Welcome to Phil Steele’s FCS Playoff Central. Here you’ll find a breakdown of who is playing in the second round. Click on any helmet (and speaking of the helmets, make sure to visit  The Helmet Project) to go to the team’s page. Check out the schedules/results for all of the playoff teams. Looking for rankings? How about Phil Steele’s Power Poll and Power Ratings. Get the latest news and stats from the teams themselves. See how the team’s did last week. Don’t forget to update your bracket. And – best yet – vote for you who think will move onto the next round

Second Round

9-3

South Dakota St

Schedule/Results • Power Poll • Power Ratings • Latest News • Stats • LW’s Game

 

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10-1

#1 North Dakota State

Schedule/Results • Power Poll • Power Ratings • Latest News • Stats • 1st Round Bye

Saturday, December 1st • 4:00 pm ET •  ESPN3

Top-seeded North Dakota State had a first round bye … The Jackrabbits defeated Eastern Illinois 58-10 in Brookings for their first Division I FCS playoff win. This is the 100th meeting between North Dakota State and South Dakota State in a series that started in 1903, but is the first-ever playoff meeting between the two schools. The Bison have won the last three including a 20-17 win at Gate City Bank Field on Nov. 10 (recap on page 4) … NDSU is 32-13-3 overall at home in the series against SDSU.

                                                                                                                        

8-3

New Hampshire

Schedule/Results • Power Poll • Power Ratings • Latest News • Stats • 1st Round Bye

 

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8-3

Wofford

Schedule/Results • Power Poll • Power Ratings • Latest News • Stats • 1st Round Bye

Saturday, December 1st • 2:00 pm ET • ESPN3

The Terriers have returned to the NCAA FCS Playoffs for the fifth time in the last six seasons. Wofford, Appalachian State, and Georgia Southern have tied for the Southern Conference Championship, with the Eagles earning the automatic bid. Wofford has a winning record for the tenth time in the last eleven seasons.UNH is in the NCAA playoffs for the ninth straight season, the longest current streak in FCS football. This is the first meeting between the two teams.

                                                                                                                       

9-2

Central Arkansas

Schedule/Results • Power Poll • Power Ratings • Latest News • Stats • 1st Round Bye

 

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8-3

#5 Georgia Southern

Schedule/Results • Power Poll • Power Ratings • Latest News • Stats • 1st Round Bye

Saturday, December 1st • 2:00 pm ET • ESPN3

The University of Central Arkansas Bears are making their second consecutive trip to the NCAA Division I Playoffs. Eighth-ranked UCA finished the regular season with a 9-2 mark. The Bears, who won their playoff opener on the road a year ago at Tennessee Tech, have won six consecutive games to close the regular season. UCA won seven straight games to make the playoffs last season. Georgia Southern (8-3) enters the FCS Playoffs for the 19th time in the 31 years since the program was restarted in 1982. GSU and Central Arkansas have met only once in the 2006 regular season finale. The Bears won that contest in overtime at Paulson Stadium, 34-31. The Eagles are 43-12 all-time in the playoffs and an even better 32-3 at home. Georgia Southern has reached the semifinals in the past two seasons and will make their third-straight appearance in the playoffs.

                                                                                                                      

8-4

Coastal Carolina

Schedule/Results • Power Poll • Power Ratings • Latest News • Stats • LW’s Game

 

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10-1

#4 Old Dominion

Schedule/Results • Power Poll • Power Ratings • Latest News • Stats • 1st Round Bye

Saturday, December 1st • 2:00 pm ET • ESPN3

This will mark the first meeting between Coastal Carolina and Old Dominion. Coastal Carolina is making its third appearance in the NCAA Championship, best in the Big South. Old Dominion finished the regular season winning five-straight games to finish in first place in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). The Monarchs go into the NCAA FCS Playoffs with a 10-1 overall mark and are 7-1 in the CAA. This is the Monarchs’ second ever appearance in the FCS playoffs. Last season ODU hosted Norfolk State in the first round, defeating the Spartans 35-18 before falling at Georgia Southern 55-48 in the second round.

                                                                                                                     

10-2

Stony Brook

Schedule/Results • Power Poll • Power Ratings • Latest News • Stats • LW’s Game

 

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10-1

#3 Montana St

Schedule/Results • Power Poll • Power Ratings • Latest News • Stats • 1st Round Bye

Saturday, December 1st • 7:00 pm ET • ESPN3

Stony Brook is making its second straight appearance in the Division I Football Championship.  Last season, the Seawolves defeated Albany, 31-28, before falling to national runner-up Sam Houston State, 34-27. This will be the first meeting between Stony Brook and Montana State. The 2012 Playoffs mark MSU’s eighth trip to the NCAA Playoffs, and extends the string of consecutive Playoff appearances to three straight seasons, the most in school history. The Bobcats’ 10 regular season wins is also a Bobcat best.

                                                                                                                     

9-2

Cal Poly

Schedule/Results • Power Poll • Power Ratings • Latest News • Stats • 1st Round Bye

 

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8-3

Sam Houston St

Schedule/Results • Power Poll • Power Ratings • Latest News • Stats • 1st Round Bye

Saturday, December 1st • 4:00 pm ET • ESPN3

Cal Poly earned its third FCS playoff berth in 19 NCAA Division I seasons with a 42-34 win at Northern Arizona. Cal Poly opened the 2012 campaign with seven straight wins then won its final two games of the regular season. Sam Houston is a member of the playoff field for the sixth time (1986, 1991, 2001, 2004, 2011 and 2012). The selection marks the Bearkats’ first time to be selected in consecutive seasons. The Bearkats are 5-0 at home in NCAA Division I playoff action.

                                                                                                                     

8-3

Illinois St

Schedule/Results • Power Poll • Power Ratings • Latest News • Stats • 1st Round Bye

 

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8-3

Appalachian St

Schedule/Results • Power Poll • Power Ratings • Latest News • Stats • 1st Round Bye

Saturday, December 1st • 2:00 pm ET • ESPN3

No. 15 Illinois State will make its first NCAA Division I FCS playoff appearance since 2006 and fourth overall. ISU has a 3-3 overall record in FCS playoff games including 2-3 on the playoff road. Appalachian State University has received its eighth-straight berth in the NCAA Division I Football Championship which is the fourth-longest streak in the tournament’s 35-year history and is the second-longest active streak. Appalachian is a part of the postseason field for the 13th time in 15 years and the 20th time overall. Illinois State and Appalachian State will meet for the first time on the field Saturday. ASU is 4-0 all-time versus current members of the Missouri Valley Conference, with all four victories coming in the postseason

                                                                                                                     

9-3

Wagner

Schedule/Results • Power Poll • Power Ratings • Latest News • Stats • LW’s Game

 

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9-2

#2 Eastern Washington

Schedule/Results • Power Poll • Power Ratings • Latest News • Stats • 1st Round Bye

Saturday, December 1st • 6:00 pm ET • ESPN3

Wagner College vs. Eastern Washington University – two institutions set nearly a continent apart (2,600 miles to be exact), will meet for the first time ever on the gridiron here. The Wagner College football team, champions of the Northeast Conference (NEC) and winners of nine straight games, won its first round game over Colgate. It was the first NCAA football game that Wagner competed in since Nov. 19, 1988. Playing in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs for the first time since winning the NCAA Division I title in 2010, Eastern will be making its ninth appearance in the playoffs.