University of Richmond Athletics
No. 7 Spiders Set For FCS Title Shot
12/16/2008 | Football
No. 7 Richmond Spiders (12-3)
vs.
No. 5 Montana Grizzlies (14-1)
Finley Stadium/Davenport Field (20,668) • Chattanooga, Tenn.
Dec. 19, 2008 • 8 p.m. ET
Television: ESPN2, ESPN2-HD & ESPN360.com with Bob Wischusen (play-by-play) and Brock Huard (analyst).
Radio: Richmond ISP Sports Network (ESPN 950 AM & WBBT 107.3 FM in Richmond) with Bob Black (play-by-play), former Spider defensive lineman Jasmonn Coleman '98 (analyst), Matt Smith '92 (sideline) and Matt Josephs (studio host).
Internet Video Broadcast: ESPN360.com
Internet Audio Broadcast: RichmondSpiders.com; espn950am.com
Weekly Releases:
Richmond: PDF 
Montana: PDF
CAA Football: PDF
Big Sky: PDF
Weekly Audio/Video:
CAA Football Teleconference: Coach London 
CAA Football Teleconference: Lawrence Sidbury
Quick Slants:
• No. 7 Richmond makes the school's first-ever appearance in an NCAA National Championship game Friday night, battling No. 5 Montana for the 2008 FCS title, live on ESPN2/ESPN2-HD.
• The Spiders are making their seventh all-time appearance in the FCS Playoffs, their second-straight and third in the last four years.
• Richmond and Montana have met just once before -- the 2000 quarterfinals and the Griz ousted the Spiders, 34-20, in Missoula.
• Richmond has won eight-consecutive games, while knocking off three-straight conference champs -- No. 21 EKU (OVC), No. 2 App. State (SoCon) and No. 4 UNI (MVFC) -- during the 2008 playoffs.
• The Spiders scored 14-unanswered points in the fourth quarter and rallied from a 20-7 deficit to beat UNI in a semifinal thriller last Saturday. Richmond went ahead with 14 seconds remaining on junior QB Eric Ward's 13-yard TD pass to senior TE Joe Stewart.
• Ward (pictured) enjoyed a career day to lift Richmond to the National Championship game. He was 28-of-35 in the UNI win, with 280 yards passing, two TDs and a rushing TD.
• First Team All-CAA CB Justin Rogers is one of the most versatile threats in the FCS, with seven interceptions, 20 pass breakups, three defensive TDs, a blocked punt, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble. He was an All-American kick returner last season.
• Anchored by senior DEs Lawrence Sidbury and Sherman Logan, the Spiders rank sixth in the FCS in total defense. This season 11 opponents have failed to rush for more than 100 yards.
