State playoffs preview
Three college football teams from Kentucky are involved in post-season play Saturday. Here is a look at their matchups:
NCAA Division III
WASHINGTON & LEEAT NO. 9 THOMAS MORE
Time: Noon
Records: Washington & Lee 8-2, 6-0 Old Dominion Athletic Conference; Thomas More 10-0, 7-0 Presidents Athletic Conference
What to watch: Thomas More is making its fifth appearance in the NCAA Division III playoffs. ... Washington & Lee is averaging 37.4 points, holding opponents to 23.1 points and is plus-19 in turnover ratio. ... Generals QB Charlie Westfal has passed for 78 yards and 11 touchdowns, with two interceptions. Option back Luke Heinshohn has run 179 times for 1,243 yards and 11 TDs. ... Saints QB Robert Kues is 129-for-216, with 14 touchdowns and six interceptions. Former Lexington Christian standout Domonique Hayden has rushed 175 times for 994 yards and 15 touchdowns, and also has a receiving TD. ... LB Nick Gramke leads Thomas More in tackles with 64. Other defensive leaders are DT and conference Player of the Year Tyler Owens with 21.5 tackles for loss, DE Jay Volker with nine sacks and DB Zach Autenrieb with eight interceptions.
NAIA
No. 17 GeorgetownAT No. 4 Midamerica Nazarene
Time: 2 p.m.
Records: Georgetown 8-2, 7-0 Mid-South Conference; MidAmerica Nazarene 10-0, 10-0 Heart of America Athletic Conference
What to watch: This playoff game, at Olathe, Kan., matches the NAIA's fourth-ranked offense (Georgetown) against the fourth-ranked defense. The Tigers are averaging 500 yards of total offense and 48.3 points a game. The undefeated Pioneers, however, are holding opponents to averages of 245.9 yards and 13.7 points a game. ... On offense, MNU is averaging 38.2 points, while the Georgetown defense is averaging 26.9 points against. ... This marks Georgetown's 16th playoff appearance. The Tigers have three national titles (1991, 2000, 2001) and two runner-up finishes (1999, 2002). ... In the only previous meeting between the teams, Georgetown won 46-27 in the quarterfinals of the 2004 playoffs. ... MidAmerica sophomore WR Sean Ransburg is averaging 209.5 yards of total offense. ... Georgetown QB Kaelin Ammons, Mid-South Offensive Player of the Year, has passed for 2,716 yards and run for 278 yards. ... DL Kyle Anderson, MSCF Defensive Player of the Year, has 27 tackles, a sack and an interception in only seven games. ... Tigers WR Chris Gohman has 11 touchdowns ... Georgetown has won its last seven games.
No. 20 CumberlandsAT No. 3 St. Xavier
Time: 2 p.m.
Records: Cumberlands 7-3, 5-1 Mid-South Conference; St. Xavier 11-0, 7-0 Mid-States Football Association
What to watch: The Patriots won their fourth straight Mid-South division title by routing No. 17 Cumberland 52-27 last week to claim the final at-large bid to the NAIA playoffs. ... Terrance Cobb has run for 796 yards and 11 touchdowns. QB Jay Bright has passed for 1,108 yards and nine TDs, with three interceptions. WR DeKeldric Felton has 442 yards on just 14 pass receptions, including three for TDs. Brendan Kelly, from Lexington, has returned two punts and one kickoff to the end zone. ... LBs Weston Hazelhurst and Johnathan Yeary have 77 tackles each, combining on 15 tackles for losses. ... Cumberlands has won six of its last seven games. The Patriots are averaging 39.9 points a game and have the fourth-best rushing offense in the NAIA, averaging 273 yards a game. ... St. Xavier, from Chicago, leads the NAIA in total passing yardage (3,702), is second in scoring (50.6 points per game); defensively, the Cougars are seventh in scoring (15.8 ppg) and total sacks (31). ... The closest any team has come to beating St. X came in the season opener at Bethel, a 49-32 decision. ... Anthony Kropp passed for 3,322 yards and 45 TDs.
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