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Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Illinois State finally gets to play the No. 1 team in the country ... and its not North Dakota State. The Redbirds had been working to come out of the shadow of North Dakota State, the three-time defending FCS national champion, after they didnt face each other in the regular season while both earned a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference title. New Hampshire replaced NDSU as the No. 1-ranked team late in the regular season and then earned the top seed for the 24-team national playoffs. With the field dwindled to four, Illinois State, the fifth seed, will take on the Wildcats in a semifinal Saturday, with the winner advancing to the FCS championship game on Jan. 10 in Frisco, Texas. Despite playing on the road, Illinois State (12-1) might even be considered the favorite against CAA Football champion New Hampshire (12-1) as the programs meet for the first time. The Redbirds are big, strong and fast, and are coming off a highly impressive, 59-46 win at Eastern Washington in the quarterfinals. Some of the matchups werent good for us. They were even better in person, Eastern Washington coach Beau Baldwin said. In the other semifinal Friday night, second-seeded North Dakota State (13-1) will try to become the third program to reach the FCS championship game in four straight seasons, joining Eastern Kentucky (1979-82) and Youngstown State (1991-94). The Bison will host a familiar foe in unseeded Sam Houston State (11-4), whom they defeated in both the 2011 and 12 national championship games. FCS PREDICTIONS Last Weeks Record: 2-2 (.500) This Seasons Record: 642-193 (.769) X-Predicted Winner FCS Playoff Semifinals All Times ET Friday, Dec. 19 Sam Houston State (11-4) at No. 2 seed North Dakota State (13-1) Kickoff: 8 p.m. (ESPN2) What to Know: The national championship finalists from 2011 and 12 are set to square off again, and a lot has changed since North Dakota State dominated with defense in both victories. As far as personnel, Sam Houston is especially different. Both teams even have new coaches, Sam Houstons K.C. Keeler, who won the 2003 national title at Delaware, and North Dakota States Chris Klieman, an assistant during the Bisons three straight titles. The Bearkats have won three playoff games over an impressive list of opponents (Southeastern Louisiana, Jacksonville State and Villanova), but this is the Southland Conference powers third straight game on the road and North Dakota State is a stronger team than the earlier opponents. The Bearkats rely a lot on their team speed, but the host Bison also have the speed defensively to match the visitors athleticism. Sam Houstons run game averages 250.7 yards per game and recently injured rushing leader Keshawn Hill looked more like himself in last Saturdays quarterfinal-round win at Villanova, which makes dual-threat quarterback Jared Johnson even more dangerous. But Johnson is going to need another big passing game (22-for-27, 303 yards, three touchdowns against Villanova) to keep the Bison from loading up the box with eight defenders. Freshman defensive end P.J. Hall had two more sacks against Villanova, giving him 11 this season as well as 29 tackles for loss. He figures to be disruptive because North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz likes to move from the pocket and he wont want to go Emanuels way. Sam Houston safety Michael Wade is one of the few veteran holdovers from the championship game appearances against North Dakota State. His savvy play will set the tone on the back end. Plus, the Bison have gotten younger at wide receiver since standout senior Zach Vraa was injured two weeks ago. The Bearkats have given up too many rushing yards in the playoffs, so North Dakota States primary objective is to put the ball in the hands of senior running back John Crockett. who smoked Coastal Carolina last Saturday for 227 yards and two touchdowns when the reigning champs were facing the end of a playoff winning streak that now is at 14. Wentz often softens a defense with draws and rollouts, then Crockett (1,754 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground) can break off decisive games. Still, the bread and butter of Bison football remains the defense, even though the vaunted unit is still seeking a dominating effort in this postseason. Perhaps it reflects how much they miss veteran linebacker Travis Beck, their fiery leader, who was injured in the regular-season finale. Defensive end Kyle Emanuel, the 2014 Buck Buchanan Award winner, will lead the swarming defense. If the Bison can make the game a bruising affair, the Bearkats might struggle for offensive rhythm. Plus, the Bison defense energizes the Fargodome crowd, and that cant be minimized when a visiting team hasnt experienced it before. The Bison have won 22 straight home games. This game also matches excellent special teams. Being indoors is always good for North Dakota State kicker Adam Keller, who is 26-for-31 on field goal attempts this season. Luc Swimberghe (17-for-19) is reliable for Sam Houston. The punters - Lachlan Edwards (Sam Houston) and Ben LeCompte (NDSU) - are among the best in the nation. Prediction: North Dakota State has two scares in the playoffs already. The Bison are usually good at making statements when there is talk of a loss. North Dakota State, 37-23. Saturday, Dec. 20 No. 5 seed Illinois State at No. 1 seed New Hampshire (12-1) Kickoff: 2 p.m. (ESPNU) What to Know: Both teams have one previous national semifinal appearance (Illinois State in 1999 and New Hampshire last year). Whoever wins this first- ever meeting will advance to the national championship game for the first time. Illinois States gifted offense was relentless in dispatching Eastern Washington, 59-46, in the quarterfinals. But now the Redbirds are moving to the other side of the country, so its possible all the travel will have an effect on the Missouri Valley Football Conference co-champions. Still, star running back Marshaun Coprich doesnt appear to be slowing down, having gone over 100 rushing yards in all 13 games. That includes 258 yards and four touchdowns against Eastern Washington, which gave him a national-high 2,089 yards this season. With New Hampshire playing a 4-2-5 defensive alignment, he should be able to get to the edge of the secondary, as he likes to do. Of course, Illinois State has had a 1-2 offensive punch all season. Quarterback Tre Roberson, the Indiana transfer, has set the school record for total yards in a season (3,559) and accounted for 36 total touchdowns. He often