There will be at least one new team in the NCAA Division II Football Championship at Sporting Park this year. Minnesota State-Mankato, who lost to Colorado State-Pueblo in last year’s championship match, fell on Saturday in the first round of the 2015 Division II Football Championship.
The No. 7 seeded Emporia State Hornets (Kansas) kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired to upset Mankato, who entered the tournament with a 10-1 record and a No. 2 seed in Super Region Three. The upset was one of four on a weekend that saw an average of 70 points scored across 12 games.
The defending champion Thunderwolves used a strong defensive effort to defeat the University of Indianapolis 27-14, handing the Greyhounds their first loss since Sept. 12. CSU-Pueblo will now travel to Wichita Falls, Texas, for a second round match against the Midwestern State University Mustangs, who secured the No. 1 seed in Super Region Four following a 10-1 regular season campaign.
Northwest Missouri State enters the tournament in the second round and will host Humboldt State University. The Lumberjacks used 707 yards of total offense to beat Augustana 45-31 in their first round match.
The 2015 NCAA Division II Football Championship at Sporting Park will be co-hosted by the Kansas City Sports Commission and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The MIAA will welcome all fans to a pep rally for the championship teams, featuring spirit squads and pep bands, at 7 p.m. CT on Friday, Dec. 18 on the KC Live! stage in Kansas City's Power and Light District.
