Delta State Rushes to Division II Title

Josh Bright ran for 175 yards and three touchdowns as Delta State of Mississippi won its first NCAA Division II title with a 63-34 victory over Bloomsburg (Pa.) at Florence, Ala.

With Bright operating the triple-option attack to perfection, the Statesmen (14-1) amassed a championship game-record 524 rushing yards. They didn’t punt and scored touchdowns on eight of their first nine possessions. Delta State gained 649 total yards, another championship record, and had six players rush for touchdowns.

Bloomsburg (12-3) had its winning streak end at 12 games.

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Drew Miller threw for 271 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Farris in overtime, to lift top-ranked Montana to a 19-16 victory over Appalachian State in an NCAA Division I-AA semifinal at Missoula, Mont.

Mark Wright--who kicked a 27-yard field goal with no time left in regulation to tie it at 13--gave Appalachian State (10-4) its only lead on a 36-yard field goal on the Mountaineers’ first possession in overtime.

Montana (13-1) meets Georgia Southern (12-2) in the national championship game next Saturday in Chattanooga, Tenn. Georgia Southern, seeking its sixth I-AA title, defeated Delaware, 27-18, in the other semifinal at Newark, Del., as Adrian Peterson ran for 198 yards and a touchdown.

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In the Division III semifinals, Adam Marino had 17 catches to tie a Division III playoff record and Chuck Moore ran for four touchdowns as Mount Union of Ohio routed Widener of Pennsylvania, 70-30, at Alliance, Ohio.

Mt. Union (13-0) will face St. John’s of Minnesota (13-1), which defeated Hardin-Simmons, 38-14, at Abilene, Texas.