Tennessee and Bowling Green will play for the Men’s DI-AA national championship next week in Houston, TX after winning their semifinals Saturday. The Volunteers downed Texas A&M in Knoxville, TN, 35-10, and Bowling Green knocked off Louisville, 26-21, in Butler, PA. 

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The MAC conference rivals exchanged tries and yellow cards in the opening 15 minutes in Butler. Louisville No. 8 Matthew Kramer dotted down just 90 seconds in, and Bowling Green lock Zach Szepiela answered back. Cardinal wing Amarreon McLaurin was sent off for a high tackle, and Bowling Green No. 8 Evan Holderer was given timeout for a penalty at the ruck.

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Bowling Green fullback Joseph Apel nailed a penalty kick in the 39th minute to put the Falcons up 8-7 going into halftime, a lead they’d extend just a few minutes into the second stanza when Holderer crossed the whitewash. Apel then extended it with a second shot at goal – 16-7.  

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There were three yellow cards shown in a wild final 10 minutes of the game, two to Bowling Green and one to Louisville, and the Cardinals went on a run to draw level at 21-21. But Bowling Green reserve flanker Joseph Harris scored in the 83rd minute to send the Falcons back to the national championship game for the second year in a row.

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In Knoxville, the Vols were on top early and often, racing out to a 21-0 lead in the opening half hour. Prop Aidan O’Connor, wing Clay Winnek, and hooker Nate Rawls scored tries, and freshman fullback Vincent Keller converted all of them. A&M fullback Carim Ciblis Daher got the Aggies their lone points of the half, a penalty kick, and Tennessee took a 21-3 advantage into the break.

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A&M flyhalf Nathan Sieberhagen opened the second half with a try, giving Aggie fans a glimmer of hope. But Tennessee pumped in back-to-back tries to slam the door shut. Flanker Niko Zaharas scored the first one, and the second was a penalty try. 

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Tennessee and Bowling Green will play for both programs’ first national championship in history Saturday at SaberCats Stadium in Houston, TX.

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All matches will be streamed live on tv.ncr.rugby.