Dave Dickenson completed 31 of 39 passes for 441 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score as Montana crushed Eastern Kentucky 48-0 Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Division I-AA football playoffs.
Montana (10-2) turned five EKU fumbles into three scores in the first half. EKU (9-3) was held to just eight first downs and punted seven times.EKU quarterback Tommy Luginbill fumbled the first snap from center and Montana recovered on the EKU 34. Six plays later Montana scored on a 1-yard run by Josh Branen, less than two minutes into the game.
That set the tone of the game as Montana outgained the Colonels 590-137 yards in total offense.
Branen, who finished with 54 yards rushing and caught five passes for 64 yards, scored on another 1-yard run with 8:48 left in the first quarter. Dickenson hit Joe Douglass on a 19-yarder five minutes later to give Montana a 21-0 lead after the first quarter.
The Grizzlies opened the second quarter with a 35-yard field goal by Andy Larson and extended their lead to 31-0 on a 1-yard run by Brian Gales.
Another EKU fumble set up seven-play drive culminating in a 1-yard run by Dickenson, who battled the flu all week.
Larson added a 37-yard field goal for the 48-0 halftime margin.
Northern Iowa 35, Murray State 34
At Murray, Ky., Chris Berg threw for 325 yards and five touchdowns and Alonzo Clayton blocked a potentially game-tying extra point to help Northern Iowa beat previously unbeaten Murray State in the first round of the Division I-AA football playoffs Saturday.
Northern Iowa (8-4) plays Marshall (10-2), a 38-8 winner over Jackson State, next Saturday. Murray State (11-1) lost for the first time since a 73-17 defeat to Western Illinois on Nov. 20, 1994.
Berg guided the Panthers to a 21-7 lead in the second quarter with three TD passes to Clayton.
Murray cut the lead to 21-14 when Cherry hit Kwabene Idelette on a 22-yard touchdown pass with eight seconds left in the first half.
Cherry tied the game at 21-21 with a 2-yard run early in the third quarter.
Berg found Matt Harken on a 60-yard pass play at the end of the third quarter to put Northern Iowa ahead 28-21.
The Racers answered with a 7-yard pass from Cherry to Herman Taylor that capped an 11-play, 80-yard fourth-quarter drive.
Northern Iowa regained the lead with 8:06 left in the game on a 12-yard TD pass from Berg to Dedric Ward.
With the Racers trailing by a touchdown, Cherry led Murray 73 yards in 10 plays for the potentially tying touchdown - a 7-yard run by David McCann - with 1:26 left in the game.
With the score 35-34, Murray coach Houston Nutt elected to go for the tie since playoff games include a provision for overtime. But Clayton blocked the extra point try by kicker Chris Dill.
Cherry finished 31-of-50 for 391 yards and two touchdowns. Murray outgained Northern Iowa 590 yards to 439 and converted seven of 12 third downs.