Around FCS: You've been eliminated

Cfootball Betting Lines

11/10/2008 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Teams battle all year to put themselves into position for one of the 16 playoff berths in the NCAA Division I Football Championships.

So when you get to November, losing can be a cruel fate.

Just ask Massachusetts, which dropped a 21-20 decision at home to Maine on Saturday afternoon. Only two years removed from a spot in the FCS championship game, it would take a miracle for the Minutemen to advance to the playoffs for a third straight season after they suffered their fourth loss.

It was a game in which the winner was going to stay in the playoff picture, while the loser was going to be sent packing.

I remember sitting with quarterback Liam Coen and cornerback Sean Smalls a few months back at CAA Media Day held at the ESPN Zone in Baltimore. The two seniors talked about how disappointed they had been to lose to Southern Illinois in the quarterfinals of the 2007 playoffs, and how they felt like their team had everything they needed to make another championship run.

Smalls, one of the top cover corners in FCS, had to watch Saturday's game after breaking his hip a couple of weeks ago. Coen, meanwhile, has struggled during his senior campaign and gave up a season-high four interceptions in the loss to Maine.

The Minutemen scuffled throughout the cold and rainy day at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. Maine used its spread rushing attack to grind out a 14-0 lead on touchdowns from Derek Session and Jhamal Fluellen in the first half, and UMass looked to be in critical condition.

But in the second half, Massachusetts made an inspired comeback to tie the game, and when Maine forged ahead again, 21-14, on Jared Turcotte's three-yard scoring burst, the Minutemen were sparked back to life on a 58-yard catch-and- run from Jeremy Horne with 11:39 remaining.

All of that momentum went out the window a few seconds later, when Armando Cuko plunked the extra point attempt off the upright to leave UMass trailing by a single point. Maine's defense, led by defensive back Lamir Whetstone and defensive end Jovan Belcher, made sure UMass wasn't going to generate a comeback in this game.

Whetstone had a pair of interceptions, one in the first quarter and another with 1:37 remaining. The Black Bears, who have forced 12 turnovers in their past three wins, ended the final three Minutemen drives with interceptions.

Belcher, one of this year's leading Buck Buchanan Award candidates, was a dominant force on the Maine defensive line. When a pair of UMass offensive linemen went out with injuries, Belcher took advantage by moving around the field and running the Minutemen ragged. Belcher may have had only one tackle for loss and another assist, but he was a disruptive force and freed up teammates to make plays.

The Black Bears, who were picked to finish in the middle of the pack in the CAA's North Division this season, now have the look of a playoff team for the first time since making back-to-back quarterfinal appearances in 2001-02. After starting the season at 2-3, Maine has won five games in a row with its hard-nosed style.

A 27-10 victory at Delaware, followed by a 41-40 double-overtime win at home against Hofstra, have helped the Black Bears to their emotional surge.

At the CAA media day this summer, coach Jack Cosgrove spoke honestly about being in the final year of his contract. It would seem now, after the way his team has come on, that Cosgrove won't have to worry about leaving Maine anytime soon.

The Black Bears close the season with a game on the road at Rhode Island, followed by their rivalry game at home against New Hampshire. Cosgrove knows his team has to win both to keep their playoff aspirations alive.

With the way the CAA race is playing out, Maine could be playing New Hampshire for the league's North Division title, and what figures to shape up as another playoff-elimination game. The Wildcats, after four straight years with playoff berths, play UMass at home this Saturday before traveling to Maine.

After stumbling to a 24-13 defeat at Villanova last Saturday, UNH knows a loss against the Minutemen could put it firmly on the playoff bubble heading into its finale.

ELIMINATION, PART DEUX

When Western Illinois traveled to Southern Illinois on Saturday, it knew it had backed itself into a corner, similar to the ones that UMass and Maine endured. With a loss to Northern Iowa the previous week, the Leathernecks faced the daunting task of running the table in the final three weeks to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2003.

The deck was seemingly stacked against WIU from the start of the season, when coach Don Patterson was diagnosed with cancer. Patterson faced weeks of treatment and didn't return to the sidelines until the UNI game.

With three losses already, it didn't help that the Leathernecks were facing a Southern Illinois squad that had positioned itself to win the Missouri Valley Football Conference automatic bid by capturing its previous three games.

