# 2002 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game

The 2002 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the McNeese State Cowboys. The game was played on December 20, 2002, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Western Kentucky, 34–14.

## Teams

The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 2002 I-AA Playoffs, which began with a 16-team bracket.

### Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Western Kentucky started their season with a loss to Kansas State of Division I-A, and the team was 2–3 after their first five games. They then won six games in a row, to finish their regular season with an 8–3 record (7–1 in conference). Unseeded in the playoffs, the Hilltoppers defeated Murray State, second-seed Western Illinois, and third-seed Georgia Southern to reach the final. This was the first appearance for Western Kentucky in a Division I-AA championship game.

### McNeese State Cowboys

McNeese State finished their regular season with a 9–1 record (6–0 in conference); their only loss was to Nebraska of Division I-A. The Cowboys, seeded first in the tournament, defeated Montana State, Montana, and Villanova to reach the final. This was the second appearance for McNeese State in a Division I-AA championship game, having lost in 1997.

## Game summary
### Scoring summary

Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | WKU | MSU |
| 1 | 9:36 | 5 | 27 | 3:01 | WKU | Jeremi Johnson 16-yard touchdown reception from Jason Michael, Peter Martinez kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 2 | 14:51 | 4 | 88 | 1:53 | WKU | Jon Frazier 55-yard touchdown run, Martinez kick good | 14 | 0 |
| 2 | 7:32 | 10 | 56 | 4:37 | MSU | 30-yard field goal by John Marino | 14 | 3 |
| 2 | 4:55 | 6 | 43 | 2:37 | WKU | 40-yard field goal by Martinez | 17 | 3 |
| 2 | 0:07 | 7 | 19 | 0:48 | MSU | 24-yard field goal by John Marino | 17 | 6 |
| 3 | 11:03 | 4 | 71 | 1:05 | WKU | Frazier 14-yard touchdown run, Martinez kick good | 24 | 6 |
| 3 | 3:49 | 8 | 75 | 2:13 | MSU | Luke Lawton 15-yard touchdown reception from Scott Pendarvis, 2-point pass good (Jeff Hamilton from Pendarvis) | 24 | 14 |
| 4 | 13:49 | 10 | 79 | 5:00 | WKU | Jason Michael 2-yard touchdown run, Martinez kick good | 31 | 14 |
| 4 | 2:51 | 4 | 2 | 1:36 | WKU | 23-yard field goal by Martinez | 34 | 14 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 34 | 14 |

### Game statistics

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hilltoppers | 7 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 34 |
| Cowboys | 0 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 14 |
| Statistics | WKU | MSU |
| First downs | 13 | 26 |
| Plays–yards | 60–380 | 82–405 |
| Rushes–yards | 50–195 | 34–137 |
| Passing yards | 185 | 268 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 6–10–0 | 25–48–3 |
| Time of possession | 30:18 | 29:42 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Western Kentucky | Passing | Jason Michael | 6–10, 185 yds, 1 TD |
| Western Kentucky | Rushing | Jon Frazier | 27 car, 169 yds, 2 RD |
| Western Kentucky | Receiving | Jeremi Johnson | 3 rec, 90 yds, 1 TD |
| McNeese State | Passing | Scott Pendarvis | 21–38, 244 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| McNeese State | Rushing | Marcus Trahan | 12 car, 82 yds |
| McNeese State | Receiving | B. J. Sams | 7 rec, 69 yds |