SALEM, Va. — The start time for the 2001 NCAA Division III Football Championship is set. This year’s game, scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 15, is slated for an 8 p.m. kickoff. The game will be played at Salem Stadium for the ninth consecutive year and broadcast live on ESPN.

This marks the first time in championship history that the Stagg Bowl will be played in prime time. Since 1993, the latest kickoff time for the Division III title game was 2 p.m. in 1996.

The game was originally scheduled for a 1 p.m. kick but was moved after Division I-AA football extended its season by an additional week and its championship moved from Dec. 15 to Friday, Dec. 21, in Chattanooga, Tenn. The I-AA move from Dec. 15 allowed the DIII championship to be played in prime time.

Game day festivities will begin with a “Pregame Huddle” in the Salem Civic Center arena. The event will be open to the public and begins at 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through the Salem Civic Center box office.

A pregame tailgate will also be held in the parking lot adjacent to the Stadium beginning at 5 p.m. and concluding at 8 p.m.

In addition, a Youth Education through Sports (YES) Football Clinic will be held at Memorial Baseball Stadium on the morning of the championship. Additional information on the youth clinic will be distributed in the near future.

Tickets for the game are on sale at the Salem Civic Center box office. Adult tickets can be purchased for $10 in advance and $12.50 the day of the game. Tickets for high school age and under can be purchased at any time for $5. All tickets are reserved seating. For more information, visit the official site of the Stagg Bowl.