The 2018 FCS Playoffs are here and we've got game-by-game wrap ups.
[divider]COMPARE: Any Two FCS Players | Any Two FCS Teams[divider]
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No. 3 EWU 34No. 6 UC Davis 29 |
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Next up: No. 7 Maine Date: Dec. 14 or Dec. 15 | TV: ESPN2 COMPARE: Maine vs. EWU |
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PREDICTIONS: What Did We Get Wrong In The Quarterfinals?
THE STANDOUTS
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Sam McPherson, RB, EWU — The senior was a workhorse, carrying the ball 24 times for 143 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown.
OTHER STAT STANDOUTS:
Eric Barriere, QB, EWU – 21-25 passing, 235 yards, 3 TDs, 43 yards rushing, 1 TD
Ketner Kupp, LB, EWU – 16 total tackles
Keelan Doss, WR, Davis – 9 rec., 143 yards
Montell Bland, LB, Davis – 8 solo tackles, 1.5 TFLs, 1 sack
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THE TURNING POINT
With just 1:13 left to re-take the lead, EWU quarterback Eric Barriere ripped off a 29-yard run to start the drive and un-stun the crowd and get the fire back into the offense. Two plays later, he hit Nsimba Webster on an 11-yard pass before Sam McPherson scored the game-winning 35-yard touchdown.
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THE SKINNY
The Eagles have suffered plenty of heartbreaking playoff losses in the 2010s. Not today.
Late-game drama led to what looked like a magical finish for a UC Davis team experiencing a tremendous turnaround.
The Aggies scored with 1:13 to play and then converted a two-point conversion to take a 29-28 lead. EWU, an experienced team with a ton of seniors, didn't back down. It took just four plays to go 75 yards, capped off by a Sam McPherson 35-yard touchdown run for the go-ahead score with 26 seconds remaining.
EWU persevered through plenty of momentum swings. UC Davis held a 21-14 advantage in the third quarter with opportunities to extend that lead. But the Eagles defense came up with big stops while the offense scored when it needed to most.
Of course, one team's triumph is another's heartbreak. UC Davis was one of the best stories of the season. A 5-6 record last season turned into a 10-3 finish this year and a trip to its first-ever FCS playoffs.
This is a team that lost to EWU 59-20 just a month ago. The Aggies put together a gutsy performance. But it was the Eagles who landed the last punch, something they came up short doing in previous seasons.
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PREVIEW OF NEXT WEEK
EWU hosts Maine, a team that knocked off Big Sky member Weber State on Friday. The Black Bears travel across the country again, which is an advantage to the Eagles. EWU is going to see its most physical opponent of the season, and Maine certainly got the nation's attention with its quarterfinal win.
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THE REST OF THE GAMES
