By MATT PIKE/AP
St. Joseph Post
Northwest shuts out Lincoln to get back in win column
In front of 5,215 fans during Family Weekend in Maryville the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats found their way back into the win column in shutout fashion, blanking the Lincoln Blue Tigers 59-0 on Saturday.
The Bearcats racked up an astounding 481 total yards of offense, while limiting Lincoln to just 50 yards on the day. Northwest also had 25 first downs to just seven for Lincoln, on way to the 1oth shutout win of the Rich Wright era.
Sophomore quarterback Chris Ruhnke made the start in place of the injured Mike Hohensee and accounted for four first half touchdowns, one rushing and three passing touchdown, leading Northwest to have a 42-0 lead at the end of the first half. Jay Harris and Tank Young also added rushing touchdowns in the high scoring half.
The second half consisted of a lot of running plays by both Northwest and Lincoln, the only score of the third quarter coming on a four yard rushing score from Wentric Williams III following a muffed punt from the Blue Tigers. It was the debut for Williams in a Northwest uniform, a transfer redshirt freshman.
Following the rushing score from Williams, the second team would take the field for the Bearcats and in the fourth quarter the final touchdown would come from Redshirt freshman Eric Richardson, his first collegiate touchdown, that score coming one drive after Noah Guastella drilled a 22 yard field goal to put Northwest up 52-0.
In what has become a trend this season, Harris once again rushed for over 100 yards, rushing for 105 yards and a touchdown. Ruhnke was 12 of 16 through the air for 170 yards and three touchdowns. Kashan Griffin led in receiving, hauling in four catches for 61 yards and two touchdowns.
Northwest is now 2-2 (1-2 MIAA) on the season. They'll return to MIAA play on the road Saturday in Warrensburg against Central Missouri. Kickoff is set for 1pm.
Turnovers help Missouri Western earn third straight win
The Griffons took the ball away from Fort Hays State five times and posted seven sacks on the day en route to a 28-7 win over the Tigers at Spratt Stadium. Read our full recap HERE.
Kansas earns first Big 12 win against new conference member BYU
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Lance Leipold did plenty of background work on Kansas before accepting its head-coaching job a couple of years ago. But in the pantheon of the obscure, he never looked up the last time the Jayhawks started 4-0 in back-to-back seasons.
When told it had been 108 years, Leipold replied Saturday: “I'm glad I didn't do all my research.”
“Sometimes you don't know what you're really stepping into until you there,” Leipold added with a smile, after leading the once-suffering Jayhawks to a 38-27 victory over BYU in the Cougars' Big 12 debut. “Like I told our team, I'm really proud of them when you look at the short time what we've been able to do.”
Jalon Daniels threw three touchdown passes, including two in the second half to Luke Grimm, and the Jayhawks got a pair of scores from their opportunistic defense in rallying from a 17-14 halftime deficit. Cobee Bryant returned a fumble for the game's first touchdown, and Kenny Logan Jr. brought back an interception early in the third quarter for another score.
The offense got going down the stretch, helping the Jayhawks win their eighth straight September game.
“When you walked in here in the past you would hear frustration,” explained Leipold, whose team will try to match last year's 5-0 start when it heads to No. 3 Texas next weekend. “You walk in there now and it's different, and that's where it should be."
Kedon Slovis was 30 of 51 for 357 yards with two TDs and two interceptions for BYU. But the Cougars (3-1) were imbalanced on offense, running 22 times for nine yards, and settling for two field goals in the red zone proved costly.
“We just battled through,” Logan said. “We showed we can take some jabs.”
The Jayhawks, who struggled to put away Nevada last week, rolled into their conference opener averaging more than 500 yards per game. But the Cougars consistently put pressure on Daniels, who at times needed every bit of his athleticism just to get the ball away, and their defense held Kansas to one offensive touchdown in the first half.
The other score? That came on Bryant's bone-jarring hit on BYU's second play from scrimmage. The ball popped out, Bryant was there to scoop it, and the cornerback — who had a pick later in the game- returned it 22 yards for a touchdown.
The Cougars refused to let the turnover set the tone for the game. They answered with back-to-back 75-yard touchdown drives, then used another long drive in the final minutes of the first half to add a field goal for a 17-14 lead at the break.
