State college football: Four players to watch

Four to watch

Armanti Edwards

The accolades keep piling up for the Appalachian State quarterback, who became the first player to win consecutive Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year awards this week. Edwards sat out last Saturday's 19-14 win over Western Carolina, but he is expected to start today in the Mountaineers' opening-round game against South Carolina State in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

Terrell Hudgins

Elon's senior wide receiver recorded his 27th career 100-yard receiving game last week against Samford to become the NCAA's Division I leader in that category. Look for Phoenix quarterback Scott Riddle to lean on the record-breaking Hudgins - earlier this season Hudgins became the NCAA's career leader in receptions and receiving yards - in Elon's opening-round game against Richmond in the FCS playoffs.

Quintez Smith and Isaiah Thomas

The two Shaw defensive players were invited to play in today's East Coast Bowl in Petersburg, Va. The all-star game features players from the NCAA's Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III and NAIA programs. Smith, a senior cornerback for the Bears, was named the CIAA's Defensive Player of the Year after grabbing a Division II-best nine interceptions and tying a Division II record in returning four interceptions for touchdowns. Thomas, a senior defensive lineman, was named second-team All-CIAA after totaling 46 tackles and 13.5 tackles for a loss, including 1.5 sacks.

Observation

Moore keeps ASU rolling

Credit Appalachian State players for lifting the Mountaineers to their fifth consecutive Southern Conference title. But don't forget head coach Jerry Moore, who held his team together after it opened with consecutive losses to East Carolina and McNeese State as Armanti Edwards recuperated from a summer lawn-mowing accident. His rival Southern Conference coaches appreciated his work, awarding him co-Coach of the Year honors with Chattanooga's Russ Huesman.

Don't miss

No. 7 S.C. State

at No. 5 App. State

Noon, Kidd Brewer Stadium, Boone, ESPNU

The Mountaineers (9-2) captured their fifth consecutive Southern Conference title with an 8-0 record. Their postseason reward is an opening-round game in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs against the same team they dispatched last year in the first round. Armanti Edwards threw for a school-record 433 yards and four TDs last year in the 37-21 win over the Bulldogs. This season, S.C. State (10-1) went undefeated in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and is led by All-America running back William Ford, who ranked 20th nationally with 1,010 rushing yards (91.8 ypg).

No. 9 Elon

at No. 4 Richmond

1 p.m., University of Richmond Stadium, Richmond, Va.

The Phoenix (9-2) didn't draw an easy hand in its first trip to the FCS playoffs. Elon faces the defending FCS champion Spiders (10-1), who beat the Phoenix 28-10 last season. Today's opening-round game marks Elon's first postseason appearance since winning the 1981 NAIA National Championship. The winner advances to the quarterfinals next week to face the winner of the Appalachian State-S.C. State game.

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