Aggie dreams dashed by powerful Redbirds in FCS quarterfinal battle
Illinois State's ground game proves to be the difference in 42-31 win
Illinois State pulled away with a strong second-half performance and ended UC Davis’ dream of reaching its first Football Championship Subdivision semifinal round and potential national championship with a convincing 42-31 win before a crowd of 9,216 on a chilly fog-bound afternoon at UC Davis Health Stadium.
“I’m obviously disappointed to lose the football game,” said second-year Aggie head coach Tim Plough.
“It’s never a good feeling. But we’re not a pat-on-the-back team. It’s up to me to get us over the hump and figure out what it will take to get us to that last game. I know there’s a way for us to get there and I’ll work hard to figure it out.”
The loss was all the more painful because the playoff door had seemingly been kicked wide open on No. 8 UCD’s side of the draw when No. 1 and defending national champion North Dakota State lost to unseeded Illinois State, while No. 12 Villanova upset No. 4 Tarleton State.
If the Aggies had managed to defeat Illinois State, they would have hosted Villanova next Saturday, with the winner heading to the January 5 championship game in Nashville.
For a No. 8 seed to play three games at home, all against lower-ranked teams, is virtually unheard of.
“There aren’t many times you get it lined up that way. It was a great opportunity for sure,” said Plough.
Aggie chances were doomed when they had three separate scoring chances inside the red zone but came up empty each time.