MOULTRIE — Led by Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Year Ty French, Gardner-Webb University defeated Eastern Kentucky 52-41 on Saturday in the first round of the NCAA FCS playoffs.

French, the former Packer, had seven tackles in the game, including 1.5 for loss and a half-sack.

The Runnin’ Bulldogs will travel to Williamsburg, Va., on Saturday to face No. 5 William and Mary in the second round.

Gardner-Webb, now 7-5 overall, won the Big South Conference championship for the first time in 19 years with a 5-0 record.

French, a defensive end, was named to the All-Big South Conference team for the third time this year.

He led the conference with 11 sacks, which tied the conference record.

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound junior also had 61 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and had his first career interception.

Of this and that:

• Thomas County Central’s impressive run in its first season under head coach Justin Rogers came to an end last Friday with a 42-34 Class 6A quarterfinal loss to Roswell at the Jackets Nest.

The Yellow Jackets led 24-6 at the half, but Roswell erupted for 29 third-quarter points and went on to the win.

Thomas County Central finishes 12-1, its best record since the 2007 team went 13-1.

Rogers, the former Colquitt County coach, now has a career head coaching record of 83-23.

• One Colquitt County opponent remains alive in the GHSA playoffs.

Cedar Grove, which the Packers defeated 39-17 during the regular season, shut out Calvary Day 30-0 last Friday and will play a Class AAA semifinal game at Oconee County this week.

• Stockbridge, which lost to the Packers 29-0 in the second game of the season, was eliminated in the Class AAAA quarterfinals when it fell to Benedictine 34-14. The Tigers finished the season10-3.

• Former Packers Kamaar Bell and Carter Boatwright will be playing for a new coach at Florida Atlantic next season.

FAU has fired Willie Taggert after three years in which he posted a 15-18 record.

The Owls lost Saturday 32-31 in overtime to Western Kentucky to finish 5-7.

Both Boatwright and Bell started the game for FAU.

Boatwright, a tight end, had two pass receptions for 30 yards.

The 6-foot-4, 240-pounder redshirt sophomore played in nine games for FAU and had four starts this season. He finished with four catches for 33 yards.

Bell also is a redshirt sophomore. The 6-foot-2, 310-pounder had five starts this season on the offensive line.

• Lemeke Brockington had two catches for 52 yards in Minnesota’s 23-16 victory over Wisconsin on Saturday.

The Golden Gophers are 8-4 and will learn on Sunday, Dec. 4, which bowl they will compete in and who their opponent will be.

• Florida State’s Ryan Fitzgerald hit one of his two field goal attempts and all six of his extra point attempts in Florida State’s 45-38 win over Florida last Friday.

The 9-3 Seminoles also are headed for a bowl.

• Following a 37-27 victory over Louisiana Tech, Will Rykard and his University of Alabama-Birmingham teammates are headed to the Friday, Dec. 16, Bahamas Bowl.

UAB will meet Miami of Ohio in the game, which will be televised by ESPN at 11:30 a.m.

• Clark Atlanta’s Janiah Ellis had 11 points in Saturday’s 67-61 loss to Miles.

Ellis is averaging 13.2 points after Clark Atlanta’s first five games. She has started four of them.

• Wrestler Nic Jarvis took a 2-1 decision at 285 pounds in Reinhardt’s recent victory over Campbellsville (Ky.) University.