By MATT PIKE
No. 23 Tigers claim Border War victory over Jayhawks
After a first half ended in a tie, Austin Simmons and the potent Missouri Tigers offense broke things open and rolled to a 38-21 victory over the Kansas Jayhawks on Friday night at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence
After the first quarter ended scoreless, both teams trading punts through the first three possessions, Missouri missing a field goal, and Kansas throwing an interception to Jahlil Florence, the second quarter started out similiarly with a fumble by the Tigers and a missed field goal from the Jayhawks. Kanas struck first though, an 11 play Missouri drive ending with the Jayhawks blocking a field goal attempt and Austin Alexander returning the ball 88 yards to the house for a touchdown.
Missouri answered on the ensuing drive, needing just four plays to do so, as Jamal Roberts broke a 64 yard run for a touchdown. The Jayhawks scored on the offensive side of the ball 10 plays later to take the lead back with a 20 yard touchdown pass from Isaiah Marshall to Nik McMillan, but the Tigers threw to the end zone in the final seconds with Austin Simmons connecting with Cayden Lee for a 27 yard touchdown pass, and Kansas went on to run out the clock in the first half going to the halftime break tied 14-14.
Early into the second half, following a Missouri punt, Robert Woodyard Jr.fell on a fumble from Marshall and Simmons quickly found Donovan Olugbode for the eight yard go-ahead touchdown pass. On the Jayhawks' next offensive play, Woodyard was there again, this time intercepting Marshall's pass and setting up a 10 yard touchdown run by Xai'Shaun Edwards that put the Tigers up 28-14. After back-to-back punts by each team, the Jayhawks cut the lead to a touchdown heading into the fourth quarter with Marshall throwing a 10 yard touchdown pass to Nahzae Cox.
In the fourth quarter, Blake Craig hit a 32 yard field goal for Missouri with just over 11 minutes remaining in the game, and the Tigers put the final seal on the game with just two minutes remaining as Simmons threw his third touchdown pass of the game, connecting with Brett Norfleet on a 13 yard touchdown throw.
Simmons was 19-for-29 through the air for 292 yards with three touchdowns. Roberts ran 28 times for 125 yards and a touchdown while Edwards added 10 carries for 45 yards and a score. Olugbode and Lee each caught six passes, Olugbode going for 121 yards and a touchdown while Lee had 120 yards and a score.
Marshall was 13-for-30 with 168 yards passing and two touchdowns along with two interceptions, also rushing 20 times for 23 yards. Dylan Edwards ran six times for 39 yards. McMillan caught two passes for 52 yards and a touchdown while Keaton Kubecka hauled in three catches for 38 yards.
Next, No. 23 Missouri (2-0) returns home to host Troy (2-0). Kickoff is at 6pm and the game will air on SEC Network+. The game will be unavailable on KFEQ due to Royals baseball. Meanwhile Kansas (1-1) will travel to London to kickoff Big 12 play against Arizona State (1-1). Kickoff is at 11am and the game will air on FS1.
Early Griffons lead helps hold off Miners rally for first win of season
The Missouri Western State University football team got its first win of the 2026 season at Missouri S&T, defeating the Miners 42-30 at Bailey-Allgood Stadium.
MoWest got off to a hot start, scoring 28 unanswered points and picking off S&T quarterback Eli Scott three times in the first half. After the Griffons were forced to punt on their first offensive drive, Ashton Smith got the first interception off Scott in the first quarter, and MoWest scored the first points on a one yard touchdown run by Rickie Dunn. The Miners were forced to punt on the ensuing drive, and the Griffons marched down the field and scored again with Jaelon Dixon rushing for a 35 yard touchdown.
Leading 14-0, MoWest extended its lead on the defensive side of the ball to cap the scoring in the first quarter, Scott throwing his second interception and Broc Worcester returning the pick for a score. The Griffons ended the first quarter with the ball, and continued extending their lead through the air with Isaiah Tate finding Malik Moore for an 18 yard touchdown pass, putting MoWest up 28-0 to start.
Trailing by four scores, the Miners got on the board with a long touchdown run, 49 yards from AJ Harris, and after the Griffons were forced to punt the MoWest defense got the ball back with the third pick of Scott, and the offense scored off the takeaway with Dunn rushing for a 25 yard touchdown. A 41 yard field goal by Miners kicker Layne Ryals capped the scoring in the first half and MoWest led 35-10 at the halftime break.
