2019 NAIA Football National Championship

The 2019 NAIA Football National Championship was a four-round, sixteen team tournament played between November 23 and December 21, 2019. The tournament concluded with a single game, played as the 64th Annual NAIA Football National Championship.

2019 NAIA Football National Championship
1234 Total
Marian 071417 38
Morningside 714127 40
DateDecember 21, 2019
Season2019
StadiumEddie Robinson Stadium
LocationGrambling, Louisiana
MVPJoe Dolincheck (QB, Morningside)(Offensive)
Deion Clayborne (DB, Morningside) (Defensive)
RefereeJeff Bell
Attendance1,646
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN3
AnnouncersDrew Fellios (play-by-play), Forrest Conoly (analyst), Kristen Bedard (sideline)

The championship game was played at Eddie Robinson Stadium in Grambling, Louisiana, between the undefeated No. 2 Marian Knights, representing Marian University from Indianapolis, Indiana, and the undefeated No. 1 Morningside Mustangs, representing Morningside College from Sioux City, Iowa. This was the first time the championship game was played at this venue after the prior five games had been played at Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach, Florida. The game was played on December 21, 2019, with kickoff at 7:00 p.m. EST (6:00 p.m. local CST) on ESPN3.[1]

Teams

Marian

The Marian Knights, led by 7th-year head coach Mark Henninger, entered the national championship game as the #2 seed. They were seeking to win their third national championship, having won in 2012 and 2015.[2] They entered the game 12–0, 8–0 in MSFA play.

Morningside

The Morningside Mustangs, led by 19th-year head coach Steve Ryan, entered the national championship game as the #1 seed and the defending champions, having won their first national championship the year prior.[3] They entered the game 13–0, 9–0 in GPAC play.

Series history

No.DateLocationWinning teamLosing teamNotes
1 December 13, 2012 Rome, GA #5 Marian 30 #3 Morningside 27 OT
2 December 6, 2014% Sioux City, IA #7 Marian 41 #4 Morningside 21
Series: Marian leads 2–0
2012 NAIA National Championship Game%2014 NAIA National Semifinal

Game summary

2019 NAIA Football National Championship Game
1 2 34Total
No. 2 Marian 0 7 141738
No. 1 Morningside 7 14 12740

at Eddie Robinson StadiumGrambling, Louisiana

  • Date: Saturday, December 21, 2019
  • Game time: 7:00 p.m. EST (6:00 p.m. CST)
  • Game attendance: 1,646
  • Referee: Jeff Bell
  • TV announcers (ESPN3): Drew Fellios (play-by-play), Forrest Conoly (analyst), Kristen Bedard (sideline)
Game information
First Quarter
  • (3:34) MORN – Joe Dolincheck 25 yard pass to Bo Els, Chase Carter kick (Drive: 4 plays, 40 yards, 1:35; Morningside 7–0)
Second Quarter
  • (7:33) MORN – Joe Dolincheck 22 yard pass to Reid Jurgenmeier, Chase Carter kick (Drive: 9 plays, 62 yards, 4:24; Morningside 14–0)
  • (5:27) MAR – Ethan Darter 33 yard pass to Jacob Pressler, Matt Plesac kick (Drive: 6 plays, 64 yards, 2:06; Morningside 14–7)
  • (0:54) MORN – Joe Dolincheck 6 yard pass to Sione Tuifua, Chase Carter kick (Drive: 11 plays, 69 yards, 4:33; Morningside 21–7)
Third Quarter
  • (10:10) MAR – Ethan Darter 25 yard pass to Johnny William, Matt Plesac kick (Drive: 7 plays, 59 yards, 2:49; Morningside 21–14)
  • (6:42) MORN – Joe Dolincheck 7 yard pass to Austin Johnson, kick failed (Drive: 10 plays, 85 yards, 3:28; Morningside 27–14)
  • (5:37) MAR – Ethan Darter 54 yard pass to Johnny William, Matt Plesac kick (Drive: 3 plays, 69 yards, 1:05; Morningside 27–21)
  • (3:10) MORN – Joe Dolincheck 10 yard pass to Reid Jurgenmeier, kick failed (Drive: 7 plays, 74 yards, 2:27; Morningside 33–21)
Fourth Quarter
  • (14:55) MAR – Ethan Darter 4 yard pass to Johnny William, Matt Plesac kick (Drive: 9 plays, 65 yards, 3:15; Morningside 33–28)
  • (6:52) MAR – Matt Plesac 34 yard field goal (Drive: 11 plays, 48 yards, 4:52; Morningside 33–31)
  • (2:00) MORN – Joe Dolincheck 4 yard pass to Bo Els, Chase Carter kick (Drive: 5 plays, 22 yards, 1:18; Morningside 40–31)
  • (1:04) MAR – Ethan Darter 10 yard pass to Johnny William, Matt Plesac kick (Drive: 7 plays, 73 yards, 0:56; Morningside 40–38)

