(STATS) -- Richmond begins another playoff voyage with history squarely on its side. Momentum is another matter.The 12th-ranked Spiders return to Robins Stadium for Saturdays first-round matchup with No. 17 North Carolina A&T reeling from two giant blows -- an upset loss to their main rival and a season-ending injury to their nearly irreplaceable quarterback.Two-time All-CAA Football selection Kyle Lauletta wont be leading the Spiders third straight postseason trip after tearing his right ACL in last weeks 34-13 defeat at William & Mary, a result that cost Richmond (8-3) far more than a likely national seed and opening-round bye. With senior backup David Broadus also unavailable for reasons coach Danny Rocco hasnt disclosed, the Spiders will turn to either junior Jake Clise, a former walk-on at LSU, or true freshman Reid Chenault.In one sudden spell, the Spiders go from having a player with the third-highest passing yardage in the FCS over the past two seasons to having their season rest on two with a combined five pass attempts -- all of which came last week.Thats kind of the story of the football season, senior linebacker Omar Howard remarked.Richmond has indeed dealt with its share of adversity during a season it began ranked fourth in the STATS FCS Top 25 and with national title aspirations coming off a 2015 semifinals appearance. All-America safety David Jones broke his left arm in the sixth game and leading rusher Deontez Thompson began the year third on the depth chart before being elevated due to season-ending injuries to Gordon Collins and Xavier Goodall.North Carolina A&T (9-2) can certainly relate to the Spiders unenviable circumstances. Third-string quarterback Oluwafemi Bamiro will make a third consecutive start with Lamar Reynard still sidelined with a chest injury and backup Kylil Carter (knee) out for the season.Were more concerned about our situation than Richmonds situation, coach Rod Broadway said.Broadways greatest worry, though, is his teams mindset for a game that may be viewed as a bittersweet consolation prize after the Aggies failed to achieve their No. 1 goal of a third straight MEAC championship and a second consecutive spot in next months Celebration Bowl. Both were dashed with last weeks 42-21 loss at archrival North Carolina Central.Were trying everything we can to get these guys back mentally, because it was such a crushing blow for us to go play like we did, he said.The Aggies could use respect as a motivating factor in their first FCS playoff game since 2003. The MEAC has lost 18 straight times in the tournament, the last seven each by double digits, and conference members are 0-5 all-time against Richmond.Its a great honor to have been chosen to play in the playoffs, and hopefully we can go represent our conference and do a good job this weekend, Broadway said.North Carolina A&T hardly qualifies as a pushover. The Aggies boast a road victory over FBS-level Kent State and sport one of the FCS premier running backs in Tarik Cohen (1,518 yards, 19 total TDs), the MEACs all-time rushing leader who works behind an experienced offensive line that averages 310 pounds.They play a physical brand of football, Rocco said during Mondays CAA teleconference. Theres a mental toughness that they bring and weve got to recognize that here early in the week. (Cohen) is as good as any back in (our) league, and that says an awful lot.In a matchup where controlling the line of scrimmage will be essential, Thompson (761 yards, 10 total TDs) figures to be a central part of the Spiders game plan as well. The redshirt freshman has ripped off four straight 100-yard efforts while averaging 7.4 yards per carry over that stretch.Neither team stopped the run well a week ago. Richmond surrendered 219 yards and two touchdowns to William & Mary standout Kendell Anderson and the Aggies were gashed for a season-high 270 yards on the ground by N.C. Central, which had both quarterback Malcolm Bell and running back Dorrel McClain eclipse the century mark and combine for five TDs.The schools share one common opponent in Norfolk State, which lost 34-0 at Richmond on Sept. 10 and 35-0 at N.C. A&T four weeks later. Those mirror-image outcomes, coupled with the similar strengths and injury issues of both teams, suggest a tightly contested game to determine which advances to next weeks second-round clash at North Dakota.Richmond does believe it holds two key variables that could work to its advantage, however, in playing at home and its vast playoff experience. The Spiders have won 14 straight nonconference games at Robins Stadium since falling to Appalachian State in the 2009 quarterfinals and have won 12 of their last 13 there overall. That run includes postseason victories over MEAC member Morgan State and William & Mary in each of the previous two seasons.We still have all the confidence in the world, Howard said. Theres 100 other teams that arent playing at this time of year. Weve (just) got to play each game like its our last, because it very well could be.Shannon Sharpe Jersey . The 18th player to shoot 60 on the tour, Jamieson settled for par on the final hole when his 15-foot birdie chip grazed the edge of the hole and stayed out. After opening with rounds of 66 and 73 to make the cut by a stroke, he had 11 birdies in the bogey-free round. Drew Lock Jersey . 