That's when the Kansas defense got into the act again.
On the third play of the third quarter, Slovis had his pass batted into the air by tight end Isaac Rex, off the hands of linebacker Jayson Gilliom and into the arms of Logan, who returned the interception 33 yards for a go-ahead touchdown.
“The defense played lights-out,” Daniels said. “Stuff you can’t make up. That doesn’t happen every day.”
“We gave them 14 points,” Rex said later. “If we didn't do that, we would have had enough points to win the game.”
The Cougars could only muster an answering field goal, and the Kansas offense finally started humming.
Daniels swiftly led his team down field, converting an early third down with his legs before finding Grimm in the back of the end zone on another third-down play for a touchdown. And after Bryant picked off Slovis on fourth down to end BYU's ensuing drive, the Jayhawks marched other way with Daniels finding Grimm again to extend the lead to 35-20.
BYU's Keelan Marion scored midway through the fourth quarter, but the Jayhawks added a field goal to put the game away.
"There were some moments we want back,” Cougars defensive lineman Tyler Batty said. “There’s a lot to learn form here.”
THE TAKEAWAY
Kansas defensive coordinator Brian Borland made it clear before the season that his group, which struggled mightily at times last year, would not hold back the Jayhawks this season. On Saturday, his defense was the difference in the outcome.
UP NEXT
Kansas visits Texas next Saturday for the first time since a 57-56 double-overtime win in 2021. Kickoff is at 2:30pm and the game will be aired on ABC.
Benedictine executes in every phase in win over Culver Stockton
The #21 Benedictine Ravens held Culver Stockton scoreless until the fourth quarter on way to a 60-7 win Saturday at Larry Wilcox Stadium in Atchison, Kansas during Family Weekend.
The game started off defensively for the Ravens as a sack on third down would force a punt from Culver Stockton, and with good field position starting at their own 40 yard line, Benedictine would need just four plays three plays before Jackson Dooley would find Reed Levi for a 23 yard touchdown pass.
Dooley would throw one more touchdown in the first quarter, a 42 yard touchdown pass to Joseph Lagafuaina pushing the score to 13-0 after a missed extra point from Harry Balke. Dooley would add another score in the second quarter, this time on his own as he would rush in from two yards out.
It was a field day for Dooley against the Culver Stockton defense, his fourth overall touchdown coming mid second quarter as he would find Kameron Dover from 15 yards out. Later on in the quarter, Balke would add points with his leg on a 31 yard field goal, before JaShawn Todd would score the final touchdown of the half, a 14 yard receiving touchdown from Dooley, pushing the lead at halftime to 37-0.
Defense would score the first two points of the second half for the Ravens. After Benedictine downed a punt at the one yard line the Wildcats would go three and out and be forced to punt. But on the punt, Blake Dapkus would block his second punt of the game, sending it out of the back of the endzone for a safety.
Not long after that Dooley would throw his fifth and final touchdown of the game, finding Jacob Gathright for a 18 yard touchdown pass. A Derrick Overstreet rushing touchdown would cap the scoring in the third quarter, the lead going into the final frame at 53-0 for the Ravens.
Early in the final frame backup quarterback Luke Laskowski would score the final touchdown of the game for Benedictine, finding Matthew Sanford on a 17 yard touchdown pass before late in the quarter Culver Stockton would finally find the endzone, Nicholas Jarret rushing in from one yard out.
It was a huge day for Dooley under center, going 17 for 32 through the air for 223 yards and five touchdowns, also adding one rushing touchdown on the day on his only rush. Shawn Wara rushed nine times for 74 yards while Witherspoon rushed 11 times for 66 yards. Todd was the leading receiver with five catches for 46 yards and he was one of six receivers to find the endzone.
Benedictine is now 3-2 on the season. They'll be on the road Saturday for another Family Weekend, this time for their opposition, as they face William Penn in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Kickoff is at 5pm.
Ground game helps Nebraska win second game in a row
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Heinrich Haarberg ran for 157 yards and a touchdown and Anthony Grant for 135 yards and a score to lead Nebraska past Louisiana Tech 28-14 on Saturday.
