All Hail Szczur: Villanova Junior Leads Wildcats To FCS Championship Win

The Montana Grizzlies entered the Division I-AA Football Championship a perfect 14-0 on the season, winning each regular-season game in convincing fashion. They defeated the three-time national champions from Appalachian State in the semifinals on their way into the championship game.

Although they made the title game, their first round match-up with South Dakota State was not so easy.

Finding themselves down 48-21 late in the third quarter versus the Jackrabbits of SDSU, the Grizzlies seemingly had little thought that they had any chance of advancing in the playoffs, much less the championship game.

But once Marc Mariani's 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown cut the lead to 48-27, the Grizzlies found their potent offense that had led them to an undefeated regular season.

After Andrew Selle connected with Marc Mariani for two touchdown passes and Chase Reynolds rushed for a pair of one-yard touchdown runs, Montana had earned a 55-48 edge in the game that would eventually end in a 61-48 victory for the Grizzlies.  

Mariani's dynamic plays saved Montana from a premature ending to their spectacular season, one that would end in the last game of the year after victories over Stephen F. Austin and Appalachian State catapulted the Grizzlies to the title game.

Everyone knew that the Mountaineers would challenge the Grizzlies, but Montana won the battle of heavy-weights with a 24-17 victory in the Semifinals of the tournament.

That left one game remaining on the schedule: A game that would define their season, a game that would show off their efforts throughout the year and a game that could be the 'perfect' ending to their season.

The Villanova Wildcats entered the game with a different perspective and record than that of Montana. It was a season that included one blemish (a loss against New Hampshire early on in the season) and a difficult road to the championship game.

The Wildcats got a difficult challenge from Holy Cross in the first round of the playoffs; however, they lead throughout in a 38-28 win over the Crusaders, advancing Villanova to the quarterfinals.

The previous year, the Wildcats had also advanced to the quarterfinals of the Division I-AA tournament, where they lost to James Madison, 31-27, ending a very successful season.

How fitting that this quarterfinal match-up was a game against New Hampshire, the only team that Villanova had lost to on the year. In a game that was filled with more revenge-minded players than drama, the Wildcats won easily, 46-7.

A very talented and upset-minded Williams & Mary team now awaited Villanova in the semifinals of the tournament.

The Wildcats trailed at the half, 10-0, but never lost sight of their ultimate goal: Reaching the school's first ever FCS Championship game. Behind a 62-yard touchdown run by Matt Szczur (pronounced "Caesar") and a one-yard carry by Chris Whitney, that dream became a reality in a hard-fought, 14-13, victory.

Two of the most dynamic and well-coached teams in all of Division I-AA were now due to meet in the finals of the FCS Championship, a fitting end to a great year for the smaller college football division.

An early field-goal by Nick Yako put the Wildcats on top, 3-0, early, but did Montana ever respond. Andrew Selle completed passes of 24-yards and four-yards to Marc Mariani and Jabin Sambrano, respectively, putting the Grizzlies up 14-3.

Matt Szczur would rush for a five-yard touchdown near the end of the half, cutting Villanova's deficit at the break to 14-9. 

The Wildcats came out with a vengence in the second-half, limiting the Grizzlies on offense and shredding through their defense with ease. Chris Whitney's three-yard touchdown completion to Chris Farmer gave the Wildcats a slim lead, 16-14.

But this night belonged to Matt Szczur.

Lining up in the Wildcat-formation for what was most likely his last collegiate game as a football player, Szczur scored a three-yard touchdown carry on fourth-down and one early in the last period, adding to Villanova's lead, 23-14.

Montana would respond with a late 53-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Selle to Jabin Sambrano, but with only 1:07 remaining, the game was already in hand for the Wildcats.

After lining up in the victory-formation for the last time this season, Villanova came out the victors in this epic FCS Championship game. Their only loss on the year dropped Montana to 14-1 at the conclusion of their season, but this is only the beginning for the Wildcats.

Fans cheered loud for Villanova as the final seconds ticked off the clock, the first National Championship now in the books for their football program.

Thanks to Matt Szczur's clutch plays and huge yards, racking up 159 yards on the ground with two touchdowns, it's safe to say that Villanova is grateful for an outstanding individual performance in the title game.

"All Hail Szczur," will be ringing in the junior's head for years to come, a national championship game display that will never be forgotten.