This article is about the Division I-AA (now FCS) championship game. For the Division I-A (now FBS) champions, see 1989 Miami Hurricanes football team.
The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 1989 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 11–0 record.[6] Ranked first in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll[7] and seeded first in the tournament, the Eagles defeated Villanova, Middle Tennessee State, and Montana to reach the final. This was the fourth appearance for Georgia Southern in a Division I-AA championship game, having two prior wins (1985 and 1986) and one prior loss (1988).
Stephen F. Austin finished their regular season with a 9–1–1 record (5–0–1 in conference); their only loss was an away game against Boise State.[8] Ranked third in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll[7] and seeded third in the tournament, the Lumberjacks defeated Grambling State, Southwest Missouri State, and second-seed Furman to reach the final. This was the first appearance for Stephen F. Austin in a Division I-AA championship game.