Haarberg, who started his second straight game at quarterback in place of Jeff Sims, worked in tandem with Grant as the primary ball-carriers in the absence of injured running backs Gabe Ervin Jr. and Rahmir Johnson.
The Cornhuskers (2-2) had four runs of at least 30 yards and finished with 312 yards on the ground and 419 total yards.
“It wasn't our best game," coach Matt Rhule said, "but any time we have (312) yards rushing we're going to be excited about that. Some of the option plays were really good plays for us. The speed options allowed us to get on the perimeter. There's still a lot of things to improve and clean up.”
Louisiana Tech (2-3) lost its 16th straight road game over four seasons.
For Nebraska, it's apparent the quarterback run will have to be a big part of the offense regardless of who’s playing because of a lack of depth at receiver and a shortage of running backs.
Haarberg had two more carries (19) than pass attempts (17). Nebraska hadn't had a quarterback run so many times since Adrian Martinez had 21 attempts against Michigan State two years ago. All but 10 of Haarberg's rushing yards came on three carries totaling 147 yards, including a 72-yard TD.
“For me, I want to be confident in myself but also want my teammates to be confident in me, so I hope they look at me and see someone who went out there and battled to the end," Haarberg said.
Grant, the Huskers' leading rusher last season, was projected to be the starting running back in the preseason but he got limited carries the past two games following his critical fourth-quarter fumble in the season-opening loss at Minnesota.
A week after Ervin and Johnson went down with season-ending injuries against Northern Illinois, Grant had 22 carries and went over 100 yards for the sixth time in his career.
“I feel like this is my best game, despite everything," Grant said. "I feel like there’s more in store for us, more in store for me.”
Louisiana Tech quarterback Jack Turner made the first start of his career in place of Hank Bachmeier, who injured his right (throwing) shoulder in the second half against North Texas last week.
Turner was 27 of 42 for 292 yards. Cyrus Allen had six catches for 102 yards and a touchdown and Smoke Harris caught 10 balls for 73 yards. Harris has at least one reception in 37 straight games.
Turner got no help from the running game that managed just 46 yards on 21 attempts.
“Offensively, it was a sloppy game to say the least,” Tech coach Sonny Cumbie said. “We had too many drops. We probably had more drops than we’ve had at any point during the season. Running the football, we knew it was going to be tough against one of the top run defenses in the country.”
Grant led the way on the tie-breaking touchdown drive to open the second half. He broke a 34-yard run down the right sideline and bounced off a tackler to pick up 19 yards on a fourth-and-1 before he bulled into the end zone from the 2.
The Huskers took control of the game on the first play of the fourth quarter when tight end Thomas Fidone II caught a short pass and turned it into a 29-yard touchdown.
The Bulldogs' touchdowns came on Jacob Fields' 14-yard run in the second quarter and on Turner's 20-yard pass to Allen after a 55-minute delay in the fourth quarter because of lightning.
THE TAKEAWAY
The Huskers have held four straight opponents under 60 rushing yards for the first time since 1999.
FAKE LEADS TO TD
A fake field goal on fourth and 4 from the Tech 19 set up Nebraska’s only touchdown in the first half. Holder Timmy Bleekrode took the snap and ran through the right side for 10 yards. Billy Kemp IV scored two plays later on a jet sweep.
“I was really happy for Timmy,” Rhule said. “He's a guy who was the starting kicker (in 2022). He's the backup kicker, backup holder, unbelievable team guy, great student. He had a chance to go affect the game and I thought that was one of those plays ... that gave us some juice.”
UP NEXT
Nebraska hosts No. 2 Michigan next Saturday. Kickoff is at 2:30pm and the game will be aired on Fox.
Luther Burden III shreds Memphis, Mizzou 4-0 first time since 2013
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Luther Burden III put on a show in his first collegiate game in his hometown, catching a career-high 10 passes for a career-best 177 yards to help Missouri beat Memphis 34-27 Saturday night in St. Louis.
Fellow St. Louis native Brady Cook completed 18 of 25 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns to help Missouri to its first 4-0 start since 2013.
