STATESBORO, Ga. -- Raymond Gross threw for two touchdowns and ran for another and linebacker Eugene Hayes recovered a late fumble Saturday to preserve Georgia Southern's 28-27 win over Idaho in a Division 1-AA quarterfinal game.
Idaho was driving toward a possible winning score with 2:23 left to play when tight end Scott Dahlquist fumbled after a pass reception and Hayes recovered at the Eagle 23.
Georgia Southern, 10-3, will play the winner of the William & Mary- Central Florida in the semi-finals next week. Idaho finished its season at 9-4.
The loss spoiled the effort of Idaho quarterback Steve Nolan, who completed 32 of 43 passes for 372 yards and two scores. Idaho rolled up 553 yards total offense to just 314 for Georgia Southern.
Idaho drove inside the Georgia Southern 30 on its first three possessions without scoring. On the second drive, Georgia Southern's Mark Giles scooped up an Idaho fumble and raced 76 yards to put the Eagles up 7-0.
Idaho tied the score on Roman Carter's 5-yard TD run, but Gross answered with a 46-yard scoring strike to Terrance Sorrell and a 3-yard TD run to put the Eagles up 21-7.
Idaho's Thayne Doyle kicked a 39-yard field goal on the last play of the half to make it 21-10, and Nolan came back with two third-quarter scoring strikes -- 8 yards to Kasey Dunn and 49 yards to Dahlquist -- to put Idaho up 24-21.
Gross put Georgia Southern back on top 28-24 with a 9-yard TD pass to Karl Miller with :44 left in the third quarter.
Doyle got Idaho to within one with a 35-yard field goal with 9:00 left in the game.
