KANSAS CITY, Mo. – [Championship Schedule] First round action of the 2020 NAIA Football National Championship will kick-off on Saturday at eight campus sites across the country. Winners will advance to the NAIA National Championship Quarterfinal Round, set for Saturday, April 24. The pairings for the quarterfinal round will be released on www.NAIA.org on Saturday evening.

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. The NAIA Football National Selection Committee determined at-large berths. 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. 

2020 NAIA Football Championship Series - First Round Schedule

Saturday, November 17 | Campus Sites

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2020 NAIA Football Championship Series – First Round Notes

• This will be the second time that Northwestern will play against Dickinson State in the NAIA FCS; Northwestern is 1-2 all-time against Dickinson State with all three match-ups taking place since the 2016 season. 
• Reinhardt (Ga.) will face Marian (Ind.) for the second-consecutive time in the NAIA FCS First Round.
• 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.

Make sure to download the Experience NAIA Championship App for updated news and information for the 2020 NAIA Football Championship! Download the app HERE!