By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
KEARNEY, NE - The Missouri Western football team found themselves down 17-7 entering the fourth quarter of Saturday's game at Nebraska-Kearney.
After failing to score on six straight drives, the Griffons scored on each of their last three possessions - all in the fourth quarter.
The last drive ended with a 31-yard field goal from Cody Watson as time expired, lifting the Griffons to a 20-17 win over an embattled Lopers team at Ron and Carol Cope Stadium Stadium on Saturday in Kearney.
Missouri Western (6-2, 5-2 MIAA) scored on the fourth play from scrimmage Saturday after Jalen Lampley had a 50-yard return on the game's opening kickoff.
Seth Cromwell scored four plays later on a two-yard run to put the Griffons up 7-0 with 13:39 left in the first quarter.
Missouri Western didn't score again until the fourth.
Nebraska-Kearney had a pair of touchdown drives in the first half to go up 14-7 at the break.
The Griffons had their chances in the first half to go back in front, but twice, Missouri Western came up short in the red zone - once on a turnover on downs, and then on a field goal attempt that was blocked by the Lopers.
Kearney (2-6) had four total possessions in the second half. They punted on three of them.
UNK's lone scoring drive after halftime ended with a 46-yard field goal from Kyle Failing with 5:21 to go in the third, putting the Lopers ahead 17-7.
After that, Missouri Western finally found some rhythm offensively. The Griffons made it a 17-14 game with 12:48 to go after a 15-yard touchdown pass from Armani Edden to Jake Berrey, capping a 15-play, 75-yard drive.
The Lopers went three-and-out on their next series, and Watson tied the game on a 34-yard field goal with 7:31 to play, knotting the game at 17-17.
Kearney was driving in Missouri Western territory in the last five minutes of the game, but the drive stalled at the Griffon 31-yard line.
Faced with a 4th-and-11, and a long field goal try, Kearney elected to punt the ball back to Missouri Western, but that punt traveled only 12 yards, setting the Griffons up at their own 18-yard-line with just over three minutes left.
Behind some hard running by both Edden and Cromwell, the Griffons moved all the way to the Kearney 14-yard line, running out much of the remaining time on their way.
With only three seconds left, Missouri Western coach Tyler Fenwick called timeout and sent the field goal unit onto the field.
Watson drilled the game-winner from 31 yards away as time expired, lifting the Griffons to victory.
Cromwell led the Griffons on the ground with 19 carries, 100 yards and a score. Edden completed 24-of-36 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown.
Watson was 2-for-4 on field goals Saturday. He missed from 45 yards and had one blocked from 30 yards out - both in the second half.
Defensively, Dakari Streeter led the way with three tackles for loss, including two sacks. Anthony Villenueva had six total tackles Saturday.
Nebraska-Kearney quarterback T.J. Davis completed 7-of-9 passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns. His backup, Sean Johnson Jr., rushed 10 times for 89 yards.
This marks Missouri Western's first win over Nebraska-Kearney since 2018 and the Griffons are a perfect 4-0 on the road this season.
Missouri Western is back home Saturday to face Northeastern State in the Rogers Pharmacy Hall of Fame Game. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Coverage starts at noon on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).
Tyler Fenwick postgame
Full game broadcast
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