Dec. 1—DURHAM — Not like throughout its current four-game successful streak, time was not on the College of New Hampshire soccer group’s facet on Saturday at Wildcat Stadium.
The College of Tennessee Martin had possession for greater than 40 minutes in its 41-10 NCAA FCS first-round playoff overcome the Wildcats with 1,573 followers in attendance.
No. 16 seed UNH (8-5), of the Coastal Athletic Affiliation, received the possession battle in every of its remaining 4 regular-season video games — all victories — to earn its 18th FCS playoff berth.
The Skyhawks (9-4), of the Massive South/Ohio Valley Convention will play at top-seeded Montana State — the one remaining unbeaten FCS group — on Dec. 7.
UT Martin completed with 40:14 in time of possession and 482 yards of whole offense on 79 performs. The Wildcats, who entered Saturday ranked tenth within the nation in time of possession, had the ball for 19:46, recording 124 yards of whole offense on 51 performs.
UNH was 2-for-12 on third down and 0-for-4 on fourth-down conversions. The Skyhawks went 8-for-18 on third-down and 2-for-3 on fourth-down conversions.
“In these vital moments as we speak, we simply did not execute as much as our requirements like we’ve the final 4 or 5 weeks,” UNH coach Rick Santos stated. “After which with them making the performs on third down, it form of snowballed within the fallacious course rapidly and clearly they took benefit of it.”
The rating was tied at 7-7 after the opening quarter earlier than UT Martin pulled away within the second en path to a 27-7 halftime lead.
The Wildcats had 24 yards of whole offense in comparison with UT Martin’s 343 yards at halftime.
UNH’s lone landing got here on senior Caleb Mead’s 95-yard kickoff return up the close to sideline with 6:45 left within the first body. Mead’s TD instantly adopted the Skyhawks’s first scoring drive.
Nick Mazzie made his lone point-after kick and a 41-yard subject aim within the third quarter for the Wildcats.
UT Martin scored its second-quarter factors on landing runs by Patrick Smith (3 yards), quarterback Kinkead Dent (2 yards) and two point-after kicks and subject objectives of 30 and 36 yards from kicker Jaren Van Winkle.
Dent (17 of 26, 246 yards) stated the Skyhawks had UNH’s 21-point second-half comeback win over Stony Brook on Nov. 16 on their minds in that second quarter.
“Individuals say step on the neck … this group did have a giant win over Stony Brook,” stated Dent, who rushed for 56 yards on 10 carries. “We had been conscious of that … I feel going on the market and ending the sport was form of the mindset and we had been getting ready to try this.”
Santos credited Dent — how he rushed and made unscripted performs — for the lopsided second quarter.
UT Martin opened the sport’s scoring on a 4-yard landing run by Rashad Raymond with 6:59 left within the first quarter. The Skyhawks additionally obtained landing runs from vast receiver Trevonte Rucker (4 yards) and backup working again Glover Cook dinner III (1 yard) within the fourth quarter.
UNH linebacker Ryan Toscano, a graduate pupil captain from Bedford, stated the Skyhawks’ offense added just a few wrinkles however aside from that performed precisely how UNH ready for all week.
“We practiced all their schemes and all of the forms of performs they run however like several good group that UT Martin is that they alter little issues to scheme us up as properly,” stated Toscano, who logged a game-high 18 tackles. “We have had an incredible yr on protection and as we speak wasn’t our day.”
Mead, a senior cornerback, led UNH in dashing with 36 yards on 4 carries. UNH senior quarterback Seth Morgan went 9 of 24 passing for 47 yards and an interception.
Smith rushed for a game-high 71 yards on 15 carries. Rucker had a game-high 9 receptions for a game-high 88 yards.
“This one stings and clearly it should harm for some time however on the finish of the day I do not suppose one recreation defines what this group’s all about,” Santos stated. “One recreation definitely does not outline what this senior class is all about and every part they’ve achieved…They acquired the most effective of us as we speak however I feel our guys must be actually pleased with what they achieved this yr.”
ahall@unioleader.com
