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District sending three college football teams to playoffs
California (Pa.) and Indiana (Pa.), in Division II, and Washington & Jefferson, in Division III, will continue their chase for a national championship after being selected by their respective NCAA football committees.
Twenty-four teams in each division make up the field.
California (Pa.) (11-0), the top seed in the Division II Northeast Region, earned a first-round bye and will play its first-ever playoff game Nov. 24 at home against the winner of Saturday's first-round game between fourth-seeded Southern Connecticut State (8-3) and fifth-seeded Bryant (8-2).
Also Saturday, No. 6 seed IUP (8-2) travels to third-seeded West Chester (9-2).
Washington & Jefferson (10-0) was awarded the top seed in the Division III South Division and will open the playoffs Saturday at home against eighth-seeded North Carolina Wesleyan (8-2).
IUP claimed the final Division II berth in the Northeast Region, edging the rest of the field, including rival Slippery Rock (9-2), which finished with its most wins in a season since 1999.
Slippery Rock's losses came against California (Pa.) and Indiana (Pa.), the latter result a 34-31 setback Sept. 29, when Matt McNelis kicked a 28-yard field goal on the game's final play.
"We are excited to be back in the playoffs for the first time since 2002," Indiana (Pa.) coach Lou Tepper said. "It is a great reward for our seniors and a payoff for all the hard work our players have put in throughout the season."
California (Pa.) is one of five undefeated teams in Division II.
"We've won a lot of tough games on the road. We've beaten six ranked team," California (Pa.) coach John Luckhardt said. "This is an achievement by a great group of kids and an outstanding group of assistant coaches."
Washington & Jefferson completed the regular season undefeated for the ninth time in the program's 116-year history. The Presidents are making their 19th playoff appearance in the past 23 years.
"Our young men have worked extremely hard to reach this point, and we are excited for this challenge," Washington & Jefferson coach Mike Sirianni said. "Our goal each year is to get to Salem, Va., to play for the national championship."
The Division II and III championship games are Dec. 15, with the D-II game to be played in Florence, Ala.
