FCS playoffs 2012 bracket: Sam Houston State, North Dakota State playing for NCAA title

The 2012 FCS national semifinals were held this past weekend, and the end result of those games means that the 2012 national title will be a rematch of the 2011 NCAA title between Sam Houston State and North Dakota State.

On Friday, the first semifinal saw North Dakota State take care of Georgia Southern by a slim 23-20 margin.

North Dakota State was able to get the win due to forcing Georgia Southern to fumble at the start of the third quarter, and North Dakota State took that fumble to score two plays later on a 53-yard touchdown run by Sam Ojuri, which gave North Dakota State a 16-13 lead.

North Dakota State ultimately won when they drove down 83 yards in the fourth quarter and scored the game-winning touchdown on a 5-yard touchdown run by Brock Jensen on 4th and 3. Georgia Southern had a chance to tie the game, but their 50-yard field goal attempt was blocked.

In Saturday's semifinal, Sam Houston State held off a furious comeback by Eastern Washington to win, 45-42, and advance to their second straight FCS title. Sam Houston State raced out to a 35-0 first-half lead, but Eastern Washington came back to score 28 unanswered points to make it a close game.

In the fourth quarter each team exchanged scores, but Sam Houston State was able to hang on. Running back Tim Flanders led Sam Houston State with 231 rushing yards, and that amount was more than his two previous games combined.

The 2012 FCS title game takes place on Jan. 5 at 10 a.m. PT in Frisco, Texas, and will be shown on ESPN2.