BREAKDOWN--NCAA Division II Playoffs Second Round

So many things about the second round of the NCAA Division II football playoffs. So little time. So, what are waiting for? Let's get started.

Of the eight games played in round two, six are re-matches of regular season contests. Maybe the most interesting of those match-ups are Super Regional 4, where No. 1 seed Abilene Christian will host No. 4 West Texas A&M (10-1), whose Buffaloes held off Central Washington for a 49-42 win last weekend. In the regular season meeting between the two teams, ACU rolled past WTAMU 52-35 on the road. The other game in Super Regional 4 pits No. 2 vs. No. 3, as Northwest Missouri State entertains Pittsburg State (Kan.). In the regular season contest at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., the Bearcats had no trouble in dropping the Gorillas 35-10. While Northwest will look to win its 11th straight game since a season opening loss to Abilene Christian, Pittsburg State is coming off a 33-21 come from behind win over Nebraska-Omaha.

Super Regional 3 has a pair of second round games where one is a regular season re-match, and the other isn't. Grand Valley State (10-0) is sure to be favored to win its fifth national championship in the last seven years, as the Lakers play host to an Ashland (9-3) team that won its first-ever playoff game in a 27-16 win over Minnesota State last weekend. During the regular season, the Golden Eagles gave the Lakers all it could handle before losing 48-42. There's also No. 2 seed Minnesota-Duluth (11-0), whose Bulldogs will face a huge challenge in taking on the Eagles of Chadron State (11-1), who held off Wayne State (Neb.) 23-17 to advance to round two last week.

Super Regional 2 has yet another re-match of a regular season in North Alabama and defending D-II champion Valdosta State. The No. 2 seeded Lions (9-1) defeated the No. 3 seeded Blazers (9-2) 41-23 during the regular season. In first round action last Saturday, VSU rallied to defeat Carson-Newman 24-20. In the other first round match-up in Super Regional 2, Tusculum eliminated Albany State (Ga.) 34-22. The No. 4 seeded Pioneers, who improved to 9-3 with the win, will now draw top seeded Delta State (9-1) in second round action this weekend.

Finally, in Super Regional 1, there's yes, yet another regular season re-match, as the top seeded Bloomsburg Huskies (10-1) will get another shot against the only team to beat them, the West Chester Golden Rams (9-3). In the regular season meeting on Nov. 1, WCU upset Bloomsburg 24-21. In last week's first round action, the Golden Rams stomped Southern Connecticut State, 52-32. The other second round contest pits No. 2 seed California (Pa.)--(10-1) against No. 6 seed Seton Hill (10-2). The Griffins won their first-ever NCAA Division II playoff game with a 14-7 upset win over No. 3 seed American International.