points. The Cougars, who have won a school-record 13 games, will play in its first Semifinal since 2006. Lambuth ends its season with a 12-1 record.

Behind the strength of a school-record 37-point second quarter, Lindenwood secured a 64-26 win over Ottawa (Kan.). The nation’s highest scoring offense (56.0 ppg), the Lions reached 60 points for the ninth time in 12 games. Ottawa (11-1) lost its first game this year despite throwing for 380 yards. Lindenwood’s Denodus O’Bryant tied an NAIA single-season record with his fourth kick-off return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. For the second straight year, Lindenwood (12-0) will face Carroll in the Semifinals.

The 54^th Annual Russell Athletic-NAIA Football National Championship is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 19 at Rome, Ga. Rome-Floyd County and Shorter (Ga.) College will host the event at Barron Stadium. The event will be televised live on CBS College Sports Network with kick-off slated for 12 p.m. EST. For ticket information, call (706) 233-7288.

For complete Championship history and records, click here.

For more information on the 2009 National Championship, click here.

Championship Series Quick Facts:

• Since 2000, the home teams in the FCS Quarterfinals improve to 28-11 overall after a 4-0 mark this year.

• For the first time since 1997, all eight hosts won in the NAIA Football Championship Series (FCS) First Round.

• Overall, the winning teams in the First Round scored an average of 45.6 points while holding their opponents to just over 17 points.

• Since 2000, the home teams in the FCS First Round improve to 61-19 overall. All eight hosts won this year.

• Two programs in this FCS hold at least one National Championship ring – Carroll (Mont.) has five, followed by Sioux Falls (S.D.) with three.

• Minot State (N.D.) appeared for the first time since 2002, the longest drought of any current FCS team (excluding McPherson, who made its first appearance). Both Minot State and McPherson lost in the First Round.

• Carroll (Mont.) holds the most active FCS wins with 32. Sioux Falls (S.D.) is right behind with 31, followed by Northwestern (Iowa) with 20, St. Francis (Ind.) (17) and Georgetown (Ky.) (14).

• Defending national champion Sioux Falls (S.D.) is playing for its fourth National Championship overall and third in the last four years. Texas A&I (now Texas A&M-Kingsville) holds the most NAIA Championships with seven.

• Carroll (Mont.) (10) holds the longest active streak of postseason appearances, followed by Sioux Falls (S.D.) (9) and Morningside (Iowa) (6).

• Sioux Falls (S.D.) is now riding a 27-game winning streak heading into the Semifinals.

• Without a bid this year, St. Francis (Ind.) snaps 10 straight years of appearing in the postseason. The Cougars lost three of their final four games this year.

• After securing the Frontier Conference Championship, Carroll (Mont.) now has won 10 straight (outright and shared) conference titles. The Fighting Saints own the nation’s longest active streak of conference championships.

• Six teams entered the Football Championship Series with an undefeated record (Carroll, Lambuth, Lindenwood, Ottawa, St. Xavier, Sioux Falls). The amount is the most since six NAIA teams were undefeated during the regular season in 1995.

2009 Football Championship Series
First Round: November 21
Quarterfinals: November 28
Semifinals: December 5

Russell Athletic-NAIA Football National Championship: December 19

12 p.m. EST kick-off (Approximate)

Televised live on CBS College Sports
Barron Stadium
Rome, Ga.

2009 NAIA Football Championship Series

• Semifinal Pairings | Saturday, Dec. 5

SEMIFINAL PAIRINGS (all times are local)