By MATT PIKE
Bye Week: Missouri Western (1-2, 0-1 MIAA)- Next host Emporia State 9/26
No. 7 Bearcats dominate Missouri Southern on Family Day in Maryville
The Northwest Missouri State University football team scored a dominant victory over the Missouri Southern Lions in Saturday's Family Weekend contest winning 65-3 at Bearcat Stadium.
The Bearcats ended the first quarter leading 14-0 after two touchdowns from Zechariah Owens, scoring first with his legs on a nine yard run before finding Te'Shaun Porter through the air for 18 yards later in the quarter. After Lions kicker Asher Huffman knocked through a 34 yard field goal early in the second quarter, Northwest would go on to score 51 unanswered points across eight scoring drives. The 65 points are the most the Bearcats have scored since a 66-13 win over Nebraska-Kearney on October 30th, 2021.
Owens again started the scoring in the second quarter for Northwest to extend the lead, first completing a 35-yard pass to Cooper Warren and a seven yard pass to Erwin Nash, before running 25 yards for his second rushing touchdown of the game. Mo Alwaely later added a 28-yard field goal in the quarter, and the scoring rampage continued with a five yard rushing touchdown from Quincy Torry, the third running score of the day expanding the lead to 31-3. Owens scored his fourth touchdown of the day, and second through the air, after Michael Harrison recovered a fumble, finding Delton Davis for a 16-yard touchdown pass. And then, after Holden Zigmant intercepted Tillman Martin to start another short-field march, Mason Shorb threw a four yard touchdown pass to Warren.
A 28-yard punt return by Warren gave Northwest one more scoring chance in the first half, starting a drive from its own 45 yard line, and Shorb threw his second touchdown pass connecting with Nash for a 55-yard touchdown with 1:15 left in the half, putting the Bearcats up 51-3 at the halftime break. The 51 points by Northwest at the half rank as the second-highest scoring first half in program history, trailing only a 56-point half Northwest scored against Southwest Baptist on September 29th, 2007. The second half, compared to the first half, was low scoring, the Bearcats adding one touchdown in the third quarter, capping an 11-play, 75-yard drive, with a one yard run from Porter. In the fourth, Jaron Cannon Jr. rushed for a one yard touchdown run to cap the scoring.
With the win over Missouri Southern, Northwest extended its win streak over Missouri Southern to 31 games, tying for the third-longest all-time winning streak against the same opponent in NCAA Division II history. Owens completed 9-of-13 passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns, adding three runs for 34 yards and two more touchdowns. Porter rushed 11 times for 50 yards and a touchdown and added one catch for his 18 yard touchdown. Nash caught three passes for 79 yards and a touchdown while Warren had three catches for 60 yards and a score.
Northwest (3-0, 2-0 MIAA) has now won seven consecutive home games. The Bearcats next travel to Edmond, Oklahoma to face Central Oklahoma (1-2, 0-1 MIAA) on Saturday at 7 pm.
No. 9 Ravens upset No. 1 Vikings, snap 73 game winning streak in season
The No. 9 Benedictine Raven football team scored 14 unanswered points on No. 1 Grand View University beating the Vikings 21-17, avenging a loss in last season's NAIA Football Championship Series Semifinals, and snapping Grand View's 73 game regular season winning streak along with the Vikings 31 overall game winning streak.
Grand View had not lost a regular season matchup since November 3rd, 2018, ironically also to Benedictine. Following a loss on December 2nd, 2023 in the NAIA Football Championship Quarterfinals to the College of Idaho, the Vikings had back-to-back 14-0 national championsip seasons, in 2024 and 2025. Grand View also claimed eight Heart of America North Conference Titles throughout the 73 game regular season streak,
The battle between the two top 10 powerhouses in the NAIA turned defensive through the first half as neither team was able to put together much offensively. After Grand View put up a first-quarter field goal, Cory Wood hitting from 29 yards, for the only points in the quarter, the teams traded touchdowns in the second quarter. The Ravens took their first lead of the game midway through the second quarter on a one yard rushing touchdown from Patrick Heitert, but with just over two minutes remaining in the half, the Vikings answered scoring on a five yard pass from Casey Rooney to Triston Williams to take a 10-7 lead into the halftime break.
Out of halftime, Grand View extended the lead to 10 points midway through the third quarter, Dalten Van Pelt rushing for a 30 yard touchdown, but that was the last points they could manage against the Ravens defense. Heitert scored his second rushing touchdown of the game with 32 seconds remaining in the third to trim the Ravens deficit down to three, and then in the fourth quarter Benedictine took the lead for good with the final touchdown of the game behind their punt coverage unit. Sophomore safety Anthony Lonergan recovered a fumbled punt in the end zone after the Vikings Peyton Goode fumbled, putting Benedictine ahead 21-17.
