KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Frostburg State football playoff run came to an end in the NCAA Championship Quarterfinals with a 51-29 loss to Kutztown on Saturday.
 
Frostburg won the toss and deferred until the second half to start things off, giving KU the ball to start the game. The Golden Bear ground game churned out 48 yards to go with a pass interference call, as just over three minutes in QB Judd Novak took a keeper four yards for the opening score. On the second play of offense, the Bobcats ran a screen pass from redshirt sophomore Jordan Brooks to classmate KJ Smothers that went for 69-yards, as he came up just short of the end zone. After three consecutive defensive stands, Smothers finished off the drive scoring on a hard-fought yard up the middle to score on fourth down, as a blocked extra point by KU made the game 7-6.
 
 Kutztown would answer right back, taking the ball 75-yards downfield, helped out by a pair of offsides on 3^rd-and-10 to get the conversion. Luke Maxwell caught a pair of Novak passes for 44 combined yards, setting up Jaedyn Stewart to find paydirt from five yards out and a 14-6 lead. The Bobcats hit back again quickly, this time with redshirt sophomore Cruiz Paul-Umstead taking the kick-off 58 yards into Golden Bear territory. Backed up to a 4^th-and-12, Frostburg decided to go for it, as Brooks lofted a pass down the right side to senior Jevonn Gilyard all the way down to the one-yard line. Smothers scored easily on the left side for his second TD of the game, as sophomore Harrison Fritz made the point after kick to make the score 14-13.
 
KU started the drive with a 12-yard Novak run, however FSU's defense locked down, forcing the first punt of the day as the second quarter began. The Golden Bears wouldn't let the Bobcats capitalize on the stop, forcing a turnover on a sack fumble to set up great field position. Kutztown would take advantage of the short field, thanks in large part to Novak finding Preston Lenniek for 22 yards on 3^rd-and-13 before Maxwell punched it in from the one to go up 20-13. Redshirt junior Owen Doyle got a 12-yard gain to get a first down, however a third down sack forced a punt that would be blocked by LJ Smith to set KU up at the Bobcat 17. Having maneuvered down to the one, Maxwell again would get the call and score, putting the hosts up 28-13.
 
With three minutes left in the half and Brooks suffering an injury, the Bobcats would turn to redshirt junior quarterback Myles Fulton to lead the offense, making his first appearance since the week six game against Glenville State. He had an early completion to sophomore Ray Adames before scampering for eight yards and then finding Paul-Umstead for 10 to get into Kutztown territory. On 4^th-and-6 from the 43, FSU's coaching staff again rolled the dice and went for it, as Fulton found redshirt sophomore Amirr Coles for 10 yards to keep the drive going. He took another 14-yard keeper and spiked the ball down to have a late chance to score. A penalty put the ball back five yards, then as the clock ticked to one second, Fulton managed to find Coles in the back of the endzone for a touchdown and a 28-20 halftime score.
 
FSU started the second half with the ball, as Fulton immediately lofted the ball down the right side to Adames for 41 yards to Golden Bear territory. After a third down sack, the Bobcats would be forced to try a 38-yard field goal, as Fritz would knock it down the middle and get the Bobcats within 28-23.
 
Kutztown would answer with Novak dropping a pair of passes for 30 yards before running himself for 15 to get into FSU's side of the field. Trevor Amorim then went for a pair of receptions for 27 combined yards and a score, making things 35-23. Frostburg wasn't able to get much going offensively, as Fulton got sacked again on third down to force a punt. Steven Burkhardt took the first run 27 yards while a face mask brought KU 15 yards closer. On first-and-goal from the three, Novak easily found Gino Campagna to make it a three-score game at 42-23.
 
The Golden Bears immediately got the ball back, picking Fulton off on the first play and setting up a drive at the seven-yard line following a pair of personal fouls. Novak would find Maxwell for the latter's third score of the game, putting them up 49-23 at the start of the fourth frame. Following another pair of punts, the Bobcat defense would make a pair of plays, as senior Jaylen Boyd sacked Novak for nine yards, while classmate Marquise Allsup chased Novak down and forced a fumble to get the offense the ball back.
 
Redshirt freshman Brett Patterson converted a 3^rd-and-3 with a five-yard run to keep the drive going at the two-minute warning. Out of the timeout, Fulton would find redhsirtjunior Austin Paul-Umstead deep down the middle for a 65-yard score over the top. Kutztown made one final defensive play, getting an interception on the two-point attempt and running it back to make the final 51-29.
 
Smothers and Doyle combined for 66 yards with the former netting a pair of scores, as Fulton and Brooks had 284 yards through the air. Boyd helped lead the defensive effort with nine tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss, and a pass breakup.
 
With the loss Frostburg, finishes the season 11-3 while Kutztown improves to 14-0 and will advance to the national semifinals.
 
FSU tied their program's all-time single-season wins record as well as tying the farthest-ever NCAA Tournament run, sharing the quarterfinal appearance with the 2017 squad. They also became the first Frostburg State team to win an NCAA Division II Tournament game, being the fourth sport to make a national appearance following Women's Soccer, Baseball, and Women's Lacrosse.