NCAA DIVISION I FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Sat, Jan 10, 2015 Toyota Stadium, Frisco TX |
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noon CT |
North Dakota State(14-1, 7-1 MVFC) | vs | Illinois State(13-1, 7-1 MVFC) |
There are two national football championship games in the next three days, but only one of them includes the awarding of an actual NCAA championship trophy. Today, the only true champion of NCAA Division I football will be determined, on the field, without anyone legitimately complaining that they didn't get their fair shot.
The game: The North Dakota State Bison take on the Illinois State Redbirds in the NCAA Division I Football Championship. The Bison seek a fourth straight national title in a match against their conference rival Redbirds. The two schools did not meet in the 2014 regular season, and shared the Missouri Valley Football Conference championship after both teams went 7-1 in league play; oddly, both teams suffered their only loss of the season to Northern Iowa. Should the Bison win, they would be the first Division I team to claim four straight national championships on the field; only D-III Augustana (IL) in 1983-86 and NAIA Carroll (MT) (2002-05) have won four straight at any level.
Odds: North Dakota State opened at -3.5, but -- largely, we're sure, due to name recognition -- the Bison are now sitting as 6.5 point favorites.
Tipoff: Saturday, January 10 at noon CT, Toyota Stadium (20,500) in Frisco, Texas.
Tickets: Are you in Dallas? You can get standing-room tickets for six bucks at the window, although those are limited in number. If you want an actual seat, you're going to have to either buy general admission seating for $64, or hit the secondary market. Tickets there will run you, on average, $50, with prices ranging from $11-$148. There aren't a lot floating out there. Bison travel. In herds.
Television: ESPN2 with Anish Shroff, Kelly Stouffer, and Cara Capuano.
Radio: This section is mostly useless to K-State fans, but for other folks stumbling in here: the game will air on the Bison Radio Network in the Dakotas, with Scott Miller, Buffalo Bills Hall-of-Famer Paul Hansen, and Jeremy Jorgenson. In Illinois, the Illinois State Radio Network will carry the game, with Dick Luedke, Tim Schmits, and Craig Bertsche. There is no national radio or satellite broadcast.
Online: Video streaming via WatchESPN. Free audio streaming available via both GoBison.com and Illinois State's StretchInternet portal, featuring each team's respective radio crew. Live stats via NCAA.com.