NCAA Division II Football Playoffs Selection Show (Sunday, 5 p.m.)

PEMBROKE – Tra Chandler returned a first-quarter kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown and fellow senior Matt Davis kicked four field goals, including a game-sealing 37-yarder with 11 minutes left, as the 16th-ranked UNC Pembroke football team slipped by Concord, 19-18, on Saturday afternoon at Grace P. Johnson Stadium.

The triumph marked the 10th-straight home win for the Braves (9-1) who concluded the regular season with just one loss for the fourth (2008, 2009, 2013) time in program history, but the first time against an all-Division II schedule. It was the seventh-straight setback for the Mountain Lions (2-9) who concluded their campaign with a 1-5 clip away from home.
    
Forced to deal with a key injury on the offensive front that left a handful of linemen playing out of position, the Black & Gold still managed to rack up 96 rushing yards against an extremely unforgiving defensive line. Rontonio Stanley ran for 52 yards on 15 carries, including 46 key yards on the final drive of the game, while quarterback Patrick O'Brien racked up a career-best 42 rushing yards on just six attempts.

It was business as usual for Code Black who limited the Mountain Lions to just 77 yards of total offense in the second half, 66 of which came through the air. Garrett Barnett turned in a career high 12 stops, including two of the solo variety, while four other players registered sacks.

The Braves got on the board first via a 28-yard field goal by Davis just 4-1/2 minutes into the contest, but the Mountain Lions snatched control of the game on the next offensive possession for the hosts when Chaudlier Shepherd picked off an O'Brien pass and raced 29 yards untouched into the end zone for the 6-3 advantage. Chandler would give momentum back to the Black & Gold seconds later, however, when he fielded the ensuing kickoff at the 2-yard line and wriggled his way through the Mountain Lion defense for a 98-yard scoring return.

A 27-yard field goal by Zack Keaton right before the quarter break brought the visitors to within one point, and the Mountain Lions marched 63 yards in just four plays on their opening possession of the second quarter before Jermeil Douse connected with Eric De Lucchi on a go-ahead 4-yard touchdown that made it a 16-10 game. Davis made it a tie score heading into intermission, however, thanks to a 53-yard field goal and a 30-yard boot with 5:46 remaining before the break.

Concord scored its only points of the half via a safety with 14:36 left to play, but the Braves went ahead for good minutes later on a 37-yard trey by Davis.

UNCP will gather at an undisclosed location on Sunday afternoon to learn of its postseason fate via the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs Selection Show. The program will be broadcast live at NCAA.com beginning at 5 p.m.