The Miners began to storm back in the third quarter as Evan Wells ran for an eight yard touchdown run. Later in the quarter Harris scored his second touchdown of the game, a two yard rushing score, but the two point conversion attempt failed and Missouri S&T would be down by just two touchdowns heading into the final quarter. MoWest added the insurance they needed in the fourth though, Tate rushing for a 12 yard touchdown. With 5:57 remaining in regulation Harris scored for a third time, a one yard run, putting the Miners down 42-30, but the Griffons picked off Scott a fourth time on one drive, and forced a turnover on downs with 12 seconds remaining to end the game.
Tate finished 11-of-22 through the air with 158 yards and a touchdown adding nine rushes for 27 more yards and a score. Dunn had 18 carries for 85 yards and a career-best two touchdowns while Dixon had five carries for 48 yards and a score. Crew Meyers caught three passes for 74 yards and Moore had two catches for 21 yards and a touchdown
MoWest (1-2) has a bye week this week, and is back home on Saturday, September 26 to battle Fort Hays State (1-1, 0-0 MIAA) on Family Day and Military and First Responders Appreciation Night. Kickoff from Spratt Stadium is set for 7pm
No. 7 Bearcats hold off Ichabods for conference opener win
The No. 7-ranked Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats held off a second-half charge from the Washburn Ichabods for a 31-24 win at Bearcat Stadium to open MIAA play
Northwest held a big lead over the Ichabods at the halftime break. Grant Berry's third-down sack stopped the Ichabods' opening drive near midfield and the Bearcats answered with an 11-play, 76-yard touchdown drive to for the first points of the game as Zechariah Owens hit Cooper Warren for a 15-yard touchdown pass. Northwest ended the first quarter up 7-0, but early into the second quarter Washburn but their only points of the first half on the board, capping a 10 play drive with a 36 yard field goal from Aidan Battle.
Following the field goal, the Bearcats scored 10 unanswered points to end the first half, extending their lead with just under four minutes remaining in the half as Jaron Cannon Jr. broke off a 45-yard touchdown run and later in half, as halftime neared Patrick Martin picked off the Ichabods, his return setting up a 23 yard field goal from Mo Alwaely with 1:46 remaining in the quarter, and Northwest ultimately took a 17-3 lead into the halftime break. Out of the break, the Bearcats opened the second half with a 75-yard drive, Owens' using a 64-yard run on third down to set up his six yard touchdown pass to Jaidyn Doss.
Following the touchdown, trailing 24-3, the Ichabods answered with back-to-back touchdown drives, scoring on touchdown passes from Logan Madden to Tre Calhoun of 25 yards and nine yards, cutting the Northwest lead to 24-17 before the Bearcats scored again with 4:59 left in the third quarter,Quincy Torry finishing a 10 play drive with a one yard touchdown run to push the Bearcats ahead 31-17 heading into the final quarter of regulation.
Washburn capitalized on a Northwest fumble, capping their scoring in the fourth quarter and driving 32 yards where Madden hit Calhoun for a three yard touchdown pass, their third connection of the day, to cut the lead to 31-24. The Bearcats went on to make key defensive stops, and run out the clock to secure the victory.
Owens completed 13-of-21 passes for 128 yards with two touchdowns and added 89 rushing yards on eight carries. Warren caught three passes for 45 yards and a touchdown. Cannon Jr. rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown on two carries.
Next, Northwest (2-0, 1-0 MIAA) will host Missouri Southern (1-1) for Family Weekend on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Bearcat Stadium.
No.3 Ravens outscore No. 13 William Penn by 33 in home opener
The No. 3 Benedictine Raven football team scored a new season-high in points, beating No. 13 William Penn University 40-7 at Larry Wilcox Stadium in Atchison, Kansas
The game started with the Ravens striking through the air midway through the first quarter and putting the first points on the board with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Hietert to Brendan Haisenleader. The Ravens held the 7-0 lead through the first quarter, and extended the lead early in the second quarter as Benedictine capped a 11 play, 81 yard drive with a three yard rushing touchdown by Xiomar Hernandez.
The Statesmen scored their lone touchdown to cut the lead to a touchdown game for a moment, a 23 yard touchdown pass from Emery Floyd to Keithon Davis. Benedictine answered just 40 seconds later however on the defensive side of the ball Sam Towline returned an interception 60 yards for a touchdown. With 1:14 remaining in the half Hernandez added his second three yard rushing touchdown to give the Ravens a 28-7 lead at the halftime break.
