2002 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game

The 2002 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the McNeese State Cowboys. The game was played on December 20, 2002, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Western Kentucky, 34–14.

This article is about the Division I-AA (now FCS) championship game. For the 2002 Division I-A (now FBS) championship game, see 2002 Rose Bowl.
2002 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship
I-AA National Championship Game
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers McNeese State Cowboys
(11–3) (12–1)
Gateway Southland
34 14
Head coach: 
Jack Harbaugh		 Head coach: 
Tommy Tate
TSNSeed
15—
TSNSeed
11
1234 Total
Western Kentucky 710710 34
McNeese State 0680 14
DateDecember 20, 2002
Season2002
StadiumFinley Stadium
LocationChattanooga, Tennessee
RefereeA. Bellows[1]
Attendance12,360[1]
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN2[2]
AnnouncersRon Franklin (play-by-play), Mike Gottfried (color), Adrian Karsten (sideline)[2]

Teams

The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 2002 I-AA Playoffs, which began with a 16-team bracket.

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Main article: 2002 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

Western Kentucky started their season with a loss to Kansas State of Division I-A, and the team was 2–3 after their first five games. They then won six games in a row, to finish their regular season with an 8–3 record (7–1 in conference). Unseeded in the playoffs, the Hilltoppers defeated Murray State, second-seed Western Illinois, and third-seed Georgia Southern to reach the final. This was the first appearance for Western Kentucky in a Division I-AA championship game.

McNeese State Cowboys
See also: McNeese State Cowboys football

McNeese State finished their regular season with a 9–1 record (6–0 in conference); their only loss was to Nebraska of Division I-A.[3] The Cowboys, seeded first in the tournament, defeated Montana State, Montana, and Villanova to reach the final. This was the second appearance for McNeese State in a Division I-AA championship game, having lost in 1997.

Game summary

Scoring summary
Scoring summary
Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score
Plays Yards TOP WKU MSU
1 9:36 5 27 3:01 WKU Jeremi Johnson 16-yard touchdown reception from Jason Michael, Peter Martinez kick good 7 0
2 14:51 4 88 1:53 WKU Jon Frazier 55-yard touchdown run, Martinez kick good 14 0
2 7:32 10 56 4:37 MSU 30-yard field goal by John Marino 14 3
2 4:55 6 43 2:37 WKU 40-yard field goal by Martinez 17 3
2 0:07 7 19 0:48 MSU 24-yard field goal by John Marino 17 6
3 11:03 4 71 1:05 WKU Frazier 14-yard touchdown run, Martinez kick good 24 6
3 3:49 8 75 2:13 MSU Luke Lawton 15-yard touchdown reception from Scott Pendarvis, 2-point pass good (Jeff Hamilton from Pendarvis) 24 14
4 13:49 10 79 5:00 WKU Jason Michael 2-yard touchdown run, Martinez kick good 31 14
4 2:51 4 2 1:36 WKU 23-yard field goal by Martinez 34 14
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 34 14

[1][4]

Game statistics
1 2 3 4 Total
Hilltoppers 7 10 7 10 34
Cowboys 0 6 8 0 14
McNeese State wide receiver B. J. Sams
StatisticsWKUMSU
First downs1326
Plays–yards60–38082–405
Rushes–yards50–19534–137
Passing yards185268
Passing: Comp–Att–Int6–10–025–48–3
Time of possession30:1829:42
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Western KentuckyPassingJason Michael6–10, 185 yds, 1 TD
RushingJon Frazier27 car, 169 yds, 2 RD
ReceivingJeremi Johnson3 rec, 90 yds, 1 TD
McNeese StatePassingScott Pendarvis21–38, 244 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
RushingMarcus Trahan12 car, 82 yds
ReceivingB. J. Sams7 rec, 69 yds

[1][4]

gollark: muahahahaha,implosion,generation,is,to,occur.
gollark: What if I don't?
gollark: Yes.
gollark: Time to do* some maths homework.
gollark: cross·platform·irl

References
  1. "Western Kentucky University Football Box Score". Western Kentucky University. December 20, 2002. Retrieved February 3, 2019 – via sidearmsports.com.
  2. "Western Kentucky Vs Mcneese State 2002". Retrieved February 3, 2019 – via YouTube.
  3. "McNeese St Cowboys, 2002 Schedule". cfbinfo.com. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  4. "NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs (box score)". Los Angeles Times. December 21, 2002. p. D12. Retrieved February 3, 2019 – via newspapers.com.

Further reading
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