(Limestone SID) – For the first time in program history, the Limestone University football team had its name called during the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs Selection Show, earning the No. 6 seed in the Super Region 2, as announced by the selection committee on Sunday evening.

The Saints, who enter the national championship bracket with an 8-3 overall record and 7-2 South Atlantic Conference resume, will travel to Pensacola, Fla. to take on nationally seventh-ranked West Florida on Saturday, November 19 with a game start time of 1:05 p.m. CST. The winner will advance to take on the winner of the No.2 seed and nationally 12th-ranked Delta St. and No. 7 seed Fayetteville St.

After going winless just one year ago, the Saints completed one of the most remarkable turnarounds in NCAA history after defeating Emory & Henry 45-27 on Saturday, November 12 to finish with a program-record eight wins.

Limestone dropped its first game of the season at Division I Gardner-Webb before ripping off four straight wins, including two over South Atlantic Conference foes Carson-Newman and UVA-Wise. The win over the Cavaliers on September 24 marked the first-ever game played on the campus of Limestone University.

The Saints then dropped back-to-back decisions to No. 14 Lenoir-Rhyne and Wingate, but that would be the last time the Blue and Gold tasted defeat in the 2022 regular season, finishing the slate with four straight wins with the biggest coming at No. 12 Newberry on October 29.

Limestone is led by sophomore quarterback Dustin Noller (Rock Hill, S.C.), who has amassed more than 2,200 yards through the air this year to go along with 20 touchdowns. Noller set a new school record with 419 yards passing against Emory & Henry while totaling three or more passing touchdowns on three occasions.  Harlon Hill watchlist candidate Tre Stewart (Winston-Salem, N.C.) became the first back in program history to eclipse 1,000 yards on the ground, finishing the regular season with 1,411 yards and 14 touchdowns. Stewart rushed for a program-best 320 yards against UVA-Wise earlier this year.

Junior linebacker Chandler Matthews (Dillion, S.C.) leads the defense with 96 total tackles while sitting first in the SAC with 65 solo tackles. The Saint’s offense leads the conference in points per game (36.2), yards per game (472.1), and passing yards per game (271.2), while ranking fourth in rushing yards per game (200.9).

Limestone will take on West Florida in the first round of the NCAA Super Region 2 Playoff on Saturday, November 19, at 1:05 p.m. CST in Pensacola, Fla.