BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The MIAC President's Council approved three historical changes Wednesday afternoon announcing the establishment of football divisions that features a conference playoff beginning in the 2021 season.

This comes as the MIAC announces the addition of St. Scholastica for all sports beginning in 2021-22 and Macalester College's return to the conference in football. The league will transition to a 10-team, two division model for football.

The division names will stem from two of the MIAC's primary colors, Northwoods Green and Skyline Silver. Bethel will compete in the Skyline Division that includes Augsburg, Concordia, Hamline and Macalester. The Northwoods Division will consist of Carleton College, Gustavus Adolphus College, Saint John's University, St. Olaf College, and The College of St. Scholastica. 

Each MIAC team will play eight conference games, including four "in-division" games, three "crossover" games, and one "playoff" game. The final week of the regular season will function as "Championship Week," wherein teams will be ranked 1-5 in each division based on the current season's in-division games only. Each team will then match up with the corresponding seed in the other division for a "playoff" game. The winner of the contest between the two divisional leaders will receive the MIAC's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs. 

"The MIAC has a long and storied tradition in the sport of football," MIAC Commissioner Dan McKane said. "This divisional model will usher in a new era in MIAC football history and we look forward to the excitement that will bring to our institutions, rivalries, student-athletes, and fans."

The approved 2021 MIAC Football schedule can be found here. Complete MIAC schedules for the 2021-22 academic year will be released over the summer.
 
About the MIAC
Founded in 1920, the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is home to 13 private institutions, all housed within the state of Minnesota's borders. The MIAC sponsors championships in 22 sports and is committed to its four core values of Quality Athletics, Academics, Student-Athlete Well-Being, and Integrity.