I hope you all got to see some D2 Playoff football, whether it was in person, online or following on Twitter on your smartphone.

Some great games out there, no huge shockers, but five lower seeds did come out on top.

Four teams picked up their first-ever playoff victories, two perennial playoff powerhouses knocked off teams on the road that they had just recently lost to (on the road) and the defending national champion needed overtime to come out on top.



SR1


at Cal 44 Elizabeth City 0
Attendance: 2127

Cal (10-2), the lower-seeded team but playing at home because ECSU's "facility could not provide the equity required by the NCAA as to host a playoff at our site," scored 23 points in the second quarter, led 30-0 at halftime and never looked back.

Senior WR Thomas Mayo and junior RB Lamont Smith each scored three touchdowns and quarterback Peter Lalich completed 26 of 34 passes for 357 yards and the three strikes to Mayo.

Elizabeth City (8-4), who turned the ball over four times, was outgained 497-197.

Cal moves on to play at SR1 top-seed Winston Salem (11-0) at 12 p.m. EST.

Cal recap: Here

Kutztown 17 at Concord 14
Attendance: 3614

In the program's 96th year, Kutztown University (11-1) earned its first-ever playoff win and set a new benchmark for victories, edging last year's total of 10.

Concord (7-4) got on the board first, on a 16-yard Brian Kennedy run with 14 seconds to play in the first quarter, but couldn't find the end zone again until there was just under a minute left in the game.

Kutztown's Harlon Hill candidate QB Kevin Morton was just 3 for 11 before he was knocked out of the game for the second straight week.

KU was led offensively by running back Robbie Frey, who carried 25 times for 157 yards and a touchdown.

Senior defensive end Brett Moss had four sacks, setting a KU single-season record with 17 on the year. He also forced two fumbles.

Kutztown moves on to a matchup with SR1 2-seed New Haven Saturday at 12 p.m. EST.

Kutztown recap: Here



SR2


North Albama 43 at West Alabama 27
Attendance: 6925

North Alabama scored on its first five possessions and six of seven in the first half, pulling away to a 36-14 lead at intermission.

Harlon Hill candidate Lee Chapple threw for 320 yards and two touchdowns on a 27 for 33 day (o INTs) for North Alabama (9-2) and Florida State transfer DB Janoris Jenkins picked off a pass and returned a punt for a touchdown.

North Alabama, who avenged a loss three weeks ago to West Alabama (8-4), moves on to play SR2 No. 1 Delta State at 2 p.m. EST in a game against the other team they lost to this year.

UNA recap: Here

at North Greenville 63 Albany State 14
Attendance: 3374

North Greenville won its eighth consecutive game and first ever playoff game in its first trip to the postseason. The Crusaders are one of, if not THE hottest team in the country heading into the second round of the playoffs, having set point total school records in consecutive weeks and outscoring their last three opponents 179-21.

NGU jumped up 35-0 before allowing a touchdown near the end of the first half, but what was already a bad first frame for Albany (8-4) got worse when Greenville's Cedric Proctor took the ensuing kick 75 yards for another score and a 42-7 halftime lead.

Nine different people scored North Greenville's nine touchdowns, including running back Teryan Rucker, who led the Crusaders with 70 yards rushing.

North Greenville moves on to play SR2 2-seed Mars Hill at Noon EST on Saturday.

North Greenville recap: Here



SR 3


at Minnesota Duluth 30 Saginaw Valley 27 OT
Attendance: 1012

UMD Running back Zach Hulce and QB Chase Vogler both scored two rushing touchdowns as the run-heavy Bulldogs escaped with an overtime victory on Saginaw Valley.

Duluth was outgained by six yards in total offense, but won the battle on the ground 260 to 34. Hulce led the way with 123 yards on 27 carries, but it was Vogler's second trip to the end zone of the day in overtime after a Saginaw FG that won the game for UMD.

Duluth now heads to 11-0 CSU-Pueblo for a 1 p.m. EST kickoff Saturday.

UMD recap: Here

Wayne State 48 at St. Cloud State 38
Attendance: 838

In sub-freezing temps and a steady snow throughout the game, Wayne State RB Toney Davis rushed 38 times for 326 yards and five touchdowns, helping his Warriors team to their first ever playoff victory.

Wayne (9-3) trailed 21-6 three minutes into the second quarter, but stormed back to take a 27-21 lead that they never gave up.

QB Phillip Klaphake threw three touchdowns for SCSU (9-3), but also had two picks.

Wayne State now heads to SR3 2-seed Nebraska-Kearney for a 1 p.m. EST kick.

Wayne State recap: Here


SR4


Northwest Missouri 35 at Missouri Western 29
Attendance 8420

Missouri Western (9-3), who beat Northwest 31-28 just two weeks ago, jumped out to a 16-0 lead less than four minutes into the game, despite have zero total offensive yards at the time, and led 22-7 at halftime, but could never get enough going offensively to hold off Northwest Missouri.

Northwest (10-2) used two third quarter touchdowns from running back James Franklin to overcome a turnover-heavy first quarter, and was able to outlast the leg of Western's All-World kicker Greg Zuerlein, who had field goals of 58, 57 and 52 yards, all before halftime.

An eight-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by NWMSU d-lineman Matt Longacre with eight minutes to play was the only score of the fourth quarter and gave the Bearcats the victory.

Northwest Missouri earned themselves a trip to SR4 1 (and D2Football.com No. 1) Midwestern State for a 1 p.m. EST kickoff.

Northwest Missouri recap: Here

at Washburn 52 Abilene Christian 49
Attendance 4410

Washburn took a 45-21 lead five minutes into the third quarter, but ACU QB and Harlon Hill candidate Mitchell Gale threw three of his four touchdowns in the next 13 minutes of gametime to bring the Wildcats (9-3) to within three points.

Washburn's got their own Harlon Hill candidate though in QB Dane Simoneau, and he proved his worth a little later in the fourth, connecting with Ronnel Garner for a 61 yard touchdown to give the Ichabods (10-3) a 10-point lead with a little over 4 to play.

Gale finished with 506 yards, the four touchdowns and three INTs. Simoneau passed for 424 yards, two touchdowns and zero INTs.

Washburn running back Justin Cooper ran for 112 yards and four touchdowns, helping his team to their first-ever playoff win.

The 'Bods will now travel to Pitt State for a 2 p.m. EST kickoff.

Washburn recap: Here

Did you go to a game yesterday? Did you watch one online? Follow via any other means?

Did I miss a performance that deserves recognition? Tell me about it by leaving a comment below, emailing me at [email protected], mentioning me on Twiter @miAARONd2 or sending me a message at Facebook.com/apheintz!