By MATT PIKE
Hardy nears single game rushing record in win over Bulldogs
Ahmad Hardy had a career-best 300 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 25 carries, and Toriano Pride Jr. had a 62-yard fumble return and pick six to help Missouri beat Mississippi State 49-27.
The Bulldogs answered the score, cutting the lead back to one possession with a two yard run by quarterback Blake Shapen. On the next drive, Zollers threw an interception, but after the turnover the Missouri defense stepped up. Mississippi State reached the Missouri two on a 16-play drive, but Ethan Myers’ low snap on a 25-yard field-goal attempt ricocheted off holder Marlon Hauck’s left knee. Pride recovered the fumble and returned it 62 yards to the Bulldogs’ 23 yard line with 5:03 remaining in the second quarter.
After the fumble recovery, Hardy scored his first touchdown of the game, rushing in from 10 yards out to cap a five play drive. The Tigers had one more chance to score, but the kicking troubles continued for Missouri and Oliver Robbins attempt clanked off the upright, sending the teams to the locker rooms with the Tigers holding a 21-10 lead at the halftime break.
In the second half, Trevion Williams stripped the ball from Hardy, and Malick Sylla recovered it near midfield with about a minute into the third quarter. Ten plays later, Shapen scored his second rushing touchdown of the game from three yards out to cut Missouri’s lead to 21-17. From there, it was all Missouri. After back to back drives ended with punts, the Tigers needed just two plays for Hardy to make a cut back and rush 72 yards to the endzone for his second touchdown of the game.
On the next drive for Mississippi State, Pride returned an interception 19 yards for a touchdown to give Missouri its largest lead of the night at 35-17 with 4:39 to play in the third quarter. The Bulldogs answered the defensive touchdown with a three yard touchdown pass from Kamario Taylor to Seydou Traore. The next two drives ended with punts to go into the fourth quarter.
The Tigers punted to open the final quarter, but the defense was on it again to add to their lead, this time with a pick six from Marvin Burks Jr off a tipped pass, taking the ball 28 yards for the score. The Bulldogs turned the ball over on downs, and in one play Hardy raced into the end zone from 43 yards out with 11:11 remaining in the fourth quarter to shatter his previous career-high of 250 rushing yards and give him his third career three touchdown game. Mississippi State ended the scoring with a 41 yard field goal from Ferrie with 5:51 remaining in the game.
Zollers, making his second career start, was 8-of-15 passing for 112 yards and two touchdowns and threw an interception in his first career win. Kevin Coleman Jr led the receivers with four catches for 41 yards. Mizzou did lose a couple defensive players in the matchup. Tigers defensive end Nate Johnson was ejected for targeting with 8:56 remaining in the first quarter after delivering a helmet-to-helmet hit on Shapen, and linebacker Jeremiah Trotter was ejected for the same offense with 8:52 remaining in the second quarter.
Up next, Missouri (7-3, 3-3 SEC) play Saturday at #11 Oklahoma. Kickoff will be at 11am, with pregame at 10am on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).
Tough season for MoWest ends with crushing defeat against UCO
Missouri Western State University football ended the 2025 season with a 50-14 loss to Central Oklahoma on Senior Day at Spratt Stadium.
MoWest struggled with turnovers throughout the game. Trailing only 7-3 late in the first quarter after a 36 yard rushing touchdown by Dev Mathews and a 51 yard field goal by Latrell Armstrong, MoWest drove into the red zone and a pass from Griffons quarterback Brendan Berwald was intercepted in the end zone by David Williams, and the Bronchos went 80 yards on four plays on the ensuing drive, scoring with a 35 yard run by Mathews to lead 14-3 with 14:19 left in the second quarter.
The Bronchos scored 14 points in the last 1:18 of the first half to lead, both on passes from Jett Huff to Dominique Dunn with a two yard strike and a 14 yard pass, to hold a 28-3 at the halftime break. MoWest got the ball to start the second half, and drove 85 yards on nine plays. The drive ended with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Berwald to senior running back Jayden Williams.
But, the Griffons never found momentum on offense again, with three turnovers in the second half and five total on the day. UCO scored 20 points off of Griffon giveaways, and had five drives that started in Griffon territory. The Bronchos scored 26 unanswered points to end the game.
Huff connected with Dunn for a third time in the game on a seven yard pass and Joseph Kim knocked through a field goal in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, with the game well in hand, Mathews ran in for a third time in the game, Kim hit a 50 yard field goal, and Marquise Harris added a two yard rushing score
Berwald, in his first start of the season and seventh of his MoWest career, went 18–of-35 for 112 yards, a touchdown and three picks. Kody Kirk was 1-of-2 for 17 yards and a pick. Brandon Hall, in his 49th and final game, toted the rock 13 times for 68 yards, ending his career with 3,004 rushing yards. Hall leaves MoWest as one of only three running backs to rush for 3,000-plus yards in his career, joining Michael Hill and Raphael Spencer.
