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Villanova falls to Stony Brook, 20-10, in playoff opener

STONY BROOK, N.Y. - With its starting quarterback injured and an attack that was already more suited for the ground, there was no mistaking what Stony Brook planned to do in Saturday's Football Championship Subdivision first-round playoff game against Villanova.

STONY BROOK, N.Y. - With its starting quarterback injured and an attack that was already more suited for the ground, there was no mistaking what Stony Brook planned to do in Saturday's Football Championship Subdivision first-round playoff game against Villanova.

The Seawolves rushed for 263 yards while passing for only 37 in Saturday's 20-10 victory over Villanova.

Thus Villanova, which bounced back from a 2-9 season, ended this year 8-4 while Stony Brook (10-2) advanced to Saturday's second-round matchup at Montana State.

"I would have hoped we brought our A game today because we needed it and we didn't bring it and they brought their A game," Villanova coach Andy Talley said.

The most telling statistic was time of possession, where Stony Brook held nearly a 20-minute advantage.

"We had trouble getting them off the field in the first half," Talley said.

The Seawolves led 14-0 at intermission and had a 7 minute, 34-second time of possession advantage.

Stony Brook quarterback Kyle Essington, who has thrown 22 touchdown passes, was declared out for the game with a thigh injury. Lyle Negron, who had attempted five passes in the regular season, got the start.

Negron completed 3 of 6 passes for 37 yards, serving as a true game manager.

Both Stony Brook touchdowns were scored by 5-foot-10, 210-pound senior Miguel Maysonet, who entered the game the leading FCS rusher with 1,721 yards.

If ever a tone were set, it came in Stony Brook's first drive after forcing a Villanova punt. Stony Brook went 98 yards on 21 plays, with Maysonet scoring from a yard out. The Seawolves drive took 12:43.

"This is the team we are, we run the ball," Maysonet said.

Villanova also had trouble with University of Iowa transfer Marcus Coker, a 6-0, 230-pound junior who combines speed and power.

While Maysonet gained 160 yards on 25 carries and scored two touchdowns, Coker added 107 yards on 29 carries.

"Maysonet and Coker are a difficult task for anybody to handle," Talley said.

The Seawolves pounded behind a jumbo offensive line that included tackles Scott Hernandez (6-6, 300) and Michael Bamiro (6-8, 345).

"They beat us up physically in the run game," said Villanova safety Ronnie Akins, who had 12 tackles and a fumble recovery.

Stony Brook continued moving the ball on its first third quarter possession but the momentum momentarily switched when the Wildcats' Craig James forced a Coker fumble that was recovered by Akins at the Villanova 43.

Mark Hamilton's 41-yard field goal cut the margin to 14-3 with 7:59 left in the third quarter.

Stony Brook answered on the next possession with a 37-yard field goal by Wesley Skiffington and that was only the beginning.

On the ensuing kickoff, Villanova never fielded the ball and Stony Brook's Naim Cheeseboro recovered on the Wildcats' 25-yard line.

Skiffington kicked a 29-yard field goal to extend the lead to 20-3 with 13:33 left.

Villanova quarterback John Robertson had a rough time contending with a disciplined defense. Robertson rushed for 85 yards on 19 carries and scored on a 21-yard touchdown run with 6:57 left to cut the margin to 20-10. On that play Robertson became the first Villanova quarterback to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season (1,021).