The Gateway’s three first-round wins this season matched the league’s record for opening-round playoff victories.  In 2003 (the only other season in which the Gateway sent more than two teams to the playoffs), the league was 3-1 in the first round and 0-3 in three road quarterfinal games.

YOU, AGAIN?
The Illinois State-Youngstown State playoff matchup marks the second time in league history in which two Gateway teams played each other in the playoffs (Western Kentucky won at Western Illinois in 2002 en route to a national championship that year).

Saturday, Dec. 2
Montana State (8-4, Big Sky) at #1 Appalachian State (11-1, Southern)
Boone, NC, 3 pm CT (ESPN2) * Winner vs. Illinois St./Youngstown State

Illinois State (9-3, Gateway) at #4 Youngstown State (10-2, Gateway)
Youngstown, OH, 5 pm CT (Game Plan) * Winner vs. Montana St./Appalachian St.

New Hampshire (9-3, Atlantic-10) at #3 Massachusetts (11-1, Atlantic-10)
Amherst, MA, 1:30 pm CT (Game Plan) * Winner plays Montana/Southern Illinois

Southern Illinois (9-3, Gateway) at #2 Montana (11-1, Big Sky)
Missoula, MT, 1:30 pm CT (Game Plan) * Winner plays UMass/New Hampshire

only the top four teams are seeded; three QF games on ESPN Game Plan

Saturday, Nov. 25
#1 Appalachian St. 45, C. Carolina 28 (ESPNU)
Montana State 31, Furman 13
Illinois State 24, at Eastern Illinois 13
#4 YSU 35, James Madison 31 (ESPN2)
#3 Massachusetts 35, Lafayette 14
New Hampshire 41, at Hampton 38
Southern Illinois 36, UT-Martin 30
#2 Montana 31, McNeese State 6

YOUNGSTOWN STATE CLAIMS GATEWAY CONFERENCE CROWN
Youngstown State is back in the NCAA playoffs for the first time since 2000 and has earned back-to-back Gateway titles.  In 2005, YSU was one of three tri-champs (UNI, Southern Illinois) but did not earn at at-large berth to the post-season.  The 2006 title is YSU’s first outright Gateway Conference crown

GATEWAY SENDS 3 TEAMS
Although the Gateway has sent two teams for 12-straight years, the three representatives in this year’s field marks the second-most for the league and only the second time the Gateway has had more than two teams in the field.  In 2003, the Gateway set a record with 4 teams in the 16-team format.  The Atlantic-10 also has three teams in this year’s tournament.

HOME COOKIN’ - TWO TEAMS HOST IN FIRST ROUND
In the seasons in which the Gateway has had at least two teams in the field (15 times), only four times has the league had two first-round home games, and the league is a perfect 8-0 in those situations.  Prior to this year’s 2-0 record -- in 1997, Western Illinois and Youngstown State hosted in the first round (both won); in 2002, Western Illinois and Western Kentucky hosted in the first round (both won); and in 2003, UNI and WKU hosted in the first round (both won).

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER NOTABLES

• In the Youngstown State victory, Tom Zetts (314 passing yards) and T.J. Peterson (11 catches for 144 yards) set career highs.
• Arkee Whitlock matched a league playoff record with four TDs while his 207 rushing yards are second-most all-time in Gateway playoff history.  His 294 yards against UT-Martin are a Gateway playoff record for all-purpose yardage.
• Illinois State returned two interceptions for scores in the win at Eastern Illinois (Jason Tate and Jesse Caesar) and Pierre Rembert became the school’s single-season rushing leader with 1,622 yards (surpassing Toby Davis in 1992).

Playoff Advantage at Home
Notably, the Gateway has been better at home in the playoffs, recording a 25-9 record in home games in previous playoff appearances.  The league is 14-24 on the road in playoff action.  And counting four neutral-site contests, the league is 41-35 all-time in the NCAA Division I Football Championship.

Gateway Teams All-Time Marks
Including this year, Illinois State is 3-2 all-time in the championship (1998, 1999); Southern Illinois is 2-3 (2003, 2004, 2005); and Youngstown State is 8-2 (1997, 1999, 2000).  SIU has a 1983 national championship prior to Gateway membership; Youngstown State has four titles, including one as a Gateway member (1997).

Salukis In the Field, 4-Straight
SIU, meanwhile, is just the third Gateway team to reach the playoffs for four-straight seasons.  Western Kentucky’s string of four-straight ended this year as the Hilltoppers were in the field from 2001-04.  And UNI holds the league record with seven-straight playoff berths from 1990-96.

Best Against the FCS?
The Gateway has compiled a 12-4 mark against FCS conferences in 2006 (the NCAA does not recognize games against the provisional FCS members).  The Atlantic-10 Conference has the best record against other FCS schools, through games of Nov. 25.  Here’s how FCS leagues stack up against each other this season:

Conference (Record)
1. Atlantic-10 (19-6) .760
2. Gateway (12-4) .750
3. Big Sky (4-2) .667
4. Ivy (16-8)  .667 
5. Southland (5-3) .625 
6. Southern (12-9) .571 
7. Northeast (16-14) .533 

Streak vs. OVC Reaches Seven
Since 1985, the Gateway has compiled a 92-45-1 record against the  Midwest-based rival Ohio Valley.  Included in that is a streak of five-straight winning seasons by the Gateway.  This year, the Gateway needed a two-game sweep in the playoffs to edge the OVC in the series, 4-3.  The Gateway has won seven-straight playoff meetings against Ohio Valley members, dating back to 2001.

On Cloud Nine
Including 2006, the Gateway has had two nine-game winners (during the same season) nine times in the past 11 years and 10 times overall.  Only four times in league history (1997, 1999, 2002, and 2003) has the league had two teams reach double-figure wins the same year.  Youngstown State became the Gateway’s first nine-game winner this year with the win at Western Kentucky on Nov. 11.

Running Back Conference
Four Gateway running backs are in the top 10 nationally in rushing yards per game.  Youngstown State’s Marcus Mason tops the league and is ranked No. 2 nationally.

Rank - Player Games Car. Yards Avg.
2 - Marcus Mason, YSU 10 254 1568 156.8
4 - Arkee Whitlock, SIU 12 296 1748 145.7
6 - Pierre Rembert, ILS 12 331 1629 135.8
8 - Herb Donaldson, WIU 11 233 1417 128.8

League is at 21-14
The Gateway is 21-14 in non-conference play and has assured itself of a better than .500 mark for the 16th season in our 22nd year.  The league has had a winning record in 15 of 21 previous seasons, including five in a row.  The Gateway was 22-15 in non-league action in 2005.