Full recaps of the first-round action in the FCS Playoffs follow. Second-round previews will come along on Friday.
Stony Brook 31, Albany 28
at Kenneth R. Stadium, Stony Brook NY; attendance 8286
Brock Jackolski ripped off three rushing touchdowns in six and a half minutes to erase a 28-10 deficit for the Seawolves, then the Stony Brook defense stood up to hold off Albany.
Stony Brook threatened on their first possession, pressing to the Albany 7 before Miguel Maysonet was stopped for a loss of one on fourth and one. Albany was unable to move the ball, and after a punt the Seawolves advanced to the Albany 17 before an illegal shift followed by a personal foul pushed them back to the 37, facing 1st and 30. The drive ended with a 48-yard field goal attempt by Wes Skiffington which bounced off the left upright, and the game was still scoreless. Dan Di Lella hit Ryan Kirchner for a 25-yard gain on Albany’s first play of the ensuing drive, and found him twice more to move to the Seawolves’ 21. Di Lella then picked up 16 on the ground, but a personal foul after the play brought Albany right back to the 20; four plays later, Drew Smith bulled in from a yard out to give the Great Danes the lead with 13 seconds to go in the quarter.
The second play of the second quarter saw Stony Brook forced to punt after a three-and-out. Dean Mercuris blocked Luke Allen’s kick, and Brian Parkes gathered it up and dashed 21 yards for the score. The Seawolves responded, however, helped by an out-of-bounds kickoff; after an 11-play drive, Skiffington split the uprights from 39. Albany then went three-and-out, and the Seawolves took over at midfield. Five plays later, Kyle Essington found Matt Brevi from 11 yards out, bringing Stony Brook back within four. The teams then traded punts, and Albany started a drive from their own 22; Di Lella hit Kirchner for ten, and again for six. On the latter play, Kirchner plowed into his own head coach, Bob Ford, while steaming out of bounds; the 74-year-old Ford suffered a torn ACL in the collision, but remained on the sideline. After an 18-yard hookup with Smith, Di Lella hit Cole King for a 44-yard TD strike with 34 seconds left in the half, and Albany entered the break with a 21-10 lead.
The Danes added to that lead on the opening drive of the second half when running back Drew Smith lofted a pass to Kirchner, leading to a 43-yard touchdown. Another trade of punts saw the Seawolves starting at their own 20; a 5:45 drive culminated with a 6-yard Jackolski run for a score. On the next drive, Di Lella was picked off near midfield by Donald Porter; two plays later Essington hit Jackolski for a 55-yard touchdown strike. With a minute-ten left in the quarter, Albany was forced three-and-out, only taking 16 seconds off the clock in the process; Stony Brook took over on their own 20 and Essington immediately found Kevin Norrell for a 38-yard gain on the final play of the quarter. Stony Brook was now in Albany territory, only trailing 28-24.
Five plays later, Jackolski got his second rushing score of the day, and third overall, on an 11-yard carry to put the Seawolves up 31-28. Albany went three-and-out, but Essington was intercepted a few plays later at the Albany 37. Both teams then went three-and-out, and Albany took over at their own 45 for the final drive of the game. Di Lella chipped away yards toward the end zone; it was fifteen plays later when the Danes found themselves on the Stony Brook 3, 2nd and goal. They almost didn’t get that far; Porter nearly picked off Di Lella again at the Seawolves 20, but bobbled it and Smith came down with a reception. On play action, Di Lella tried to hit Brian Parker in the end zone, but Porter again stepped up, tipping the pass; Dominic Reyes ended up with the ball, barely getting his feet in bounds for the interception. One kneel-down was all it took for the Seawolves to claim victory.
Essington was 12-24 for 258 yards with two TDs and an interception. Jackolski ran 22 times for 103 yards and two scores, along with his lone 55-yard TD reception; Maysonet carried 22 times for 75 yards, and broke the Big South single-season rushing record in the process. Porter was the defensive star for the Seawolves, recording 9 tackles along with his interception and the key break-up to save the day. For Albany, Di Lella was 24-43 for 223 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Drew Smith added a 43-yard TD pass and 43 yards rushing on 17 carries and a score; Stony Brook effectively shut down Albany’s run game. Kirchner hauled in 12 passes for 143 yards and a score.
My pre-game prediction: Stony Brook 37, Albany 26. It was a little closer than that, obviously, but the game did hold pretty much to my expectations.
