We're here at a chilly Rock to bring you the NCAA FCS quarterfinal contest between ASU and Richmond. App is ranked #2 in the nation and are hosting the #7 ranked Spiders. A win for the Mountaineers advances them to the final four of FCS football where they will play the winner of the game between Northern Iowa and New Hampshire.We'll try to keep things updated as weather and time allows. The game is being televised as part of the ESPN GamePlan package and can be found on http://www.espn360.com/ with the proper high-speed internet connection.
12:15 PM -- Appalachian took the opening kickoff but was held to three and out. The Mountaineer defense returns the favor to Richmond and receives the ball for its second drive of the game. Scoreless with 10:20 left in the first period.
12:35 PM --Big catches by Ben Jordan and Matt Cline, as well as a pair of Spider penalties set up a 2-yard TD run by Armanti Edwards to put ASU on the board. 7-0 Mountaineers with 2:58 left in the first qtr.
12:45 PM - Richmond takes its ensuing drive and marches 59 yards for a touchdown, helped by a questionable pass completion of 27 yards. Two plays later, Josh Vaughan scores on a 13-yard run. The extra point failed, leaving the Mountaineers ahead by a slim 7-6 advantage as the first period expires.
12:15 PM -- Appalachian took the opening kickoff but was held to three and out. The Mountaineer defense returns the favor to Richmond and receives the ball for its second drive of the game. Scoreless with 10:20 left in the first period.
12:35 PM --Big catches by Ben Jordan and Matt Cline, as well as a pair of Spider penalties set up a 2-yard TD run by Armanti Edwards to put ASU on the board. 7-0 Mountaineers with 2:58 left in the first qtr.
12:45 PM - Richmond takes its ensuing drive and marches 59 yards for a touchdown, helped by a questionable pass completion of 27 yards. Two plays later, Josh Vaughan scores on a 13-yard run. The extra point failed, leaving the Mountaineers ahead by a slim 7-6 advantage as the first period expires.
12:55 PM - Appalachian drives the ball inside the Richmond 40 with the first possession of the 2nd quarter, but a quick pass to CoCo Hillary is fumbled and the Spiders recover the ball at their own 37. A healthy dose of RB Josh Vaughn has been the Richmond game plan throughout the first half.
1:15 PM - The teams traded punts after the defenses held. Richmond used the air attack and ground game to mix up a drive inside the ASU red zone. The Black and Gold defense stiffened, however, forcing a Richmond field goal attempt. The try sailed wide right, presering the narrow 7-6 lead as snow flurries begin to fall at Kidd-Brewer.
1:30 PM - A 39-yard pass play to Brian Quick and a pass to tight end Ben Jordan moves ASU from its own 20 yard line to the Richmond 14 in just two plays. Richmond tightens the reigns on D as they stop the Apps on three straight plays to force a Mountaineer field goal attempt. The 38 yard attempt by Jason Vitaris is no good, keeping the score 7-6 at the end of the first half. Armanti Edwards is 14 of 18 passing for 175 yards for the half.
2:00 PM - Richmond takes the opening kick of the 2nd half and marches downfield with a number of key third down conversions, but can only get to the Appalachian 19 yard line before the Black and Gold hold the offense at bay. A 36-yard field goal by Andrew Howard just slips inside the left upright, giving the Spiders their first lead at 9-7 with 9:05 left in the third period. The snow continues to fall more heavily at the Rock.
2:05 PM - An Armanti Edwards pass is picked off by Richmond's Seth Williams and returned to the ASU 2 yard line. Momentum has definitely swung the way of the visitors. A second effort burst by RB Vaughan gets the Spiders in the end zone on third and goal. The Andrew Howard PAT gives the Spiders the lead 16-7 with 7:21 remaining in the third quarter.
2:30 PM - App has given up another touchdown after Edwards is picked off again by Williams, who returns the ball to the ASU 10. Richmond QB Ward runs it in from 10 yards one play later for a score. The PAT puts Richmond up 23-7 at the 5:46 mark. ASU fumbles the ensuing kickoff, but dodges a bullet after the defense holds the Spiders without a first down as Richmond kicker Howard misses a 33-yard attempt. ASU uses the momentum to drive the field. App scores quickly on a TJ Courman 4-yard TD reception. The two-point conversion is no good, but ASU cuts the deficit to 23-13 at the end of the third quarter.
2:40 PM - ASU gets the ball after a Richmond punt and drives inside Spider territory with the help of a long third down pass play, but two plays later Edwards is hit as he throws and the pass is intercepted by Richmond's Michael Ireland, killing yet another offensive series for the Black and Gold. Josh Vaughan has been strong for the Spiders today with 22 rushes for 95 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while quarterback Eric Ward has picked up key runs during drives and has a touchdown today himself.
2:50 PM - following the Spider interception the Richmond offense moves the football to the ASU 9, but the drive stalls, so the Spiders settle for a 26-yard Howard field goal to pad the Richmond lead to 26-13 with 10:10 remaining in the contest. Stat line of the game: ASU has been held to only 28 yards rushing on 21 attempts through three quarters. despite Appalachian leading in total yardage 269-255.
