Wofford defeats Montana in first-round playoff game
11/24/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
MISSOULA, MT ?C Senior fullback Michael Hobbs scored on a 6-yard run with 32 seconds left in the game, as the 11th-ranked Wofford College Terriers defeated the host and second-ranked University of Montana Grizzlies 23-22 Saturday afternoon in a first-round Football Championship Subdivision playoff game.
A partisan Washington-Grizzly Stadium crowd of 19,761 fans saw the Grizzlies (11-1) suffer their first loss of the 2007 season. The Terriers improved to 9-3 overall.
The Grizzlies had a chance to pull out a win in the closing seconds, but senior Dan Carpenter??s 47-yard field goal attempt as time expired was wide left.
Montana started its final drive on the 50-yard line thanks to a 26-yard kickoff return by junior Rob Schulte. After two straight incompletions, junior quarterback Cole Bergquist hit senior wide receiver Eric Allen for a 9-yard pass, and then connected with sophomore receiver Marc Mariani on an 11-yarder for a key first down on a fourth-and-one play from the Wofford 41. The Bergquist to Mariani hook-up advanced the ball to the Wofford 30-yard line, setting up the last-second field try by Carpenter.
Prior to Wofford??s game-winning score, Montana had taken a 22-17 lead with 6:00 minutes left in the game on a 1-yard run by senior halfback Lex Hilliard, making it 22-17, UM.
But, Wofford, ranked second in the FCS in rushing with 318 yards a game, used a 12-play drive which featured 11 carries covering 61 yards, capping off the 69-yard drive with Hobbs?? winning touchdown run.
The Terriers, winners of the Southern Conference championship with a 5-2 league record, took the first lead of the contest, as sophomore place-kicker Patrick Mugan made a 31-yard field goal with 1:27 to go in first quarter.
The Grizzlies?? winners of the Big Sky Conference with an 8-0 league mark, tied the contest at 3-3 on Carpenter??s 37-yard field goal at the 14:45 mark of the second quarter. That field goal was the 73rd in Carpenter??s career, breaking the FCS record of 72 that he shared with Nevada??s Marty Zendejas, who booted 72 from 1984-87. Carpenter finished his career with 75 field goals.
Wofford regained the lead on its next possession, as junior halfback Dane Romero scored on a 3-yard run, making it 10-3 Terriers with 10:07 left in the second stanza. Carpenter??s 25-yard field goal cut the Wofford lead to 10-6 with 5:51 to go until intermission.
On Wofford??s next possession the Grizzlies forced the Terriers to a three-and-out for the first and only time in the first half. Montana responded with a 10-play, 63-yard drive in the closing minutes of the half, as Bergquist connected with sophomore tight end Dan Beaudin for a 9-yard touchdown pass, the Griz taking a 13-10 lead into the locker-room at intermission.
All of the scoring in the second half came in the fourth quarter.
The Griz took a six-point lead (16-10) on a 24-yard field goal by Carpenter at the 12:59 mark of the final quarter. But the Montana lead was short-lived, as Wofford marched 81 yards in a little over five minutes, as senior quarterback Josh Collier connected with sophomore wide receiver Andy Strickland for a 6-yard touchdown pass, and Mugan??s ensuing PAT game the Terriers a 17-16 edge with 7:47 to go.
The Grizzlies took their second lead of the contest on Hilliard??s short run with 6:00 to go. However, the Terriers then showed their strength in a methodical, rushing-dominated drive, picking up five critical first downs on their final drive, setting up Hobbs?? game-winning touchdown run.
Hilliard rushed 29 times for 119 yards. Bergquist was 18-of-30-0 for 211 yards and a touchdown. Griz senior receiver Eric Allen had a game-high 7 catches for 90 yards, while junior Mike Ferriter had 4 for 36, and Beaudin had 3 for 35 and scored his first TD of the season.
Senior linebacker Tyler Joyce and junior strong safety Colt Anderson led the UM defense with 10 tackles apiece, while senior linebacker Kyle Ryan and senior end Kroy Biermann had 9 stops each. Anderson also had two tackles for losses of 11 yards, a forced fumble, and an interception.
Wofford senior halfback Kevious Johnson rushed for a game-high 145 yards on 22 carries, Hobbs rushed for 67 yards and Romero had 57. Collier rushed 13 times for 54 yards and completed 4-of-7-2 passes for 53 yards and a touchdown. Wofford rushed 60 times for 333 yards. Strickland had 2 catches for 40 yards and a score. Senior safety Jason Leventis led the Terriers with a game-high 14 tackles.
Hilliard ended his brilliant career with school records of 52 total touchdowns and 50 rushing TDs. His 4,018 career rushing yards, was just 52 off the school record of 4,070 yards set by Yohance Humphery from 1998-2001.
