Bowie State stopped Virginia State twice from the 1-yard line with 20 seconds to go as the host Bulldogs beat the Trojans, 10-6, yesterday to clinch the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Eastern Division title and earn a berth in the CIAA championship game.
The Bulldogs (6-4, 5-2) and the Trojans (7-3, 5-2) finished the conference with the same record, but by virtue of yesterday's win, Bowie State will travel to Winston-Salem, N.C., on Saturday to face Western Division champion Fayetteville State.
After squandering opportunities all day, the Bulldogs drove 67 yards in eight plays to take a 10-6 lead late in the fourth quarter.
Mike Bryant, the Bulldogs' career receiving leader who played running back yesterday, scored from 10 yards out, and the Bulldogs' defense, which held the top-ranked offense in the CIAA to 222 total yards, did the rest.
Trojans running back Bernard Comer was stopped short of the goal line with nine seconds left by Charles Alston, and the clock ran out.
McDaniel 28, Bethany 17: Green Terror coach Tim Keating recorded his 100th career victory, beating his alma mater behind a defense that surrendered just 25 yards rushing. McDaniel improved to 8-1 with the nonconference win, while host Bethany's season ended with a 3-7 record.
Jemel Johnson gained 65 yards on eight carries but left the game with a shoulder injury after his 10-yard first-quarter touchdown run.
Jason Hartman took over, picking up 71 yards on 14 attempts, including a 44-yard touchdown.
Waynesburg 24, Frostburg State 21: Yellow Jackets junior Brian Cence kicked a season-long 35-yard field goal as time expired to lift host Waynesburg (5-3) over the Bobcats (5-4).
The Bobcats had tied the game at 21 with 1:22 left when junior Anthony Long caught a screen pass and raced 93 yards for the score.
The loss spoiled a stellar day for Frostburg junior quarterback Grant Burrough, who completed 35 of 64 passes for a school-record 452 yards. His 35 completions tied his own single-game school record, set earlier this year.
However, Burrough was intercepted four times in the loss, including twice in the final 9:06.
Salisbury 30, Ferrum 13: Quarterback Dustin Johnson led the 17th-ranked Sea Gulls (9-0) with 181 yards rushing and a touchdown and passed for another score as visiting Salisbury defeated the Panthers (5-4).
Reggie Boyce rushed for 60 yards and a touchdown for the Sea Gulls, who took advantage of three Ferrum third-quarter turnovers.
Johns Hopkins 40, Franklin & Marshall 21: Junior quarterback George Merrell threw for 141 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 62 yards and another score to lead the visiting Blue Jays (7-2, 4-1) over the Diplomats (3-6, 1-4) in a Centennial Conference game in Lancaster, Pa.
The Blue Jays' seven wins tie the school record. Hopkins will play host to McDaniel on Saturday with a chance to share the Centennial Conference championship.