.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
Sam Houston St. beats Kennesaw St. 34-27 in FCS quarterfinal
HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) Jeremiah Briscoe threw for 316 yards and three touchdowns and Sam Houston State held off Kennesaw State for a 34-27 victory in an FCS quarterfinal on Saturday night.
Kennesaw State scored its second fourth-quarter touchdown to pull to 34-27 with 7:21 to play. On the ensuing series, Dustin Clabough intercepted Briscoe's pass at the Sam Houston 41 with about five minutes left.
The Owls then drove to the Bearkats 11, but Jake McKenzie was stopped for no gain on a run up the middle on third-and-5. Following a Kennesaw State timeout with 1:32 left, Ezra Naylor ran for a 4-yard loss off a pitch reverse on fourth down that sealed it for the Bearkats.
Sixth-seeded Sam Houston State (12-1) will travel to second-seeded North Dakota State (12-1) for next weekend's semifinal. The Bison beat Wofford 42-10 in the quarterfinals.
Corey Avery had 129 yards rushing for the Bearkats. Yedidiah Louis finished with nine catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns, and Nathan Stewart caught three passes for 83 yards and a score.
Chandler Burks was 7 of 14 for 120 yards passing and ran for another 43 yards for Kennesaw State (12-2). He had a 4-yard scoring run and threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to TJ Reed in the fourth quarter.
Briscoe tossed a 61-yard touchdown pass to Stewart and a 16-yarder to Louis in the first quarter. Avery's 1-yard run gave the Bearkats a 24-10 halftime lead. Briscoe's 15-yard touchdown pass to Louis made it 34-20 with 12 minutes left.
Kennesaw State finished with 352 yards rushing. Shaquil Terry ran for 120 yards on just five carries. Darnell Holland had 97 yards rushing, including a 13-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
The Bearkats have won 20 straight at home dating back to 2015, and are 13-0 in home playoff games.
