CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Richmond coach Mike London heard talk from Montana fans expecting an easy national championship win. After all, his Spiders lost three of their first seven games.

Turns out it was Richmond that got the easy win.

Eric Ward caught a touchdown pass and threw for another score, Josh Vaughan ran for 162 yards and a touchdown and the Spiders dominated Montana, 24-7, last night for the school's first Football Championship Subdivision national championship.

"I guess the only ones who believed we could do this thing were the people inside the Richmond program," said London, in his first season in charge at his alma mater.

The team held a players-only meeting Oct. 12 after a loss to James Madison and pledged not to give up on making a playoff run.

Richmond (13-3) won its next eight games behind the calm coaching of London, who replaced Dave Clawson after two seasons as defensive coordinator at Virginia. The Spiders went on to upset defending national champion Appalachian State in the playoff quarterfinals and hung on to beat Northern Iowa before toppling two-time national champion Montana.

A crowd of mostly Richmond fans rushed the field in Chattanooga, surrounding the players as they accepted the championship trophy.

The Grizzlies (14-2), who lost the 2004 championship to James Madison and were making their fifth trip to the title game, found themselves in a 21-0 hole by halftime.

"We picked a really bad day not to show up," Montana safety Colt Anderson said.

Ward struck first when he pitched the ball to fullback John Crone just a few minutes into the game. The quarterback took off toward the endzone and Crone hit him from 23 yards out — his first touchdown pass and Ward's first touchdown reception.

"I began giggling when it was called, because I never thought we would run it," Crone said. "It happened in slow motion and when I saw him open, I knew I had to hit him or I would never hear the end of it."

Vaughan scored from 5 yards out to make it 14-0 with 11:29 left in the first half, and Ward's 13-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilkins with 2:13 to go before halftime capped a 12-play, 75-yard drive.

USC

GUARD BYERS GRANTED SIXTH SEASON BY NCAA

Southern California guard Jeff Byers had his request for a sixth year of eligibility approved by the NCAA, allowing him to return to the Trojans next season.

Because he missed two seasons with injuries, Byers petitioned the NCAA for a "clock extension waiver," and his request was granted.

After appearing in all 13 USC games as a true freshman in 2004, Byers was sidelined with injuries the next two years. He had arthroscopic surgery to remove torn cartilage in his right hip in 2005, forcing him to miss that season. Then, in 2006, after seeing action in the opener, he suffered a back sprain and was out the rest of that season.

Byers has been USC's starting left guard the past two seasons. He was a second-team All-Pac-10 performer this year.

GEORGIA

DEFENSIVE TACKLE OWENS WILL RETURN

Georgia defensive tackle Jeff Owens will return for his 2009 senior season.

Owens was considered Georgia's top defensive lineman and a candidate to enter the NFL draft as a junior before he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the season opener against Georgia Southern.

"I'm looking forward to having a big senior year," he said. "This year, I played one quarter. If I came out now, maybe I don't get picked or I do and then get cut, and I wasted one college year."