Seth Henigan completed 31 of 47 passes for 316 yards and three touchdowns but also tossed a pair of interceptions for Memphis (3-1).
Harrison Mevis converted both of his field goal attempts from 25 and 32 yards a week after booting an SEC record 61-yard game-winning field goal to beat then No. 15 Kansas State. He also recovered his own onside kick on the opening kickoff, but the play was negated by a Missouri off-side penalty.
Cody Schrader led Missouri with 123 rushing yards on 14 carries and sealed the game for Missouri with a 37-yard touchdown run with 2:46 remaining.
Tanner Gillis kicked a 22-yard field goal with 5:18 left in the fourth quarter to cut Missouri’s lead to 27-20.
Burden left the game with cramping after hauling in a 56 yard pass from Cook with 9:34 remaining in the third quarter before returning later in the fourth. Missouri pulled ahead 24-10 on its next play when Cook connected with Theo Wease Jr. on a 19-yard touchdown.
Missouri needed just three plays to travel 91 yards on its opening drive culminating in Cook connecting with Marquis Johnson on a 76-yard touchdown pass.
DOME SWEET DOME
Missouri improved to 7-0 at The Dome at America’s Center since playing its first game in the building in 2002. All six of Missouri’s previous matchups came against the University of Illinois. Missouri improved to 9-1 all-time in St. Louis with its only loss coming to Air Force at Busch Stadium II on Sept. 26, 1970.
THE TAKEAWAY
Missouri enters conference play undefeated despite not beating a FBS school by more than one touchdown. Missouri had not won four straight games to open a season since 2013 when it opened the season with seven straight wins en route to winning the SEC East Division championship.
UP NEXT
Missouri is at Vanderbilt Saturday to open SEC play. Kickoff will be at 3pm and the game will be aired on SEC Network. Mizzou will look to open SEC play 1-0 for the first time since 2019.
DJ Giddens leads Kansas State past UCF for first Big 12 win
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — DJ Giddens ran for a career-high 207 yards and four touchdowns and Kansas State beat UCF 44-31 on Saturday night in the Big 12 debut for the Knights.
Giddens ran for three scores in the first half that included a 1-yard run on the opening drive for K-State (3-1, 1-0), which has found the end zone in its opening drives in all four games this season.
Will Howard went 27-for-42 passing for 255 yards and threw an interception. He added 64 yards on the ground and scored on a 31-yard run to give K-State a 44-24 lead with 2:01 remaining.
Giddens added a score in the second half to put the Wildcats up 37-24 with 4:01 left. K-State amassed 536 total yards with 281 rushing.
Timmy McClain threw three touchdowns passes and went 14 for 24 with 264 yards passing with an interception for UCF (3-1, 0-1). The Knights totaled 407 yards and rushed for 143 yards. UCF added a 1-yard touchdown by RJ Harvey with three seconds left in the game.
Kobe Hudson had two receiving touchdowns for his first scores of the season and finished with 138 yards despite being the Knights' leading receiver. He recorded his third-straight 100-yard receiving game.
Hudson scored on a 69-yard touchdown pass from McClain on a flea flicker late in the second quarter and again in the first UCF drive of the second half with a 46-yard reception on third-and-10 to give the Knights a 24-21 lead.
Harvey scored a 27-yard touchdown on third-and-15 in the first quarter. The first points in a Big 12 game for the Knights came on Colton Boomer's 29-yard field goal.
THE TAKEAWAY
Giddens was clearly the primary source of the K-State offense, leading the team in carries, receptions and total yards. The secondary got beat deep on a pair of touchdown catches by Hudson; both were over 45 yards. The Wildcats have allowed a receiver to net over 100 yards receiving in two straight games.
BIG 12 STATE OF MIND
UCF played its first Big 12 Conference game against the reigning Big 12 champions. It was the first time K-State hosted a new conference member to open Big 12 play since welcoming Texas Tech to the newly-minted Big 12 in 1996.
UP NEXT
K-State will get a week off before a road clash against Oklahoma State on Oct. 6. The Wildcats blanked the Cowboys 48-0 last season. Kickoff against Oklahoma State is set for 6:30 pm and the game will be aired on ESPN.