2:55 PM - After the ensuing kickoff, Appalachian tries to move the ball quickly and advances it to near midfield. A long bomb pass from Edwards to Brian Quick is intercepted in the end zone by Richmond. Yet another turnover for the Black and Gold who have been killing themselves, particularly in the passing game due to being unable to run the football effectively against a stern Spider defense.
3:00 PM - Soneone told me just last evening that they were concerned that ASU did not have the fire or hunger to complete the quest for four. That omen is looking more and more to be a possibility as Richmond has taken the football from its own 20 and driven the ball inside the ASU red zone with the running game pounding the football downfield while eating precious time off the clock. A third down pass play from Ward to Kevin Grayson keeps the drive alive and moves the football to the ASU 6-yard line for a first and goal with 2:20 left.
3:05 - Josh Vaughan scores on a one-yard touchdown on fourth and goal with 1:38 left in the contest. The PAT makes the score 33-13, effectively ending the season for the Black and Gold and its quest for Four.
1:15 PM - The teams traded punts after the defenses held. Richmond used the air attack and ground game to mix up a drive inside the ASU red zone. The Black and Gold defense stiffened, however, forcing a Richmond field goal attempt. The try sailed wide right, presering the narrow 7-6 lead as snow flurries begin to fall at Kidd-Brewer.
1:30 PM - A 39-yard pass play to Brian Quick and a pass to tight end Ben Jordan moves ASU from its own 20 yard line to the Richmond 14 in just two plays. Richmond tightens the reigns on D as they stop the Apps on three straight plays to force a Mountaineer field goal attempt. The 38 yard attempt by Jason Vitaris is no good, keeping the score 7-6 at the end of the first half. Armanti Edwards is 14 of 18 passing for 175 yards for the half.
2:00 PM - Richmond takes the opening kick of the 2nd half and marches downfield with a number of key third down conversions, but can only get to the Appalachian 19 yard line before the Black and Gold hold the offense at bay. A 36-yard field goal by Andrew Howard just slips inside the left upright, giving the Spiders their first lead at 9-7 with 9:05 left in the third period. The snow continues to fall more heavily at the Rock.
2:05 PM - An Armanti Edwards pass is picked off by Richmond's Seth Williams and returned to the ASU 2 yard line. Momentum has definitely swung the way of the visitors. A second effort burst by RB Vaughan gets the Spiders in the end zone on third and goal. The Andrew Howard PAT gives the Spiders the lead 16-7 with 7:21 remaining in the third quarter.
2:30 PM - App has given up another touchdown after Edwards is picked off again by Williams, who returns the ball to the ASU 10. Richmond QB Ward runs it in from 10 yards one play later for a score. The PAT puts Richmond up 23-7 at the 5:46 mark. ASU fumbles the ensuing kickoff, but dodges a bullet after the defense holds the Spiders without a first down as Richmond kicker Howard misses a 33-yard attempt. ASU uses the momentum to drive the field. App scores quickly on a TJ Courman 4-yard TD reception. The two-point conversion is no good, but ASU cuts the deficit to 23-13 at the end of the third quarter.
2:40 PM - ASU gets the ball after a Richmond punt and drives inside Spider territory with the help of a long third down pass play, but two plays later Edwards is hit as he throws and the pass is intercepted by Richmond's Michael Ireland, killing yet another offensive series for the Black and Gold. Josh Vaughan has been strong for the Spiders today with 22 rushes for 95 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while quarterback Eric Ward has picked up key runs during drives and has a touchdown today himself.
2:50 PM - following the Spider interception the Richmond offense moves the football to the ASU 9, but the drive stalls, so the Spiders settle for a 26-yard Howard field goal to pad the Richmond lead to 26-13 with 10:10 remaining in the contest. Stat line of the game: ASU has been held to only 28 yards rushing on 21 attempts through three quarters. despite Appalachian leading in total yardage 269-255.
2:55 PM - After the ensuing kickoff, Appalachian tries to move the ball quickly and advances it to near midfield. A long bomb pass from Edwards to Brian Quick is intercepted in the end zone by Richmond. Yet another turnover for the Black and Gold who have been killing themselves, particularly in the passing game due to being unable to run the football effectively against a stern Spider defense.
3:00 PM - Soneone told me just last evening that they were concerned that ASU did not have the fire or hunger to complete the quest for four. That omen is looking more and more to be a possibility as Richmond has taken the football from its own 20 and driven the ball inside the ASU red zone with the running game pounding the football downfield while eating precious time off the clock. A third down pass play from Ward to Kevin Grayson keeps the drive alive and moves the football to the ASU 6-yard line for a first and goal with 2:20 left.
3:05 - Josh Vaughan scores on a one-yard touchdown on fourth and goal with 1:38 left in the contest. The PAT makes the score 33-13, effectively ending the season for the Black and Gold and its quest for Four.
3:15 PM - Edwards attempts another pass toward the end zone in the final minute and Williams picks up his third interception of the game. Richmond goes on to run out the clock and pick up the win to advance to the semifinals. Final score 33-13. A great season for the Apps comes up short of its goal of a national title. Congratulations to the Black and Gold. That's it from Kidd Brewer for 2008. We'll be back in a new indoor press box in 2009! Thanks for following the Blog!
