North Dakota State will represent the Missouri Valley Football Conference in the Division I FCS Playoffs. Winners of the semifinals this weekend will play one another in the national championship game – Jan. 5, 2013 in Frisco, Texas.

Semifinals
Friday – Georgia Southern at North Dakota State, 7 pm CT (ESPN2)
Saturday – Sam Houston State at Eastern Washington, 3 pm CT (ESPNU)

Full notebook at the right

• The Missouri Valley is the top-rated league in the GPI (North Dakota State is #1)
• The Missouri Valley is the top-rated league in the Sagarin (North Dakota State is #1 among FCS schools)
• The Missouri Valley has the best record in the playoffs this year (4-2)
• The Missouri Valley has the best non-conference record (playoffs and regular-season) vs. other FCS schools (15-4)
• North Dakota State has the best Division I record in the past 2 seasons (26-2). No. 2 on the list is Alabama (24-2)