(THE PICKET) – The Shepherd Rams football clinched the first seed in Region 1 by going 10-0 on the season. On Sunday, members of the Shepherd football team and their fans gathered in the Frank Center to watch the NCAA Division II Football Selection Show. The Selection Show broadcasts the final bracket for playoffs to the public and gives information about the 28 teams that have made it this far.
Being the first seed, the Rams have a first round bye, and will play their first playoff game on Saturday, Nov. 28 at noon at Ram Stadium.
This will be the Rams’ ninth post-season appearance.
David Boyce, an NCAA Division II football analyst, said in the selection show coverage commentary that, “Shepherd stands out. They’ve been steady and slowly moved up the rankings through the year.”
In the first round of playoffs for Shepherd’s region there will be three games played on Saturday, Nov. 21st. University of Charleston (10-1) will host Indiana University of Pennsylvania (8-2). Slippery Rock University (10-1) will host Virginia Union University (8-1). Assumption College (10-1) will host Bowie State (9-1).
Shepherd will play the winner of Charleston and IUP on the 28th. The winner of Slippery Rock and Virginia Union will play the winner of Assumption and Bowie State. The winner of that game will then play the winner of Shepherd and Charleston or IUP. The winner of that game will go to the Semifinals. The winner of Super Regional 1 plays the winner of Super Regional 4.
“Shepherd put a lot of points on the board and I think they’re going to be hard to beat,” Boyce said.
The Division II Championship game will be held on Dec. 19th at Sporting Park in Kansas City