Colgate at New Hampshire FCS Football 2015 Playoffs 1st Round Breakdown
Colgate at New Hampshire, 3:30 Saturday
Although geographically this matchup made sense, it was a little bit of a surprise pairing because Colgate and New Hampshire had already faced each other this season Sept. 12 in Hamilton, N.Y., when the Wildcats proved victorious 26-8. Colgate went 7-4 overall and was a perfect 6-0 in the Patriot League to earn its first league title and postseason berth since 2012. The Raiders lost a first-round contest to Wagner in their most recent postseason appearance. The Raiders will face a common opponent for Patriot League squads in the postseason as New Hampshire defeated Fordham in the second round last year and the Wildcats also defeated Colgate 55-21 in a 2005 playoff game.
New Hampshire qualifies for the FCS playoffs for the 12th straight season, which extends the longest streak in the nation. The Wildcats, who ended the regular season with four consecutive wins to improve to 7-4 and 5-3 in the CAA, have advanced to the semifinals each of the past two seasons.
This will be the final game in Cowell Stadum as New Hampshire as the new Wildcat Stadium is under construction on the site and will be ready for the 2016 season. New Hampshire is 5-0 at home this season and has outscored its opposition 166-76. Since the start of the 2007 season, the Wildcats are 47-5 at Cowell Stadium.
In the earlier meeting this season, New Hampshire jumped out to a 20-0 halftime advantage and coasted to an easy victory. The Wildcats used a balanced attack (218 yards rushing and 193 passing) in the victory. The winner plays No. 5 seed James Madison in the second round on Dec. 5, and unless the Wildcats get caught looking ahead to that potential matchup, they figure to beat Colgate for the second time this season.
Projected Score: New Hampshire 27, Colgate 17
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