University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
No. 5 Appalachian State
No. 5 App. State Scores Late To Edge No. 4 Richmond, 35-31
12/06/2009 | Football
Dec. 5, 2009
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP contributed to story) - Junior LB Eric McBride's eight-yard fumble return for touchdown gave No. 4 Richmond the lead with less than four minutes remaining, but Appalachian State QB Armanti Edwards engineered a game-winning drive that lifted his Mountaineers past the Spiders, 35-31, in the NCAA Quarterfinals at UR Stadium Saturday night.
Edwards threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Matt Cline with 10 seconds to play, capping a wild last few minutes and giving Appalachian State the victory over the defending champion Spiders (11-2) in last-ever Richmond Football game at venerable UR Stadium.
"Armanti put it where it needed to be, low and outside," Cline said of the catch that got to him just past the outstretched arms of diving safety Michael Ireland for the winner.
The Mountaineers (11-2), who had won three straight national championships before getting knocked out by the Spiders in last year's quarterfinals, exacted their revenge after Richmond had taken the lead on a remarkable strip and fumble return by Eric McBride's with 3:26 left.
Their 11th consecutive victory earned them a trip to Montana to face the top-seeded Grizzlies next Saturday, a spot in the national championship game awaiting the winner.
The finish was wild, beginning with McBride's strip that looked like it might rescue the Spiders, who had not trailed in the game until the fourth quarter.
"I kind of put to use what the coaches taught us," the junior linebacker said.
On the play, the Spiders punted and Travaris Cadet fielded it inside his 10 for the Mountaineers. While he was trying to return it, McBride stripped the ball from his arms and took it eight yards into the end zone -- a critical play that gave Richmond the lead back at 31-28.
But the Mountaineers had plenty of time, and used almost all of it in driving 70 yards before Edwards rifled the third-down pass to Cline, just out of the diving reach of Michael Ireland.
"He threw the ball where only one guy could catch it," Richmond coach Mike London said.
Edwards was limited to just 51 yards rushing and two TDs, while completing 21-of-33 passes for 216 yards. He was five-for-six for 46 yards on the winning touchdown drive.
"The last thing we said to Armanti -- you've got to throw the ball," Appalachian State coach Jerry Moore said he told the 2008 Walter Payton Award winner before the last drive.
The touchdown capped a 21-point fourth quarter for the Mountaineers, who hadn't led until Edwards' second scoring run with 4:27 remaining that gave them a 28-24 edge.
That was before McBride's big play, and the Mountaineers' dramatic reply.
Earlier in the quarter, Devon Moore had capped a three-play, 64-yard drive with a five-yard run, and then started a 73-yard drive with runs of 15, 11 and 22 yards.
Moore, who finished with 175 yards on 22 carries, also had a six-yard burst to set up a first-and-goal from the three, and Edwards faked the handoff to Moore on the next play and scampered untouched for the TD.
Like at the start of the game, both teams scored on their first possession after halftime. Appalachian State needed to go just 43 yards after Devin Radford's career-best 46-yard kickoff return. The drive included a four-yard run by Moore on a fourth-and-two from the Richmond 35, and the game was tied at 14 three plays later when Moore ran it in from the 19.
The Spiders needed 14 plays to regain the lead. Eric Ward had an 18-yard run on third-and-13 from the 22. Gaskins ran it in from the one to make it 21-14 three plays later.
Richmond had two chances to extend its lead, but settled for field goal tries both times. Andrew Howard missed the first, from 29 yards, but made the second from 27 with 9:23 left.
But then the Spiders stopped moving, and couldn't stop the Mountaineers.
Ward, who played his final game as a Spider, capped his brilliant career with a 17-of-31 effort through the air for 202 yards and a TD. He also rushed 11 times for 51 yards. It marked his fourth 200-yard passing games in the Playoffs.
The senior owns every Richmond career passing record, ends his career ranked eighth all-time in CAA Football history in passing yards (8,969) and fifth in total offense (10,375). On the FCS all-time list, Ward's 10,375 yards of total offense ranks 27th.
Sophomore WR Kevin Grayson had 51 yards on four grabs.
Appalachian owned a 444-347 advantage in total yards (228-145 on the ground) -- the most rushing yards allowed by Richmond this season.
The Spiders closed the UR Stadium doors for good with nerve-racking contests in their final four games. Villanova squeaked out a 21-20 win on Nov. 7 when the Spiders missed a field goal in closing seconds, Richmond's Andrew Howard drilled a 48-yard field goal as time expired to beat William & Mary 13-10 on Nov. 21 and the Spiders survived two missed field goals by Elon in the final 90 seconds to win 16-13 last week before Saturday's dramatic finish.
The Spiders' 2010 season is set to open at Virginia, before Richmond entertains Elon at the new Robins Stadium Stadium Sept. 18.
