Weber State Wildcats Receive At-Large Selection To FCS Playoffs

SALT LAKE CITY – The Weber State football team received an at-large selection to the 2022 FCS Playoffs after finishing the regular season with a 9-2 record.

The Wildcats found out their first round postseason matchup during the FCS Selection Show on Sunday, November 20.

Weber State will host the North Dakota Fighting Hawks at Stewart Stadium in Ogden, Utah on Saturday, November 26 at 2 p.m. (MDT).

PLAYOFF BOUND!

The Wildcats are headed to the FCS Playoffs for the sixth time in the last seven years.

And the ‘Cats will be at home!

Weber State will take on North Dakota in the first round on Saturday, November 26 at 2 p.m. at Stewart Stadium. #WeAreWeber pic.twitter.com/kPPEdiirZE

— Weber State Football 🏈 (@weberstatefb) November 20, 2022

It’s the sixth time in the last seven seasons that the Wildcats have found themselves playoff-bound. Last season, Weber State missed the postseason with a 6-5 record.

This season, the Wildcats opened the year with a 6-0 start before falling on the road to the Montana State Bobcats. Two games later, Weber State lost by three points to the undefeated Sacramento State Hornets. Weber State had a 6-2 record in Big Sky Conference games. The Wildcats will enter the postseason on a two-game winning streak.

Hear from @CoachJayHill on the Wildcats heading to the playoffs and the first round matchup with North Dakota. #WeAreWeber pic.twitter.com/8Xr1nryfk6

— Weber State Football 🏈 (@weberstatefb) November 20, 2022

If the Wildcats defeat the Fighting Hawks, Weber State will face No. 4-seeded Montana State in the next round of action.

THE BRACKET 🏈

➡️ https://t.co/oQoopueEz0#FCSPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/aDQpdmVEey

— NCAA FCS Football (@NCAA_FCS) November 20, 2022

Weber State wins season finale

The Wildcats needed a last-second field goal to pick up a 33-31 win over NAU in the regular season finale and the Red Rock Rivalry.

Weber State was trailing NAU 31-30 with five seconds left when Kyle Thompson made a 23-yard field goal to give the Wildcats the win.

Bronson Barron completed 19 of his 33 pass attempts for 220 yards and one touchdown. Josh Davis racked up 80 rushing yards on nine carries. Ty MacPherson led the receivers with eight catches for 97 yards and one touchdown.

The game started with Barron connecting with MacPherson to give Weber State a 7-0 lead with 9:58 remaining in the first quarter. After getting the ball back, Weber State scored a one-yard touchdown on the ground from Creyton Cooper. The Wildcats extended their lead to 14-0 with 6:27 left in the opening quarter.

Northern Arizona answered with a 45-yard touchdown pass from RJ Martinez to Hendrix Johnson to trim their deficit to 14-7 with 11:23 to go in the second quarter. It didn’t take long for Weber State to stretch their lead to 14 when Abraham Williams returned the kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. Weber State was up 21-7 with 11:10 left in the first half.

.@weberstatefb finished the regular season with a 9-2 record.#WeAreWeber #BigSkyFB https://t.co/TYYdjoxMuu

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 20, 2022

NAU scored two unanswered touchdowns beginning with a 12-yard run by Draycen Hall with 8:52 left in the half and a five-yard TD pass from Martinez to Isaiah Gerena as time expired in the half. The game was tied at 21 at the break.

The third quarter had two Kyle Thompson field goals from 39 and 29 yards respectively to give the Wildcats a 27-21 advantage heading into the fourth quarter. The Lumberjacks took a 28-27 lead with 11:40 left in the game on a six-yard TD pass from Martinez to Johnson.

Thompson put the Wildcats back on top with a 41-yard field goal to give WSU a 30-28 lead with 7:12 to go in the game. NAU picked up a 39-yard field goal from Collin Robbins to put the Lumberjacks in front 31-30 with 2:50 left in the game.

Then Thompson made his fourth field goal of the game to give the Wildcats the win.

Follow @kyleireland