One-Hour NCAA Division I Football Championship Selection Show Sunday on ESPNU

Exclusive Coverage of Entire Championship begins Saturday, Nov. 29

ESPN will open the 2015 college football season with North Dakota State at Montana in an FCS Kickoff matchup between two of the sport’s winningest programs on Saturday, Aug. 29, at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Last year’s inaugural FCS Kickoff – played the Saturday prior to the first Football Bowl Subdivision games – featured Eastern Washington defeating Sam Houston State 56-35.

Defending three-time FCS champion North Dakota State defeated Montana, which has seven FCS title game appearances, 22-10 on September 20 of this season. It was the first meeting between the programs since 2003, a 25-24 North Dakota State victory, and seventh overall. Notes about the on-field success of the programs:

North Dakota State

Has won its past five games against FBS opponents since 2010

Have had only three losing seasons in 51 years

Montana

Had 27 winning seasons in 28 years from 1986 to 2011

Have won or shared 16 of the past 21 Big Sky Conference titles

ESPN has provided extensive coverage of the FCS during the 2014 season, carrying nearly 200 games involving more than 90 FCS programs across multiple networks, action from 13 conferences, two College GameDay appearances from an FCS campus and more.

One-Hour NCAA Football Championship Selection Show Sunday on ESPNU

ESPNU will exclusively reveal the 24 teams that will compete in this season’s NCAA Division I Football Championship on Sunday, Nov. 23, at 11 a.m. ET. The one-hour NCAA Division I Football Championship Selection Show Presented by Northwestern Mutual – 30 minutes longer than in previous years – will be hosted by Anish Shroff with analysts Jay Walker and Craig Haubert. The program will include the announcement of the first- and second-round sites.

Exclusive Coverage of Entire Championship begins Saturday, Nov. 29

ESPN’s exclusive coverage of the entire NCAA Division I Football Championship will begin Saturday, Nov. 29, with all eight first-round games on ESPN3 and continue Saturday, Dec. 6, with the eight second-round matchups, also on ESPN3.

ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3 will combine to carry the quarterfinals (Dec. 12-13), semifinals (Dec. 19-20) and Championship from Frisco, Texas (January 10). A complete schedule with matchups, times and networks will be released after the field is determined.

-30-