University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
12-3
Richmond
12-3
Spiders Stun Panthers, 21-20
12/13/2008 7:00:00 AM | Football
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CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Richmond scored on a 13-yard touchdown strike from Eric Ward to Joe Stewart with 14 seconds left in the game to seal a 21-20 win over the University of Northern Iowa in the semifinals of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
The Spiders will now advance the NCAA FCS national title game on Friday and will take on the Montana Grizzlies in Chattanooga, Tenn. UNI finished the 2008 season with a mark of 12-3, while Richmond improved to 12-3.
UNI struck first at the 3:38 mark of the first quarter when Billy Hallgren split the uprights on a 35-yard field goal. The 13-play, 64-yard drive took 5:45 minutes off the clock. The UNI defense held strong, and the Panthers went into the second quarter holding on to a 3-0 lead.
After a Hallgren 42-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right, Richmond drove 76 yards on nine plays highlighted by a 40-yard flea-flicker pass from Ward to Grayson to give the Spiders their first lead of the game at 7-3.
The following drive, Hallgren's 51-yard field goal attempt was short and Richmond got the ball back at their own 33 yard-line with 2:32 left in the half. The Panther defense kept the Spiders off the scoreboard as Andrew Howard's 22-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right on the final play of the half.
Coming out of halftime, the Panther defense force a three-and-out for the Spiders and the Panthers got the ball on their own 32-yard line. Pat Grace connected with wide receiver Maurice Turner for 25 yards to the Richmond 19-yard line and back-to-back carries by Derrick Law gave the Panthers a first and goal on the Spider five-yard line. Grace then connected with Ryan Mahaffey for a four-yard touchdown pass to put the Panthers back on top, 10-7.
On the Spiders ensuing possession, Jamar Thompson forced a fumble and De'Veon Harris recovered and returned it to the Richmond 16-yard line. Law carried the Panthers to the Spider 10-yard line and on the following play Grace found Jerred Herring in the endzone on a 10-yard touchdown pass. Following the PAT the Panthers took a 17-7 lead.
The Panther defense forced another three-and-out for the Spiders and took over on their own 31-yard line. Grace found Turner again for a 14-yard pass play followed by a 10-yard scamper by Corey Lewis to the Richmond 42-yard line. Grace then found Law on a 15-yard pass, and after back-to-back carries by Law the Panthers drove to the Richmond 15-yard line. Grace found Josh Collins for a 8-yard pass to the Richmond 7-yard line, but it wasn't enough for the first down and UNI was forced to settle for a 25-yard field goal by Hallgren with 5:43 left in the third quarter.
The Spiders started the fourth quarter with a 12-play, 80-yard drive capped off by a Ward one-yard rush to close the gap to 20-14 with 11:16 left in the fourth quarter. The Panther offense was unable to move the ball and Brook Black was forced to punt with 7:58 left in the game.
Richmond got the ball on its own 11-yard line and drove to the UNI 42-yard line and faced a third-and-one. A false start on the Spider offensive line pushed the ball back to the UNI 47-yard line. Ward found Josh Vaughan on a five-yard pass, but it wasn't enough for a first down. Facing fourth-and-one the UNI defense held strong and stopped Vaughan short of the first down with 2:13 left in the game.
After getting the ball on their own 42-yard line, the Spider defense forced a three and out and Black was forced to punt.
The Spiders took over on their own 38 and eventually drove 62 yards on nine plays capped off by a 13-yard pass from Ward to Stewart to knot the score at 20-20. Howard added the PAT and the Spiders took the lead for good at 21-20 with 14 seconds left on the clock.
UNI's Jamar Thompson tallied a game-high 20 tackles in the contest. He had seven solo stops and added a forced fumble and tackle-for-loss. Josh Mahoney secured 13 stops. James Ruffin notched a sack, his team-leading 10th of the season, and had eight total tackles in the game.
Grace passed for 224 yards and two scores on 19-of-28 passing. Grace connected with nine different receivers in the game and Maurice Turner led the Panthers with 67 receiving yards.
Lewis finished his Panther career with a school-record 4,003 rushing yards, after rushing for 77 yards on carries against the Spiders.
Team Stats
RICHMOND 0, UNI 3
UNI - Hallgren, Billy 35 yd field goal 13 plays, 64 yards, TOP 5:45
RICHMOND 7, UNI 3
RICHMOND - Kevin Grayson 40 yd pass from Eric Ward (Andrew Howard kick) 9 plays, 76 yards, TOP 4:56
RICHMOND 7, UNI 10
UNI - Mahaffey, Ryan 4 yd pass from Grace, Pat (Hallgren, Billy kick) 7 plays, 68 yards, TOP 3:24
RICHMOND 7, UNI 17
UNI - Herring, Jarred 10 yd pass from Grace, Pat (Hallgren, Billy kick) 3 plays, 16 yards, TOP 1:18
RICHMOND 7, UNI 20
UNI - Hallgren, Billy 25 yd field goal 13 plays, 62 yards, TOP 5:43
RICHMOND 14, UNI 20
RICHMOND - Eric Ward 1 yd run (Andrew Howard kick), 12 plays, 80 yards, TOP 4:08
RICHMOND 21, UNI 20
RICHMOND - Joe Stewart 13 yd pass from Eric Ward (Andrew Howard kick) 9 plays, 62 yards, TOP 1:30