KANSAS CITY, Mo. – [FCS Schedule] The NAIA Football Championship Series continues on Saturday, November 25th at eight campus sites across the country. The four winning teams from the First Round will battle the Top 12 seeds who received a bye last wekeend. 

The 68th Annual NAIA Football National Championship will culminate on December 18th at Durham County Memorial Stadium in Durham, N.C. For more information on the 2023 NAIA Football National Championship, click here.

No. 1 Northwestern (Iowa) 11-0 vs. No. 16 Dordt (Iowa) 9-2

• The Red Raiders are the reigning NAIA Champions riding a 24 game win streak
• Dordt won 35-7 over Ottawa (Kan.) in the First Round
• NWC has played in the most FCS games in history at 51
• The Defenders are 1-1 all time in FCS games and are playing in their second overall postseason run
• In their previous matchup this season, Northwestern won 35-14
• The Red Raiders are first nationally in first downs (284) and thrid down percentage (60%)
• Dordt is third rushing yards (2,808) and fourth in sacks (37)

No. 2 Grand View (Iowa) 10-0 vs. No. 14 Dickinson State (N.D.) 10-1

• The Vikings are one of three teams in the championship hunt with an undefeated record
• Dickinson State defeated Montana Tech 35-28 on the road last weekend
• GV is one of two institutions who have claimed a single NAIA title
• DSU has appeared in the FCS 24 times which is the second most in the field
• Grand View is second in the country in passing yards per attempt (10.7)
• Dickinson State is fourth nationally, scoring on 46 of 53 trips to the red zone

No. 3 Keiser (Fla.) 8-2 vs. No. 13 St. Thomas (Fla.) 9-3

• The Seahawks were the NAIA National Championship Runners-Up in 2022
• The Bobcats bested Reinhardt (Ga.) by a 55-7 count
• STU is playing in their first NAIA postseason
• Keiser won The Sun Conference crown
• KU won the season matchup 21-14 at home on October 7th
• St. Thomas is the top scoring team in the nation at 568 and second per game at 47.3
• The Seahawks are third in field goals on the season (14-16) and fourth in rushing touchdowns (34)

No. 4 Georgetown (Ky.) 8-1 vs. No. 15 Baker (Kan.) 9-2

• The Tigers claimed their berth as winners of the Mid-South Conference
• Baker outlasted Louisiana Christian by a score of 56-38 in the highest scoring First Round game
• Georgetown is one of three teams with a trio of National Championships to their name
• The Wildcats have an even 19-19 overall postseason record in history
• Baker have grabbed 25 interceptions, the most in the NAIA
• The Tigers have the least number of penalities on the season with 37 total

No. 5 Marian (Ind.) 9-1 vs. No. 12 Saint Xavier (Ill.) 7-3

• The Knights snagged an at-large berth out of the MidStates Football Association
• SXU were the Mid-States Football Association Midwest Champion
• Marian owns two NAIA Red Banners while the Cougars claimed one
• MU defeated Saint X on September 9th at home by a 28-21 score
• Saint Xavier is first in the NAIA in sacks (40) and fourth in kick return average (24.0)
• Marian is third in passing yards per attempt (10.2) and fourth in yards per competed pass (17.1)

No. 6 Indiana Wesleyan 9-1 vs. No. 10 Morningside (Iowa) 9-2

• IWU is the Mid-States Football Association Mideast Champion
• Morningside has won the most FCS games in history (34)
• The Wildcats are 2-2 in three total postseason runs
• The Mustangs earned an at-large berth out of the Great Plains Athletic Conference
• Indiana Wesleyan is a perfect 47-for-47 on PAT's this season
• Morningisde is first in defensive touchdowns and interception yards (26.1)

No. 7 Bethel (Tenn.) 10-1 vs. No. 9 Evangel (Mo.) 11-0

• The Wildcats are playing in their seventh FCS
• Evangel is the third and final team remaining that is undefeated on the season
• Bethel earned their spot by way of an at-large selection
• The Valor claimed the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference - Kessinger Division Championship
• The Wildcats are first in punt return yards (26-for-403) and second in passing touchdowns (36)
• Evangel is first in fumbles recovered (18) and fourth in home attendance average (2,855)

No. 8 Montana Western 9-1 vs. No. 11 College of Idaho 8-2

• The Frontier Conference foes will rematch in the FCS Second Round
• College of Idaho claimed the first meeting in week two by a 37-35 count at home
• The Bulldogs went on to win the Frontier Championship for their fifth trip to the FCS
• C of I is in the field for only the second time in program history (2019)
• UMW is first in fourth down percentage (77) and fourths in yards per game (465.5)
• The Yotes are second in total home crowds with 18,031 people and sixth in total passing towndowns (30)