2024 FCS Playoffs: Second-Round Recap

Zachary McKinnell | Dec 9, 2024

North Dakota State wide receiver Braylon Henderson / Zachary Lucas (NDSU Athletics)

No. 1 Montana State 49, UT Martin 17

Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott had one of the best performances of his career, completing 22-of-25 passes for 300 passing yards and four touchdowns. He helped lead the Bobcats to over 500 yards of total offense, averaging 8.5 yards per play. Scottre Humphrey led the Bobcats with 102 rushing yards on only 11 carries, helping the Bobcats top the 200-yard mark for the 12th time this season.

UT Martin found some success through the air, but the Bobcats dominated the line of scrimmage. Montana State recorded eight sacks and held the Skyhawks to 2.6 yards per carry. Brody Grebe and Kenneth Eiden IV combined for 3.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. UT Martin wide receiver Trevonte Rucker led the Skyhawks with six receptions for 107 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Up Next: Montana State hosts No. 8 Idaho in the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs. Kickoff is scheduled for Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN.

No. 2 North Dakota State 51, No. 15 Abilene Christian 31

After an early 14-3 deficit, North Dakota State outscored Abilene Christian 48-17 over the final three quarters. The Bison scored 17 points off turnovers, including a game-sealing pick-six from linebacker Logan Kopp. Kopp recorded five tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, one interception, and two pass breakups. North Dakota State's secondary held Abilene Christian to only 153 passing yards, forcing two interceptions in the fourth quarter.

It was another impressive performance from North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller. He completed 20-of-29 passes for 274 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, and one rushing touchdown. The Bison struggled to establish the run, averaging only 3.3 yards per carry, which led to the Bison finishing 1-of-10 on third down. Abilene Christian linebacker Will Shaffer led the Wildcats with eight total tackles and two tackles for loss.

Up Next: North Dakota State hosts No. 7 Mercer in the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs. Kickoff is scheduled for Dec. 14 at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC.

No. 3 South Dakota State 35, No. 14 Montana 18

Dave Eggen (Intertia; SDSU Athletics)

It was another dominant rushing performance for South Dakota State as the Jackrabbits rushed for over 220 yards and 5.3 yards per carry. Amar Johnson led the Jackrabbits with 103 yards, while Angel Johnson posted 91 yards on only 13 carries. Wide receiver Griffin Wilde was a matchup nightmare, recording seven receptions for 114 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Mark Gronowski was efficient, completing 75% of his passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns.

Montana's offense struggled to establish the run, finishing with 75 rushing yards on 2.6 yards per carry. Defensive tackle Bryce Hawthorne had an impressive performance, leading the Jackrabbits with 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Montana's offense failed to produce a drive over 50 yards or score a touchdown until the fourth quarter, highlighting South Dakota State's dominance.

Up Next: South Dakota State hosts No. 6 Incarnate Word in the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs. Kickoff is scheduled for Dec. 14 at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN.

No. 4 South Dakota 42, No. 13 Tarleton State 31

South Dakota scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to secure its spot in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive season. The Coyotes dominated the line of scrimmage, rushing for 296 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 7.6 yards per carry. Travis Theis led the Coyotes with 130 yards and three touchdowns, while Charles Pierre Jr. averaged 8.9 yards per carry. Aidan Bouman was efficient, completing 18-of-22 attempts for 213 passing yards and two touchdowns.

Tarleton State found plenty of success through the air, passing for almost 400 yards, but turned the ball over three times in the second half. Wide receiver Darius Cooper led the Texans with nine receptions for 161 receiving yards and three touchdowns. The Coyotes became one of only three teams to hold Kayvon Britten under 100 rushing yards this season. South Dakota's Tim White had the game-sealing interception with 6:53 remaining.

Up Next: South Dakota hosts No. 5 UC Davis in the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs. Kickoff is scheduled for Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN+.

