Official NCAA DII Showcase Schedule

INDIANAPOLIS – For the second year in a row, football in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference will be part of the new NCAA Division II Showcase hybrid model package introduced this fall.
 
The showcase game in the third week of the season will feature Ohio Dominican playing at Findlay on Saturday, Sept. 22, in Donnell Stadium with a 7:05 p.m. ET kickoff.
 
“The Great Midwest is very excited to have two institutions highlighted in the NCAA Division II football showcase for the second year in a row,” said Great Midwest commissioner Tom Daeger. “This year’s game will feature two nationally-ranked programs and a replay of our de facto championship contest from last season. The elevated level of competition from both sides will be on display in this highly-anticipated matchup.”
 
The game will be streamed live on the NCAA Division II Twitter and Facebook pages as well as the Great Midwest Digital network with assigned play-by-play and color commentary talent.

The new media agreement features two distribution models for football and basketball. For football, 11 games will be streamed on ESPN3, available on the ESPN app. The remaining 11 football games are part of the hybrid model, and they have the flexibility to be distributed on TV and online. The division will work with the TV partners of participating conferences and schools on the opportunity to air games on TV. These games also will be distributed online through NCAA social media accounts — specifically, Division II Facebook (facebook.com/ncaadivisionii) and Twitter (@NCAADII) — and could be distributed through conference or school digital networks.

“Division II student-athletes will continue to see their successes highlighted on a national stage in the new broadcast agreement,” said Terri Steeb Gronau, vice president of Division II. “We are excited to continue to collaborate with ESPN to promote regular-season games. We are also excited to offer a hybrid model that could include linear and online distribution. Fans will have the chance to watch student-athletes who achieve success both on and off the field and participate in Division II’s Life in the Balance collegiate experience.”

There are a total of 19 football games that will be aired as part of the DII showcase package this season.
 
The Panthers and Oilers are going into the regular season nationally-ranked by different media outlets in their respective preseason polls. In the Great Midwest Preseason Coaches Poll, Ohio Dominican is ranked first and Findlay is second.
 
Fans from both sides have been anxiously awaiting a rematch of last year’s championship game when Ohio Dominican won 49-24 to close out the regular season in Columbus. Findlay went on to earn a selection in Super Region 1 as the No. 7 seed and proceeded to beat No. 2 Sheperd, the Great Midwest’s first win in the national championship bracket.
 
Last year’s NCAA DII Showcase contest with a Great Midwest matchup featured Findlay against Hillsdale on ESPN3.