Wofford College, which enrolls 1,378 students, shocked the University of Montana and the 19,761 fans at Washington-Grizzly Stadium with a 23-22 FCS playoff win on Saturday.
The 11th-ranked Terriers, who were upset with a first-round trip to Missoula after winning the Southern Conference, upset the second-ranked Grizzlies for their fourth win over a nationally-ranked team this season.
App State is the Football Championship Subdivision's two-time defending champ.
Following Saturday's win over Montana - the Terriers' first playoff victory in three years - Wofford head coach Mike Ayers said the upsets were comparable.
“They're right there together,” he said. “Any time you are able to beat an undefeated, an 11-0 team - and they (the Griz) probably thought they'd be an even higher seed - you have accomplished something. Especially when you do it in a hostile environment, it's a huge win for us. How would I compare them? They'd both be right there on the top shelf.”
“They're neck-and-neck,” said Wofford linebacker Seth Goldwire. “Montana's a great football team. It always feels good just beating good teams like that.”
The smaller Wofford was making its second postseason appearance since moving up to Division I 11 seasons ago. UM, which enrolls 13,961, made its 15th straight playoff showing.
Rematch?
In his postgame press conference, Ayers said he'd like to return to Missoula, but Montana coach Bobby Hauck was a little less thrilled with the idea.
“I'd like to come back for two reasons,” Ayers said. “No. 1, they say there's good trout fishing out here and No. 2, to have an opportunity to play these guys again. They are a quality team and you like playing good, hard-nosed, quality teams.”
Ayers, without any prompting, also complimented the Grizzly fans, calling them tough and classy in his opening remarks.
“I've never been to a place where they root so hard against you and then after you play your tails off and you win, they congratulate you and thank you. Just an awesome crowd. I thought 82,000 at (North) Carolina (State) was a tough crowd, well it doesn't hold a candle to these people.”
Hauck laughed at the idea of playing the dangerous triple-option Terriers again, so soon.
“You know, as we were nearing the playoffs, we were ticking off the option teams,” he said. “Nicholls State was out, great. Cal Poly was out, great. And we still got an option team ... so, no.”
“If he wants to line up in the I (formation) and play us, we'll play him any time, anywhere,” Hauck added.
Coulda, shoulda
Lex Hilliard, Montana's standout senior running back, capped his fine career with the seventh 100-yard rushing game of the season and his 52nd touchdown as a Grizzly.
Hilliard's 119 yards against Wofford put him at 4,018 yards for his career, which fell 52 yards shy of UM's career leader Yohance Humphery (4,070).
Hauck was sad to see Hilliard miss the mark.
“I'm kind of disappointed in retrospect that he couldn't play at Idaho State, because he'd have the rushing record I think,” Hauck said. “We felt like we could run the ball at Idaho State, and we did. I think he'd have had a nice game down there. That's not to take away from what he did today. He had a good game. He ran hard, he was physical, he was fun to watch.”
Hilliard sat out the ISU game with a thumb injury. Greg Coleman, one of two UM players arrested upon returning from Pocatello, ran for 104 yards in that game.
NFL bound ... ?
Both Hilliard and senior defensive end Kroy Biermann were singled out by Hauck as potential Sunday players.
“I think (they) have an excellent chance to get drafted,” he said. “It's debatable whether one of them or both could go the first day, but I think there's a chance of that, too, which is exciting.”
The last Grizzly player to get drafted was running back Justin Green, who was picked in the fifth round of the 2005 draft by Baltimore.
Green and Hilliard, who was a sophomore at the time, shared the load during that 2004 season, when UM played for the national title.
Biermann was held without a sack for a second consecutive game, but did have nine tackles versus Wofford.
In the Grizzlies' regular-season finale with Montana State, the Big Sky defensive player of the year recorded just one tackle, though a few more popped up on game film later.
Biermann ends his career second in career sacks (32) and tackles for loss (45.5). He trails Tim Bush (34.5 and 50) in both categories.
On the Edge
Wofford wide receivers caught just three passes on Saturday, but their play was spotlighted by their coach.
“Guys blocked well on the perimeter,” Ayers said. “That was huge for us. We had a couple opportunities where we almost went the distance. But to Montana's credit, they've got safeties that can run the alleys. They'd dive and click a heel and we'd stumble or get caught up.”
Quick kicks: Neither half of the Coeur d'Alene connection, UM's Matt Troxel and Wofford's Ben Widmyer, played on Saturday ... Senior LB Tyler Joyce's 10 tackles tied him with Kent Clausen (1976-79) for the second-most in team history with 348 ... Hauck, the second winningest coach in UM history, lost for just the sixth time at Washington-Griz Stadium - four of them coming in the playoffs ... The temperature was 15 degrees at the time of the final FG attempt. The game-time temperature of 13 degrees was the second coldest for a first-round playoff game at Washington-Griz Stadium ... Wofford advanced to the I-AA semifinals in its only other Division I postseason run in 2003. ... Montana right guard Terran Hillesland didn't play because of back spasms. ... Wofford's ranked victims in '07 are UM, Appalachian State, Furman and The Citadel. ... Wofford is the fourth-smallest school in D-I behind Centenary, Presbyterian and VMI.
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