#10 Old Dominion 35, #19 Norfolk State 18
at Foreman Field, Norfolk VA; attendance 19,818
Before a sellout crowd, crosstown rivals squared off for the right to advance to the second round. Despite an early miscue, the Monarchs rolled to victory in a prelude to a six-game regular-seaosn non-conference series that will begin in 2013.
Old Dominion took the opening kick, but was unable to achieve a first down. Taylor Heinicke, ODU’s freshman QB, lined up in the shotgun in 4th and 1 from the ODU 32, but kicked rather than trying to gain the yard; the ball was downed at the Norfolk State 4. A false start pushed the ball back to the 2, but then Chris Walley found Derrick Demps wide open when two Monarch defenders collided, and Demps raced 98 yards to get the Spartans on the board first. The Monarchs answered, however, driving 85 yards on seven plays before Heinicke hit Nick Mayers from three yards out. Key during the drive were a 42-yard completion to Prentice Gill from the 25, and a 29-yard gain by Mayers on the play preceding the score. The teams traded punts, then Walley was picked off by Carvin Powell in Old Dominion territory right after Marcus Cooperwood had unleashed a 35-yard punt return to put the Spartans near midfield. Once again, a big pass play put the Monarchs at the Spartan 3, Heinicke connecting with Larry Pinkard for a 30-yard gain. Three plays later, Heinicke hit Pinkard again from four yards out to put the Monarchs up 14-7. Walley was again picked off on the final play of the quarter by Eriq Lewis, and Old Dominion took over at the Norfolk 34 as the teams changed ends.
After a defensive holding penalty moved ODU to the 24, Heinicke immediately hooked up with Gill for another score. Norfolk was forced to punt on their possession, and then Jarod Brown attempted a 32-yarder for the Monarchs but was wide right. Norfolk then drove, but when Ryan Estep tried a 37 yarder, Chris Burnette blocked it, completing the “teams traded missed field goals” achievement. Neither team was able to accomplish anything further in the half, and starting from their own 20 with 51 seconds to go, Norfolk elected to just kill the clock and head to the locker room trailing 21-7.
Norfolk started the second half with a 10-play drive which was marred by a miscommunication; at the Old Dominion 24 on 1st and 10, a bad snap resulted in a 22-yard loss. The drive ended with Edmon McClam blocking another Estep field goal attempt, this time from 50. Old Dominion drove methodically until Heinicke hit Mayers again from two yards out. Norfolk failed to get a first down on the ensuing drive, Walley connecting with Reggie Garrett for seven yards on 4th and 9, and the Monarchs again took control on their own 31. Six plays later, Heinicke found Gill from the 18, and after a trade of punts the quarter ended with Old Dominion holding a commanding 35-7 lead.
Norfolk managed to score on a 48-yard field goal by Everett Goldberg, and with four minutes left finally found the end zone again on a five-yard pass from Walley to Victor Hairston, followed by Walley running it in for two, but it was already over.
Heinicke was 21-30 for 269 yards and five touchdowns. Colby Goodwyn led the Monarchs with 45 yards rushing on 14 carries. Mayers caught six balls for 65 yards and two scores; Gill added four catches for 95 and two scores, and Pinkard had three receptions for 56 yards and a score. For Norfolk, Walley was 28-43 for 363 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Randy Maynes had 7 carries for 38 yards. Demps led Spartan receivers in yards with his single 98-yard TD catch; Victor Hairston caught seven passes and Reggie Garrett six; both had 63 yards receiving.
My pre-game prediction: Old Dominion 31, Norfolk State 22. I said ODU was going to bypass Norfolk’s strength on defense, and that’s exactly what they did, airing it out all day and not even really bothering to run.
#17 James Madison 20, Eastern Kentucky 17
at Roy Kidd Stadium, Richmond KY; attendance 2388
A 35-yard field goal by Cameron Starke with no time left on the clock broke a 17-all tie and sent James Madison on to the second round, completing a comeback from 10 points down.
The teams slogged through a scoreless first quarter, each team only managing one first down. Justin Bell returned JMU’s second punt of the day 75 yards, giving the Colonels the ball on the Dukes’ 16, but two plays later, on the final play of the quarter, T.J. Pryor was picked off by Leavander Jones to end the threat.
Nine plays later, a nearly seven-minute drive culminated with a one-yard Jordan Anderson plunge to give Madison the lead. A trade of punts afterward saw EKU starting at midfield, and after a couple of key passes by Pryor, H.B. Banjoman punched in from the 1 to tie the score. JMU threatened again when Justin Thorpe hit Renard Robinson for a 42-yard gain, but the drive died when Thorpe was sacked on fourth down at the Colonels’ 38. A trade of punts later set up the final drive of the half; Luke Pray hit from 48 with no time left to put EKU up 10-7.