In a tight defensive struggle worthy of its billing, SIU scored two first- quarter touchdowns on a 56-yard scamper by Larry Warner (22 carries, 91 yards) and a three-yard TD pass from Chris Dieker to Damian Sherman.

Western Illinois answered with Herb Donaldson's six-yard touchdown blast in the second period and an eight-yard scoring strike from Matt Barr to Carl Sims sandwiching a 21-yard field goal by SIU's Kyle Dougherty.

But with a 17-14 lead in the fourth quarter, Southern Illinois' defense put the game away. Cornerback Korey Lindsey's second interception of the game with 1:36 remaining clinched it. Lindsey took the ball 48 yards for a score to give SIU its 24-14 victory and eliminate Western Illinois.

The Salukis limited the dangerous Donaldson to 99 yards on 28 carries and held the Leathernecks to just 174 yards overall.

SIU still has an outside shot at a top-four seed in the playoffs, and can finish off the automatic bid by beating South Dakota State at home and Illinois State on the road in its final two games. SDSU has four losses, but could still steal the auto bid away from the Salukis. Northern Iowa also is lurking in the shadows with a chance at the bid.

THE BEST OF THE BIG SKY

After several weeks of upset carnage, things settled down around FCS last weekend, with the UMass loss and Montana State's 25-23 win over No. 23 Northern Arizona ranking as the only upsets in the top 25. Elsewhere, Yale toppled Ivy League leader Brown to throw that race into chaos.

Northern Arizona was already staggering with blowout losses to Weber State and Montana in the past two weeks, but Montana State completely pulled the plug on the Lumberjacks' playoff hopes.

Defensive end Dane Fletcher came up big for the Bobcats, blocking an extra point after NAU's first touchdown, and setting up a touchdown when he forced and recovered a fumble in the 25-23 road victory. Three plays later, MSU scored on a 21-yard pass from Mark Iddins to DeSean Thomas to make it 7-6 in the first period.

Fletcher came through again with 42 seconds left in the half when he blocked a Lumberjack punt for a safety. Following the ensuing free kick, Jason Cunningham's 32-yard field goal pulled the Bobcats within 13-12 at the break.

An 18-yard scoring aerial from Iddins to Aaron Mason gave MSU the lead early in the third period, and Cunningham added two more field goals, including a 38-yarder with 1:24 left, to provide the margin of victory.

Weber State struggled at times in the first half before clinching a share of its first Big Sky title in 40 years with a 59-27 victory over winless Idaho State.

The Wildcats broke open a 3-3 game with a 28-point outburst in the second quarter, with Trevyn Smith (20 carries, 143 yards) scoring two of his three touchdowns. Cameron Higgins got untracked to hit 18-of-23 passes for 269 yards and three more scores as WSU sent ISU to its 14th straight defeat.

The victory made the Wildcats the first team to clinch a spot in this year's playoffs, as they earned the Big Sky automatic bid. WSU can grab its first- ever outright title if it beats Eastern Washington in two weeks, or if Montana loses to either Idaho State or Montana State at home.

The Grizzlies are not likely to keep their streak of 10 consecutive league titles alive, but they all but wrapped up a 16th-straight playoff berth with a 29-12 road win over Portland State. Montana also became the first FCS team to win 100 games this decade.

Montana led just 9-5 in the first half, but used strong defensive play to hold the top-ranked passing attack in FCS to 195 yards, and forced four turnovers. Chase Reynolds rushed 35 times for 160 yards and three TDs for the Griz.

IVY-COVERED WALLS

It isn't often that Harvard and Penn root for Yale, but that is exactly what those two Ivy League teams were doing on Saturday when the Bulldogs traveled to first-place Brown.

Knowing that Brown only had to beat Columbia and Dartmouth - teams with just one combined win - in the final two weeks to wrap up the Ivy League crown, almost everyone knew that the last real chance to stop the Bears belonged to Yale.

The Bulldogs took a 6-3 lead on Tom Mante's 27-yard field goal in the third quarter, and the defense made that stand up until Yale's Brook Hart (22-of-32 for 292 yards passing) hit Peter Balsam for a 78-yard touchdown with 3:49 remaining to extend the advantage.

Yale limited the league's top passer, Michael Dougherty, to 28-of-58 passing for 275 yards, keeping him out of the end zone and forcing two interceptions.

