Sat., Nov. 7, 2009

   FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- For the second time this season, the University of Saint Francis has to answer the question, "What are you going to do now?"

   Saint Xavier University, No. 6 in the last two NAIA Top 25 polls, won its first MSFA Mideast League title with a 36-24 win over No. 8 USF on Saturday to finish the season 11-0 overall, 7-0 in MSFA MEL play. USF, 7-2 overall and 5-1 in MSFA MEL play, now must win at Taylor University in Upland on Nov. 14 to have any hope at a 10th consecutive NAIA Football Championship Series berth.

   Along with the lead question, every USF fan and maybe some SXU fans wondered, "What if Daniel Carter hadn't pulled a hamstring?" Carter, who entered the game as the No. 2 rusher in the MSFA, swept around the left side for a 21-yard gain down to the SXU 3-yard line on USF's first possession of the game, but he pulled up lame around the 10 and hopped to the three before he was driven out of bounds. With Carter on the sidelines having his injury checked, Bo Frye scored on the next play capping a nine-play, 60-yard drive at 10:52. But over the course of the rest of the game, USF only managed 67 more yards rushing. Carter carried four times for 36 yards before his injury and led USF rushing.

   "56 in a row is something to be proud of," USF head coach Kevin Donley said. "Sure it's disappointing today, hurts a little big, but we've got good kids, character players. We'll come back and get ready to go."

  "I'm most disappointed about not winning another conference championship," linebacker Carl Thomas said when asked about the streak. "I'm sorry it had to come to an end while I was here. We've got to regroup and realize we have a chance to make it into the playoffs."

  After USF took a 24-22 on a 27-yard Rhys Barnhart field goal with 6:01 to play, SXU scored twice building the final 12-point cushion while denying USF any more scoring. SXU quarterback Anthony Kropp connected with Bill McKeon for a 40-yard TD at 4:16 putting SXU in front for good, 29-24 with 4:16 to play in the third quarter. Kropp scored on a two-yard run capping a 13-play, 80-yard drive and Tom Lynch kicked the extra point. Neither team scored again.

   USF had three more possessions, but never got outside its 34-yard line. On its first possession after SXU went ahead 12, a Shaine Tierney pass to Kyle Peabody for 25 yards out to the USF 45 was wiped out by a holding penalty. SXU got the ball back after a 32-yard Kenny Paul punt to the USF 38 and though SXU didn't score, it drove to the USF 4-yard line before Knich Middleton broke up a pass in the end zone. In the most crucial possession of the game, USF only managed to push out its 20-yard line before a 56-yard Paul punt.

   SXU, a winner over USF for the first time in seven meetings, finished with a 571-334 advantage in total offense, 395-231 passing and 176-103 rushing. Kropp finished 32-for-57 passing and McKeon caught 13 passes for 187 yards. Mike Maher caught seven for 71 yards including an 11-yard TD pass in the first quarter.

   Tierney completed 25-of-39 passes for 231 yards, two TDs and two interceptions. Peabody led USF receivers with six catches for 59 yards. Austin Coleman had four receptions for 50 yards. Frank Wolfe III had 10 carries for 26 yards.

  "Sure I think the outcome would have been different if I hadn't gotten hurt," Carter said. "Everybody gave their best effort, it's just very disappointing."

  "We were right in the game, but that fake punt in the third quarter was such a huge play," Carter recalled.

   USF appeared to have held SXU to a second consecutive three-and-out for just the second time in the game, but Joe Nee took the snap from center on the fake punt and ran for 26 yards on fourth-and-four from the SXU 26. Later in the same drive on fourth-and-four and the USF 32, Kropp hit K.J. Franklin for a 32-yard TD pass with 10:05 to play in the third quarter. SXU led 22-21 after the pass for two points failed.

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