We now know which two teams will complete for the NCAA Division I national championship this year. Here is what happened in the FCS semifinals this weekend.
On January 5, North Dakota State will meet up against Eastern Washington for what remains the only official NCAA Division I college football championship. The two teams will square off at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, a venue that traditionally serves as the home of FC Dallas in Major League Soccer and the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Since 2010, though, the stadium has also served as the home of the FCS national championship game. North Dakota State is certainly no stranger to the site, with the Bison visiting Frisco for the seventh time in the past eight seasons.
Eastern Washington has also been here before. The Eagles won the first edition of the title contest held in Frisco, downing Delaware in a tense showdown at what was then Pizza Hut Park. They have been trying to get back ever since, with three failed semifinal appearances before Saturday’s breakthrough.
Can the Eagles put an end to the hegemonic dominance of North Dakota State when they get their chance at Toyota Stadium? Or will Chris Klieman win one more national title before he leaves Fargo to take over at Kansas State? Let’s look at what transpired in the two FCS semifinal contests before taking an initial glance at the matchup in the national championship game.