2011 FCS Playoffs Scores: Sam Houston State, Montana State Win Thrillers

Wofford Vs. Northern Iowa Final Score, 2011 FCS Playoffs: Panthers Use Turnovers To Top Terriers, 28-21

Wofford more than doubled up No. 4 national seed Northern Iowa's total yardage and ran for 457 yards — and the Terriers still lost to the Panthers, 28-21, in the second round of the 2011 FCS playoffs.

Northern Iowa got two passing touchdowns from Tirrell Rennie, who also ran for 95 yards. But the Panthers won by capitalizing on three Wofford turnovers, and returned one fumble on a kickoff for a touchdown.

That was enough to make up for the Terriers' option attack rolling up enough yardage for Wofford to outgain Northern Iowa, 478-238. Wofford had two players run for over 100 yards — quarterback Mitch Allen had 158, while Eric Breitenstein ran for 131 yards and all three Terriers touchdowns — but could not come back from a 28-14 deficit early in the fourth quarter.

Northern Iowa, which scored 21 straight points to build that lead, will move on to the third round of the FCS playoffs, and face No. 5 Montana.

North Dakota State Vs. James Madison Final Score, 2011 FCS Playoffs: Bison Dump Dukes, 26-14

North Dakota State lived up to its billing as the No. 2 national seed in the 2011 FCS playoffs on Saturday. The Bison beat James Madison, 26-14, and never trailed, in one of the more dominant wins of the FCS postseason so far.

North Dakota State ran up 219 yards on the ground on just 37 carries. D.J. McNorton ran for 154 of those yards and a touchdown, while Sam Ojuri had 61 yards and two rushing touchdowns.

James Madison quarterback Justin Thorpe threw for 168 yards and a touchdown in the loss, but the Dukes' runners combined for just 76 yards on the ground.

Kerby Long threw a 35-yard touchdown pass for James Madison that cut the Bison's lead to 19-14 in the fourth quarter. But McNorton responded for the Bison, ripping off a 60-yard touchdown run on a one-play drive that put the game out of reach for James Madison for good.

Lehigh Vs. Towson Final Score, 2011 FCS Playoffs: Mountain Hawks Advance On Road, 40-38

The 11-1 Lehigh Mountain Hawks had reason to feel disrespected about their fate in the 2011 FCS playoffs. Despite going undefeated in regulation and falling only to perennial contender New Hampshire, Lehigh ended up on the road in its first postseason game. That might have just made the Mountain Hawks' 40-38 victory that much sweeter.

Lehigh trailed at three separate junctures in the second half, but quarterback Chris Lum threw for 351 yards and a touchdown in leading them back, and they got a game-winning safety with just over five minutes to go in the fourth quarter. The 40-38 lead was Lehigh's first since being up 17-10 midway through the second quarter.

Grant Enders threw for 214 yards and two touchdowns for the Tigers in the loss.

The Mountain Hawks' road gets no easier now that they have one win. Next week, they'll face No. 2 national seed North Dakota State.

Sam Houston State Vs. Stony Brook Final Score, 2011 FCS Playoffs: Bearkats Win, 34-27, In Thriller

Sam Houston State's No. 1 national seed in the 2011 FCS playoffs wasn't going to mean anything if the Bearkats got upset by unseeded Stony Brook. Luckily for the Bearkats, Brian Bell and Tim Flanders led them back late for a 34-27 victory.

Bell threw for 161 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two first downs on Sam Houston State's game-winning touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, while Flanders ran for 101 yards and a touchdown, getting 40 of those yards and the score on that final drive. The Bearkats held off the Seawolves despite a fourth quarter that featured 34 points, 17 from each team.

Stony Brook's Kyle Essington threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns in the loss, but completed just nine of his 29 passes.

The Bearkats move on to the third round of the 2011 FCS playoffs, and will host Montana State and play for the right to move on to the "final four" of the subdivision.

Montana State Vs. New Hampshire Final Score, 2011 FCS Playoffs: Bobcats Come Back For 26-25 Win

Montana State is essentially the No. 8 seed in the 2011 FCS Playoffs; in a bracket that sets the Bobcats up for a third round match-up with No. 1 seed Sam Houston State, they weren't expected to go far. But in a thrilling 26-25 comeback win over New Hampshire in the second round, the Bobcats at least earned their passage to a second game.

New Hampshire built a 10-0 lead in the first quarter; Montana State closed that to 12-9 midway through the second quarter. The Wildcats moved out to 19-9, too, but the Bobcats made it 19-16 before the end of the first half.

And then, when the Bobcats built a 26-19 lead with 10 straight points in the fourth quarter and intercepted a pass to kill a late Wildcats drive, New Hampshire capitalized on a shanked punt to come back to score a touchdown with seven seconds to go.

But kicker Mike MacArthur hit the right upright on what would have been the game-tying extra point, preserving Montana State's lead and victory.

Montana State can thank dual-threat quarterback DeNarius McGhee for their victory: he threw for 167 yards and a touchdown, and atoned for three interceptions with 96 yards on the ground and two scores.

New Hampshire quarterback Kevin Decker threw for 200 yards and two touchdowns in the loss.

Maine Vs. Appalachian State Final Score: Black Bears Knock Out Appalachian State, 34-12

Most of your knowledge of Appalachian State is probably confined to "that team that beat Michigan at home back in 2007." But they do play games every year! And, sadly for the Mountaineers, they don't win all of them.

In fact, Appalachian State was drummed out of the FCS playoffs Saturday by Maine, which generated 466 total yards in the 34-12 beatdown. Black Bears quarterback Warren Smith was 17-of-26 for 250 yards, three touchdowns and an interception in the win, while Pushaun Brown had 111 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown run, on 24 carries.

While Jamal Jackson was 26-of-45 for 272 yards and one touchdown for Appalachian State, he also threw two interceptions. And the run game was literally almost nonexistent for the Mountaineers; Appy State rushed for three yards on 25 carries, and its biggest rushing play of the day went for eight yards.

Maine will play at Georgia Southern next week in the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs.

Old Dominion Vs. Georgia Southern Final Score, 2011 FCS Playoffs: Eagles Advance

Led by Dominique Swope's 255 rushing yards, the Georgia Southern Eagles advanced to the FCS quarterfinals on Saturday.

Montana Vs. Central Arkansas Final Score, 2011 FCS Playoffs: Grizzlies Roll Past Bears, 41-14

Montana's big win over Central Arkansas has the Grizzlies looking good in the 2011 FCS playoffs.