Appalachian State meets UMass in Division I title game

Dec 15, 2006 - 6:06 PM CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (Ticker) - The Division I-AA playoffs magically turned into the Division I championship game. Appalachian State will try to defend its title either way.

Led by freshman quarterback Armanti Edwards, top-ranked Appalachian State (13-1) will meet third-ranked Massachusetts (13-1) in the championship game on Friday night.

Finley Stadium will host the event for the 10th straight year.

The NCAA name change of I-AA to Division I occurs on Friday, the day of the title game. So although it started as the Division I-AA playoffs, which featured 16 teams, it will end with the crowing of a Division I champion.

"I've never played in a championship game, state or national," Edwards said.

Edwards ran for 110 yards and three touchdowns and threw for 164 yards and another score in Appalachian State's 49-24 victory over Youngstown State last Saturday.

Edwards is just the fifth player in Division I history to throw for 2,000 yards and run for 1,000 in the same season. He has 2,105 passing yards and 1,072 rushing yards.

The second freshman to turn the trick, Edwards joined David Dinkins of Division I-AA Morehead State (1999), Woody Dantzler of Clemson (2001), Brad Smith of Missouri (2002) and Vince Young, who did it for Texas last year en route to a national championship.

The Mountaineers are also led by Kevin Richardson, who rushed for 145 yards and two TDs in the win over Youngstown State.

Massachusetts escaped with a 19-17 victory at Montana last Friday in the semifinals. The Minutemen won the title in 1998.

Steve Baylark rushed for 169 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Montana.