KANSAS CITY, Mo. – [Qualifier Reveal |  FCS Schedule ] The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced the final field and the pairings for the first round of the NAIA Football Championship Series (FCS) on Sunday. The 16-team event will kick-off on Saturday, April 17^th at eight campus host sites across the country.

The full field features 12 automatic qualifiers and four at-large berths. In order to qualify for an automatic bid, teams must win their conference regular-season title. At-large berths were determined by the NAIA Football National Selection Committee. Teams earning an at-large berth must be ranked in the Top 20 of the final NAIA Coaches' Top 25 poll, which can be accessed here. 

The 65^th NAIA Football National Championship will take place in Ruston, La., at Eddie G. Robinson Stadium on Monday, May 10. The city of Ruston, La. will host the championship for the second season for more information on the 2020 NAIA Football National Championship, click here.

Qualifier Highlights 

• Arizona Christian and Dordt (Iowa) are both first time qualifiers in the field this year
• The two-time defending NAIA National Champions will enter FCS play with an 8-0 record.
• Morningside will be making its 17^th appearance in the championship and are ranked No. 1 in the nation in four statistical categories, including pass offense per game, with an average of just over 366 per game.

• The Threshers of Bethel (Kan.) are making their 3^rd  appearance in FCS play and were last in the field in 2006, which is the longest drought of any team in the field that is not a first-time qualifier.

• Carroll (Mont.) has the most FCS appearances of anyone in the field with 23 with their most recent appearance being in 2014
• Six of the 16 qualifying teams have one at least one national championship 
• Nine teams enter first round of FCS play with a perfect record 
• Ten qualifying teams qualified for the Football Championship Series in 2019 as well 

2020 NAIA Football Championship Series - First Round Schedule

Saturday, April 17 | Campus Sites

Game 1 – No. 1 Morningside (Iowa) 8-0 vs. No. 16 Carroll (Mont.) 3-1        

Game 2 – No.2 Grand View (Iowa) 6-0 vs. No. 13 Dordt (Iowa) 8-2           

Game 3 – No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 7-0 vs. No. 14 Bethel (Kan.) 9-1         

Game 4 – No. 4 Keiser (Fla.) 7-0 vs. No. 15 Arizona Christian 9-1                          

Game 5 – No. 5 Concordia (Mich.) 5-0 vs. No. 12 Georgetown (Ky.) 6-1                

Game 6 – No. 6 Northwestern (Iowa) 8-1 vs. No. 11 Dickinson State (N.D.) 9-0      

Game 7 – No. 7 Baker (Kan.) 6-0 vs. No. 10 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 8-0          

Game 8 – No. 8 Reinhardt 8-0 (Ga.) vs. No. 9 Marian (Ind.) 5-1           

2020 NAIA Football Championship Qualifiers (Alphabetical Listing)

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