Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
|
| Jordan Roberts surpassed the 1,900-yard mark for the season, his first in Division III. Photo by Caleb Williams, d3photography.com |
|
| Tom Knecht got the start for Linfield and was sacked twice and threw two interceptions. Photo by Ryan Coleman, d3photography.com |
Jordan Roberts ran for a career high 256 yards and three touchdowns and the St. Thomas defense sacked Linfield's quarterbacks four times and picked off three passes as the Tommies booked their second trip to the Stagg Bowl in four seasons, defeating the Wildcats 38-17.
- Playoff scoreboard
- Updated bracket
- Mount Union rolls
- St. Thomas runs to win
- More 2015 playoff headlines
- Latest D-III football news releases
The Tommies ran for 389 yards and dominated the time of possession, holding the ball for 38:30 in the win.
The Wildcats (12-1) rallied the previous week at home from an early 21-0 defeict and won 38-35 against Mary Hardin-Baylor. They scored two fourth-quarter TDs to pull within 13 points with 6:55 to play, but the Tommies recovered an onsidekick and needed just two minutes to go 46 yards on four runs for a clinching touchdown.
St. Thomas advances to face Mount Union in the Stagg Bowl in Salem, Va., set for Friday in prime time on ESPN U. The Purple Raiders scored the last 36 points and cruised past defending champion UW-Whitewater 36-6. It will be a rematch of the 2012 Stagg Bowl, won 28-10 by the Purple Raiders.
It was St. Thomas first win over a top-4 ranked team in the 13-year history of the D3football.com rankings. St. Thomas topped No. 5-ranked UW-Oshkosh 28-14 in the 2012 national semifinals.
A week after St. Thomas won the national quarterfinal game primarily on the strength of its special teams, this week it was back to the Tommies' bread and butter: running game and defense. The Tommies opened the game with three touchdown drives to go up 20-0 and Linfield didn't score its first touchdown until the fourth quarter.
Roberts ran for 145 yards after halftime.
Tom Knecht started at quarterback for Linfield for the second consecutive week and was 14-for-28 passing at the half, with two interceptions. At the half, Linfield brought back Sam Riddle, who was injured in the second-round game vs. Cortland State. Limited in running by his ankle, he threw for two touchdowns on 15-for-24 passing but was not 100 percent effective.
It was Linfield's worst defeat in 35 postseason games.
"I certainly leave feeling this is the first time we've ever been beaten, in my opinion, in the playoffs," said Linfield coach Joe Smith. "We've lost games that have been close, that could have gone either way; today's is the first time that I've been at Linfield that we've gotten beaten in the playoffs, so hats off to them. They were phenomenal today."