NAIA Football Championship Series to begin Saturday, Nov. 20

Rome, GA (November 17, 2010) – The field has narrowed and the competition is building toward the 2010 Russell Athletic-NAIA Football National Championship, which will be played at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 18, at Historic Barron Stadium in downtown Rome, Ga.

According to the NAIA, 16 teams will play Saturday in the first round of the Football Championship Series. Match-ups slated are:

• Northwestern Oklahoma State at Sioux Falls (S.D.), Noon
  
  
• Azusa Pacific (Calif.) at Carroll (Mont.), Noon
  
  
• Cumberlands (Ky.) at Saint Xavier (Ill.), 1 p.m.
  
  
• Georgetown (Ky.) at MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), 1 p.m.
  
  
• Saint Francis (Ind.) at Lindenwood (Mo.), 1:30 p.m.
  
  
• McKendree (Ill.) at McPherson (Kan.), 2 p.m.
  
  
• Dickinson State (N.D.) at Morningside (Iowa), 1 p.m.
  
  
• Marian (Ind.) at Ottawa (Kan.), 1:30 p.m.

All times are local for the game site. Winners will move into quarterfinal action on Saturday, Nov. 27.

Tickets are already on sale for the national championship and surrounding events. The regular price for game tickets is $25 although the host committee is offering a limited time discount.

“We really want to encourage fan participation in this year’s event so we are offering discounted tickets for a limited time,” Host Committee Co-Chair and Shorter University Athletic Director Bill Peterson said. “Fans who purchase tickets between now and Dec. 1 can get game tickets at a cost of $15 each. The NAIA Championship is a wonderful family event, and we want to help make it an affordable option.”
 
Game tickets are available for purchase from The Forum by calling (706) 291-5281, (800) 858-7601, or visiting www.forumevents.org. Also available are tickets for other championship events, including the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Champions of Character Breakfast, which will be held Thursday, Dec. 16, at 8 a.m. at the Forum, and the NAIA Banquet of Champions, which will be held Friday, Dec. 17, at 6:30 p.m. at the Forum. Tickets for these events are $25 for an individual ticket or $300 for a sponsor’s table of 10.
 
For more information on the 2010 championship game, visit www.NAIANationalChampionship.com.

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