The kick was perfect. It didn't hook, it didn't get pushed, it wasn't low, and it had plenty of leg. Of all things, it was just too straight.

That's the way it went for Montana kicker Dan Carpenter Saturday in UM's 23-22 first round playoff loss to Wofford. The Grizzlies fell behind with just 32 seconds to play, but got the ball to midfield on the ensuing kickoff. A completion to the 30 set Carpenter up for a chance to win the game.

The record-setting Helena native could only bow his head as the ball went right down the left hash marks and UM's undefeated season went right down the tubes. Carpenter finished his fine career with FCS records for field goals made, scoring and scoring by a kicker. He had made all three of his previous attempts from 37, 25 and 24 yards to keep UM in position to win the game.

"We reminded him how good he is and how many kicks he's made," quarterback Cole Bergquist told the Missoulian.

"What I did tell Dan was, 'Remember the 100 kicks you made, and not the one you missed,' " UM head coach Bobby Hauck said. "He's been awfully good."

The last three Grizzly kickers have all either had potential playoff game-winning or game-tying field goals blocked or missed to end their careers. Kris Heppner missed in a 30-27 loss to Youngstown State in 1999 and Chris Snyder was blocked in a 43-40 double overtime loss to Western Illinois. All three games took place in Missoula

Wofford led most of the day despite turning the ball over three times to none for the Grizzlies. The Terriers controlled the tempo with 333 rushing yards.

UM (11-1) seemed to take control when senior Lex Hilliard score with six minutes to play to give UM a 22-17 lead. UM head coach Bobby Hauck elected to go for two and the move nearly proved costly.

Wofford (9-3) drove the field and scored to take the one point lead and appeared to take a three-point lead when a Josh Collier pass to Tripp Smith looked complete only to be ruled not so. Had the score counted the Terriers would've been up 25-22 and the best a UM field goal would've done was tie the game.

Wofford moves on to the quarterfinals to face Richmond.

The other Big Sky representative, Eastern Washington, did much better as the Eagles went on the road and mauled No. 2 seed McNeese State in Lake Charles, La. 44-15.

EWU (9-3) took a 23-7 lead early in the second half, but McNeese (11-1) responded with a long drive for a touchdown and two-point conversion to draw within eight at 23-15. The Eagles then shifted gears and went the running game after sophomore quarterback Matt Nichols had already put 300 passing yards in the books. EWU ran for 47 of 68 yards on its next possession resulting in a 1-yard plunge by Dale Morris.

After a three-and-out, the Eagles went back to Nichols' arm and the move paid off with an 82-yard drive. Morris finished off the drive with another touchdown run and he finished with four TDs.

The Eagles had 626 yards of total offense with Nichols throwing for 434 yards on 34-of-44 passing and Morris running for 130 yards on 22 carries. The win moves the Eagles into the quarterfinals where they will face two-time defending champion Appalachian State in Boone, N.C. The Mountaineers edged James Madison 28-27 when quarterback Armanti Edwards scored his third touchdown with about one minute to play.

Top-seeded Northern Iowa survived a scare from New Hampshire as the Panthers blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, but scored with seven seconds to go on a 24-yard TD pass from Eric Sanders to Montari Leonard.

The first round was not a good one for lower-level FCS automatic bid conferences.

The Ohio Valley Conference was battered in two contests. Eastern Illinois was never in the game as it was smashed 30-11 by Southern Illinois out of the Gateway Conference. OVC champion Eastern Kentucky was knocked out by Colonial Athletic Association member Richmond 31-14. Both EIU and EKU were 1-3 in non-conference games this year.

Delaware State of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference was drubbed 44-7 by Delaware out of the CAA and Patriot League champion Fordham lost to UMass 49-35. Fordham was 3-3 and Delaware State 1-2 in non-league games this season.

The four major FCS conferences went 8-3 in the first round with all three losses coming from teams out of one of the other four major conferences. The CAA finished the first weekend 3-2, while the Gateway was 2-0, the Southern Conference was 2-0 and the Big Sky went 1-1.