And both times in Football Championship Subdivision playoff games on the road.
The unseeded Richmond Spiders are indeed living right - loose and confident enough to take on anyone. They'll try to keep their Cinderella story going on Friday when they battle No. 4 seed Montana in the national title game at 6 p.m. (MST) in Chattanooga, Tenn.
“I think we belong. In the first three rounds we played conference champions. This is a significant accomplishment for these players.”
If you're going to study the Spiders, who will be making their first trip to the title game, their first-year coach is a good place to start.
London spent six of the past seven seasons molding one of the nation's top defenses at the University of Virginia. He served as the Cavaliers' defensive coordinator in 2007-08 when they made a run to the Gator Bowl and finished 9-4.
The defensive wizard saw his team hold Appalachian State to just two touchdowns in a 33-13 playoff win two weeks ago. Quite an accomplishment considering the Mountaineers averaged 37 points per game.
In three playoff wins, the Spiders have allowed an average of 14 points per contest. Only four times this season has Richmond allowed over 100 yards rushing in a game (Northern Iowa had 146 yards on 34 carries).
Then there's Richmond's poised junior quarterback, 6-foot-3, 213-pound Eric Ward. His team trailed Northern Iowa by six points with 1:44 left and no timeouts Saturday, taking possession at its own 38-yard line. Making matters worse, Richmond's best receiver, Kevin Grayson, was sidelined with a groin pull.
Ward led his team to its greatest victory by taking what the Panthers would give. Short passes and surprise runs led to a 13-yard aerial strike to tight end Joe Stewart for the winning score with 14 seconds left.
It never seemed possible when Richmond gave up the ball on downs to Northern Iowa at the Panthers' 43 with 2:13 left. But the Spiders held Northern Iowa to a quick three-and-out.
“I knew we weren't out of the game,” Ward told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “We've got a great defense, and I was confident in them, that we were going to get stops when we needed them.”
He might have been the only one after Richmond's defense gave up 17 points in the third quarter and seemed to wilt - like so many teams do - in the toasty UNI-Dome.
“We just knew we had to keep our composure and make sure we tackle them when we had the opportunity,” Richmond safety Micheal Ireland told the Times-Dispatch.
Ward's performance Saturday was arguably the best of his three-year career. He completed 28 of 35 passes for a career-high 280 yards and two touchdowns.
So now it's on to Chattanooga and a date with the Griz (14-1). Early-season losses to Virginia (16-0), Villanova (26-20) and James Madison (38-31) must seem like a million miles away to the Spiders.
But getting to the finals and winning the title are two different things. Montana coach Bobby Hauck knows that first-hand after his Griz lost in the 2004 championship to James Madison.
Hauck will have his team ready, and Montana has the advantage of being the more rested team. The Griz were back in Missoula on Saturday, catching up on some well-earned sleep.
Keeping Montana from a third national championship won't be easy for the upstart Spiders. But they're riding the momentum of two straight upset victories on the road, so they'll be up for the challenge.
“I'm a man of faith and I'm just praising God for the opportunity to be around such a great group of men,” London said of the Spiders. “... I'm very proud of our team and organization for never quitting.”
Notes: Friday's title game will be broadcast on ESPN2 ... Montana is riding a 10-game win streak ... Richmond is riding an eight-game win streak.
Sports writer Bill Speltz can be reached at 523-5255 or bill.speltz@lee.net.
Game tickets on sale at UM
The University of Montana ticket office will have tickets on sale for the Grizzlies' FCS championship game this Friday, Dec. 19, against the University of Richmond Spiders at 6 p.m. (MST) at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn.
The ticket office will be open Monday-Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tickets are also available on griztix.com or by calling 406-243-4051 or 1-888-MONTANA.
The tickets are $32 plus applicable service charges.
|
 |
 |
Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)