The Division II Football National Championship tournament is set to start this upcoming weekend, and it will feature the two HBCU conference champions.
The reigning two-time SIAC champion Benedict Tigers were selected as the No. 1 seed in Super Region Two.
They will have a first-round bye awaiting the matchup winner between number-four seed Lenoir-Rhyne and Shepherd.
Benedict finished the regular season for the second straight year with a perfect 10-0 record. They claimed the SIAC championship following a 47-10 win over Albany State.
In its second-ever appearance in the national tournament, Benedict is looking to add to its history books by winning a game for the first time in school history.
Meanwhile, the CIAA champion Virginia Union Panthers will be playing in Super Region One, going on the road for a first-round matchup against Kutztown.
In the final week of the regular season, Virginia Union defeated Virginia State 30-20 to finish with a 9-1 record and clinch its first CIAA championship berth since 2007.
Virginia Union would get the job done there, claiming the conference title with a 21-10 win over Fayetteville State.
While the old saying goes, “home is where the heart is,” the Panthers may be better suited playing on the road, where they were a perfect 5-0 this year.
