It has been a while since the NE-10 has been in the playoffs. You have to go way back to 2008 when the NE-10 was last qualified for the Division II football playoffs. AIC and Southern Connecticut both qualified for the playoffs that year but were both bounced in the first round. AIC lost at home to Seton Hill and Southern lost on the road at West Chester. So it has been a long time coming for the league.

New Haven was given the second seed in Super Region 1 and will face number three seed Kutztown on Saturday at 12 PM. The Golden Bears escaped with a 17-14 victory over number six Concord last Saturday and won their first playoff game in their program's long history. They were the top seed last year but lost to eventual regional champion Shepherd in the second round.

The teams have not played each other since 1995. They played a home and home series in 1994 and 1995 with New Haven winning both of those games. The games occurred in the second week of those respective seasons.

1994- New Haven 31 @ Kutztown 6
1995- @ New Haven 28 Kutztown 19

New Haven had a strong tradition of playoff football from the 1990's. They made the national playoffs four times in that era and own a 7-4 record. The Chargers have never played a game on their campus in the playoffs and Saturday's game will mark the first one. Games were played at either nearby Yale Bowl, Southern Connecticut or Sacred Heart. They are also undefeated in opening round games including a 3-0 record against the PSAC in those matchups. Those games were played when 16 teams qualified and nobody had a bye.

Here is a breakdown of New Haven's previous playoff runs:

NCAA Playoff Record

Overall: 7-4
Home: 6-1
Away: 1-2
Neutral: 0-1

By Round:
1st Round: 4-0
Quarterfinals: 2-2
Semifinals: 1-1
Finals: 0-1

By Conference

PSAC: 4-1
WVIAC: 1-0
Gulf South: 0-1
GLIAC: 1-1
Independent: 1-0
North Central: 0-1

By Coach

Mark Whipple 3-2
Tony Sparano 4-2

By Year

1992 (Mark Whipple)
New Haven 38, @West Chester 26 .............................1st round
@New Haven 35, Ferris State 13 (Yale Bowl) ....... Quarterfinals
@Jacksonville St. 46, New Haven 35 ........................ Semifinals

1993 (Mark Whipple)
@New Haven 48, Edinboro 28 (So. Conn. St.) ...........1st round
Indiana, Pa. 38, @New Haven 35 (So. Conn. St.) Quarterfinals

1995 (Tony Sparano)
@New Haven 27, Edinboro 12 (So. Conn. St.) ............1st round
@Ferris State 17, New Haven 9 ............................. Quarterfinals

1997 (Tony Sparano)
@New Haven 47, Glenville St. 7 (Sacred Heart) ........1st round
@New Haven 49 Slippery Rock 21 (Yale Bowl) ....Quarterfinals
@New Haven 27, UC Davis 25 (Yale Bowl) ............... Semifinals
Northern Colorado 51, New Haven 0 ................................Finals