ALBANY, Ga. (AP) Nathan Brown threw two short scoring passes to Austin Cade and Willie Hopson ran for 118 yards and another touchdown to lead Gulf South Conference champion to a 28-20 victory over Albany State in the opening round of the NCAA Division II playoffs on Saturday.<br>
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The Bears (10-2) advance to a second round meeting with Presbyterian College next Saturday.<br>
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Albany State, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion, completed its season with a 8-2 mark.<br>
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Brown, who completed 17 of 26 passes for 132 yards, connected with Cade on a 5-yard scoring pass 2:16 before halftime and then connected from 2 yards midway through the third when the Bears took control, breaking a 14-14 tie with two touchdowns.<br>
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Hopson scored on a 16-yard run with 4:56 left in the third and Central's other score came on Kentrel Rogers' 3-yard run early in the second quarter. Rogers had 82 yards on 22 carries.<br>
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Antonio Atkins sparked the Golden Rams' attack, running for 145 yards on seven carries with a 56-yard scoring run and hauling in a 69-yard TD pass from Hosea Harris.<br>
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Atkins also had four catches for 100 yards. Harris also completed a 13-yard TD pass to Brandon Green with 4:36 left in the game. Harris completed 14 of 23 passes for 185 yards.<br>
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(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
