GENERAL NEWS: D2Football.com Columnist Discusses Advantages Of Campus Site For Title Game

Each year, the University of North Alabama hosts the NCAA Division II National Championship game in Florence, Ala.

Traditionally, North Alabama has fielded some excellent football teams and this season truly is no different. With UNA being as strong as it is this season, there is the distinct possibility that it could be playing on its home field in the national championship game (granted, a lot of football still has to be played.

With that as the backdrop, D2football.com national columnist Bob Eblen answered a fan question about the site for the title game being North Alabama's home field.

QUESTION: I find it very unfair that the championship game is on North Alabama's home field. They could potentially have every playoff game at home including the championship. How can the NCAA allow this?

Mike

ANSWER: I just finished writing a feature story about the game being in Florence that will appear in the championship game program next month. The game has to be held somewhere, and after researching for the story, I am now convinced that having the game at a neutral site will never work. There is too much "buy-in" (volunteer, corporate support, a level of interest) from a community standpoint that needs to take place for the championship game to work at a given venue. The only way that buy-in takes place is if the game is held in a D-II community. Florence also hosts the Harlon Hill Trophy and the Division II Football Hall of Fame, which have become part of the fabric of the sport at this level.

So yes, UNA does have a slight advantage if they reach the championship game, but having the game (and all of the events surrounding it) in Florence is a huge benefit to Division II as a whole. Keep in mind that if the game were to move, it would almost certainly be to another D-II town/stadium, which would just leave people to complain about a different school having an advantage.

I agree with almost all of what Eblen writes to answer the question. But, I would argue with his point that North Alabama has only "a slight advantage" should it play in a national championship game on its home field. With the logistics of traveling and everything that factors into moving a football program to such a remote location, I disagree that it's just "a slight advantage." I understand all the obligatory PC stuff: You still have to play the game, the field is still the same size, it comes down to execution ... yadda, yadda, yadda.

But, I think it's a solid advantage for one team to be at home in a championship game.