Offtopic/fun » the game, Hinch said he was worried abo

(STATS) -- After a memorable regular season that resulted in the programs first playoff appearance in four years, the FCS Playoff Committee rewarded Central Arkansas with a first-round matchup against a team thats no stranger to postseason success.Illinois State appeared to be playing its way out of postseason consideration during a four-game losing streak that dropped the proud program to 2-4 on Oct. 8. The Redbirds then rallied to win four of five down the stretch to earn a trip for a third straight season.No. 14 Central Arkansas will try to bounce back after its eight-game winning streak came to an end in the regular-season finale Saturday when it hosts a playoff game on the purple and gray stripes at Estes Stadium for the first time at the Division I level.This was definitely a good pick-me-up to be able to host a first-round game, UCA coach Steve Campbell told the teams official website. To be able to play at home is big. Were excited about the opportunity, understanding that Illinois State is an outstanding football team. But were excited about the opportunity to play again, and to play at home.The Bears (9-2) finished second to top-ranked Sam Houston State at 8-1 in the Southland Conference following a 59-23 road loss to the unbeaten Bearkats. UCA fell 24-16 to Georgia Southern in the second round during its last postseason appearance in 2012.Carlos Blackman (559 yards, 4 TDs) and Antwon Wells (482 yards, 8 TDs) have led a balanced running game that led the Southland with 203.1 yards per game. The Bears have four other players who rushed for at least 199 yards and two scores during the regular season.The Redbirds (6-5) might be most concerned with dual-threat quarterback Hayden Hildebrand, who has thrown for an average of 242.5 yards with 17 touchdowns while also running for 199 yards and four scores. The junior, however, has tossed five picks over his last three games after having only three over his first eight.He athletic and hes really dangerous on the run, Illinois State coach Brock Spack said. When hes scrambling, thats when he becomes a real problem because they can run at receiver and separate themselves.All-conference selection Desmond Smith has been Hildebrands top target in the passing game, racking up 61 receptions for 808 yards and six touchdowns. The senior wideout was one of the bright spots against Sam Houston with nine catches for 73 yards and a score.Illinois State has been solid defensively, ranking fourth in the Missouri Valley Football Conference in total defense (342.7 yards allowed per game) and fourth against the run (132 yards allowed per game). Defensive back Davontae Harris leads the conference with 12 pass break-ups, while linebacker B.J. Bello has team highs of six sacks and nine tackles for loss.The Redbirds are coming in with something to prove after they were considered the last team to get into the field. They finished 4-4 in the tough MVFC, but knocked off then-No. 11 South Dakota State and then-No. 19 Western Illinois during their late push.Were a nationally renowned football program and we expect to be in the playoffs, said Spack, who insists his squad is the healthiest its been all season. I think we earned it by our resume and the league we play in. We think we absolutely earned it.This is an unprecedented third consecutive postseason trip for Illinois State, which lost to North Dakota State in the 2014 national championship game and fell to Richmond in last years quarterfinals. The Redbirds are one of four MVFC teams in the postseason, joining No. 1 overall seed NDSU, No. 8 seed and MVFC regular-season champion SDSU and Youngstown State.Youre going to play a very, very sound football team every time you take on a team from that conference, Campbell said. Thats what you do know. Everyone refers to them as the SEC of the FCS, so you kind of know what youre getting when a team comes out of there.Illinois State quarterback Jake Kolbe has come into his own over the final stretch with 13 touchdowns and only three interceptions over the past five games. The sophomore had thrown seven TDs and four picks over his first six contests.Star receiver Anthony Warrum has totaled 15 receptions for 285 yards and three touchdowns in the past two games, while senior Jamal Towns has emerged as the top threat in the backfield with 349 rushing yards on 7 per carry over the last three.Since averaging 15.4 points in a five-game stretch in September and October, Illinois State has scored 32.2 per game over its past five.Central Arkansas led the Southland with 