By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
FRIDAY GAMES
Kansas State stomps Arizona in battle of the Wildcats
The #14 Kansas State Wildcats fell behind early in the first quarter, but would allow no other scores on way to a 31-7 over the Arizona Wildcats on Friday at Bill Snyder Memorial Stadium in Manhattan, KS.
A 14 play drive on Arizona's first possession of the game would result in a touchdown, driving 73 yards and capping the drive with a one yard rushing touchdown from senior running back Quali Conley. The drive would not only be the only score Kansas State allowed, but also would be Arizona's longest of the game.
Kansas State would answer the touchdown with a long drive of their own, using up over six minutes of the clock, driving 15 plays and 75 yards before Avery Johnson threw his first touchdown of the game, connecting with tight end Will Swanson on a three yard pass. The first quarter would end knotted up at 7-7.
The lone score of the second quarter would come right at the beginning of the frame on special teams. After Kansas State forced a punt from Arizona, running back Dylan Edwards would take the punt 71 yards down the sideline and into the endzone, giving Kansas State a 14-7 lead, which they would take into halftime.
Kansas State would extend the lead in the third quarter on Johnson's second touchdown pass, this time on a nine yard pass to Brayden Loftin, and would also get a one yard rushing score from DJ Giddens. The lone score of the fourth quarter was a 35 yard field goal from Chris Tennant
Johnson was 14 of 23 through the air and passed for 143 yards with two touchdowns, he also was the leading rusher with 17 carries for 110 yards. Jayce Brown caught three passes for 60 yards, while Loftin caught three passes for 45 yards and a touchdown.
Next up for Kansas State is the official start of Big 12 play, the matchup with Arizona being scheduled before they joined the conference, with the Wildcats traveling to Provo, Utah to take on BYU. Kickoff is at 9:30pm and it will be televised on ESPN.
Turnovers again plague Jayhawks in last minute loss to UNLV
The Kansas Jayhawks led most of the way, but a last minute touchdown by UNLV would stun the Jayhawks as they fell 23-20 at Children's Mercy Park on Friday.
Kansas would force a three and out from the Rebels on the opening drive of the game, and after taking possession would drive 81 yards down the field on 12 plays, ending with quarterback Jalon Daniels first rushing score of the day that saw him spin around a defender and stumble across the goal line for the score.
UNLV would answer the score with an 11 play drive that stalled at the Kansas 20 yard line, where kicker Caden Chittenden would knock through a 38 yard field goal, ending the first quarter with the Jayhawks leading 7-3.
Starting the second quarter, Kansas would extend their lead on Daniels second rushing touchdown of the day, this time going untouched on a speed option, 33 yards for the score.
The Rebels and Jayhawks would trade field goals before to end the half, UNLV would score on a 27 yard passing touchdown from Matthew Sluka to Jai'Den Thomas with no time remaining on the clock, the score at halftime becoming 17-13.
After back to back punts started the second half for both teams, turnovers would continue to be an issue for the Jayhawks, Daniels throwing his second interception in the game, which would turn into a Rebels field goal, the only score of the third quarter.
Kansas would answer with a field goal of their own early in the fourth quarter, capping a 13 yard drive. But on the next drive UNLV would dominate possession and run down the clock, going 18 plays and 75 yards spanning 9:31 of clock, ending with a one yard rushing score by Kylin James to put the Rebels up 23-20 with only two minutes remaining.
The Jayhawks would go on to turn the ball over on downs and UNLV would take a knee twice to run the clock down to the end of the game.
Daniels was 12 of 24 passing for 153 yards with two interceptions, he also rushed 11 times for 65 yards and two scores. Lawrence Arnold was the leading receiver with four catches for 58 yards.
The Jayhawks will look to turn things around after losing back to back games as they begin Big 12 play, traveling to Morgantown to play West Virginia. Kickoff is at 11am and it will be televised on ESPN 2.
SATURDAY GAMES
Mizzou overcomes slow start to top Boston College in Top 25 matchup
The #6 Missouri Tigers started off slowly on offense, but put enough together to come out on top in a Top 25 battle, defeating #24 Boston College 27-21 on Saturday at Faurot Field in Columbia.
The Eagles would strike first against the Tigers, matriculating the ball down the field over 14 plays, going 75 yards before quarterback Thomas Castellanos would find Jerand Bradley for a 12 yard score. The Tigers would try to answer, also putting together a long 11 yard drive, but would only manage a 38 yard field goal from freshman kicker Blake Craig.