Grand View missed a potential game-tying field goal from 32 yards on the ensuing possession and then the Raven defense stepped up to force a turnover on downs with just under two minutes remaining in the game, allowing Benedictine to run out the clock and seal the upset. Heitert finished went 17-of- 25 through the air for 218 yards adding 17 runs for one yard with two scores. Xiomar Hernandez led the rushing attack with 16 carries for 68 yards while Brendan Haisenleader added seven rushes 50 yards. Christian Pitts finished with three catches for 51 yards while Joseph Lagafuaina added four grabs for 50 yards.
Benedictine (3-1) returns to Larry Wilcox Stadium Saturday hosting St. Ambrose University (2-1, 1-0 Heart) for Family Weekend at 1pm.
No. 20 Tigers struggle offensively but hold on for victory over Troy
Jamal Roberts ran for 128 yards and a touchdown, DaMarion Fowlkes returned a punt for another score, and the No. 20 Missouri Tigers shook off a slow start, going on to beat the Troy Trojans 27-17 at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium.
Troy quarterback Goose Crowder completed his first five passes of the game, which included the first score of the game just two plays in, a 76 yard touchdown pass to T.K Keyes. Missouri was unable to answer and was forced to punt after a three and out, and on the next drive the Trojans extended their lead with a field goal to cap a 19 play drive, Ethan Head knocking through a 27 yard field goal with 45 seconds remaining in the first quarter, ending the opening frame with Troy up 10-0
Austin Simmons struggled most of the way through the game for the Tigers, going 10-of-19 through the air for 91 yards and a touchdown. Missouri found their way onto the scoreboard in the second quarter, after back-to-back punts opened the frame, with Blake Craig hitting a 35 yard field goal, then on the ensuing drive got a much needed spark on special teams, Fowlkes taking the punt 68 yards to the house for his first career punt return touchdown to tie the game. Late in the quarter the Tigers took the lead in the game what would be for good, Simmons throwing his touchdown pass 12 yards to Donovan Olugbode
The touchdown to Olugbode was set up with Sione Laulea's first interception as a Tiger and second of his career after having just one during his time at Oregon. A strip sack from former Northwest Missouri State Bearcat Langden Kitchen which was scooped up by Jason Dowell on the next drive put Missouri in position for another score, setting up Roberts' touchdown run. With six seconds remaining, Troy cut the lead to one possession on another long touchdown pass from Crowder, 55 yards to Howard Kinchen, putting the Tigers up 24-17 going into the halftime break.
After a scoreless third quarter, Craig capped the scoring for Missouri in the fourth quarter with just over seven minutes remaining, hitting a 36 yard field goal. Late in the quarter, Head missed a 54 yard field goal attempt which would have pulled the Trojans to within a touchdown, allowing Missouri to run out the clock.
Olugbode had three catches for 31 yards and a score while Cayden Lee added four catches for 30 yards. Roberts put together his 128 yards on 22 rushes, scoring once.
Up next, Missouri (3-0) opens SEC play at Mississippi State (3-0, 1-0 SEC) on Saturday night. Kickoff is set for 6:45pm and the game will be televised on SEC Network. The game will be unavailable on KFEQ due to Royals baseball.
Jayhawks rally but drop Big 12 opener to Arizona State in London
The Arizona State Sun Devils got two big plays from two players to help beat the Kansas Jayhawks 24-17 at Wembley Stadium in the inaugural Union Jack Classic.
Arizona state kick returner Jaren Hamilton sprinted like the track star he used to be for a 100 yard kick return and Lawrence native and longime Kansas fan, defensive lineman Hyrum Vaeono, recovered a fumble and rumbled toward the end zone, setting up another key touchdown for the Sun Devils in a win where offense for both teams was at times ineffective, and scoring came by other means. Arizona State led 3-0 after the first quarter thanks to a 39 yard field goal from Carson Smith to start the game.
To start the second quarter, after a Kansas drive ended with a fumble giving the ball back to the Sun Devils, the Jayhawks defense forced Arizona State to have to punt, and Kansas took their only lead of the game on a 72 yard punt return touchdown from son of former Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, Tate Nagy. Both teams exchanged punts through nearly the remainder of the second quarter until late in the frame, when the Sun Devils took the lead back on a 25 yard touchdown pass from Cutter Boley to Reed Harris with 20 seconds remaining, giving the Sun Devils a 10-7 halftime lead at the break.
Right out of the halftime break, Arizona State extended their lead as Hamilton returned the kickoff for the score, the lone points of the third quarter, to push the Sun Devils ahead 17-7. The Jayhawks did attempt to cut the lead to a touchdown, but Martin Connington missed a 44 yard field goal with just over three minutes remaining in the third. In the fourth, Vaeono recovered a fumble by running back Dylan Edwards and ran 77 yards on the recovery, setting up the final score by the Sun Devils, a one yard run by Boley.
Trailing 24-7, Kansas fought their way back, starting with Nagy finding the endzone again, this time through the air on a 38 yard pass from Isaiah Marshall with 6:25 remaining. Later in the quarter, Connington hit a 46 yard field goal for what would turn out to be the final score from the Jayhawks. With 2:06 remaining in the game, Arizona State would convert a third and five rushing for eight yards, allowing the Sun Devils to kneel out the remaining clock.
