KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The 20-team field is set and the Battle for the Red Banner is ready to begin, as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics announced the qualifiers for the 2025 NAIA Football Championship Series.
The Marian football team, who earned an automatic bid to the field following their Mid-States Football Association Midwest League Championship, will enter the field as the No. 6 overall seed in the 20-team field. Marian will also enter the postseason as the No. 6 team in the final Netting Professionals NAIA Coaches' Poll, as Marian gained one spot due to the loss suffered over the weekend by Dordt.
The top 12 seeds in the postseason are off until Nov. 29, with four first-round games, featuring teams seeded No. 13 through No. 20, played on campus sites Nov. 22. All paths lead to Dec. 20 and Fort Worth, Texas, where the season's final two teams will meet in the 70th-Annual NAIA Football Championship Game at Crowley ISD Multipurpose Stadium.
Grand View is the No. 1 team in the NAIA FCS, followed by Keiser, Montana Tech, Friends, and Benedictine in the top-five. Behind Marian and earning a first round bye are Lindsey Wilson, College of Idaho, Morningside, Dordt, Indiana Wesleyan, and Campbellsville.
Marian will have a bye this week and then will host on Saturday, November 29, in the NAIA FCS Second Round. Marian's opponent will be announced next Saturday, following the conclusion of this weekend's first round games.
This is the 13th time in 19 seasons of Marian football that the Knights have qualified for the NAIA FCS. Marian has never missed the postseason in consecutive years, rejoining the playoff field after being excluded from last year's field.
More information on tickets, the opponent, streaming, and more for Marian's NAIA FCS Second Round game at Ascension St. Vincent Field will be announced next weekend following the NAIA release of the field.
To read more on the NAIA Top-25 release, NAIA Qualification Post, or to watch the NAIA Qualifier Release Video, click the above links.
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