The next score from the Eagles would not take nearly as long, needing just four plays for Castellanos to connect with Reed Harris on a 67 yard touchdown pass. Again, the Tigers could only answer with a field goal, this time Craig knocking it through from 36 yards.
But following the field goal, the Tigers would get the ball back immediately, safety Tre'Vez Johnson picking off Castellanos, and Missouri would even up the game as Brady Cook found Luther Burden III for a 19 yard touchdown, followed by a two point conversion run from Nate Noel.
Missouri would force a punt from the Eagles on the ensuing drive, and would get to the ball to the Boston College 38 yard line, calling a timeout with four seconds remaining. Craig, who kicked a 51 yard field goal against Buffalo, would march on and easily bang through a 56 yard field goal, putting Missouri up 17-14 at halftime.
The Tigers would extend the lead for the only score in the third quarter, Cook scampering for a six yard score. Again the lead would be pushed midway through the fourth quarter, Craig hitting his third field goal, this time from 31 yards away.
The Eagles would get the game within one score with 3:45 left on the clock, Castellanos throwing a 38 yard touchdown to Kamari Morales, but the Tigers would use six plays to wind out the remaining time for the win.
Cook was 21 of 30 through the air for 264 yards and one touchdown, also rushing six times for six yards and a score. Burden III caught six passes for 117 yards a touchdown while Noel rushed 22 times for 121 yards.
Missouri will now open SEC play on Saturday, playing a fourth straight home game and hosting Vanderbilt. Kickoff will be at either 2:30pm or 3:15 pm. The game will be aired on KFEQ, with television yet to be announced.
Bearcats overcome early deficit to upset #25 Fort Hays State
The Northwest Missouri State Bearcats overcame an early 14 point deficit and shocked the #25 Fort Hays State Tigers, coming up with a 32-20 win at Bearcat Stadium in Maryville on Saturday.
Fort Hays running back Shane Watts would find the endzone twice in the first six and a half minutes of the game, scoring from five yards out and one yard out respectively, pushing the Tigers up 14-0 before the first Bearcats score.
And that first score would come from running back Tank Young, his first of two touchdowns on the day, capping off an 11 play drive with a 10 yard rushing touchdown. Fort Hays would extend the lead however to start the second quarter, a 25 yard field goal from Carson Arndt pushing the lead to 17-7.
But Northwest wasn't done, rallying back to tie the game up at halftime, first getting a 25 yard field goal of their own from Noah Guastella, before Chris Ruhnke would connect with Jadon Brady from five yards out, with just five seconds left in the first half.
The Bearcats, hungry for their first win, would chew up the clock to start the second half, using up 7:35 and driving 75 yards on 14 plays, ending with Young's second touchdown, this time from four yards away. On the next drive the Northwest defense would push the lead up more, forcing quarterback Jack Dawson into an intentional grounding call in the endzone for a safety.
A 44 yard field goal from Arndt in the third quarter would draw the Tigers within six points, but Northwest would put the game away in the final frame, Ruhnke connecting with Wentric Williams III on a two yard touchdown pass. A two point conversion attempt would fail.
Ruhnke is the 11th Bearcat passer to complete 80% of his throws in a game as he went 33-of-41 passing with 273 yards and two touchdowns against the Tigers. Ruhnke's 33 completions also tied for the second most in school history.
Young carried the ball 16 times for 57 yards and two touchdowns. Jake Weber was the leading pass catcher with seven catches for 52 yards, Luke Mathews had four catches for 62 yards.
Northwest will hit the road to Joplin next for a matchup with Missouri Southern. Kickoff will be at 2pm, the game will also be televised on 38 The Spot.
Missouri Western fends off Missouri Southern in home opener
Missouri Western scored on three of their first four possessions, and got a jolt from their special teams unit in the second half, to fend off Missouri Southern 35-27 in the first game of the season at Spratt Memorial Stadium in St. Joseph.
The Griffons got off to a quick 14-0 lead in the first quarter, getting two rushing touchdowns from running back Brandon Hall, the first being a big 53 yard romp, while the second was from 15 yards out.
The Lions would narrow the lead late in the second quarter, Luke Sampson connecting with Deontay Campbell on a five yard touchdown with five minutes on the clock. But the Griffons would take a 21-7 lead into halftime after quarterback Kane Donovan rushed in from one yard away with 1:04 left on the clock.
Missouri Southern would open up the second half with some trickery, recovering their own pooch kick at the Missouri Western 35 yard line, and would score two plays later, Sampson again finding Campbell on a 35 yard passing touchdown.
