Towson 35, Eastern Washington 31: Backup quarterback Connor Frazier rushed for a 1-yard touchdown with 17 seconds remaining and the visiting Tigers advanced to the FCS championship game for the first time in school history.
Terrance West had 27 carries for 115 yards and two touchdowns for Towson (13-2), which will face North Dakota State in the FCS title game Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas. The Tigers, who trailed 31-21 early in the fourth quarter, drove 71 yards in 1:18 for the winning touchdown.
Vernon Adams was 28-of-42 for 394 yards and two touchdowns to lead Eastern Washington (12-3), which trailed 21-0 before storming back with 31 consecutive points. Ashton Clark caught eight passes for 129 yards and Cooper Kupp grabbed eight for 124 for the Eagles, who lost in the semifinals for the second straight year.
Peter Athens, who threw for 144 yards and two touchdowns before leaving with a shoulder injury on Towsonâ??s first possession of the second half, put the Tigers ahead 21-0 with a 38-yard strike to Brian Dowling early in the second quarter. Frazier replaced Athens and completed 6-of-10 passes for 98 yards and rushed 18 times for 98 yards.
Cory Mitchell capped an 82-yard drive with a 13-yard TD catch to open the fourth quarter and give Eastern Washington a 31-21 lead, but the Tigers responded on their next possession when West rushed for an impressive 3-yard score. The Tigers stopped the Eagles on downs with 1:35 left, setting the stage for the winning drive.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Towson was outscored 17-0 in the third quarter after outscoring its opponents 144-34 in the period of its first 14 games. â? . Eastern Washington, which fell to 24-4 all-time on the red turf at Roos Field, outgained the Tigers 580-483 in total yards. â? Dowling had 88 receiving yards for Towson, which won its 12th consecutive road game.
