The 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of

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in the United States organized by the

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

(NCAA) at the Division I-AA level, began in August 2002, and concluded with the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game on December 20, 2002, at Finley Stadium in

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. The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers won their first I-AA championship, defeating the McNeese State Cowboys by a final score of 34−14.

Conference changes and new programs

*Prior to the 2002 season, the Big South Conference began to sponsor football at the Division I-AA level.

Conference standings

Conference champions

Postseason

NCAA Division I-AA playoff bracket

The top four teams in the tournament were

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ed; seeded teams were assured of hosting games in the first two rounds. * ''Denotes host institution''

References

{{NCAA football season navbox