From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base
2008 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game
The 2008 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Richmond Spiders and the Montana Grizzlies. It was played on December 19, 2008, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 2008 NCAA Division I FCS football season, it was won by Richmond, 24–7.
The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 2008 FCS Playoffs, which began with a 16-team bracket.
Richmond finished their regular season with a 9–3 record (6–2 in conference), after starting their season 4–3 through their first seven games. The Spiders defeated Eastern Kentucky, second-seeded Appalachian State, and third-seeded Northern Iowa to reach the final. This was Richmond's first appearance in an FCS/Division I-AA championship game.
Montana finished their regular season with an 11–1 record (7–1 in conference). As the fourth-seed in the tournament, the Grizzlies defeated Texas State, Weber State (who had given Montana their only defeat during the regular season), and top-seeded James Madison to reach the final. This was Montana's sixth appearance in an FCS/Division I-AA championship game, having previously won in 1995 and 2001, and having lost in 1996, 2000, and 2004.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 4 Grizzlies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Spiders | 7 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 24 |
Montana quarterback Cole Bergquist
| Statistics | MONT | RICH |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 15 | 16 |
| Plays–yards | 63–306 | 58–327 |
| Rushes–yards | 25–39 | 39–208 |
| Passing yards | 267 | 119 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 19–38–1 | 13–19–0 |
| Time of possession | 28:59 | 31:01 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passing | Cole Bergquist | 19–36, 267 yds, 1 INT | |
| Rushing | Chase Reynolds | 12 car, 47 yds, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Marc Mariani | 7 rec, 172 yds | |
| Passing | Eric Ward | 12–18, 96 yds, 1 TD | |
| Rushing | Josh Vaughan | 23 car, 162 yds, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Tre Gray | 6 rec, 44 yds |
-
"Grizzlies derailed in Chattanooga". gogriz.com. December 19, 2008.
-
"Postgame Notes: Richmond Wins National Championship". richmondspiders.com. December 20, 2008.
-
"The Sports Network Division I-AA poll". The News Journal. Wilmington, Delaware. The Sports Network. November 11, 2008. p. C5 – via newspapers.com.
-
Box score at ESPN
Ask Mako anything about 2008 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.
Research with MakoFree with your Surf account
Create a free account to save articles, ask Mako questions, and organize your research.
Sign up freeThis content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.
Report