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A classic battle of extremes here. Kennesaw—the obvious Cinderella of this tournament—is a standard playoff-caliber triple-option team, running for 329 ypg. Sam Houston, on the other hand, is a high-octane passing team whose leading receiver (Nathan Stewart) has more yards than the entire Owl passing attack combined (in one fewer game, no less). I suspect KSU is the better team in a vacuum, and I would take them to win this on neutral field or in Kennesaw. The Bearkats just don't lose playoff games at home, though, and I think they'll eke it out. Regardless, this should be the most entertaining contest of the weekend.

Here's my assessment of the matchups & my pick for the game:

• • • Quarterbacks -- Sam Houston St.
      
      Running Backs - Kennesaw St.
      
      Receivers/TEs - Sam Houston St.
      
      Offensive Line - (push)
      
      
      Defensive Line - Sam Houston St.
      
      Linebackers --- Kennesaw St.
      
      Secondary ---- Kennesaw St.
      
      
      Kicking ------ Kennesaw St.
      
      Punting ------ Kennesaw St.
      
      Return Teams - Sam Houston St.
      
      Kickoffs ------ Sam Houston St.
      
      
      
      
      
      • Kennesaw St. 34-38 Sam Houston St.

Sam has been doing just enough to win. Pulling away early, letting the other team catch up and then having to finish up late.

Every year a guy who does sports betting calls me at playoff time to ask me what I think about playoff games. He called me this morning. He asked me what I thought about this game and said Kennesaw State is a 1 1/2 point favorite by the line he's betting against. I said I'd go ahead and pick Sam Houston State. But it's interesting to me that Kennesaw State is favored by whatever line system is involved.

JohnStOnge wrote:Every year a guy who does sports betting calls me at playoff time to ask me what I think about playoff games. He called me this morning. He asked me what I thought about this game and said Kennesaw State is a 1 1/2 point favorite by the line he's betting against. I said I'd go ahead and pick Sam Houston State. But it's interesting to me that Kennesaw State is favored by whatever line system is involved.

Wow betting on FCS games is this guy from Vegas????

SHSU opens with 3 and out. Opening drive Kennesaw runs through the Soft Houston defense like a knife through butter. Just like JMU's opening drive last year.

The only time I've seen Kennesaw is the 1st 5 min. Kinnesaw wins this like 45-31..

2nd drive SHSU gets a 1st down then 61 yd TD pass

BDKJMU wrote:SHSU opens with 3 and out. Opening drive Kennesaw runs through the Soft Houston defense like a knife through butter. Just like JMU's opening drive last year.

The only time I've seen Kennesaw is the 1st 5 min. Kinnesaw wins this like 45-31..

This is not good news for SHSU on defense.

Kennesaw has like a 60 yd TD run partially called back due to an illegal block, then miss a FG..

BDKJMU wrote:2nd drive SHSU gets a 1st down then 61 yd TD pass

They woke up who was on the catching end of this deep ball????

BDKJMU wrote:Kennesaw has like a 60 yd TD run partially called back due to an illegal block, then miss a FG..

That hurts!!!!!

After knife through butter 1st 2 possessions Kennesaw is held next 2 possessions. SHSU scores another TD & FG. 17-7 early 2nd.

I laughed when SHSU chose KC Keeler as their head coach after 2013. Not laughing now. The SHSU offense looked better than it did in the 2011 or 2012 playoff runs.

Well, it looks like Sam Houston State's going to get to get humiliated by North Dakota State again.

JohnStOnge wrote:Well, it looks like Sam Houston State's going to get to get humiliated by North Dakota State again.

Unless they can figure out how to play well on the road… yep.

Pwns wrote:I laughed when SHSU chose KC Keeler as their head coach after 2013. Not laughing now. The SHSU offense looked better than it did in the 2011 or 2012 playoff runs.

They've played South Dakota and Kennesaw State. We'll see how their offense looks next week.

JohnStOnge wrote:

Pwns wrote:I laughed when SHSU chose KC Keeler as their head coach after 2013. Not laughing now. The SHSU offense looked better than it did in the 2011 or 2012 playoff runs.

They've played South Dakota and Kennesaw State. We'll see how their offense looks next week.

Yes they are in high gear now I smell blowout!!!!!!!!

Mvemjsunpx wrote:

JohnStOnge wrote:Well, it looks like Sam Houston State's going to get to get humiliated by North Dakota State again.

Unless they can figure out how to play well on the road… yep.

It's not just being on the road. They're going to be playing against a much better team Odds are they are not going to be able to run the ball and Briscoe is not going to have time to throw it. If it's like it's been every other time the two teams have met in the playoffs North Dakota State is going to dominate the line of scrimmage. I really don't think any of the Sam Houston State teams that have played North Dakota State in past playoff games would've beaten North Dakota State in Huntsville or anywhere else. They just got physically dominated every time.

I realize Kennesaw State got a couple of good wins. But Kennesaw State finished the regular season rated 16th in the coaches poll and 18th int he STATS poll. South Dakota finished 18th and 16th. North Dakota State is an entirely different animal.

JohnStOnge wrote:

Mvemjsunpx wrote:
Unless they can figure out how to play well on the road… yep.

It's not just being on the road. They're going to be playing against a much better team Odds are they are not going to be able to run the ball and Briscoe is not going to have time to throw it. If it's like it's been every other time the two teams have played North Dakota State is going to dominate the line of scrimmage. I really don't think any of the Sam Houston State teams that have played North Dakota State in past playoff games would've beaten North Dakota State in Huntsville or anywhere else. They just got physically dominated every time.

Right, but Sam Houston's last two road playoff losses (which were not to NDSU) were absolute humiliations.

Mvemjsunpx wrote:

JohnStOnge wrote:
It's not just being on the road. They're going to be playing against a much better team Odds are they are not going to be able to run the ball and Briscoe is not going to have time to throw it. If it's like it's been every other time the two teams have played North Dakota State is going to dominate the line of scrimmage. I really don't think any of the Sam Houston State teams that have played North Dakota State in past playoff games would've beaten North Dakota State in Huntsville or anywhere else. They just got physically dominated every time.

Right, but Sam Houston's last two road playoff losses (which were not to NDSU) were absolute humiliations.

Yes but they were both against teams that ended up in the national championship game. Hard to say how much of it was being away from home and how much of it was playing better competition.

JohnStOnge wrote:

Mvemjsunpx wrote:
Right, but Sam Houston's last two road playoff losses (which were not to NDSU) were absolute humiliations.

Yes but they were both against teams that ended up in the national championship game. Hard to say how much of it was being away from home and how much of it was playing better competition.

No playoff team should be losing to another by 50+ points, so I don't think that was the main issue.

34-27 Bearkats, mid-4Q. Kennesaw just scored after converting on 4th. & 8 the previous play.

Big SHSU TD wiped out by OPI.

Keeler with yet another FCS playoff victory.

Sam Houston wins 34-27 after KSU fails on 4th. down in the redzone.

Terrible 4th down play call there. Only caught the last 20 minutes of this game, well worth it.

This was the first time I ever saw Kennesaw play, quite impressive.