20.9 points allowed per game and topped the nation with just 67.9 rushing yards allowed, though the Bears defense was exposed in surrendering nearly 60 points against the high-powered Bearkats.The Redbirds won 18-3 at Hancock Stadium in the only previous meeting in 2006, UCAs first year at the Division I level.Fake Vapormax For Sale . -- If this was Aaron Gordons final home game at Arizona, and it almost certainly was, then he went out in style. Cheap Vapormax 2 . Bryant, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with Cleveland in March, reported symptoms on Monday morning, a team spokesman said. http://www.clearancevapormax.com/cheap-vapormax-2020-clearance.html . Speaking Thursday on TSN 1050 Thursday, the Leafs GM also touched on the questions surrounding the teams leadership and the struggles of his big-name free-agent signing. “Its not from lack of effort from the coaching staff. Vapormax 2020 Clearance . Kiriasis and brakeman Franziska Fritz finished two runs in one minute 55.41 seconds -- a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of Meyers and Lolo Jones, who likely bolstered her Olympic hopes by helping give USA-1 a huge push in the second heat. Cheap Vapormax 3 . It was Kerbers third final of the year after losing to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia in Monterrey in April and to Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic in Tokyo two weeks ago. The 10th-ranked German improved her record in finals to 3-5.HOUSTON -- Joe Musgrove lifted the Houston Astros in more ways than one Sunday.With his team in desperate need of a win to remain in playoff contention, Musgrove pitched seven strong innings to help lift Houston over the Los Angeles Angels 4-1 to snap a three-game slide.He had a tremendous game today at a time (when) we needed it, manager A.J. Hinch said. (The) compete button is never off for Musgrove, and I appreciate the way he goes about it.The Astros backed Musgrove with home runs from Evan Gattis, Tony Kemp and Tyler White.Houston remained three games behind Baltimore for the second AL wild-card spot.Playoffs aspirations aside, Musgrove had another pressing reason to make his start count.Today was a tough day, said Musgrove, referring to the news of Miami pitcher Jose Fernandezs tragic death from a boating accident early Sunday at age 24. I think everyone was a bit down with the bad news we had this morning.There are a few guys in here that are handling it a little worse than the rest of us from having personal relationships with Jose. The energy was a little bit down, so I was hoping to go out there and pitch a strong seven, he said.That he did.Musgrove (4-4) allowed one run on seven hits while striking out four.Closer Ken Giles rebounded from a blown save in Fridays 10-6 loss to Los Angeles. He walked one and struck out two in the ninth for his 14th save.I just wanted to go out there and put up a zero, Giles said. I needed to do that for the team and show them that I can bounce back.Carlos Correa singled home Jose Altuve in the Houston first.An inning later, Gattis homered offf Daniel Wright (0-5), connecting for the 31st time this season.ddddddddddddKemp and White later added solo shots.It was a good day for our youth, Hinch said. These guys are getting their first taste of important baseball in September and, hopefully, October.Wright lasted six innings. He gave up three runs on seven hits.I left the changeup up to Kemp that he hit out, and then the fastball up to Gattis to lead off both those innings, Wright said. I just have to get better at going out there from the first pitch of each inning and be ready to go.The Angels kept the game close by turning four double plays.Defensively we played a very good game. That was good to see, manager Mike Scioscia said. Offensively, we just couldnt get any momentum.TRAINERS ROOMAstros: Before the game, Hinch said he was worried about Giles flexibility and ability to throw, a day after he injured his right wrist when he was hit by a line drive during batting practice. X-rays were negative.I think hes got a chance to be a little bit stiff, Hinch said postgame. Given that its a contusion, hell be all right.UP NEXTAngels: Jered Weaver (12-12, 5.20 ERA) will attempt to close out September on a winning note when Los Angeles hosts Oakland and LHP Sean Manaea (6-9, 4.03) on Monday. Weaver is 2-1 in four starts this month.Astros: Collin McHugh (12-10, 4.61) faces fellow RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (16-12, 4.04) to open a three-game series against Seattle. McHugh is 4-0 against the Mariners this season. ' ' '