FLORENCE, Ala. - Ted Schlafke threw for two touchdowns to lead Minnesota-Duluth to its first NCAA Division II football championship Saturday with a 21-14 win over Northwest Missouri State.
The Bulldogs (15-0) had never won a D-2 playoff football game before this season. Their defense, led by linebacker Robbie Aurich's 13 tackles, sacked Bearcats quarterbacks six times.
Northwest Missouri (13-2) lost in the championship game for the fourth consecutive season. The Bearcats also turned over the ball four times and recovered four of its six fumbles.
Schlafke broke up a scoreless first half with a 38-yard touchdown pass to Tony Doherty with 14 seconds left in the second quarter. Midway through the third, Schlafke connected with tailback Issac Odim for a 5-yard touchdown.
Odim's 4-yard run gave UMD a 21-0 lead early in the fourth, but the Bearcats' Aldwin Foster-Rettig had a 44- yard interception return shortly afterward to provide his team's first score.
Raphael Robinson's 2-yard touchdown catch with 1:36 left brought the Bearcats to within 21-14, but UMD got the onside kick and ran out the clock.
FCS (DIV. 1-AA) SEMIFINALS
RICHMOND 21, N. IOWA 10
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- Eric Ward threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Joe Stewart with 14 seconds left to give Richmond (12-3) a win over Northern Iowa (12-3), sending the Spiders to the Football Championship Subdivision title game.
Richmond (12-3) started the winning drive at its own 38 with 1:44 remaining and no timeouts left. Ward calmly passed the Spiders down the field and hit Stewart, his tight end, in the end zone to tie it at 20.
Andrew Howard kicked the extra point and, after Northern Iowa's final play went nowhere, the Spiders celebrated while the stunned Panthers looked on in silence.
Richmond reached the final for the first time and will play Montana in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Friday night. The 12 victories are a school record for the Spiders, who had been in the semifinals for only the second time.
Northern Iowa was seeking its second trip to the title game in four years.
LATE FRIDAY -- MONTANA 35
JAMES MADISON 27
HARRISONBURG, Va. -- Cole Bergquist threw three touchdown passes and Montana knocked player of the year contender Rodney Landers out before halftime and beat James Madison (12-2) late Friday to advance to the Football Championship Subdivision final.
Chase Reynolds scored three times for the Grizzlies (14-1), who forced four turnovers and twice turned Dukes fumbles on kickoffs into demoralizingly short, easy touchdown drives.
The Dukes, who rose to No. 1 in the nation after beating three-time defending champion Appalachian State in September, lost Walter Payton Award finalist Landers to an apparent ankle sprain late in the second quarter while trailing 14-10. James Madison never recovered, in part because it was as inept immediately after halftime as before.
DIVISION III SEMFINALS
MOUNT UNION 45, WHEATON 24
ALLIANCE, Ohio -- Nate Kmic became college football's all-time rushing leader, gaining 310 yards and scoring three touchdowns as Mount Union (14-0) beat Wheaton (11-3).
Kmic broke the record on a 42-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. His 7,986 career yards are 24 more than the mark set by Danny Woodhead of Chadron State in 2004-07.
Kmic's fifth consecutive game of more than 200 rushing yards helped the top-ranked Purple Raiders advance to the championship game for the 12th time. They will be seeking their 10th title in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl in Salem, Va., next Saturday.
WISCONSIN-WHITEWATER 39
MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR 13
BELTON, Texas -- Jeff Donovan threw for three touchdowns to lead defending national champion Wisconsin-Whitewater (13-1) past Mary Hardin-Baylor (12-2).
The Warhawks reached the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl for the fourth consecutive year and will get a rematch with Mount Union for the Division III title next Saturday.
Donovan's 3-yard scoring pass to Nick Slupski with 26 seconds left in the first half put UWW ahead for good at 12-10. Donovan then put the Warhawks in control with two third-quarter touchdown passes -- a 24-yarder to Danny Benson and an 8-yarder to Slupski for a 25-10 lead.
Reports: Iowa State's Gene Chizik gets Auburn post
AUBURN, Ala. -- Auburn has reportedly hired Iowa State's Gene Chizik as its new football coach, turning to a former defensive coordinator who helped the Tigers forge a perfect season but has won five games in two years as a head coach.
The Birmingham News, Mobile Press-Register, Rivals.com and Cedar Rapids Gazette reported Saturday that the former Auburn defensive coordinator will succeed Tommy Tuberville, who resigned following 10 seasons with an 85-40 record.
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