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CLOUDY Temp: 40 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Saturday, December 21, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend November 18, 2002 SOU plays host to Montana-Western in first round ASHLAND — The ninth-ranked Southern Oregon University football team officially returns to the national playoffs field for the second straight year. The NAIA announced the Raiders are playing host to 15th-ranked University of Montana-Western in a first round game next Saturday afternoon. The Raiders (7-2) earned an automatic berth to the 16-team NAIA Championship Series as the top-ranked independent team, and they tangle with the Frontier Conference co-champion Bulldogs (9-2) at 3:30 p.m. at Raider Stadium. "Getting back to the playoffs was obviously our No. 1 season goal since spring practices," seventh-year head coach Jeff Olson. "We’re happy with the playoff berth, but it won’t satisfy us unless we can build on our experience and surpass last year’s accomplishments." The playoff bid is Southern Oregon’s third, and the Raiders advanced to the quarterfinal round in both previous trips in 1987 and 2001. Last year’s playoff push ended with a last-second 16-13 loss to Frontier Conference champion Carroll College on a snowy Raider Stadium field. Montana-Western moved up three spots to No. 15 in the final Top 25 poll and earned an at-large berth to the playoff field after upsetting fifth-ranked Carroll, 35-17, in Helena, Mont., Saturday. The Bulldogs rebounded from a season-opening 48-7 loss at Idaho State by winning nine of their past 10, including the last four, with the lone blemish being a 36-21 home loss to the other Frontier co-champion, Carroll, on Oct. 19. The Dillon, Mont., state school of 1,100 students is making its third NAIA playoff appearance and first since 1995 under the guidance of second-year coach Tommy Lee, a former Willamette University All-American quarterback and 10-year Bearcat head coach. The Bulldogs are led by 6-foot-1, 205-pound junior quarterback Travis Kirby, who ranks third nationally for passing (302.9 yards per game) and sixth for total offense (298.8). As a team, UMW is fifth in the NAIA for passing (303.6) and 15th for total offense (405.3). "They throw the ball up and down the field," Olson said. "Coach Lee has done a tremendous job of turning their program around. They had to beat Carroll to get into the playoffs, and they’re on a roll." Southern Oregon enters Saturday’s fray coming off a 44-19 victory over Eastern Oregon, but the Raiders needed 24 unanswered fourth-quarter points to pull away from the stubborn Mountaineers, who led 16-14 at halftime. Game tickets are available starting Tuesday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at McNeal Pavilion on the SOU campus. Grandstand reserved seats are $12 each; grandstand general admission $8; uncovered general admission $5 and students $4. All seats are either $12 or $10 if purchased Saturday. For more information, call 541-552-6772. Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search M Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy web master feedback A D V E R T I S E R S