2020 NCAA DI FCS CHAMPIONSHIP INFORMATION
2020 NCAA DI FCS CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Patriot League Champion Holy Cross (3-0 PL) will begin 2020 NCAA DI FCS Championship play on Saturday, April 24 in Brookings, S.D. against No. 1 seed South Dakota State (5-1 MVFC). Coverage of the Crusaders vs. Jackrabbits is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN3.
 
Head Coach Bob Chesney and the Crusaders won the Patriot League North Division and defeated South Division champ Bucknell (2-2, 2-1 PL, 2-0 South), 33-10, in the first Patriot League Football Championship Game on Saturday. Crusaders’ junior cornerback John Smith was named MVP of the championship game. This marks Holy Cross’s fourth trip to the FCS Playoffs, the second under Chesney.
 
HOLY CROSS CRUSADERS (3-0 PL) AT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE JACKRABBITS (5-1 MVFC)
Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium/Brookings, S.D.                  3 p.m. ET (ESPN3)
WATCH | LIVE STATS
Series History: The Crusaders will meet the Missouri Valley Football Conference Champion Jackrabbits for the first time in program history.
About Holy Cross: The Crusaders’ defense intercepted five passes, and freshman quarterback Matthew Sluka accounted for three touchdowns to lead Holy Cross to its second-consecutive Patriot League Championship in a 33-10 win over Bucknell.
About South Dakota State: The Jackrabbits claimed the top seed in the championship after defeating North Dakota State, 27-17, on Saturday to win the Missouri Valley Football Conference title. Jackrabbits’ freshman quarterback Mark Gronowski completed 10-of-14 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown pass while rushing for 126 yards on 16 carries against the Bison. SDSU rushed for 305 yards against North Dakota State in the MVFC Championship Game.
RELEASE: HOLY CROSS | SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
 
Patriot League in the FCS Playoffs
Patriot League teams are 7-12 in FCS Playoff games since 2010, winning one or more postseason games in six of the last 10 seasons. In 2018, Colgate advanced to the quarterfinal round by defeating James Madison (23-20). The Raiders fell to eventual National Champion North Dakota State (35-0). The Raiders have won three playoff games, with Fordham and Lehigh winning two apiece since 2010.
 
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.