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The Lone Star Conference took to the grand
stage last weekend with four teams taking the field in two national playoff
games, and they certainly didn't disappoint.
Abilene Christian and Tarleton State survived,
both by narrow margins, with the Wildcats earning a rematch at Northwest
Missouri State and Tarleton heading to the west coast to challenge the nation's
only undefeated contender in Central Washington.
The Tarleton-Texas A&M-Kingsville showdown
proved to be one people will talk about for years to come for many good reasons,
including:
-Garrett Lindholm's 64-yard field goal as time
expired in regulation, sending the game to overtime at 46-46. It was the second
longest field goal ever hit by an NCAA (all levels) kicker without the use of a
tee (Martin Gramatica of Kansas State hit from 65) and stands alone as a D2
playoff record.
-Scott Grantham's gutsy performance, which
included a dazzling 20- yard score on fourth-and-five in double-overtime, the
winning two- point conversion run on a quarterback off tackle and 296 yards and
three TDs through the air despite an injured throwing shoulder.
-Fred Winborn's career day of 223 yards and
four touchdowns on a workhorse-like 35 carries for TAMUK
-Devin Guinn's touchdown reception making him
Tarleton's career leader in scoring catches with 26
-The USA Today and ESPN SportsCenter coverage
that followed
Abilene Christian's win was just as deserving,
and came in a game that - while not near as thrilling - was also very close. The
Wildcats needed 17 straight points to turn a 14-7 deficit into a 24-14 lead,
then survived an onside kick attempt after Midwestern scored with 1:06
remaining.
What will the remaining LSC teams do for an
encore? Can both teams pull upsets and set up an all LSC-South regional
championship showdown in Stephenville, Tex? It may seem unlikely, but upsets are
part off football.
NCAA Division II Playoffs, Round Two
Tarleton State at Central Washington
2 p.m. (PST) (Noon CST for LSC fans) in Ellensburg, Wa
Central Washington is ranked No. 1 in the
country, and anyone who listens to Tarleton coach Sam McElroy analyze the
Wildcats would have no problem understanding why.
McElroy calls UCW big, aggressive and fast. He
says they do a good job of controlling the ball and they play great defense.
Wait....that sounds a lot like what he said
about his weekly opponent throughout South Division play.
Sure, CWU has a big-time win against defending
national champ Minnesota-Duluth, and I'm well aware they beat West Texas A&M
(albeit pre-Keithon Flemming). I'm also aware they have home field advantage and
that Tarleton isn't used to playing in the cold or the snow.
But Tarleton has been successful on the road
under McElroy, and getting out of Stephenville is probably the best thing for
the Texans. They need to step away from the circus of congratulations and pats
on the back from well-wishers who were proud to see them come out on top in last
week's wild one. Getting away from local fans for a solid 36 hours before game
time gives players and coaches time to get focused on nothing but the game
ahead.
CWU has had some scares from teams that would
struggle to win a game in the LSC South. And while I respect the talent the
Wildcats obviously have, I don't believe they - or anyone else in the country
- could go through the South without a loss.
I know this, if the Wildcats expect to win,
they better be up by at least four whenever Tarleton gets its last possession.
Tarleton in an upset, 24-21
Abilene Christian at Northwest Missouri
State
Noon CST in Maryville, Mo
ACU has been up and down since rising to No. 1
in the nation at the season's midway point. Now, the Wildcats face what appears
to be their most daunting task of all - beating Northwest Missouri State in a
rematch after knocking the Bearcats off 19-14 back on Aug. 27 in Abilene.
Gold footballs aren't handed out for wins in
August. Not in Division II. Not at any level.
To win trophies and be a national title
contender, you have to win in November, and nobody in recent seasons has done
that like Northwest Missouri.
Watching the scores from afar, I've noticed
that the Bearcats have seemed to get more and more dominant as the season went
on. Their offense is much better than what the Wildcats shut down in the season
opener for both teams.
That doesn't mean I think NWMo will just run
right over ACU. The Wildcats' defense is for real. Never have I personally seen
a D2 team better against the run. I remember watching Tarleton try haplessly to
rush the ball against the Wildcats, only to finish with a grand total of 27
yards on the ground - backwards. That's right, -27 yards.
But NWMo knows how to win at this time of year,
and as much as I will be pulling for both Texas schools to win, I simply don't
see it in this one.
Northwest Missouri State 31, Abilene Christian
21
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