USF Draws Baker In 1st Round

CLICK ON VIDEO TAB TO SEE WANE'S COVERAGE AND FULL INTERVIEW WITH HEAD COACH KEVIN DONLEY.

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – No. 11 Baker University will be the first test for No. 6 University of Saint Francis in the return of college playoff football to Fort Wayne this Saturday at Bishop John M. D’Arcy Stadium.
   
The Cougars’ coaching staff went into a calm, but urgent search for information on the Wildcats, who are located in Baldwin City, Kansas, which is southwest of Kansas City.
 
This will be the first NAIA FCS home game for the 8-2, sixth-ranked Cougars since 2008. This is the 19th NAIA FCS berth for USF Head Coach Kevin Donley, who is the NAIA career wins record holder with 262.
 
First-Round playoff tickets are available at all local Penn Station locations and at the Trinity Hall reception desk on the USF campus through Noon on Friday. After Friday at noon, tickets will only be available at the gate on Saturday starting at 10 a.m. Tickets are available for $10 (Adult GA) and $5 for students/youth. The cost on game day will be $12 at the gate at the north end of D'Arcy Stadium.
 
The Wildcats are members of the Heart of America Conference and looking for their fifth consecutive win. BU lost to current Top 25 No. 2 Missouri Valley 31-17 at home and No. 9 Mid-America Nazarene 49-20. BU did win at No. 22 Benedictine 38-28 on Nov. 3, part of the Wildcats' four-game winning streak.
   
BU climbed as high as No. 9 in the NAIA Top 25 starting the season 4-0 before stumbling at then No. 5 Missouri Valley.
 
This will be the 12th appearance for the Wildcats, the first NAIA FCS appearance since Nov. 22, 2008 when they lost 65-27 at Morningside.


2012 Football Championship Series Pairings (All times local) / 1st Round
Game 1:    Bethel (Tenn.) (8-3)* at Georgetown (Ky.) (10-0)^, 3:30 p.m.
Game 2:    Ottawa (Kan.) (8-2)* at Missouri Valley (10-0)^, TBD
Game 3:    Montana Tech (8-2) at Morningside (Iowa) (10-0)^, 1 p.m.
Game 4:    William Penn (Iowa) (9-2) at Saint Xavier (Ill.) (9-1)^, 1 p.m.
Game 5:    Northwestern (Iowa) (9-2) at Marian (Ind.) (8-1)^, 1 p.m.
Game 6:    Baker (Kan.) (8-2) at University of Saint Francis (Ind.) (8-2), 12 p.m.
Game 7:    MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) (8-2)^ at Cumberlands (Ky.) (9-1), 12 p.m.
Game 8:    Southern Oregon (8-2) at Saint Ambrose (Iowa) (9-1), 1 p.m.

^ hosted a 2011 FCS First Round
* played on the road in 2011 FCS First Round

  This is the Cougars 13th NAIA FCS berth in 15 seasons. USF, 2-2 against four of the 16 teams in the field this season, has won three consecutive home games since a 15-14 loss to then No. 20 St. Ambrose on Sept. 8 at BDS.
   USF is 3-0 against HAAC teams with two wins at Lindenwood University (St. Charles, MO). Last year USF win at HAAC member Missouri Valley 28-14. The Cougars are 19-12 in the NAIA FCS, 15-0 at home in the NAIA FCS.


USF Football
Year     Overall             MSFA               NAIA
1998     2-8-0                 1-5 (7th)            DNQ
1999     8-3-0                 6-0 (1st)            0-1
2000     10-2-0               6-0 (1st)            1-1
2001     9-2-0                 5-1 (T-1st)         0-1
2002     11-1-0               6-0 (1st)            1-1
2003     12-1-0               6-0 (1st)            2-1
2004     13-1-0               7-0 (1st)            3-1
2005     13-1-0               7-0 (1st)            3-1
2006     13-1-0               6-0 (1st)            3-1
2007     11-2-0               6-1 (2nd)           2-1
2008     12-1-0               6-0 (1st)             2-1
2009       7-3-0               5-2 (2nd-T)          DNQ
2010     10-2-0               6-1 (2nd) 1-1
2011       9-3                  3-2 (3rd)             1-1
2012       8-2                  4-1 (1st-T)           
Total     147-33-0            80-13                19-12
            (.817)                (.860)                (.613)