SFA Falls in OT In FCS Playoffs First Round
SAN ANTONIO - 60 minutes just wasn't enough. In the first FCS game featuring two teams from the state of Texas, host Incarnate Word outlasted visiting Stephen F. Austin, 35-38, in overtime in the first round of the FCS Playoffs on Saturday at Benson Stadium in San Antonio.
It was the host Cardinals striking first as Walter Payton Award finalist Cameron Ward found Taylor Grimes in the endzone on a four-yard pass with 7:08 left to play in the first quarter.
UIW took the lead into the second quarter but only for the first 10 seconds as SFA quarterback Trae Self passed the ball two yards into the end zone to QuenTy Borders to tie the game at 7-7 with 14:50 left in the first half.
The Cardinals again took the lead with 11:09 left to go as Ward scrambled into the endzone from six yards out and the PAT made it 14-7. UIW held the lead for about 10 minutes of game action before Self and Borders connected again, this time on an eight-yard score, with 1:30 left to go in the period.
The first points of the second half came in the closing minutes of the third quarter as Grimes juked past an SFA defender for a 23-yard touchdown pass from Ward for a 21-14 lead.
Self picked up his third touchdown pass of the afternoon with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, finding Kesho Williams diving towards the pylon as the Chris Campos PAT put the game a 21-21.
UIW's Robert Ferrel put the Cardinals in position to answer, returning the kickoff 81 yards to the SFA 19-yard line but the 'Jacks' defense held tight and the UIW field goal attempt from 32 was wide right.
After a SFA 3-and-out on offense, the 'Jacks defense again stepped up, particularly Rayshad Nichols, who ripped the ball out of the arms of Kevin Brown and returned the ball 32 yards for the touchdown and the 28-21 SFA lead after the made PAT.
On a fourth-and-2 with less than a minute remaining, UIW tied it up as Ward found Grimes wide open in the back corner of the endzone to tie it at 28-28 after the PAT.
With SFA unable to score in the final seconds of regulation, the game headed to overtime. UIW struck first, using just two plays to get into the end zone on a six-yard pass from Ward to Ferrel. On SFA's offensive drive, the 'Jacks got a first down on their first play but then the UIW defense held tight, denying the 'Jacks a score and earning the 35-28 win.
Ward led the Cardinals with 328 yards passing and four touchdowns on 39-of-54 passing. Grimes accounted for three of those scored with 10 catches for 118 yards. For SFA, Self finished with 243 yards passing, connecting on 21-of-37 attempts for three touchdowns and two interceptions. Borders scored twice for the 'Jacks, finishing with four catches for 17 yards.
Defensively, Kelechi Anyalebechi and Isaiah Paul each finished with seven tackles to lead the Cardinals. The 'Jacks defense was led by nine tackles from Brevin Randle.
Incarnate Word advances to the second round of the FCS playoffs and will travel to top-seed Sam Houston next week. Kick with the Bearkats is set for 2 p.m. CT on ESPN+.