Tennessee and Bowling Green will play for the Men’s DI-AA national championship next week in Houston, TX after winning their semifinals Saturday. The Volunteers downed Texas A&M in Knoxville, TN, 35-10, and Bowling Green knocked off Louisville, 26-21, in Butler, PA.
The MAC conference rivals exchanged tries and yellow cards in the opening 15 minutes in Butler. Louisville No. 8 Matthew Kramer dotted down just 90 seconds in, and Bowling Green lock Zach Szepiela answered back. Cardinal wing Amarreon McLaurin was sent off for a high tackle, and Bowling Green No. 8 Evan Holderer was given timeout for a penalty at the ruck.
Bowling Green fullback Joseph Apel nailed a penalty kick in the 39th minute to put the Falcons up 8-7 going into halftime, a lead they’d extend just a few minutes into the second stanza when Holderer crossed the whitewash. Apel then extended it with a second shot at goal – 16-7.
There were three yellow cards shown in a wild final 10 minutes of the game, two to Bowling Green and one to Louisville, and the Cardinals went on a run to draw level at 21-21. But Bowling Green reserve flanker Joseph Harris scored in the 83rd minute to send the Falcons back to the national championship game for the second year in a row.
In Knoxville, the Vols were on top early and often, racing out to a 21-0 lead in the opening half hour. Prop Aidan O’Connor, wing Aiden Castette, and reserve flanker Ted Naeher scored tries, and fullback Vincent Keller converted all of them. A&M fullback Carim Ciblis Daher got the Aggies their lone points of the half, a penalty kick, and Tennessee took a 21-3 advantage into the break.
A&M flyhalf Nathan Sieberhagen opened the second half with a try, giving Aggie fans a glimmer of hope. But Tennessee pumped in back-to-back tries to slam the door shut. Open side flanker Harold Hacker scored the first one, and the second was a penalty try.
Tennessee and Bowling Green will play for both programs’ first national championship in history Saturday at SaberCats Stadium in Houston, TX.
All matches will be streamed live on tv.ncr.rugby.
