This article is about the Division I-AA (now FCS) championship game. For the Division I-A (now FBS) champions, see 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season.
Postseason college football game between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the Nevada Wolf Pack
The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 1990 I-AA Playoffs, which began with a 16-team bracket.[4] The location of the final, the Georgia Southern Eagles' Paulson Stadium, had been predetermined via a three-year agreement the university reached with the NCAA in February 1989.[5]
Georgia Southern finished their regular season with an 8–3 record, with one of their losses coming against Florida State of Division I-A.[6] Ranked third in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll[7] and seeded third in the tournament, the Eagles defeated The Citadel, Idaho, and UCF to reach the final. This was the fifth appearance for Georgia Southern in a Division I-AA championship game, having three prior wins (1985, 1986, and 1989) and one prior loss (1988).
Nevada finished their regular season with a 10–1 record (7–1 in conference); their only loss was an away game against Boise State.[8] Ranked fourth in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll[7] and seeded fourth in the tournament, the Wolf Pack defeated Northeast Louisiana, Furman, and Boise State to reach the final. Both the Furman and Boise State games went to triple overtime. This was the first appearance for Nevada in a Division I-AA championship game.