Sunday, November 25, 2007
No. 4 Southern Illinois 30,
Eastern Illinois 11
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Nick Hill threw for two touchdowns and rushed for another as the No. 4 seed Southern Illinois defeated Eastern Illinois in a first-round Football Championship Subdivision playoff game. The Southern Illinois quarterback finished with 234 yards through the air and 32 yards on the ground to bring the Salukis (11-1) their third consecutive first-round playoff victory. Less than 5 minutes into the game, Hill connected with wide receiver Alan Turner for a 21-yard touchdown to put the team up 7-0 mere seconds after Eastern Illinois running back Ademola Adeniji lost a fumble on the Panthers first offensive play of the game. Southern Illinois never surrendered the lead, holding the Panthers (8-4) scoreless until the 2:35 mark of the third quarter when the team converted a 42-yard field goal to make it 20-3. Hill answered with a six play, 46-yard drive that culminated in a 5-yard, spinning run into the end zone by the quarterback to put his team up 27-3. The Panthers threatened late after quarterback Bodie Reeder hooked up with tight end Jordan Campanella for a 7-yard touchdown and tight end Trent Steckel for a 2-point conversion to make it 27-11 with just more than seven minutes remaining. Southern Illinois answered and ran down the clock almost within the 2-minute mark before settling for a 26-yard field goal to bring the lead out of the Panthers reach. The win gave Southern Illinois its second first-round playoff victory against Eastern Illinois in three years. The Salukis next opponent will be Massachusetts.
Massachusetts 49, Fordham 35
AMHERST, Mass. — Liam Coen passed for 419 yards and four touchdowns, and Matt Lawrence ran for 167 yards and three touchdowns for Massachusetts. With the game at 35, Lawrence scored on a 13-yard run with 9:25 to play to put the Minutemen (10-2) ahead 42-35. After Charles Walker’s interception, Lawrence added a 2-yard touchdown run with 5:15 remaining for the final score. Fordham finished the season 8-4.
Appalachian State 28, James Madison 27
BOONE, N.C. — Armanti Edwards scored on a 5-yard run with 1:10 left, and Appalachian State forced a late fumble in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. The Mountaineers (10-2), who started with the season with a stunning win at Michigan, kept their season alive with late-game heroics after a surprising move by James Madison coach Mickey Matthews. Facing a fourth-and-1 from its own 32, Matthews decided to go for it. Quarterback Rodney Landers was stopped for no gain, giving the Mountaineers the ball with 2:35 left. Edwards later converted a fourth-and-4 from the 25 with a 20-yard pass to Devon Moore. On the next play, Edwards scampered in for the score. James Madison (8-4) then drove to the Appalachian 9. But Jamal Sullivan fumbled and it was recovered by Pierre Banks with 22 seconds left.
Edwards rushed for 132 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 126 yards as Appalachian State advanced to play the Eastern Washington-McNeese State winner.
Wofford 23, Montana 22
MISSOULA, Mont. — Michael Hobbs scored on a 6-yard run with 32 seconds remaining to lift Wofford past previously unbeaten Montana. Montana (11-1) had a chance to win the game on a 47-yard field goal with 4 seconds remaining, but Dan Carpenter pulled the kick left. Wofford (9-3) advanced to the second round of the playoffs against the winner of the Richmond-Eastern Kentucky game. Wofford trailed 22-17 with 6 minutes remaining after Lex Hilliard, who rushed for 119 yards, scored on a 1-yard run for Montana. Wofford’s Kevious Johnson ran for 145 yards, while Hobbs had 67, Dane Romero 57 and quarterback Josh Collier 54.
Associated Press