Late into the third, the Lions would narrow the lead even more on a 24 yard field goal from Drake Reese. But on the ensuing kickoff, Griffon kick returner Javerius McGuinn would take the kick from endzone to endzone, pushing the Missouri Western lead to 28-17 at the end of three.
It was the first time a Griffon returned a kickoff for a TD since Cooper Burton did so against Northeastern State in 2021.
But the Lions would not go away quietly, scoring early into the final quarter on another passing touchdown from Sampson, this time finding Victor Chionuma on a 10 yard pass. The Griffons would answer though with a passing touchdown of their own, Donovan connecting with Jake Berrey on a 24 yard score.
Reese would knock a 40 yard field goal through for Missouri Southern with 3:27 left in the game, but Missouri Western would run the ball down the field, running the clock down to the end of the game.
Donovan was 16 of 17 through the air for 144 yards and one touchdown, also rushing two times for eight yards and a score. Hall was the leading rusher with 22 carries for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Berrey caught five passes for 85 yards and a touchdown.
Missouri Western is back on the road next to face No. 21 Emporia State on Saturday. Kickoff from Welch Stadium in Emporia, KS is set for 1 p.m.
#12 Benedictine falls to #4 Grand View in Top 25 matchup
The #12 Benedictine Ravens scored the first points of the game, but the offense stalled, and #4 Grandview ran wild on way to a 52-28 win at Larry Wilcox Stadium in Atchison, KS.
The Ravens opened up the game scoring a touchdown in just four plays, driving 64 yards before quarterback Jackson Dooley pushed his way into the endzone from five yards out. But from there the offense was hard to come by for Benedictine.
The Vikings would go on to score 26 unanswered points, a 68 yard touchdown pass from Jackson Waring to Louis Brooks and rushing touchdowns from Dalten Van Pelt and Tim Nimely accompanied by a 23 yard field goal from Cory Wood and a defensive safety.
Benedictine would finally find their way onto the scoreboard at the end of the second quarter, Dalton Witherspoon scoring from one yard out, to narrow the lead to 13. But Grand View would force Ravens quarterback Jackson Dooley to fumble on the two point conversion attempt, taking it to the endzone, pushing their lead to 28-13 at halftime.
The story was much the same in the second half, but both teams did trade touchdowns to start, Waring first connecting with Aisea Toki on an eight yard touchdown for the Vikings, before Dooley would rush in from 10 yards away for his second rushing touchdown, helping to keep the Ravens within 15 points.
But to start the final quarter, Grand View would get 10 unanswered points, Waring scoring with his legs this time on a four yard rush and also getting a 30 yard field goal from Wood. Witherspoon would find the endzone for a second time, and the Ravens would convert a two point conversion, but it was to little to late.
The final blow from the Vikings came on a big running play, a 49 yard rushing score by Cale Culver with 1:49 left in the game.
Dooley was 20 of 39 passing for 288 yards with one interception, adding two touchdowns on the ground. Witherspoon rushed 17 times for 49 yards and two scores. Jacob Gathright was the leading receiver with seven catches for 123 yards.
The Ravens will next hit the road and travel to Davenport, Iowa to take on St. Ambrose on Saturday. Kickoff is at 1pm.
Cornhuskers off to best start since '16, stomp Northern Iowa
The #23 Nebraska Cornhuskers continued their best start since 2016, improving to 3-0 with a big 34-3 win over Northern Iowa on Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln.
Nebraska scored the first points of the game behind the arm of Dylan Raiola, connecting with Carter Nelson on a 24 yard touchdown to finish an eight play drive. The Panthers only points of the game came in the first quarter, using up over 10 minutes of clock on 16 plays, but only managing a 31 yard field goal from Caden Palmer
Raiola threw his second touchdown of the game early on in the second quarter, an 18 yard catch and run to Isaiah Neyor. Later in the quarter the Huskers would get a rushing touchdown from Jacory Barney Jr on a 10 yard dash to the endzone. Nebraska led 21-3 at the halftime break.
Two field goals from Tristan Alvano, one from 31 yards out and another from 21 yards, would be all Nebraska would get in the third quarter. With the teams second unit entering the game in the fourth quarter, sophomore Emmett Johnson would break off a 36 yard touchdown for the final score of the game.
Raiola was 17 of 23 through the air for 247 yards and two touchdowns, also throwing his first interception of the season, rushing two times for 13 yards. Dante Dowdell rushed six times for 55 yards while Johnson ran four times for 50 yards and a touchdown. Nelson caught four passes for 48 yards and a score.
Next up Nebraska will begin Big Ten play with their fourth straight home game, hosting Illinois. Kickoff will be at 7pm and the game will be televised on Fox.