Bears battle to end

Central Arkansas quarterback Wynrick Smothers (left) escapes pressure from Georgia Southern defensive tackle Justice Ejike during UCA’s 24-16 loss in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs Saturday in Statesboro, Ga.

Central Arkansas quarterback Wynrick Smothers (left) escapes pressure from Georgia Southern defensive tackle Justice Ejike during UCA’s 24-16 loss in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs Saturday in Statesboro, Ga.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

— Central Arkansas ended its season with a second-round FCS playoff loss for the second consecutive year, but the Bears made a game out of it this time.

Unlike Montana, which led 31-0 at halftime en route to beating UCA 41-14 one year ago, Georgia Southern had to play all the way to the end before advancing to the quarterfinals of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs with a 24-16 victory Saturday in front of an announced crowd of 8,888 at Paulson Stadium.

The outcome wasn’t decided until UCA receiver Dezmin Lewis caught a 10-yard pass from junior quarterback Wynrick Smothers and fumbled at the UCA 36. Lewis was initially ruled down, but the play was overturned after a review and Georgia Southern ran out the clock.

“I’m very proud of our program overall,” UCA Coach Clint Conque said. “We keep knocking on the door. Sooner or later, we’re going to punch the damn thing through.”

Georgia Southern Coach Jeff Monken expressed relief in getting past the Bears. The Eagles, seeded fifth in the FCS field, will face Old Dominion in the quarterfinals next weekend.

“One side needed a stop,” Monken said. “We got it.”

UCA, which put together fourth-quarter comebacks earlier this season against Sam Houston State and Mc-Neese State, couldn’t quite get the job done this time after falling behind 24-6 in the first half.

“It ended the game for us,” Conque said of the fourthquarter fumble.

Eagles junior quarterback Jerick McKinnon was the main reason UCA faced a comeback situation.

McKinnon, 5-9, 208, rushed for a career-high 316 yards on 34 carries and 2 touchdowns and threw 2 touchdown passes. McKinnon came within 17 yards of the FCS record set by former Georgia Southern running back Adrian Peterson, who had 333 yards against Massachusetts in 1999.

“We had great perimeter blocking,” McKinnon said. “I just happened to have the ball.”

Georgia Southern outgained UCA 483-394, including 404 rushing yards. The Eagles led the FCS in rushing going into Saturday with an average of 392.2 yards per game, thanks in large part to McKinnon, a first-year starter at quarterback.

“He’s an outstanding football player,” Conque said. “He did a nice job of getting to the second and third level.”

UCA trailed 24-9 at halftime, but McKinnon threw an interception to junior strong safety Karl Brady at the UCA 5 and Brady returned it 36 yards to the 41 to give the Bears good field position early in the third quarter. UCA went 59 yards in seven plays as Jackie Hinton scored from 19 yards out to pull the Bears within 24-16 with 8:54 left in the third quarter.

Georgia Southern placekicker Alex Hanks missed a 27-yard field goal, giving the ball back to the Bears. UCA faced fourth-and-5 at the Eagles’ 44 with 10:35 remaining, but Smothers’ pass to Brett Soft fell incomplete.

Smothers completed 16 of 41 passes for 251 yards and rushed for 79 yards on 12 carries. Hinton had 53 yards and 1 touchdown on 8 carries, and Lewis led the Bears in receiving with 90 yards on 4 catches.

“We dug ourselves a hole,” Conque said. “We battled and fought; I knew we could do that.”

FCS playoffs glance

SECOND ROUND SATURDAY’S GAMES

Georgia Southern 24, Central Arkansas 16

Wofford 23, New Hampshire 7 Old Dominion 63, Coastal Carolina 35 Illinois St. 38, Appalachian State 37, OT North Dakota State 28, South Dakota State 3 Sam Houston State 18, Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo 16 Eastern Washington 29, Wagner 19 Montana State 16, Stony Brook 10

QUARTERFINALS DEC. 7 OR DEC. 8

North Dakota State (11-1) vs. Wofford (9-3), TBD Georgia Southern (9-3) vs. Old Dominion (11-1), TBD Montana State (11-1) vs. Sam Houston State (9-3), TBD Illinois State (9-3) vs. Eastern Washington (10-2), TBD

Sports, Pages 23 on 12/02/2012