No. 5 UC Davis 42, No. 12 Illinois State 10

UC Davis wide receiver C.J. Hutton (1) / UC Davis Athletics

After an early 7-0 deficit, UC Davis outscored Illinois State 42-3 over the final 50 minutes of the game. Quarterback Miles Hastings topped the 400-yard mark for the second time this season, leading the Aggies with 403 passing yards and three touchdowns. It was another statement performance from Lan Larison, who posted 104 rushing yards, 87 receiving yards, and three touchdowns.

It was a game of missed opportunities for Illinois State, headlined by red zone struggles. The Redbirds finished 2-of-5 on red zone opportunities while only converting 2-of-6 of their fourth down attempts. Linebackers David Meyer and Porter Connors combined for 18 total tackles and one tackle for loss. Illinois State wide receiver Daniel Sobkowicz led the Redbirds with ten receptions for 111 receiving yards.

Up Next: UC Davis travels to No. 4 South Dakota in the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs. Kickoff is scheduled for Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN+.

No. 6 Incarnate Word 13, No. 11 Villanova 6

Incarnate Word had one of the most dominant defensive performances of the weekend. The Cardinals held Villanova to 138 total yards and 2.8 yards per play, allowing only two second-quarter field goals. The Cardinals recorded eight tackles for loss and three sacks, led by Declan Wiliams with two tackles for loss and one sack. The Wildcats averaged 1.5 yards per carry, finishing with 35 rushing yards on 23 carries.

Despite finishing the game with over 430 yards of total offense, Incarnate Word struggled to finish drives and reach the red zone. The Cardinals dominated the time of possession, holding the ball for almost 34 minutes. Lontrell Turner led the Cardinals with 120 rushing yards, while Zach Calzada posted a season-high 87 rushing yards. Calzada completed 22-of-37 attempts for 182 passing yards and one touchdown. Villanova linebacker Brendan Bell led the Wildcats with 15 tackles, one tackle for loss, and one forced fumble.

Up Next: Incarnate Word travels to No. 3 South Dakota State in the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs. Kickoff is scheduled for Dec. 14 at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN.

No. 7 Mercer 17, No. 10 Rhode Island

Mercer's defense delivered another outstanding performance, leading the Bears to the second FCS Playoff win in program history. Rhode Island only generated 49 rushing yards and 1.9 yards per carry. Defensive back Myles Redding posted seven total tackles, two pass breakups, and one interception. The Bears finished the game with six tackles for loss and only allowed two drives over 50 yards. Rhode Island wide receiver Marquise Buchanan led the Rams with 11 receptions for 119 receiving yards and one touchdown.

Running back Dwayne McGee carried the offense, leading the Bears with 114 rushing yards. Mercer's offense failed to generate a touchdown until the fourth quarter, but the Bears scored ten unanswered points in the final 14 minutes. Rhode Island defensive linemen Westley Neal Jr. and A.J. Pena combined for 12 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. It was Mercer's 10th consecutive home victory, setting a new program record.

Up Next: Mercer travels to No. 2 North Dakota State in the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs. Kickoff is scheduled for Dec. 14 at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC.

No. 8 Idaho 34, Lehigh 13

Idaho's 34-13 victory over Lehigh was the program's largest margin of victory in a playoff game. Quarterback Jack Layne completed 16-of-22 attempts for 318 passing yards and three passing touchdowns. Layne connected with wide receiver Jordan Dwyer for two explosive touchdowns, posting seven receptions for 166 receiving yards. Lehigh's defense did an excellent job limiting the run, holding the Vandals to 2.8 yards per carry.

There were plenty of missed opportunities for Lehigh, which failed to score on five trips inside Idaho territory. Linebacker Zach Johnson had a 74-yard pick-six while posting five total tackles and two tackles for loss. Lehigh was inside the Idaho 35-yard line on four consecutive drives, but the Vandals held the Hawks to only three points and stopped the Hawks on back-to-back fourth-down attempts.

Up Next: Idaho travels to No. 1 Montana State in the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs. Kickoff is scheduled for Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN.

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