8 Kansas to a 64-63 win over Texas Tech on Tuesday night. The freshman from Vaughan, Ont. http://www.thebroncosstoreonline.com/Youth-Terrell-Davis-Broncos-Jerseys/ . The Cincinnati Reds remain perfect with their speedy rookie outfielder in the starting lineup. Joe Flacco Jersey . Q: Team Canada announces their Olympic roster three weeks from today. Who is general manager Steve Yzerman watching? LeBrun: Over the last 48 hours, hes taken in the home-and-home between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche with Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene being the obvious targets. Shannon Sharpe Broncos Jersey . The International Olympic Committee released the official list of bid cities on Friday after the deadline for applications had passed. The candidates -- all previously announced in their own countries -- are: Almaty, Kazakhstan; Beijing; Krakow, Poland; Lviv, Ukraine; Oslo, Norway; and Stockholm.The All Blacks are a machine that just keeps rolling and their record effort against South Africa showed just how effective they have been this year.They respect the opposition enough to go out there and do what they need to do but their defence is head and shoulders above anyone else on the planet. Theyre a machine and they now have a world record attempt coming up against Australia.What is impressive is that this has all been done with different players coming in and out. Its not the same players who have played all 18 Test matches but the machine just keeps rolling on. People are comparing 2016 with 2015 and that does my head in.Richie McCaw was part of this world record, Dan Carter, Maa Nonu, Conrad Smith, Keven Mealamu and Tony Woodcock were all part of this world record. Its not comparing two different teams, it is the same team with players coming in and players going out. Thats just life, thats the way it works but its the results that keep staying the same and the performance level that keeps on improving.The important thing is the All Blacks have been around for a hell of a long time and they have got a fantastic record; every young kid in New Zealand aspires to one day be an All Black and it just makes the value of the jersey stronger.The likes of an Anton Lienert-Brown comes into the team, and he must be absolutely star struck among the players he is playing with, but hes slotted in there and now been embraced by those guys as one of them. And were also watching players like Brodie Retallick and Kieran Read just mature into world-class players, not that they havent been in the past but theyre just getting better and better and better.Is it a fact that weve got better or is that everyone else in the world has got worse?I think it is a little bit of both. But everyone now looks at the Rugby World Cup as the pinnacle. The year after the World Cup is traditionally a rebuilding year and between World Cups the All Blacks are always the best in the world because we set such high standards and we maintain them at the highest level.So when everyone elses standards drop we look like world-beaters and in the three years between World Cups we win things hands down. And we know that come 2019 it is not an absolute given that there is going to be a three-peat. Sure, it is what we want but we were all nervous going into 2015, and in 2011 we could easily have lost the final.We have just got to enjoy the moments that are unfolding in front of us and to savour what is happening. With that in mind, it is quite timely in talking about this to look at the way the system keeps bringing young players through from schoolboys through the Mitre 10 Cup. These players are getting thrown up all the time and we hhave seen again that we have an exciting bunch of talent.ddddddddddddnd All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has said the door is open for some of those players to be considered for the end of year tour. I have no doubt the likes of Aucklands Rieko Ioane will probably go on that tour.Several other players in the Mitre 10 Cup have caught my eye. The fullback for Northland, Alaimalo Solomona, is a loan player from Canterbury and has been fantastic in a team that is starved of getting much ball; but when he gets it he is a talent.I think North Harbour first five-eighth Bryn Gatland is one for the future. Hes really turned North Harbour around.Two front-rowers from Wellington have been impressive. Hooker Aumua Asafo, who scored a hat-trick of tries against Northland, and the prop, straight out of school Alex Fidow. Hes obviously being introduced slowly by Wellington. He comes on and does cameos. Hes one to watch, technically Ive been impressed with him.I like both the Barrett brothers, Scott and Jordy, playing for Canterbury. And I notice Johnny McNicholl is leaving New Zealand and hes going in his best form. He has had an injury-plagued career for someone with so much talent, but now thats hes stayed fit hes been in the form of his life.And I like the look of Canterbury centre Jack Goodhue.Among the loose forwards Matt Matich has played well for the struggling Northland team while Jordan Taufua has continued on from his good Super Rugby season with the Crusaders to shine for Counties Manukau. Pete Samu has also impressed me from Tasman; hes gone well and has had a bolter of a season.Otago centre Matt Faddes is someone you would have to keep an eye on. He stepped up for the Highlanders this year and has performed well for Otago. Another who has done well is Matt Duffie on the wing for North Harbour. He has got better and better too.Ngani Laumape has been in impressive touch for Manawatu after his earlier stint with the Hurricanes, but just what chances these guys have of pushing for higher honours is dependent on how the All Blacks mid-field is going, and there are few issues there at the moment.The one area of concern the All Blacks selectors probably have is in the propping stakes and with that in mind I would think if you are looking at a prop then loosehead Fraser Armstrong from Manawatu could be someone they secretly have their eye on.If you were looking for a bolter, even if he hasnt player Super Rugby, then Armstrong might be a good bet. He would go well in the All Blacks and he wouldnt look out of place at all. It is definitely too early for Fidow, he is two years away.[url=http://www.authenticwholesalejerseyht be a good bet. He w