The Second Season

On occasion, I'll be posting some of my stories from my job on here. Hope you enjoy -- also, tell me what you think of the new look.

http://www.fsubroncos.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/111109aaa.html

FAYETTEVILLE - The CIAA Championship trophy was resting, alone, in a dark office on Wednesday afternoon.

No players or football staff come by to look at it, to marvel at what Fayetteville State accomplished in capturing the program's third conference title just four days ago.

Instead, the Broncos are focused on bringing home another championship.

For only the third time in school history, FSU will compete in the NCAA Division II Playoffs.

The Broncos will travel to California, Pa. to face California University of Pennsylvania on Saturday. Kickoff is set for Noon.

"All of the celebration and all those things come after football season," FSU head coach Kenny Phillips said during his weekly press conference. "This is an opportunity for us to continue as a football team to try and reach that ultimate goal we set in January of playing in December in the national championship game. But you can't do that if you don't win your first playoff game. We've got our work cut out for us."

FSU (8-3) made the playoffs in 2002 and 2004, losing at Carson-Newman both seasons.

The Broncos are the No. 6 seed in Super Regional One.

Phillips said Saturday's game is an opportunity for FSU to prove it belongs among the nation's elite football programs.

"I told our guys, someone didn't sit down and just say `bam, we're going to put Fayetteville State in the playoffs,'" said Phillips. "This is a special moment because of what we have to do to prove to people that we deserve an opportunity to play in this playoff. We've got to go up to California, Pa. and show these guys that we deserve to be in this thing. We're not just someone they put in just to appease us. We're here because we're a very good football team."

Phillips hasn't decided who will start at quarterback on Saturday.

Tyler Hosler, who started the Broncos' last six games - all wins, was replaced by Benjamin Williams in the third quarter of FSU's 21-10 win over Bowie State. Williams led FSU on two scoring drives and was named the CIAA Championship game's Offensive MVP.

"We don't have to do anything spectacular," Phillips said of the Broncos' passing game. "We just have to go out there and play within the game plan and don't turn the football over. Those guys don't have to throw for 500 yards a game. We just need to make sure when they give us an opportunity to make a play, we need to make a football play."

Kendon Doe, a senior wide receiver for FSU, said having two quarterbacks with lots of game experience is a positive.

"Either guy that's starting is going to do a good job," he said. "We've been behind both quarterbacks the entire season. They have our confidence and we have theirs. I expect them to do what got us here."

FSU has won nine of its last 10 and six straight on the road. The Broncos' last road loss came against Shaw, 19-12, on Oct. 12, 2008.

This season, the Broncos' defense is allowing only 11.1 points per game away from home. All six of the Broncos road wins have been by at least 10 points.

"We have some seniors on defense and they are great leaders," senior linebacker Joseph Brown said. "What they want to do is make the most of their last season. I think they've done a great job of making sure we have a successful season."

Added Phillips: "I compare it (this year's defense) to the defense we had in our first championship in 2002. They were ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in about five categories nationally. These guys have a done a great job defensively in keeping us in football games. These guys are not far behind that football team."

Cal U, the region's No. 3 seed, has won five-straight Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division titles and advanced to the PSAC title game.

The Vulcans (8-3) offense is paced by quarterback Josh Portis and senior wide receiver A.J. Jackson. Jackson, an All-PSAC West First Team selection, had conference-bests in receptions, receiving yards, touchdowns and receptions per game.

"We're not going to change our entire defensive scheme because of the wide receiver," said Phillips. "We're going to make sure he isn't free in the secondary. It basically comes down to, we have to be able to put some pressure on the quarterback to have some success. We're going to take this challenge like we take any other challenge. We're going to take it full steam ahead. "