Stunned Owls eliminated in heartbreaker

JOHNSON CITY, TENN. — Tyler Riddell found Nate Adkins on a crossing route in the back of the end zone for a twopoint conversion with 35 seconds to play to give seventh-seeded East Tennessee State a shocking 32-31 win over Kennesaw State on Saturday in the second round of the FCS playoffs.

Riddell threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Will Huzzie with 1:28 to play, and Tim Stayskal recovered an onside kick on the Kennesaw 48. It took the Buccaneers 5 plays to score; a 4-yard pass from Riddell to Quay Holmes.

ETSU coach Randy Sanders didn’t hesitate in the decision to go for the win.

The Buccaneers (11-1) will face second-seeded North Dakota State in the quarterfinals next weekend.

Riddell was 22-of-35 for 238 yards and three touchdowns. Holmes had seven receptions for 95 yards and two touchdowns and the Southern Conference offensive MVP ran 13 times for 87 yards with a touchdown.

Jonathan Murphy came off the bench to throw for two touchdowns and run for two and Kennesaw State (112) was up 31-17 after a field goal with 5:02 to play.

Murphy replaced injured Big South Conference Offensive MVP Xavier Shepherd in the closing minute of the scoreless first quarter. Murphy was 6-of-14 passing for 125 yards and kept the ball 28 times for 164 yards.

Barely a minute after Riddell and Holmes connected on a 34-yard score midway through the first quarter, Murphy connected with Iaan Cousin for a 50-yard scoring play. The Buccaneers took a 10-7 halftime lead and opened the third quarter with a 31-yard touchdown run by Holmes. About 3½ minutes later, Murphy dumped the ball over the middle to wide open Kyle Glover who rumbled 22-yards for a touchdown.

Murphy then scored on a 1-yard run late in the third and a 9-yard run early in the fourth.

JOHN BAZEMORE/AP Trae Young and the Hawks will look to rebound after Friday’s home loss when they host a short-handed Hornets team today at 6 p.m. on BSSE.