Penn moved into a tie with Brown on Friday night when it won the 100th game of its rivalry with Princeton, 14-9 on the road. Third-string sophomore quarterback Keiffer Garton rushed for a six-yard TD in the first quarter, and tossed a 10-yard scoring pass to Matt Appenfelder in third period, capping off time-consuming drives.

Garton (16-of-21, 132 yards passing; 15 carries, 89 yards rushing) also made a couple of brilliant plays in the fourth quarter to pick up first downs and run out the clock.

Harvard made it a three-way crowd at the top with a 42-28 pasting of Columbia. Quarterback Chris Pizzotti completed 25-of-40 passes for 376 yards and four touchdowns to make up for a Crimson rushing attack that managed just four yards.

Harvard and Penn meet Saturday at Franklin Field, with the winner going into the final week of the regular season with a chance to claim a share of the Ivy League title. Harvard faces Yale at home in the final week, while Penn travels to Cornell for its finale.

THE SOUTHLAND SCENARIO

Hopefully, the Southland Conference will figure out a way to determine its automatic bid this season, because things didn't get that much clearer after another round of games on Saturday.

Central Arkansas moved a step closer to the league championship with a 42-6 crushing of Northwestern State in a first-place showdown. But with the Bears ineligible for the playoffs as an FCS transition team, Northwestern State, McNeese State and Texas State go into the final two weeks tied for second place.

Nathan Brown was 19-of-35 for 348 yards and four touchdowns to guide the Bears to the win at home. UCA can clinch the title by winning at Stephen F. Austin, and at home against McNeese State in its remaining games.

McNeese State received 242 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 39 carries from Toddrick Pendland to offset 331 yards passing and four TDs by SFA's Jeremy Moses in a 42-31 shootout in Lake Charles.

Texas State kept pace by beating Southeastern Louisiana, 38-24 on the road. The Bobcats scored all 38 points in the first half and then held on. Bradley George hit 16-of-29 passes for 276 yards and a a pair of TDs and Cameron Luke caught seven passes for 185 yards and two scores.

Northwestern State hosts McNeese State and travels to Stephen F. Austin, while Texas State entertains Nicholls State and hits the road for Sam Houston State in the final two weeks.

PATRIOT GAMES

Colgate and Holy Cross moved another stride closer to a championship showdown on the final week of the regular season with wins on Saturday.

Colgate survived at Lehigh, 34-33, when the Mountain Hawks missed a pair of extra points. Greg Sullivan found Pat Simonds (seven catches, 148 yards, three TDs) with a seven-yard scoring pass with 2:28 remaining to give the Raiders the lead for good, and the Raider defense stopped a 4th-and-2 pass from J.B. Clark to Sekou Yansane on Lehigh's final drive.

Holy Cross got another big day from quarterback Dominic Randolph to hold off Fordham, 38-17, in a replay of last year's PL title game. Randolph was intercepted three times, but completed 35-of-59 passes for 407 yards and five touchdowns.

Colgate has an open date to prepare for Holy Cross, while the Crusaders must beat Lafayette at home to set up a championship clash. A win by Lafayette this Saturday could leave the Leopards some hope for a share of the title.

PIONEER DAYS

With Rob Florian out of action with an injury, Dayton turned to backup quarterback Jeff Pechan to help the Flyers stay in first place with a 28-21 overtime victory against Butler. Pechan was 23-of-42 for 242 yards and two TDs passing in his first start.

His 15-yard strike to Justin Millio in the extra session gave the Flyers the win, after Butler had rallied for two fourth-quarter touchdowns to tie the game.

Grant Hunter had four sacks and a fumble recovery to help spark Butler's comeback.

Dayton can clinch a berth in the Gridiron Classic with a win in its final regular season game at Jacksonville. A victory Saturday at home against Morehead State would give the Flyers at least a share of their second straight PFL title.

Jacksonville stayed in the race with a 40-24 win at Valparaiso. Rudell Small ran for 135 yards and three touchdowns and quarterback Josh McGregor (9-of-14, 133 yards) threw for two more scores.

Albany wrapped up the other berth in the Gridiron Classic by blasting Robert Morris, 41-7, to clinch at least a tie for the Northeast Conference crown. Vinny Esposito threw for 201 yards and a TD, and David McCarty rushed for 129 yards and one TD to lead the Great Danes, who can close out an outright title by beating Wagner this Saturday.