Reinhardt vs. Southeastern: NAIA Football Playoffs Begin

NAIA Announces 20-Team Field for 2025 Football Championship Series

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has officially unveiled the 20-team bracket for the 2025 NAIA Football Championship Series, setting the stage for the “battle for the Red Banner.” The culmination of the season will be the 70th-Annual NAIA Football Championship Game, scheduled for December 20 at Crowley ISD Multipurpose Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.

Championship Format and Key Dates

The top 12 seeded teams will receive a bye into the second round, beginning November 29.The championship series will kick off with four frist-round contests on November 22, hosted on the campuses of teams seeded 13 through 20. All tournament paths ultimately converge on the championship game in Fort Worth.

Did you know? – The NAIA Football Championship Series dates back to 1956, making it one of the oldest college football postseason tournaments. The “Red Banner” is awarded to the championship winner.

Reinhardt university Enters the Fray

Representing the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC), Reinhardt University secured the No. 19 seed and will begin its championship journey with a road game against No. 15 Southeastern University (Fla.) on Saturday at 1 pm ET. The two teams are familiar opponents, having met earlier in the season on September 21, with Southeastern claiming a 41-20 victory in Lakeland, Florida.

Broadcast Coverage and Access to Scores

Fans can follow the action throughout the NAIA Football Championship Series on the Urban Edge Network (UEN),with coverage available on campuses that have opted in. The championship game itself will be broadcast on both the NAIA Network and the Urban Edge Network. Thorough broadcast links, app details, and smart TV access details can be found at www.naia.org/watch. A complete schedule, including live stats and post-game recaps, is available at the 2025 NAIA Football Championship Series Schedule.

Championship Field Composition

This year’s championship field comprises 13 teams that earned automatic qualification by winning their respective conference titles or division championships. Seven additional teams were selected as at-large bids by the NAIA Football National Selection Commitee.

Returning Contenders and Playoff Droughts Broken

Ten teams from the 2024 championship series have qualified for the 2025 tournament, demonstrating consistent program strength. Notably, three teams have ended lengthy playoff droughts: William Penn University (Iowa), returning after a 13-year absence dating back to 2012; campbellsville University (Ky.), making its first appearance as 2015; and Southeastern University, which last competed in the postseason in 2017.The remaining seven qualifying teams have all appeared in the playoffs within the last four seasons. Collectively, the 20 teams boast an impressive regular-season record of 180-30, a winning percentage of .857.

Pro tip: – The NAIA Football national Selection Committee considers factors like win-loss record, strength of schedule, and conference standings when selecting at-large bids.

Fans can anticipate a full preview of the FCS tournament, along with weekly game notes, team capsules, and national statistical leaders, to be released later this week on NAIA.org.

Reader question: – Which conference do you think will be best represented in the later rounds of the tournament, and why? Share your thoughts!