LAKE CHARLES, La. — R.J. Toman threw three touchdowns and rushed for a score to lead New Hampshire to a 49-13 win over McNeese State on Saturday in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
The Wildcats (10-2) will visit Villanova next Saturday in the quarterfinals. Villanova beat Holy Cross 38-28 earlier in the day.
Toman, who went 17-for-25, threw for 240 yards and had touchdowns throws of 9, 9 and 38 yards. The quarterback scored on a 1-yard run to give New Hampshire a 14-3 lead in the first quarter.
The Cowboys (9-3) cut New Hampshire’s lead to one after Josh Lewis’ 40-yard field goal and an 11-yard touchdown run by Champlain Babin with 11:45 left in the first half.
But the Wildcats held McNeese State scoreless the rest of the way, putting up 35 unanswered points to pull away and snap the Cowboys’ six-game winning streak.
Villanova 38, Holy Cross 28
VILLANOVA, Pa. — Chris Whitney threw one touchdown and rushed for a score to lead Villanova to a 38-28 win over Holy Cross on Saturday in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
The Wildcats (11-1) will host either McNeese State or New Hampshire in the quarterfinals on Dec. 5. It will be the second consecutive trip to the quarterfinals for Villanova, which lost to James Madison 31-27 last season.
Whitney, who finished with 62 yards rushing, broke a 14-14 tie in the second quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run. The Wildcats kept hold of their lead en route to their sixth straight win. They have also won 17 of their last 18 games at home.
Villanova built a 28-14 lead on Angelo Babbaros 2-yard score with 57 seconds left before halftime.
The Crusaders eventually got within 35-28 with 13:37 remaining in regulation when Alex Schneider caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dominic Randolph.
But the Wildcats responded with a 13-play, 56-yard drive capped by Nick Yakos 25-yard field goal with 7:18 left for a 38-28 advantage.
Matt Szczur had 130 yards receiving on seven receptions for Villanova. Whitney was 16-for-23 passing for 239 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown pass in the opening quarter.
Dominic Randolph, who was 31-for-51 passing, threw for 347 yards and three touchdowns for Holy Cross (9-3), which still has never won an NCAA playoff game.
It was the Crusaders first trip to the postseason since losing to Western Carolina, 28-21, in the quarterfinals on Dec. 3, 1983.
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