The University of Central Arkansas football team gathered at Estes Stadium in Conway on Sunday morning to see if it would be given a top seed in the NCAA FCS playoffs for the first time.
The Bears (10-1, 9-0 Southland Conference) had sealed their first undefeated and outright Southland Conference championship the day before at the stadium with a 34-0 victory over Abilene Christian.
The victory made certain UCA would enter the playoffs a second consecutive time, but the FCS championship committee would decide if the Bears would have a first-round bye and host its opponent in the second round.
“We knew we were going to be in,” said fourth-year UCA Coach Steve Campbell, who took the Bears to the second round last season. “It was the culmination of a great regular season. The guys won 10 in a row. Thought we’d be a top seed.”
Campbell, his players and UCA supporters watched the television feed on the stadium scoreboard as it was announced that the Bears were the No. 4 seed among the playoffs’ 24 teams.
As one of the Top 4 seeds in the playoffs, UCA will have the opportunity to host two playoffs games leading up to the semifinals.
The Bears also earned a bye in the first round and will host the winner of New Hampshire (7-4) and Central Connecticut State (8-3) at 2 p.m. Dec. 2.
“We’re glad the committee respected the season we had,” Campbell said. “Excited to be at home, and that we’re getting a bye in the first round.”
On the other side of UCA’s bracket, Monmouth (9-2) plays Northern Iowa (7-4) to see who will play No. 5 seed South Dakota State (9-2).
If UCA advances to the quarterfinals, it will host one of those three schools.
This marks UCA’s fourth playoff appearance since 2011, and the Bears have not had a bye in the first round since 2012, when they lost 24-16 to Georgia Southern in the second round.
The Bears won both of their first-round games in 2011 and 2016, and both times they failed to reach the third round.
In 2011, UCA lost 41-14 at Montana, and in 2016, the Bears lost 31-14 at Eastern Washington.
UCA entered the weekend ranked No. 3 in both FCS polls and had already clinched its first Southland Conference title since 2012.
Up next
NEW HAMPSHIRE/CENTRAL CONN. ST.
AT CENTRAL ARKANSAS
WHAT NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs second round
WHEN 2 p.m. Dec. 2
WHERE Estes Stadium, Conway
OPPONENT UCA will play the winner of Saturday’s game between New Hampshire and Central Connecticut State. RECORDS Central Arkansas 10-1; New Hampshire 7-4; Central Connecticut State 8-3
Sports on 11/20/2017