gets long gains out of his receiving corps after defenses put their focus on Coprich. Illinois State also is big and physical on the offensive line, led by Jermaine Barton, and that gives the Redbirds the chance to match what has been a productive New Hampshire defensive front during the playoffs. Big defensive end Teddy Corbin is the one opponents must build a game plan against. He is one of the Redbirds two All-Missouri Valley first-team defensive selections with linebacker Pat Meehan, their leading tackler. New Hampshire is only 1-4 all-time in the postseason against Missouri Valley teams. The Wildcats have to be error-free on offense, especially quarterback Sean Goldrich, who will mix in the run and pass. Coach Sean McDonnell, the Eddie Robinson Award winner, figures to be creative offensively, and the Wildcats want to let their top playmaker. wide receiver R.J. Harris, work his magic. He is tied atop UNHs all-time receptions list (304, with David Ball) and is six receptions shy of 100 and 17 yards under 1,500 this season. Running back Nico Steriti doesnt break long runs, but hes built strong and powers through defenses to eat up yards. Had he not been hurt during the regular season, he figured to have been at an All-CAA level. The playoffs are giving the senior a chance to make up for lost time. The UNH defense can bend but cant break like Eastern Washingtons did against Illinois State. Chattanooga had 566 yards against UNH in the quarterfinals, so the Wildcats were fortunate to pull out a 35-30 win. Defensive tackle Matt Kaplan makes the Wildcats balanced defense go when he is breaking through the middle with pressure in the backfield. Safety Casey DeAndre is always around the ball on the back end. The Wildcats, in the playoffs for an 11th straight season (no other program is beyond five) have won 13 straight games at Cowell Stadium, including an 8-0 mark this season. Prediction: New Hampshire doesnt often play teams with a better offense. This is one of those times, though. Illinois State, 38-28. Fake Nike NFL Jerseys . According to the CFL Scouting Bureaus January rankings, four of the top five Canadian prospects line-up on the offensive side of the trenches, which is good news for Bombers general manager Kyle Walters. With only one selection in the first two rounds — Walters sent his second-round pick to Saskatchewan in the days ahead of the 2013 trade deadline — the No. Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap . The 2010 batting champ showed what he can do when hes mostly healthy. Gonzalez homered, doubled and singled in his return to the lineup, and the Colorado Rockies snapped a five-game losing streak with a 13-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night. https://www.chinajerseysnfl.us/ . The club was unable to retain hitting coach Kevin Seitzer, who is bound for Atlanta. Seitzer replaces Greg Walker, who was assisted by Scott Fletcher this season as the Braves finished 79-83. Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Free Shipping . So what happens? Stevenson lands a huge left to Dawsons temple only 76 seconds into the opening round and walks away with the championship belt. "I said Id knock him out," said Stevenson (21-1). Cheap NFL Jerseys China . Dallas also Monday recalled defenceman Aaron Rome from his conditioning assignment with the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League and assigned goaltender Jack Campbell to the AHL squad.PHILADELPHIA -- The Toronto Maple Leafs opted for some young Swedish sizzle in picking William Nylander eighth overall in the NHL draft Friday. "Hes got high-, high-end skill. He might be the most skilled player in the draft," said Toronto GM Dave Nonis. "Electrifying," he added. "He has NHL speed, NHL hands and an NHL shot right now. Its whether or not the rest of his game can catch up." The son of former NHLer Michael Nylander, William was named best forward at the 2014 Under-18 World Championship after leading all players in assists (10) and points (16) in seven games for Sweden. Nylander, who was born in Calgary but lives in Stockholm, had one goal and six assists in 22 games with Swedens Modo this season. Just five foot nine and 169 pounds, the baby-faced Nylander looks younger than his years. "Hes grown a lot in the last 12 months ... Hes taller, hes thicker," said Nonis. "Theres a lot of work left there to do, for him. "But in terms of foot speed, puck skills, ability to shoot the puck, hes got all those down right now. So right now its going to be about hard work, getting stronger and prepared to play against North American men. Hes already played in the mens league in Sweden, hes not a kid thats been playing junior. Hes been playing in the (Swedish) elite League against some pretty highly skilled and strong players already, which bodes well for us." Nylander is a free agent in Sweden, meaning he is free to come to North America. "Hell definitely have a chance to make our team," said Nonis, while acknowledging it would be a "long shot" for him to crack the Leaf linneup as an 18-year-old.dddddddddddd. "Hell be given that opportunity and if hes good enough to stick and play and contribute, then we would keep him. And if not, well decide at that point whether its best to keep him over in North America or to have him go back to Sweden and play in the Elite League." Quizzed about being ready for the NHL, Nylander said: "Id say my goal is for next year, but if that doesnt happen, probably Ill go back to Sweden or play in the AHL." Asked to describe his game, Nylander said: "I like to score goals and make plays and work hard on both ends of the ice." Shaving looks like it wont be a problem for a while. Nonis says the young Nylander makes spectacular plays. "Those highlights happen on a regular occurrence," said Nonis. "So I think hell be a very exciting player for our fans. He can move the puck, hes not just a guy who can carry it and snipe it. Hes a good playmaker and at the under-18s, if you look at the points totals he threw up there, they were pretty impressive." Nonis also liked the way the young Swede stood up to the Canadians when the two teams met at the tournament. "I think he was tying to prove a point," he said. Nonis said the Leafs were looking to move down in the draft had two players not been available by their pick. Nylander was one, he did not name the other. Michael Nylander played for seven teams (Hartford, Calgary, Tampa Bay, Chicago, Washington, Boston and the Rangers) during his 920-game, 15-season NHL career. William played briefly with his father last season when he was loaned to Rogle in Swedens second division. ' ' '