The 2011 FCS Playoffs will kick off Saturday and two regional college programs -- Stony Brook University and the University at Albany -- will be making their first-ever Division I NCAA Tournament appearances. Surprisingly, the Seawolves (8-3) and Great Danes (8-3) will face each other in a first-round match up (2 p.m. ET on ESPN3) at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium in Stony Brook. The winner will advance to play the tournament's No. 1 overall seed Sam Houston State University, Saturday, Dec. 3.
Last Saturday, Stony Brook earned a postseason spot by defeating Liberty University, 41-31. The victory helped the Seawolves, who are currently in the middle of an eight-game winning streak, earn the Big South Conference title, which comes with an automatic qualifying spot into the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, UAlbany won the Northeast Conference title by defeating Sacred Heart University, 31-21. The victory allowed the Great Danes to finish in a tie with Duquesne University atop the league standings, but UAlbany owned the head-to-head-tiebreaker, which was earned in a 38-10 victory on Oct. 8.
This will be the 15th time that these two programs have met each other on the gridiron. Overall, UAlbany is 10-4 against Stony Brook, which lost a close 24-23 match up in 2007.
Here's you're more information on Saturday's contest:
- Game Time: 2 p.m. ET
- Television: ESPN3 -- Shawn Kenney (play-by-play) and Rob Harley (color commentary).
- UAlbany radio: Fox Sports 980 (WOFX -- AM)
- UAlbany Twitter: @UAlbanySports
- Stony Brook radio: WUSB 90.1 FM
- Stony Brook Twitter: @SBAthletics