Georgia Southern 55, Old Dominion 48
STATESBORO, Ga. - Behind 255 yards on the ground from Dominique Swope, the Georgia Southern Football team outlasted Old Dominion in high-scoring affair 55-48 at Paulson Stadium, Saturday afternoon. The first back to rush for over 200 yards since Jason Foster did so in 2007, Swope led the Eagles to 477 yards of rushing offense.
Georgia Southern (10-2) tallied 500 or more yards of offense for the fourth time this season and finished with 607 yards of total offense. Jaybo Shaw added to the total with seven passes for 130 yards and a touchdown.
The game featured an Eagle touchdown followed by an Old Dominion (10-3) score for most of the contest. That trend finally ended in GSU's favor in the third quarter, The Eagles took a 41-35 lead on a
Nico Hickey's 13-yard run. Adrian Mora's FCS consecutive extra point streak ended at 151 on the ensuing extra point, but Georgia Southern extended their lead to 49-35 with a one-yard rush by Shaw in the fourth quarter.
The Eagles would score once more on a Hickey fumble recovery in the end zone with 2:03 to play and outlasted the Monarchs in the final quarter. Taylor Heinicke was responsible for two scores in the fourth
quarter. The first a 19-yard pass to Prentice Gill and the other a 20-yard scamper with 39 seconds remaining.
Heinickie accounted for most of the team's 560 total yards, passing for 341 yards on 25 completions. The Georgia native carried the ball seven times for 75 yards and a score on the ground. Gill caught eight passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns.
Old Dominion tied up the game with 26 seconds remaining in the half on a 47-yard touchdown pass from Heinicke to Antonio Vaughan. The Eagles scored with two minutes remaining in the quarter on a 24-yard pass reception by Kentrellis Showers.
Maine 34, Appalachian State 12
BOONE, N.C. - For the first time in seven years, No. 9/8 Appalachian State University failed to win a postseason game, as it turned the ball over three times and rushed for only three yards in a 34-12 loss to No. 13 Maine in the second round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship on Saturday at Kidd Brewer Stadium.
Appalachian (8-4) lost a postseason opener for the first time since 2002, when Maine also ended its season with a 14-13 defeat in the opening round of what was then known as the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. After failing to advance to the postseason in 2003 and '04, ASU had won at least one playoff contest and 10 or more games overall every year since 2005 until Saturday's setback.
Maine (9-3) outgained the Mountaineers, 466-275, in its first postseason win since the triumph at ASU in 2002, including a whopping 216-3 advantage on the ground.
Despite being outgained 176-22 in the first quarter and punting on eight of its first nine possessions, including six three-and-outs, Appalachian found itself down just 7-6 late in the second quarter and still within striking distance at 13-6 midway through the third period. However, Maine scored two touchdowns in a 2:20 span, the first on a 21-yard pass from quarterback Warren Smith to a wide-open John Ebeling and the second on a 54-yard by David Hood on the first play following the fifth of ASU's six three-and-outs.
The Mountaineers kept their hopes alive when Travaris Cadet made it 27-12 with a one-yard touchdown drive on the first play of the fourth quarter and forced a three-and-out to get the ball back with 13:15 still to play. However, after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty forced a third-and-25, Jamal Jackson threw an interception at midfield and, five plays later, Maine's Pushaun Brown broke the Mountaineers' backs with a 31-yard touchdown rumble that made it 34-12.
Defensively, Appalachian's troubles could be attributed at least in part to being down three players in its secondary just four plays into the game. Starting free safety Dominique McDuffie was not available due to a University-related issue and his backup, Patrick Blalock reaggravated a hamstring injury on the third play of the game. One play later, starting cornerback Rodger Walker sustained a groin injury that allowed Damarr Aultman to be wide open for the first of his first two touchdown receptions from Smith, giving Maine the early lead that it would never relinquish.
The personnel issues combined with stellar offensive play by Maine, particularly from Smith (272 yards of total offense, three touchdown passes), Brown (111 rushing yards) and Aultmann (five receptions for 117 yards and two scores), added up to ASU surrendering 466 yards, its most allowed since a 66-13 defeat at the hands of Virginia Tech in the season opener. Linebacker Brandon Grier led the Apps' depleted defense with a game-high 13 tackles, including three for loss. Jeremy Kimbrough chipped in with 12 stops and a fumble recovery.
Offensively, the Black Bears' defense never allowed Appalachian to get on track. The Mountaineers' three rushing yards were their fewest since running minus-one yard in a 40-35 loss at Northwestern State in 2005 while their three turnovers were one short of a season high.
