Box Score


           
HAMMOND – New Hampshire sophomore quarterback Sean Goldrich's two-yard touchdown with 47 seconds remaining proved the game-winner, as the Wildcats defeated Southeastern Louisiana, 20-17, in a NCAA Division I Football Championship matchup Saturday night at Strawberry Stadium.
 
Southeastern (11-3) had one last chance and moved into New Hampshire territory in the final seconds, but UNH stopped sophomore running back Kody Sutton as the Lions tried several laterals on the game's final play.
 
The loss ended a historic season for the Southland Conference champion Lions, who won their first conference championship since 1961, set a new single-season school record for victories and made their first-ever trip to the FCS playoffs. UNH (10-4) advances to face two-time defending national champion North Dakota State on Friday at 7 p.m. in Fargo, N.D.
 
"I'm extremely proud of what our program was able to accomplish this season and I think the future is extremely bright," Southeastern head coach Ron Roberts said. "To get our first taste of playoff competition is something that is obviously going to benefit our returners. I'm especially pleased with the efforts of our senior class. We had eight seniors who were able to walk across the stage this morning at graduation and then play in the quarterfinals tonight. Our senior group can leave here knowing that they have helped build a solid foundation for our program."
 
Southeastern jumped out to a 7-0 lead on the opening drive of the game. Junior quarterback Bryan Bennett capped a 12-play, 81-yard scoring march with a two-yard touchdown run – his single-season school record 16^th of the season to give the Lions an early 7-0 lead. Bennett, the Southland Conference Player of the Year, closed out arguably the finest season ever by a Lion quarterback with 269 yards on 25-of-46 passing with one touchdown and an interception.
 
New Hampshire answered on its first drive of the opening quarter. Goldrich capped a 76-yard drive with a 32-yard touchdown dash up the middle, tying the score at 7-7 with 6:20 left in the opening quarter. Goldrich finished the game with 21 carries for 99 yards and three touchdowns, while also throwing for 276 yards and an interception on 24-of-35 passing.
 
The greatest kickoff returner in Lion history set Southeastern up with a short field on the ensuing kickoff. Sophomore Xavier Roberson, the Southland Conference career leader in kickoff return touchdowns, broke off a 71-yard return to give the Lions the ball inside the UNH 30-yard line. Southeastern could not take advantage of the field position, as Steven Thames picked off Bennett inside the 10-yard line on fourth down and long.
 
After the Lions forced UNH to punt, junior Devante Scott again gave Southeastern good field position, busting loose for a 41-yard punt return to set the Lions up inside the Wildcat 30-yard line for the second consecutive drive. The Lions again came away with no points, as senior Seth Sebastian missed a 37-yard field goal – only his second miss in 18 tries this season.
 
New Hampshire was able to take its first lead on the ensuing drive that took the game into the second quarter. Goldrich snuck in from a yard out to cap an eight-play, 80-yard drive and give the Wildcats a 14-7 advantage with 13:46 left in the opening half.
 
After forcing a Southeastern three-and-out, the Wildcats looked poised to add to their lead, moving all the way to the Lion 10-yard line on a methodical 15-play, 73-yard drive. However, Mike MacArthur's 27-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Southeastern senior linebacker Cqulin Hubert to keep the lead at seven. In his final game in a Lion uniform, Hubert, the Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year, finished with a career-high 13 tackles to lead all players.
 
The two teams exchanged punts on the next two possessions and Southeastern looked poised to cut into the Wildcat lead on the final drive of the half. However, the Lions turned the ball over on downs after moving into UNH territory.
 
The Wildcats took the opening drive of the third quarter deep into Lion territory before Southeastern forced a 28-yard field goal attempt by MacArthur. This time, it was sophomore Harlan Miller who blocked the kick, keeping Southeastern within one score.
 
The Lions answered with an 18-play, 75-yard scoring drive to cut into the UNH lead. A 19-yard Bennett pass to junior Chris Malott set Southeastern up with first and goal from the one-yard line. However, Bennett and sophomore Rasheed Harrell were stuffed on three consecutive rushes and the Lions had to settle for a 22-yard Sebastian field goal that cut the lead to 14-10 with 1:13 left in the third quarter.
 
Sebastian, a Lafayette native, capped the greatest season ever by a Lion kicker, as he finished the year 16-for-18 on field goal attempts. He set new single-season school records with 114 points and 66 PAT's, while finishing as the school's career scoring leader with 289 points.
 
Both teams exchanged empty possessions before UNH made another threat to increase its lead early in the fourth quarter. A 25-yard pass from Goldrich to R.J. Harris set the Wildcats up at the Lion three-yard line with a goal-to-go opportunity. On second down, Goldrich tried to throw a fade to Harris in the left corner of the end zone, but junior Marice Sutton was there for the interception to end the Wildcats scoring drive. Sutton and Miller finished the season tied for the team lead with four interceptions apiece.
 
Southeastern finally retook the lead after starting at its own 20-yard line. A 30-yard screen pass from Bennett to sophomore Darius Guy moved the ball all the way to the five-yard line, but UNH's defense held firm to force a fourth and goal situation. Bennett twice avoided sacks and scrambled around before finding senior Marquis Fruge' open in the back right corner of the end zone to give the Lions a 17-14 lead with 5:17 left. The touchdown was the team-high seventh of the season for the Houston product.
 
New Hampshire, which is making its 10^th straight trip to the NCAA playoffs, would not be denied. Goldrich was able to keep the drive alive on fourth and inches from the Lion 15-yard line, powering ahead for six yards. Two plays later, he bulled in from two yards out to put UNH up, 20-17, with under a minute to play. On the extra point attempt, freshman Javari Nichols blocked MacArthur's kick to keep the Lions within a field goal.
 
Southeastern was able to move into UNH territory on the final drive, as Bennett twice found Fruge' to give the Lions one last chance from the Wildcat 43-yard line. On the final play, Bennett couldn't find anybody open downfield, so he flipped it behind the line to Sutton. Sutton was knocked down as time expired at the 35-yard line before he could lateral the ball to senior Tony McCrea. The loss snapped Southeastern's 10-game winning streak and ended a storybook 2013 campaign for the Lions.