WKU getting a second chance against McNeese
The Hilltoppers make their first appearance in a title game when they play top-ranked McNeese St. tonight.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) -- Western Kentucky coach Jack Harbaugh insists his team has improved since a 38-13 loss to McNeese State in September.
The Hilltoppers (11-3) get to prove it tonight when they face the top-seeded Cowboys for the Division I-AA national championship.
"We are a better football team than we were Sept. 28. I promise," Harbaugh said after practice Thursday. "McNeese is the same quality team."
This is where the Cowboys (13-1), whose only loss came at Nebraska, expected to be.
"A lot was expected of this team from Day One," McNeese State coach Tommy Tate said. "We focused on making McNeese a better team each week."
Thanks to their first meeting both teams know what to expect from each other.
Hitting recalled
"They were real physical. The first couple of plays caught us off guard," McNeese State linebacker Roderick Royal said. "They are the most physical team we played all year."
Western Kentucky began the season 2-3 then won their next five games to get a second chance in the postseason, where they were seeded 15th out of 16 teams.
Now the Hilltoppers, led by 19 seniors, are making their first appearance in the title game.
"Some way this senior group was able to muster enough courage to hold this team together and give us this tremendous opportunity," Harbaugh said.
McNeese State returns to the title game for the second time in school history. The Cowboys lost to Youngstown State in 1997.
McNeese State rallied from a two-touchdown deficit last week to beat Villanova and came back from 17 points down against defending champion Montana the week before.
That kind of rally isn't likely against the Hilltoppers, Cowboys quarterback Scott Pendarvis said, because they use their running game to control the clock.
Pendarvis struggled in the last two playoff games. He was benched in the Montana game after throwing 10 straight incomplete passes. Ryan Corcoran came on to lead the winning rally. Pendarvis struggled early in the semifinal but led the Cowboys to five touchdowns in the second half.
"We have a lot of confidence in Scott Pendarvis," Tate said. "If he's hot, he's staying in and we'll go as far as he takes us. If not, we'll get Ryan in there for a few series to see what he can do."
McNeese State will likely play without leading rusher Vick King, who has a bruised knee and hasn't been able to practice, Tate said.
Western Kentucky needed to rally to win its last two playoff games on the road at Western Illinois and Georgia Southern.