Marshall completed 17-of-33 passes for 235 yards with a touchdown and an interception also rushing 13 times for 52 yards. Edwards rushed 18 times for 89 yards. Nahzae Cox had two catches for 68 yards, Nagy added three catches for 61 yards and a score, and Nik McMillan put up four catches for 44 yards.
Kansas (1-2, 0-1 Big 12) has a bye this week and will return to action on October 3rd hosting Middle Tennessee (2-1). A kickoff time is still to be determined.
Johnson's big day helps push Wildcats to win over Wave
Avery Johnson put together an offensive all around effort, throwing for 227 yards and rushing for 152 yards and two scores as Kansas State beat Tulane 31-20 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
Johnson was 21-for-28 through the air on the day, becoming the first player in Kansas State history, the 14th in the history of the Big 12 conference and just the fourth in the last 20 seasons, with 200 passing yards and 150 rushing yards in a single game. Arizona State's Jeff Sims accomplished the feat last season becoming the most recent quarterback to do so prior to Johnson. Before Sims the last quarterback to do so was West Virginia's Garrett Greene in 2023.
After both teams exchanged punts to start the game, Tulane started the scoring in the first quarter, the first offensive touchdown of the season allowed by the Wildcats and the first time Kansas State has trailed this season, as Kadin Semonza rushed nine yards for a score. The wave led 7-0 at the end of the first quarter after both teams traded punts again following the touchdown, and to open the second quarter the Wildcats chipped into the lead ending an 11 play drive with a 23 yard field goal from Luis Rodriguez.
Still trailing, Kansas State forced another punt and took the lead on the ensuing drive a one yard run by Jay Harris ending an eight play drive. One more three and out later by the Wave, Johnson found the endzone for the first time in the game scoring from seven yards out, the touchdown set up by his own career long run, rushing for 66 yards. Tulane did cut the lead to a touchdown before halftime, a 12 play drive ending with a long field goal, 58 yards by redshirt freshman Cooper Helmke, but Kansas State held a 17-10 lead as the halftime break hit.
Starting the second half, the Wildcats used over eight minutes of clock to drive 75 yards, ending the drive taking a 24-10 lead as Harris found the endzone again on another one yard rush. The lead never returned to single digits from there. Helmke hit another long field goal in the third quarter, 53 yards, and after a punt from the Wave in the fourth quarter Johnson scored his second rushing touchdown, running in from 12 yards out to cap the Wildcat scoring.
Tulane added one final touchdown after an over six minute drive, going 13 plays and capping the drive with a 25 yard pass from Semonza to Maurice Turner. The Wave used all three timeouts attempting to get the ball back, but Kansas State continually converted third downs and kneeled out the remaining time on way to the victory.
Jaron Tibbs had nine catches for 114 yards to lead Kansas State. Along with Johnson's rushes, Rodney Fields Jr rushed 10 times for 18 yards, Joe Jackson added nine carries for 24 yards, and Harris had the two rushes for two yards and two touchdowns.
Up next, Kansas State (3-0) opens Big 12 play at Cincinnati (3-0) on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 6pm and the game will be televised on ESPN2.
Rule rushes Nebraska past North Dakota ahead of Big Ten play
Jamal Rule rushed for 119 yards and two touchdowns and the Nebraska Cornhuskers finished unbeaten in nonconference play for a third straight season with a 34-7 win over North Dakota at Memorial Stadium.
The Cornhuskers scored on their first two series with two rushing touchdowns, a 10 yard run from quarterback Anthony Colandrea and a three yard rush from Rule, to go up 14-0 at the end of the first quarter and take control. The Fighting Hawks went three-and-out four times and turned the ball over on downs once before putting together their lone scoring drive in the third quarter. Nebraska held a 17-0 lead at the halftime break, the lone score in the second quarter coming from the leg of Kyle Cunanan, a 32 yard field goal.
Before North Dakota was able to score in the third quarter, the Fighting Hawks were forced to punt on their opening possession of the second half, and just one play later the Cornhuskers extended the lead to 24-0 as Rule broke a 55 yard run for his second score of the game. After both teams traded punts, North Dakota scored on a seven yard pass from Jerry Kaminski to Caleb Goodloe with 5:49 left in the third quarter. Colandrea connected with Quinn Clark on a five yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter and Cunanan hit a 40 yard field goal to cap the scoring.
Colandrea was 15-for-21 with 195 yards through the air and a touchdown adding four rushes for 19 yards and a score. Along with Rule, Mekhi Nelson rushed nine times for 54 yards and Isaiah Mozee ran 10 times for 40 yards. Kwazi Gilmer had three catches for 42 yards while both Jacory Barney Jr. and Rule had two catches for 35 yards.
Up next, Nebraska (3-0) will travel for the first time this season and visit Michigan State (2-1) on Saturday. Kickoff is at 4pm and the game will air on the Big Ten Network.
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.