Contemporary news reports also referred to this game as Diamond Bowl II,[4] as the NCAA had introduced Diamond Bowl branding for the Division I-AA championship game in 1985.[5] The on-field logo at midfield included "1986 Diamond Bowl" wording.[6] NCAA records list the game date as Saturday, December 20, 1986;[7] however, contemporary news reports are clear that the game was played on the evening of Friday, December 19, 1986.[4][3]
Teams
The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the
1986 I-AA Playoffs, which began with a 16-team
bracket.[8]
Georgia Southern finished their regular season with a 9–2 record; they played two
Division I-A programs, losing to both
Florida and
East Carolina.[9] Ranked fourth in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll[10] and seeded fourth in the tournament, the Eagles defeated
North Carolina A&T,
Nicholls State, and top-seed
Nevada to reach the final. This was the second appearance for Georgia Southern in a Division I-AA championship game, having won in 1985.
Arkansas State finished their regular season with a 9–1–1 record (5–0 in conference); they played four games against Division I-A programs, resulting in two wins (
Memphis and
Texas A&M), one loss (
Mississippi State), and a tie (
Ole Miss).[11] Ranked second in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll[10] and seeded second in the tournament, the Indians defeated
Sam Houston State,
Delaware, and
Eastern Kentucky to reach the final. This was the first appearance for Arkansas State in a Division I-AA championship game.
Contemporary news reports also referred to this game as Diamond Bowl II,[4] as the NCAA had introduced Diamond Bowl branding for the Division I-AA championship game in 1985.[5] The on-field logo at midfield included "1986 Diamond Bowl" wording.[6] NCAA records list the game date as Saturday, December 20, 1986;[7] however, contemporary news reports are clear that the game was played on the evening of Friday, December 19, 1986.[4][3]
Teams
The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the
1986 I-AA Playoffs, which began with a 16-team
bracket.[8]
Georgia Southern finished their regular season with a 9–2 record; they played two
Division I-A programs, losing to both
Florida and
East Carolina.[9] Ranked fourth in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll[10] and seeded fourth in the tournament, the Eagles defeated
North Carolina A&T,
Nicholls State, and top-seed
Nevada to reach the final. This was the second appearance for Georgia Southern in a Division I-AA championship game, having won in 1985.
Arkansas State finished their regular season with a 9–1–1 record (5–0 in conference); they played four games against Division I-A programs, resulting in two wins (
Memphis and
Texas A&M), one loss (
Mississippi State), and a tie (
Ole Miss).[11] Ranked second in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll[10] and seeded second in the tournament, the Indians defeated
Sam Houston State,
Delaware, and
Eastern Kentucky to reach the final. This was the first appearance for Arkansas State in a Division I-AA championship game.