Nov. 22, 2008

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – (Updated Scoreboard) The 2008 NAIA Football Championship Series (FCS) First Round was highlighted by high-scoring offenses while six of the eight host schools advanced to the Quarterfinals. The winners averaged 43 points and one FCS combined scoring record was tied. The 113 combined points scored in the 65-48 win by Lindenwood (Mo.) over Lambuth (Tenn.) tied the national FCS record.

The visiting schools to win on the road were Langston (Okla.) and Northwestern Oklahoma State. The Lions of Langston, in their first FCS appearance since 1994, posted their second ever FCS win by taking out MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 20-14. The LU defense forced four turnovers in wiping out MNU from the first round for the second straight season. Northwestern Oklahoma State scored a 42-7 pasting of host-Friends (Kan.). NWOSU won the game on defense holding FU to 92 total yards including -4 net rushing yards.

Defending national champion Carroll (Mont.) was victorious over Dickinson State (N.D.) 35-17. The victory was Carroll’s 27^th overall dating back to 2006. The Fighting Saints have won five of the last six National Championships and are 15-1 in their last 16 Football Championship Series home games. Overall, this is the 17^th overall appearance for Carroll and ninth straight.

Sioux Falls (S.D.) held St. Ambrose to 139 yards of total offense and notched its seventh shut-out this year blanking the Bees 28-0 in Sioux Falls, S.D. It was the eighth FCS win in the last nine games for the Cougars. St. Francis (Ind.) sprinted out to a 24-3 halftime advantage and took down Union (Ky.) 58-3 forcing the Bulldogs to an early exit in their first ever FCS appearance.

Cumberlands (Ky.) won for the first time in FCS history with a 31-7 triumph over Shorter (Ga.). In their third FCS game, the Patriots scored 31 unanswered points and churned out 259 yards on the ground. In the 65-27 Morningside (Iowa) win, quarterback Ian Gilworth tossed a FCS-record seven touchdowns, the second time this season, in the Mustangs 65-27 win over Baker (Kan.).  

All First Round winners advance to the Quarterfinals, scheduled for Nov. 29 at campus sites. Pairings will be officially announced at 10 a.m. CST tomorrow (Nov. 23).

The Quarterfinal winners will then meet on Dec. 6. The 53^rd Annual Russell Athletic-NAIA Football National Championship is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 20 at Rome, Ga. Rome-Floyd County and Shorter (Ga.) College will host the event at Barron Stadium. The event will be televised live on CBS College Sports Network with kick-off slated for 12 p.m. EST. For ticket information, call (706) 233-7288 or click here to download the order form.

For complete Championship history and records, click here.

For more information on the 2008 National Championship, click here.

Football Championship Series Records Set or Tied: Lindenwood (65) and Lambuth (48) combined to tie the most combined points joining Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Western Montana for the all-time high… Lambuth set the most first downs (41) ever breaking the 38 by Hardin-Simmons (Texas) in 1994… The 108 total plays by Lambuth set the record breaking the 106 by Hardin-Simmons in 1994… Morningside QB Ian Gilworth threw a FCS record seven touchdowns breaking the 6 done six times with the last occurrence coming in 2000.

Football Championship Series Notes: St. Francis leads the active group in consecutive FCS appearances with 10… Carroll holds the most current wins in the FCS with a 29-11 record after the First Round win over Dickinson State… St. Francis (Ind.) kept alive its home game winning streak with 51 in-a-row… Sioux Falls extended its home winning streak to 33 straight… Carroll has not lost (a span of 27 games) since the 2006 FCS Quarterfinals… Sioux Falls is one shut-out shy of equaling the national season record of eight shut-outs… Carroll improved to 6-1 all-time versus Dickinson State in FCS action… Since 2000, the home teams in the FCS First Round move 53-19 overall… Three teams will enter the FCS Quarterfinals with an undefeated record -- Carroll, Sioux Falls, St. Francis… Three programs in this FCS hold at least one National Championship ring – Carroll (Mont.) has five followed by Sioux Falls (S.D.) with two and Northwestern Oklahoma State with 1.

Football Championship Series First Round Scores

Game 1:	Carroll (Mont.) def. Dickinson State (N.D.) 35-18	Recap	Stats
Game 2:	Sioux Falls (S.D.) def. St. Ambrose (Iowa) 28-0	Recap	Stats
Game 3:	Saint Francis (Ind.) def. Union (KY.) 58-3	Recap	Stats
Game 4:	Langston (Okla.) def. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 20-14	Recap	Stats
Game 5:	Northwestern Oklahoma State def. Friends (Kan.) 42-7	Recap	Stats
Game 6:	Morningside (Iowa) def. Baker (Kan.) 65-27	Recap	Stats
Game 7:	Lindenwood (Mo.) def. Lambuth (Tenn.) 65-48	Recap	Stats
Game 8:	Cumberlands (Ky.) def. Shorter (Ga.) 31-7	Recap	Stats