University of Richmond Athletics
National Semifinal Preview: #6 Richmond at #5 Appalachian State
Dec. 4, 2007
No. 6 Richmond Spiders (11-2)
vs.
No. 5 Appalachian State Mountaineers (11-2)
NCAA FCS CHAMPIONSHIP - SEMIFINALS
Kidd Brewer Stadium (16,650) • Boone, N.C.
December 7, 2007 • 8 p.m. ET
Television: ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD with Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Chris Spielman (analyst) and Rob Stone (sideline).
Radio: ESPN 950 AM and Wolf 93.1 FM in Richmond with Bob Black (play-by-play), fomer Spider defensive lineman Jasmonn Coleman '97 (analyst) and Matt Smith '92 (sideline).
Satellite Radio: None.
Internet: Live audio coverage, photo gallery and postgame wrap-up on RichmondSpiders.com.
Weekly Releases:
Richmond: PDF 
Appalachian State: PDF
CAA Football: PDF
Weekly Audio/Video:
Coach Clawson on the CAA Teleconference 
Weekly Press Conference #14: Coach Clawson 
Weekly Press Conference #14: Players
Quick Slants:
• Winners of eight-consecutive games, Richmond carries the nation's longest winning streak into its 2007 NCAA Championship semifinal game Friday night at Appalachian State.
• The Spiders are making their sixth all-time appearance in the NCAA Playoffs, but first-ever in the national semifinals.
• With the win over Wofford last Saturday, the Spiders set a school-record for wins in a season (11-2).
• No other team in CAA Football has won more conference titles since 1998 than Richmond. The Spiders have four to their credit (1998, 2000, 2005 and 2007), the same number as Massachusetts.
• Richmond has defeated all six ranked opponents faced this season. Richmond is 5-0 versus teams in the Top-11 and 3-0 versus the Top-10 -- something no other FCS team in the nation has done this year.
• Senior tailback Tim Hightower (below), one of 16 Walter Payton Award finalists, is the nation's sixth-leading rusher this season, averaging 140.7 yards/game. He broke Richmond's single-game playoff record with 180 yards and a touchdown against EKU and scored two more TD's in the Wofford win. The senior owns 12 school records.
• Richmond had 15 selections to the CAA Football All-Conference Teams, including Offensive Rookie of the Year Kevin Grayson, Defensive Rookie of the Year Eric McBride, Special Teams Player of the Year Justin Rogers and Coach of the Year Dave Clawson.
• The well-balanced Spiders own the league's third-best scoring offense (34.9 pts/game), the second-best scoring defense (21.5); are second in sacks (37), fourth in sacks allowed (14); second in net punting (34.8) and second in punt returns (11.9).
Up Next:
The winner of this game meets the winner of the Delaware vs. Southern Illinois game next Friday in Chattanooga, Tenn. for the 2007 National Championship.