The SIAC & Conference Carolinas have partnered for a Week 11 home-and-home series of games that are set to take place starting in the 2025 season per a statement released by the SIAC Monday morning.
In the new agreement, two Conference Carolinas schools that did not qualify for the conference championship will travel to compete against two SIAC schools that also did not qualify for the conference championship during week 11 of the 2025 season on Saturday, November 15th. Likewise, in 2026, two SIAC schools that did not qualify for the conference championship will visit two Conference Carolinas schools that also did not qualify for the conference championship on Saturday, November 14th.
The final participants in these games will be determined on the Saturday before the scheduled games. The selection of participating institutions and matchups will be approved by the Commissioners of Conference Carolinas and the SIAC.
The new partnership appears to solve an issue of Division II teams, particularly in the SIAC and CIAA, not having enough interdivisional games to qualify to be selected for the NCAA Division II playoffs. Often this occurs because SIAC and CIAA members play Division I HBCUs.
Sometimes, it's the renewal of a classic rivalry such as Tuskegee vs. Alabama State, or an in-state rival such as Miles College vs. Alabama State or Virginia State vs. Norfolk State. Other times, there are financial guarantees that are in place for the Division II team and serve as their “money game”. The new partnership seems to directly address that issue and allow winning SIAC teams to still be playoff-eligible if they win against a competitive out-of-confidence Coastal Carolinas team.
According to the statement from the SIAC, institutions that have a winning record (.500 or better) against NCAA Division II competition will receive priority during the selection process for the week 11 games in 2025 and 2026. Additionally, institutions that are scheduled to compete in a postseason event, or have prior commitments will not be eligible to participate.
SIAC Commissioner Dr. Anthony Hollomon spoke about the agreement, saying, “The SIAC is excited to partner with Conference Carolinas. This partnership reflects our commitment to providing our student-athletes with the best competitive opportunities while fostering a spirit of excellence and sportsmanship in collegiate football. This collaboration aims to orchestrate meaningful contests that highlight the exceptional skills of our student-athletes and play a pivotal role in positively impacting the final regional rankings before playoff seeding is determined.”
Conference Carolinas Commissioner Chris Colvin spoke about the new agreement, saying, “This is a historic announcement for Conference Carolinas football, and we appreciate the hard work of Commissioner Holloman and his staff to help us make this a reality. When we officially unveiled last year that Conference Carolinas would be sponsoring football for the first time since the 1974-75 academic year, it was a high priority to all of our football-playing member institutions to find partnerships such as this that would not only allow for strong scheduling but also allow for us to continue to build our footprint and to expand our regional rivalries. This partnership is a huge win for all involved.”
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