Two undefeated teams -- one with two national championships in the last six seasons and 15 conference titles in the last 20 seasons, another that has never been past the Division II semifinals -- have navigated the Division II Playoff bracket. Now, longtime Division II powerhouse Northwest Missouri State faces upstart Shepherd in the Division II national championship game Saturday. Television coverage begins at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Northwest Missouri State vs. Shepherd, D-II National Championship: Time, live stream, TV schedule and 3 things to know
There’s a national title on the line Saturday. Here’s how to watch it.
Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Northwest Missouri State enters Saturday in search of a fifth national championship since 1998. The Bearcats are undefeated on the season; in fact, no team has been within two touchdowns of Northwest Missouri State since Sept. 19. The Bearcats have the nation’s best defense, allowing just 233 yards and 12.7 points per game.
Shepherd makes its first appearance in the Division II championship game, having moved from the NAIA 21 years ago. The Rams have been a perennial playoff team in the last decade, with four undefeated regular seasons and 95 wins since 2005. Quarterback Jeff Ziemba has been one of the most efficient passers in Division II, and receiver Billy Brown is second in Division II with 1,397 receiving yards.
How to watch and stream
TV: 4 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Online streaming: WatchESPN
Three big things to know
Perfection. Both Shepherd and Northwest Missouri State are perfect on the season, a combined 27-0 on the year. Northwest Missouri State was the last program to finish undefeated after the Division II playoffs, having run the table in 2013.
Strength on strength, part 1. If Shepherd is going to win its first tile, it will likely do it through the air. The Rams are averaging 279 yards per game through the air and are second nationally in pass efficiency. But Shepherd quarterback Jeff Ziemba hasn’t faced anything like Northwest Missouri State’s defense, which is first nationally in pass efficiency, second in interceptions, third in sacks and first in third-down conversions allowed.
Strength on strength, part 2. The Bearcats haven’t been prolific on offense because they haven’t needed to be. Northwest Missouri State is just 43rd nationally in total offense but eighth in scoring offense. The underlying reason: Turnovers. The Bearcats are plus-19 in turnover margin this season, with a staggering 40 turnovers generated by their defense. Can Northwest Missouri State generate turnovers against Shepherd, which has lost the ball just 12 times all season? And, if not, can the Bearcats score enough points to win?
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