Statistics

StatisticsMARMORN
First downs2129
Total yards414528
Rushes–yards31–12343–224
Passing yards291304
Passing: Comp–Att–Int19–43–130–44–1
Time of possession26:0133:59
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
MarianPassingEthan Darter19/43, 291 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT
RushingCharles Salary26 carries, 111 yards
ReceivingJohnny William10 receptions, 161 yards, 4 TD
MorningsidePassingJoe Dolincheck30/44, 304 yards, 6 TD, 1 INT
RushingArnijae Ponder30 carries, 130 yards
ReceivingReid Jurgensmeier7 receptions, 102 yards, 2 TD

Postseason playoffs

A total of sixteen teams were selected to participate in the single-elimination tournament from across the country, with invitations that were revealed on Sunday, November 17, 2019.[4] The field included twelve conference champions who received automatic bids. The field was then filled with at-large selections that were awarded to the highest ranked teams that were not conference champions. First-round seedings were based on the final regular-season edition of the 2019 NAIA Coaches' Poll, with certain minor modifications given based on travel and geographic considerations. Each subsequent round also saw minor modifications based on travel and the geography of the remaining teams.

Quarterfinal pairings were announced by the NAIA on November 23, after the first round results were known.[5]

Semifinal pairings were announced by the NAIA on November 30, soon after completion of the day's quarterfinal games.[6]

1st Round
November 23
Quarterfinals
November 30
Semifinals
December 7
Championship
December 21
            
1 Morningside (10–0) 57
17 Dickinson State (8–2) 14
1 Morningside (11–0) 51
9 Saint Xavier (9–2) 0
8 Northwestern (IA) (9–1) 20
9 Saint Xavier (8–2) 25
1 Morningside (12–0) 21
4 Grand View (13–0) 16
4 Grand View (11–0) 31
12 Concordia (MI) (8–2) 30
4 Grand View (12–0) 14
5 College of Idaho (11–0) 6
5 College of Idaho (10–0) 70
16 Ottawa (AZ) (9–1) 23
1 Morningside (13–0) 40
2 Marian (IN) (12–0) 38
2 Marian (IN) (9–0) 17
13 Reinhardt (9–2) 7
2 Marian (IN) (10–0) 30
10 Cumberlands (KY) (10-1) 0
7 Keiser (9–0) 24
10 Cumberlands (KY) (9-1) 28
2 Marian (IN) (11–0) 34
6 Lindsey Wilson (12–0) 24
3 Kansas Wesleyan (11–0) 42
15 Baker (9–2) 7
3 Kansas Wesleyan (12–0) 24
6 Lindsey Wilson (11–0) 35
6 Lindsey Wilson (10–0) 30
11 Saint Francis (IN) (7–2) 26

References

  1. "Undefeated Morningside, Marian set to square off in 2019 NAIA Football Championship". NAIA. 16 December 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  2. "Marian University - Indianapolis". www.muknights.com. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  3. "2019 Football Coaches". Morningside College (Iowa) Athletics. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  4. "2019 NAIA FCS First Round Pairings Announced". National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. November 17, 2019. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  5. "2019 NAIA FCS Quarterfinal Preview". National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  6. "2019 NAIA FCS Semifinals Pairings Announced". National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. November 30, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
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