A brief lightning delay hindered the second half from beginning. lasting roughly 45 minutes, but once both teams were able to take the field again Benedictine extended its lead in the third quarter with a six yard rushing touchdown by Hernandez and on the very next offensive drive added a 33-yard field goal from Kyle Haarhuis. The Ravens added their final points with just over three minutes remaining as the Raven defense pinned the Statesmen deep in their own territory where Benedictine would pick up a safety to cap off their scoring.
Hernandez rushed 17 times for 97 yards with three touchdowns and Brendan Haisenleader added nine carries for 73 yards. Heitert was 16-for-26 for 177 yards in the air with one touchdown. Titan Osburn was the Ravens top receiver with four catches for 37 yards.
Benedictine (2-1) returns to the road next week, traveling to Des Moines, Iowa, for the third time in two seasons to take on No. 1 Grand View University (3-0). Kickoff will be at noon.
Johnson and Fields lead Wildcats to another dominant win over Cougars
The Kansas State Wildcats rolled to another dominant win to open the Colin Klein era beating the Washington State Cougars 34-7 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
Kansas State opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 31 yard field goal from Luis Rodriguez, and held a 3-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. After throwing an interception on their first offensive drive of the second quarter, the Wildcats responded ater a turnover on downs by the Cougars with a touchdown, a six yard touchdown pass from Avery Johnson to Josh Manning, then after a three and out scored another touchdown again through the air on a 21 yard pass from Johnson to Joe Jackson.
The Kansas State defense has yet to allow an offensive touchdown this season in two games. The lone Washington State touchdown in the game came at the end of the first half with Jaylen Thomas returning an interception 50 yards for a touchdown, sending the Wildcats to the halftime break with a 17-7 lead. A lightning delay kept the second half from beginning for an hour, as play resumed Kansas State got on the board again as Rodney Fields Jr. started the first drive of the second half with a 75 yard touchdown run.
Rodriguez nailed another 31 yard field goal with 10:21 left in the third quarter, Each team traded punts until early in the fourth quarter when the Wildcats capped the scoring with Johnson's third touchdown pass of the day, a nine yard touchdown strike to Brandon White to give Kansas State the 34-7 lead.
Johnson was 22-for-34 through the air for 192 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions adding eight carries for 78 yards. Fields Jr rushed 13 times for 105 yards and a touchdown while Jackson rushed 10 times for 68 yards and caught four passes for 48 yards with a touchdown. Manning had 10 catches for 97 yards and a score.
Up next, Kansas State (2-0) will host Tulane (1-1) on Saturday. Kickoff will be at 11am and the game will air on ESPN2.
Colandrea throws four touchdowns as Nebraska routs Bowling Green
Nebraska made fast work of Bowling Green in a dominating 56-7 victory at Memorial Stadium where Anthony Colandrea threw for a career high in touchdowns, all in the first half.
The Cornhuskers built a 35-0 lead at the halftime break with five consecutive touchdown drives. After Colandrea threw an interception on the first drive of the game for Nebraska, on the next offensive drive he responded by throwing a 35 yard touchdown pass to Jacory Barney Jr. for the first points of the game. Near the end of the first quarter, Colandrea threw his second touchdown of the half, a 12 yard touchdown pass to Kwazi Gilmer, giving the Cornhuskers a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, after a three and out by Bowling Green, Colandrea connected with Gilmer again, this time for a four yard touchdown pass, and after forcing another punt Jamal Rule found the endzone for the first rushing score of the day, a 59 yard jaunt for a touchdown. Colandrea capped the scoring in the half finding Barney again for another long touchdown, a 32 yard lob, to put the Cornhuskers up 35-0 at halftime and neither team scored again until the fourth quarter.
The Falcons got on the scoreboard to start the fourth quarter on a 19 yard touchdown pass from Jay Kastantin to Leo Kemp, their lone touchdown of the day. Nebraska scored on the ensuing drive with a seven yard touchdown run from Isaiah Moore. The defense scored on the next drive, recovering a fumble and getting in the endzone, Derek Wacker returning the fumble 25 yards for the score, and after a Bowling Green punt the Cornhuskers capped the scoring on a touchdown pass from TJ Lateef going six yards to Kwinten Ives.
Colandrea was 20-for-24 for 222 yards through the air with four touchdowns adding four rushes for 33 yards. Rule ran eight times for 88 yards and a touchdown while Moore added eight carries for 55 yards and a score. Mekhi Nelson also rushed eight times for 48 yards. Barney Jr. had eight catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns and Gilmer added six catches for 39 yards and two scores.
Up next, Nebraska (2-0) hosts North Dakota (3-0) for a third straight home matchup on Saturday. Kickoff will be at 6:15pm and the game will air on the Big Ten Network.
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