How to sign up and stream the NCAA Playoff Game
POSTSEASON PLAY
» Lenoir-Rhyne puts itself in the NCAA playoffs for the seventh time in program history, all since 2012.
» Lenoir-Rhyne owns an 8-6 mark in playoff games but is in search of its first since beating Carson-Newman on Nov. 30, 2019.
» LR advanced to a National Championship game in the 2013 season under Mike Houston, the current head coach at East Carolina. That year, the Bears dropped a 43-28 contest to Northwest Missouri State.
» This will be the second meeting between LR and a team from super region 1. During the 2013 run, the Bears defeated West Chester 42-14 in the National Semifinal.
» Only four of the Bears 14 playoff games have come on the road. LR owns an 8-2 mark at home in NCAA playoff games.
» This will be the first appearance by LR as a number four seed in the playoffs. LR had been a 1-seed twice and a 2-seed once. They also have been a 3-seed two times and were unseeded in their most recent appearance, a 2021 loss at Bowie State.
FAMILIAR SPOT FOR SHEPHERD
» 2023 marks the 15th all-time NCAA playoff berth for the Rams and fourth under Ernie McCook who took over in 2019. MccCok owns a 7-3 mark in NCAA postseason play with back-to-back runs to national semifinal games in 2021 and 2022. The 15 playoff appearances rank as the ninth-most in Division II.
» In total, Shepherd is 20-14 all-time in playoff games. The 20 playoff wins rank as the ninth-most among Division II teams, tied with SAC rival Carson-Newman.
HOME DOMINANCE
» Not only did the Bears go a perfect 5-0 between the bricks this season, they dominated opponents.
» In Moretz Stadium this year, Lenoir-Rhyne has outscored opponents by a total of 238-20, allowing just two total touchdowns. Shepherd will represent the toughest test by far.
» The Bears had a stretch where they didn't allow a touchdown at home for 16 straight quarters from the home opener against St. Augustine's to the home finale against Catawba.
SAC CHAMPIONSHIP X 2
» The Bears won the Piedmont Division with a win over Catawba in week 10 and then secured the SAC championship with a win over Tusculum in the title game.
» The Bears absolutely dominated Tusculum in that game to the tune of a 48-7 victory. The Bears scored the first 48 points of the game and the Pioneers didn't find the end zone until the final drive of the game.
» LR out gained Tusculum 497-156 and had a 29-5 edge in first downs. The Pioneers final drive covered 53 yards against much of LR's reserves.
HISTORY WITH SHEPHERD
» Its been since the 1996 and 1997 seasons since Lenoir-Rhyne and Shepherd have locked up.
» Shepherd came out on top in both of those contests, one at each teams home field.
» In '96, Shepherd defended home turf with a 32-20 victory. The following year, the Rams cruised past LR 45-16 between the bricks.
» In the 1997 matchup, Shepherd held a 534-211 advantage in total yards and threw for 311 while rushing for 223.
» LR's Mike Ketchum went just 10-for-23 in passing for 98 yards and threw a pair of interceptions. Tony Pope was held to 66 yards rushing on his 24 attempts.
