Bobcats looking to dethrone champs

| November 30, 2006 1:00 AM

By CARL HENNELL

The Daily Inter Lake

Like the University of Montana Grizzlies, top-ranked and defending-national champion Appalachian State hasn't lost since the opening weekend against a I-A foe.

Like the Montana State Bobcats, the Mountaineers stormed to a 31-0 halftime lead last Saturday in the opening round of the I-AA playoffs and cruised to victory.

Now the Bobcats will take to hills of northwestern North Carolina in an effort to dethrone the champs. Saturday's kickoff is at 2 p.m. in Boone, N.C.

Appalachian State enjoys a huge homefield advantage. The Mountaineers had 26,620 fans in Kidd Brewer Stadium, which lists a capacity of 16,650, on Sept. 30.

But the similarities don't stop there.

The 4-3 defense of the Mountaineers ranks 11th in the nation in rush defense. MSU's flex defense ranks 12th.

But it's on offense that the Apps really excel. They are ranked third in the nation in total offense at 412.9 yards per game.

Junior running back Kevin Richardson is 24th in the nation in rushing. He has 1,221 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also has 26 catches for another 246 yards and a touchdown.

Senior receiver William Mayfield is 18th in the nation in receiving. The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder has 52 catches for 962 yards and five touchdowns.

But it's freshman quarterback Armanti Edwards who is really turning heads. He has broken all the school's QB records for a frosh with 1,862 passing yards, 857 rushing yards, 14 touchdown passes, 11 rushing touchdowns. He had 172 rushing yards last weekend and has been named the Southern Conference's offensive player of the week five times.

"Appalachian State is a fast team that really reminds me of West Virginia on offense," MSU coach Mike Kramer said. "They have great speed, and it starts with their quarterback. Their I-back can really boogie and Willie Mayfield is an outstanding receiver."

This will be the first meeting between the two schools. The Bobcats played their first Southern Conference opponent last weekend against Furman. The only Big Sky Conference foe Appalachian State has played was the Grizzlies in the 2000 semifinals, which the Griz won 19-16 in overtime.