In his last game in the Black and Gold, wide receiver Brian Quick caught a game-high seven passes to become ASU's all-time leader with 202 career receptions. Quick finishes his collegiate career as Appalachian's career leader in receptions, receiving yards (3,418) and touchdown receptions (31).
Jackson completed 26-of-45 yards for 272 yards and a touchdown but was picked off twice. Andrew Peacock hauled in six passes for a team-high 75 yards and a score.
Northern Iowa 28, Wofford 21
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - In the second round of the NCAA FCS Playoffs, Wofford was defeated 28-21 at the University of Northern Iowa in the UNI-Dome. Three turnovers and penalties were too costly for the Terriers to overcome, despite rushing for 457 yards in the game.
The Terriers are 8-4 on the season. UNI is 10-2 overall and ranked second in the nation. For Wofford, Eric Breitenstein and Mitch Allen each had over 100 rushing yards. Breitenstein had 131 with three touchdowns and Allen had 156 rushing yards. The Panthers we led by quarterback Tirrell Rennie with 95 rushing yards and 7-of-12 passing for 67 yards and two touchdowns.
The Panthers had the ball to open the game and scored first on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Tirrell Rennie to Jarred Herring. UNI took a 7-0 lead with 12:09 on the clock. Wofford then put together a 16-play drive that took 8:39 off the clock and was capped by a three-yard touchdown run by Eric Breitenstein. The Terriers gained six first downs on the drive to tie the game at 7 with 3:30 left in the first quarter.
UNI gained two first downs on their next drive, but three straight incompletions forced a punt. With the ball back, Wofford was went three and out and punted. The Panthers were driving when Alvin Scioneaux sacked Tirrell Rennie and forced a fumble that was recovered by Ameet Pall. Wofford was unable to gain a first down and punted with 10:38 on the clock in the second quarter.
Wofford then forced UNI to punt after a three-and-out. Wofford picked up a fourth-and-one at midfield by Mitch Allen and then Eric Breitenstein broke free on a run up the middle for a 46-yard touchdown. The Terriers had a 14-7 lead with 5:45 remaining in the first half. The Panthers punted again after being backed up by an Ameet Pall sack. After a 53-yard punt, Wofford took over at the four-yard line. A 46-yard run up the far sideline by Mitch Allen put the Terriers across midfield. Donovan Johnson converted a fourth-and-six, but Christian Reed's 35-yard field goal attempt as time expired in the half was wide right.
To open the second half, Wofford picked up first downs on the first three plays. A pass was completed to Brenton Bersin, but the ball was fumbled and recovered by the Panthers. UNI then was able to turn the turnover into points with a five-yard touchdown pass from Tirrell Rennie to Jarred Herring to tie the game at 14 with 10:21 on the clock in the third quarter.
With the ball back, the Terriers gained four first downs before facing a fourth-and-five, but the pass was incomplete. The Panthers picked up two first downs, and gained another after two personal fouls against Wofford on the same play. UNI had the ball at the two-yard line, but after a 21-yard field goal attempt the Terriers were called for roughing the kicker and the Panthers had a first down inside the five. UNI scored on a one-yard run by David Johnson to take a 21-14 lead on the first play of the fourth quarter.
On the ensuing kickoff, Stephon Shelton caught the ball in the end zone, but failed to take a knee and the Panthers recovered the ball when it was dropped. Phil Wright jumped on the ball for a touchdown at 14:56 in the fourth quarter for a 28-14 lead. Wofford picked up three first downs, but then on third-and-one a fumbled snap was recovered by the Panthers. UNI gained two first downs before punting back to the Terriers.
Wofford got the ball back with 7:20 left in the fourth quarter. The Terriers were able to cover 88 yards in 15 plays and score a touchdown with two minutes left in the game. Eric Breitenstein took it in from three yards out for a 28-21 score. Wofford tried an onside kick, but it was recovered by the Panthers. The Terriers were able to force a 47-yard field goal attempt that was short and Wofford got the ball back with 53 seconds left. A sack on fourth-and-nine ended the Terriers chances.
Wofford had 478 total yards, with 457 on the ground. UNI had 238 total yards, 171 of which were rushing. Wofford was 8-of-15 on third downs and 2-of-4 on fourth down. UNI was 3-of-9 on third down. Wofford had ten penalties, while UNI was flagged twice. Wofford had the time of possession by a 34:29 to 24:04 margin.