ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — On Saturday morning, Henderson State was nowhere to be found in the final Super Region 3 rankings for the NCAA DII Playoffs. 

A little over 24 hours later, following a magical day which included a 31-27 win over No. 10 Ouachita Baptist in the Battle of the Ravine, the Reddies are officially in the Super Region 3 bracket. It is the program's first NCAA Playoff berth since 2015 and its fourth trip overall. 

Henderson's first round opponent will be No. 4 seed Central Missouri, who finished as MIAA Co-Champions with a 10-1 record. The Reddies and Mules will meet at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field in Warrensburg, Missouri on Saturday. Kickoff time is to be announced. The winner will advance to take on No. 1 seed Harding, who received a first round bye, the following Saturday, Nov. 25 in Searcy. 

The Reddies and Bisons are the only two teams from the Great American Conference to earn NCAA Playoff bids. They are joined in Super Region 3 by No. 2 seed Grand Valley State (GLIAC), No. 3 seed Pittsburg State (MIAA), Ferris State (GLIAC), and Indianapolis (GLVC). 

The NCAA Division II Playoffs follow a regionalized format with four Super Regions featuring seven teams each comprising the 28-team bracket. The No. 1 seeds in each region earn automatic byes into the second round. Teams seeded No. 5-7 in each Super Region can be moved by the DII Football Committee out of region or in-region to a closer opponent in order to minimize travel costs and potential flights.

Henderson State is 1-3 all-time in the NCAA Division II Playoffs. The Reddies' first and only win in the tournament came in 2015 when they defeated Sioux Falls 23-16 at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium in Arkadelphia. Central Missouri is the third MIAA program to face HSU in the playoffs, joining Missouri Western in 2012 and Emporia State in 2015.

More information on Henderson's game time, first round playoff tickets, and live streaming will be shared when it becomes available.