Madison started the third quarter with a brutal 15-play drive which ate seven minutes, but came up empty when Starke’s 36-yard attempt sailed wide right. Four plays later, Matt Denham broke free and rambled 66 yards before being brought down at the JMU one yard line; on the next play, Banjoman again barrelled in from a yard out. The Dukes drove right back, settling for a 21-yard Starke field goal with 27 seconds left in the quarter, narrowing the lead to 17-10.
EKU went three-and-out, and Madison charged downfield; Anderson capped the drive with a 24-yard TD run, the first TD of the day that wasn’t a one-yard run, to tie the game. The defenses again took over, forcing three straight punts, until the Dukes took over on their own 36 with 4:03 to go. They chewed it all, running 19 plays and penetrating to the Colonel 19 before Starke came on to hit the game-winner.
Thorpe was 9-16 for 149 yards, and led Madison rushers with 93 yards on 28 carries. Dae’Quan Scott added 75 on 24 touches, and Anderson had 71 on 15 carries with two scores. For Eastern Kentucky, Pryor was 10-15 for 94 yards with a pick. Denham had 125 yards on 17 carries, while Banjoman only gained 2 yards on 4 rushes, but scored twice.
My pre-game prediction: James Madison 21, Eastern Kentucky 20. Can’t get too much closer than a game-winning field goal as time expires, really. EKU could not stop the run, and special teams did play a big part in the game even being close.
#15 Central Arkansas 34, #21 Tennessee Tech 14
at Tucker Stadium, Cookeville TN; attendance 6115
Central Arkansas shut down Tennessee Tech on the ground, but Tech wasn’t able to stop the Bears period, and UCA cruised to the second round.
Well, Tech was able to stop the Bears on the opening drive, forcing a three-and-out. Their response failed, however, when Tre Lamb missed William Stevens on 4th and 2 from the Bear 23. That resulted in a 17-play, 77-yard drive which consumed a ridiculous 8:28; Terence Bobo capped the drive with a one-yard run to give UCA the lead. Cody Forbes fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and William Matthews recovered for the Bears at the Tech 25. The quarter ended with Central Arkansas facing 4th and 4 at the Tech 8, leading 7-0.
Eddie Camara came on to hit a 25-yard field goal on the first play of the quarter. Tech then responded, chewing over six minutes on a 14-play drive which ended with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Lamb to Cody Matthews. Three plays after the kickoff, Tech had perhaps their best chance of seizing the momentum when Corey Watson recovered a Bobo fumble at the Tech 37, but the Eagles weren’t able to get much past midfield before being forced to punt. The Bears immediately got on track, starting from their own three; it took nine plays and three and half minutes, including a 51-yard connection between Nathan Dick and Derrick Steele, before Dick plunged in from the one on a keeper. After Tech was forced to punt again, UCA knelt and took a 17-7 lead into the locker room.
Tech was forced three-and-out to open the third, and the Bears drove to the 16 before having to settle for a 35-yard Camara field goal. Again Tech failed to make a first down; UCA took over on the Tech 46, and two plays later Dick hit Jesse Grandy for a 42-yard touchdown. Tech then embarked on a long drive which carried through to the end of the quarter with Central Arkansas leading 27-7.
That drive ended up taking 15 plays and over six minutes before Lamb found Charlie Stevens for a six-yard strike. The Bears retaliated quickly, burning 3:15 on only seven plays; Dick connected with Thomas Hart for a 30-yard score to go up 34-14. Tech used up almost five minutes on the ensuing drive, but came up empty when Lamb’s pass to Cody Matthews fell incomplete on 4th and 10 from the Bear 11; UCA then managed to kill another three and a half minutes, leaving Tech with only 1:35 and no chance. A Jerre McKnight interception of Lamb at the Tech 36 with 41 seconds to go put an end to any hope whatsoever for TTU.
Dick was 23-29 for 319 yards with two touchdowns. Hinton had 87 yards on 19 carries, while Derrick Steele had 94 yards on six receptions. For Tech, Lamb was 30-44 for 291 yards with two scores and an interception. Tim Benford hauled in seven passes for 97 yards. Dontey Gay led Tech rushers with only 36 yards on 10 carries as the Bears limited Tech to 58 yards on the ground.
My pre-game prediction: Central Arkansas 33, Tennessee Tech 30. Uh, LOL, no. Got UCA right, I guess, but I hadn’t counted on the Bears to be able to shut Tech down so comprehensively.