By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
INDIANAPOLIS – On Tuesday, the NCAA announced 18 regular-season Division II football games that will be a part of its 2019 Division II Football Showcase. The season-opening football game between Fort Hays State and Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Missouri is part of the showcase. The game will be available to view on several webstreaming platforms.
The first 18 games of the Division II Football Showcase are predetermined games, 16 of which are conference matchups. An additional four flex games – intended to highlight crucial matchups – will be finalized later in the season and played in November.
Selected games are featured on ESPN3 or NCAA social media as part of a new media agreement intended to promote Division II on multiple platforms throughout the season.
The September 5 matchup between Fort Hays State and Central Missouri in Warrensburg will be a “hybrid model” game, meaning it has flexibility of distribution both online and on TV. Hybrid games will be distributed Free-To-View online through NCAA social media accounts – specifically, Division II Facebook (facebook.com/ncaadivisionii) and Twitter (@NCAADII) – and through conference and school digital networks. The game will also be available Free-To-View on the Fort Hays State University Athletics Facebook account (facebook.com/fhsuathletics). The game may also appear on local television channels, which will be announced closer to the game date should any local providers pick up the game.
If you have already paid for a subscription package to watch games on the MIAA Network, the game will still be available as normal just like any other week. Here is the link to the FHSU portal on the MIAA Network – http://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/. The MIAA Network OTT apps are available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Android TV.
“It’s always exciting to begin a new academic year and the start of the Division II season,” said Terri Steeb Gronau, vice president of Division II. “We’re looking forward to highlighting the teams that will be featured in the football showcase and promoting the Division II brand on several platforms for fans to see across the country.”
Games included in the schedule are selected from a pool of conference nominations. Of the 16 football-sponsoring conferences in Division II, 15 will be featured in at least one game. One conference declined to participate.
Of the teams competing in the slate of games, 15 appeared in the 2018 Division II playoffs, and 15 begin the 2019 season ranked in the Top 25 of the American Football Coaches Association Division II poll.
“The football showcase features several great teams and matchups,” said Daryl Dickey, chair of the Division II Football Committee and athletics director at West Georgia. “It’s always fun to follow Division II football and celebrate our student-athletes for their excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community.”
2019 Division II Showcase Full Schedule
Thursday, Sept. 5, 8:05 p.m. ET Harding at Ouachita Baptist (ESPN3)
Thursday, Sept. 5, 8:05 p.m. ET Fort Hays State at Central Missouri (Hybrid)
Saturday, Sept. 14, 6:05 p.m. ET Ohio Dominican at Valdosta State (ESPN3)
Saturday, Sept. 14, 7:05 p.m. ET Ferris State at Central Washington (ESPN3)
Saturday, Sept. 21, 12:05 p.m. ET Findlay at Ohio Dominican (ESPN3)
Saturday, Sept. 21, 6:05 p.m. ET Shaw at Chowan (Hybrid)
Friday, Sept. 27, 7:05 p.m. ET New Haven at Bentley (Hybrid)
Saturday, Sept. 28, 2:35 pm. ET Central Oklahoma at Northwest Missouri State (Hybrid)
Saturday, Oct. 5, 2:05 p.m. ET Lindenwood (Missouri) at McKendree (Hybrid)
Saturday, Oct. 5, 3:05 p.m. ET Minnesota Duluth at Minnesota State Mankato (Hybrid)
Saturday, Oct. 12, 1:05 p.m. ET Northern Michigan at Michigan Tech (Hybrid)
Saturday, Oct. 12, 7:05 p.m. ET Midwestern State at Texas A&M-Commerce (ESPN3)
Saturday, Oct. 19, 12:05 p.m. ET West Chester at Shepherd (Hybrid)
Saturday, Oct. 19, 2:05 p.m. ET Benedict at Albany State (Georgia) (ESPN3)
Saturday, Oct. 26, 2:05 p.m. ET West Georgia at West Alabama (ESPN3)
Saturday, Nov. 2, 12:05 p.m. ET Charleston (West Virginia) at West Virginia State (Hybrid)
Saturday, Nov. 2, 2:05 p.m. ET Wingate at Lenoir-Rhyne (ESPN3)
Saturday, Nov. 2, 5:05 p.m. ET Texas A&M-Commerce at West Texas A&M (ESPN3)
Saturday, Nov. 9 To be determined
Saturday, Nov. 16 To be determined