Carpenter ended his outstanding career as the all-time kick-scorer in FCS history with 413 points.
A partisan Washington-Grizzly Stadium crowd of 19,761 fans saw the Grizzlies (11-1) suffer their first loss of the 2007 season. The Terriers improved to 9-3 overall.
The Grizzlies had a chance to pull out a win in the closing seconds, but senior Dan Carpenter??s 47-yard field goal attempt as time expired was wide left.
Montana started its final drive on the 50-yard line thanks to a 26-yard kickoff return by junior Rob Schulte. After two straight incompletions, junior quarterback Cole Bergquist hit senior wide receiver Eric Allen for a 9-yard pass, and then connected with sophomore receiver Marc Mariani on an 11-yarder for a key first down on a fourth-and-one play from the Wofford 41. The Bergquist to Mariani hook-up advanced the ball to the Wofford 30-yard line, setting up the last-second field try by Carpenter.
Prior to Wofford??s game-winning score, Montana had taken a 22-17 lead with 6:00 minutes left in the game on a 1-yard run by senior halfback Lex Hilliard, making it 22-17, UM.
But, Wofford, ranked second in the FCS in rushing with 318 yards a game, used a 12-play drive which featured 11 carries covering 61 yards, capping off the 69-yard drive with Hobbs?? winning touchdown run.
The Terriers, winners of the Southern Conference championship with a 5-2 league record, took the first lead of the contest, as sophomore place-kicker Patrick Mugan made a 31-yard field goal with 1:27 to go in first quarter.
The Grizzlies?? winners of the Big Sky Conference with an 8-0 league mark, tied the contest at 3-3 on Carpenter??s 37-yard field goal at the 14:45 mark of the second quarter. That field goal was the 73rd in Carpenter??s career, breaking the FCS record of 72 that he shared with Nevada??s Marty Zendejas, who booted 72 from 1984-87. Carpenter finished his career with 75 field goals.
Wofford regained the lead on its next possession, as junior halfback Dane Romero scored on a 3-yard run, making it 10-3 Terriers with 10:07 left in the second stanza. Carpenter??s 25-yard field goal cut the Wofford lead to 10-6 with 5:51 to go until intermission.
On Wofford??s next possession the Grizzlies forced the Terriers to a three-and-out for the first and only time in the first half. Montana responded with a 10-play, 63-yard drive in the closing minutes of the half, as Bergquist connected with sophomore tight end Dan Beaudin for a 9-yard touchdown pass, the Griz taking a 13-10 lead into the locker-room at intermission.
All of the scoring in the second half came in the fourth quarter.
The Griz took a six-point lead (16-10) on a 24-yard field goal by Carpenter at the 12:59 mark of the final quarter. But the Montana lead was short-lived, as Wofford marched 81 yards in a little over five minutes, as senior quarterback Josh Collier connected with sophomore wide receiver Andy Strickland for a 6-yard touchdown pass, and Mugan??s ensuing PAT game the Terriers a 17-16 edge with 7:47 to go.
The Grizzlies took their second lead of the contest on Hilliard??s short run with 6:00 to go. However, the Terriers then showed their strength in a methodical, rushing-dominated drive, picking up five critical first downs on their final drive, setting up Hobbs?? game-winning touchdown run.
Hilliard rushed 29 times for 119 yards. Bergquist was 18-of-30-0 for 211 yards and a touchdown. Griz senior receiver Eric Allen had a game-high 7 catches for 90 yards, while junior Mike Ferriter had 4 for 36, and Beaudin had 3 for 35 and scored his first TD of the season.
Senior linebacker Tyler Joyce and junior strong safety Colt Anderson led the UM defense with 10 tackles apiece, while senior linebacker Kyle Ryan and senior end Kroy Biermann had 9 stops each. Anderson also had two tackles for losses of 11 yards, a forced fumble, and an interception.
Wofford senior halfback Kevious Johnson rushed for a game-high 145 yards on 22 carries, Hobbs rushed for 67 yards and Romero had 57. Collier rushed 13 times for 54 yards and completed 4-of-7-2 passes for 53 yards and a touchdown. Wofford rushed 60 times for 333 yards. Strickland had 2 catches for 40 yards and a score. Senior safety Jason Leventis led the Terriers with a game-high 14 tackles.
Hilliard ended his brilliant career with school records of 52 total touchdowns and 50 rushing TDs. His 4,018 career rushing yards, was just 52 off the school record of 4,070 yards set by Yohance Humphery from 1998-2001.
Carpenter ended his outstanding career as the all-time kick-scorer in FCS history with 413 points.
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