Sunday, November 15, 2015
PORTLAND, Ore. – For the first time since 2009, the GNAC will be represented in the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs.
Humboldt State will represent the league as the No. 4 seed in the tournament’s Super Region 3. The Lumberjacks will host their Augustana (S.D.), the No. 5 seed, on Sat., Nov. 21 at 1 p.m., at the Redwood Bowl in Arcata, Calif.
The Lumberjacks are the first GNAC football team to be invited to the tournament since Central Washington in 2009. It is Humboldt State’s first football postseason appearance since 1968.
Humboldt State finished the regular season 9-1 overall and went 6-0 in GNAC play to win their first league title since 2010. The Lumberjacks won their first five games of the season, which included a 62-41 over defending GNAC champion Azusa Pacfiic. The Lumberjacks’ lone loss of the season was on Oct. 17, a 35-10 defeat at Midwestern State (Texas). Midwestern State is the No. 1 seed in Super Region 4.
In their nine wins, Humboldt State scored 30 or more points in six of them and scored 50 or more points five of them. They enter the tournament ranked third in Division II in scoring offense (44.5 points per game), third in turnovers lost (3), sixth in total offense (493.1 yards per game) and seventh in rushing offense (298.4 yards per game).
Augustana finished the season at 9-2 overall and went 6-1 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference’s South Division, gaining a share of the divisional title. The Vikings ended the regular season in explosive style, setting single game records in scoring and with 751 yards of total offense with a 76-21 win over Concordia-St. Paul. Like Humboldt State, Augustana is a high-production on offense, averaging 42.1 points per game and outscoring opponents by an average of 17.3 points per game. The Vikings are averaging an average of 477.1 yards of total offense per game and 311.5 passing yards per game.
The Vikings are led by quarterback Trey Heid, who enters Saturday’s game averaging 301.5 passing yards per game with 28 touchdowns and a 66.4 completion percentage.
Humboldt State last appeared in the postseason in 1968, when the Lumberjacks won the NAIA West Region title with a 29-14 win over Fresno State in the Camelia Bowl. Humboldt last hosted a playoff game in 1960 at Albee Stadium in Eureka, Calif., with the Lumberjacks beating Whitworth 13-7. They advanced to the NAIA National Championship that season losing to Lenior Rhyne, 15-14, in the Holiday Bowl in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The winner of Saturday’s game will travel to Marysville, Mo., the following weekend to play undefeated Northwest Missouri State, who earned the No. 1 seed in Super Region 3.
GNAC OFFICIALS ALSO MAKE PLAYOFFS: In addition to Humboldt State, a GNAC officiating crew will work the game between on Saturday between Emporia State and Minnesota St. Mankato in Mankato, Minn. Assigned to the game are Bob Rose (referee), Kurt Renstrom (umpire), John Fallman (head linesman), Ben Keller (line judge), Brent Baumann (field judge), Eric Cheatley (side judge), John Downing (back judge) and Steve Anderson (alternate).