Dec. 16, 2006

CHATTANOOGA, TN - Junior running back Kevin Richardson rushed for 179 yards and four touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 13:22 remaining, as top-seeded Appalachian State defended its crown with a 28-17 victory over Massachusetts on Fri. evening in the title game of the 2006 NCAA Division I Football Championship.

"I'm losing some really good players that I'm close to. But I'm not losing them as friends," said Massachusetts head coach Don Brown, the 2006 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year.

"Our relationships will last a long time."

UMass took a 7-0 lead on the opening possession of the game as junior Matt Lawrence scored on a one-yard plunge to cap off an eight-play, 80-yard drive. A 41-yard touchdown run by Richardson evened the score at 7-7 with 1:15 to play in the first quarter. The Mountaineers went to the locker room holding a 14-7 advantage as Richardson scored from six yards out.

Following an interception by senior safety James Ihedigbo at the 8:44 mark of the third quarter, UMass took over at its own 19-yard line and went 81 yards on 11 plays, including a 17-yard scoring strike from sophomore Liam Coen to junior tight end Brad Listorti, to tie the game at 14-14 with 4:22 to play in the third. It marked the third touchdown catch of the year for Listorti, who had five receptions for a career-high 78 yards.

Richardson responded with a pair of scoring runs in the fourth quarter and finished the season with 30 rushing touchdowns, a Football Championship Subdivision single-season record.

Vying to become the sixth program in the 29-year history of the Football Championship Subdivision to win multiple national championships, Massachusetts was outgained on the evening, 431-372. Junior linebacker Charles Walker collected a game-high 11 stops while teammate Jason Hatchell added eight solo tackles to pace UMass, which set a program record for single-season victories with 13.

"Honestly, and I can speak for myself and the other guys, we feel blessed to be in this position playing for a national championship as a senior," said Ihedigbo, who collected six tackles on the evening.

"It didn't end the way we wanted it to but it happens in the game of football."

Senior running back Steve Baylark rushed for 133 yards on 24 carries, his 26th career 100-yard rushing performance, to lead the Minutemen, who were trying to become third different A-10 team in four seasons to claim the national crown. The 2006 Atlantic 10 Co-Offensive Player of the Year ends his career with 5,332 plus tonight, good for third all-time in Conference history.