Bryce Marcus III led the receivers with four catches for 30 yards. Armstrong set a career-high with his 50-yard field goal in the first quarter.
The Griffons will open the 2026 season on Thursday, August 27 at home vs. Augustana. Kickoff time is to be determined. The entire 2026 schedule will be released at a later date.
Bearcats share MIAA title after falling to Pitt State in Kansas City
The Northwest Missouri State Bearcats could not overcome four first half fumbles, falling to the Pittsburgh State Gorillas 27-14 at Children's Mercy Park on Saturday.
You can read our full recap of the game by clicking HERE.
#3 Ravens close dominant season earning Heart South championship
The Benedictine Raven football team completed a perfect conference season, defeating MidAmerica Nazarene 52-7. With the win, the #3 Ravens secure their first outright conference championship since 2022. The Ravens shared the conference championship with MNU and Baker University in 2023 and 2024.
The Ravens couldn't have scripted a better first half against the Pioneers. The defense stood strong on the opening drive to force a Pioneers punt. On the Ravens first offensive play, Jackson Dooley connected with Titan Osburn for a 45-yard gain and the drive was capped off by a Xavier Ugorji touchdown run. MidAmerica Nazarene answered with a long drive, but Isaiah Hasten intercepted a pass at the three yard line and returned it 59 yards into Pioneers territory. The offense cashed in on the turnover as Dooley found Tanner Zimmerman for a three yard touchdown to give the Ravens a 14-0 lead.
In the second quarter, Ugorji scored again on a 23-yard rush to extend the lead. After a Pioneers punt, Tyler Watson made an acrobatic catch at the Pioneers one yard line, and then plunged in for a rushing touchdown to give the Ravens a four possession lead late in the first half. Peyton Jobe was next in line for an interception, the Ravens third of the half after Se'Korrey Thomas also had a pick, which led to a 29-yard field goal by Christian Klobe, giving the Ravens a 31-0 lead at the halftime break.
The strong performance carried into the second half. After the Pioneers scored their only touchdown of the game early in the third quarter, a 24 yard pass from Drew Miller to Aiyo'n Carter, the Ravens closed out the game with 21-straight points. The first of those three touchdowns coming after the Ravens defense forced a turnover on downs at the MidAmerica Nazarene 43 yard line. On the Ravens first offensive play, Dooley found Osburn for a 43 yard touchdown strike.
In the fourth quarter, Xiomar Hernandez and Robbie Sharp each scored a rushing touchdown, Hernandez putting it in from two yards out and Sharp scoring from three yards away, to put the finishing touches on the 45-point win.
Dooley finished with 265 yards through the air and two touchdown passes on 19 of 28 passing. Osburn snagged seven passes for 147 yards and a touchdown to lead Raven receivers. The rushing attack grinded to another 200-yard game as Ugorji had 83 yards and two scores. Ugorji eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark with Saturday's output, the first Ravens rusher to do so since Marquis Stewart in 2019.
The win gives Benedictine (10-1, 6-0 Heart South) an automatic entry into the NAIA Football Championship Series. The Ravens will find out their seed during the selection show at 6 p.m. on Sunday.
W is a W: K State gets give takeaways, but only 14 points over OK State
Kansas State forced five turnovers in a 14-6 win over Oklahoma State. All of the Wildcats' points came off of those turnovers.
The offense wasn't so good. Kansas State, which had averaged 34.2 points in its previous five games, was held to 284 yards. Despite that, the Wildcats held on for their third win in four games. Kansas State, a 19 1/2-point favorite according to , didn't care about the margin of victory. Klieman lost his previous three trips to Oklahoma State as the Wildcats' coach.
Kansas State did not score until eight minutes into the second quarter. The Wildcats got a first down by penalty after it appeared the Cowboys stopped them on a fourth-and-1, and Jayce Brown caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from Johnson on the next play. The extra point put Kansas State up 7-6 — a score that held up at halftime. Oklahoma State got two 47 yard field goals from Logan Ward for their points, one in the first quarter and the other in the second.
An interception by Oklahoma State's Parker Robertson early in the third quarter set the Cowboys up deep in Kansas State territory. But Flores fumbled when stripped by Cody Stufflebean, and Kansas State's Zashon Rich recovered to preserve Kansas State's lead.
Kansas State's Joe Jackson ran 15 yards for a touchdown on a fourth-and-1 play to put the Wildcats up 14-6 in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats converted two fourth downs on the drive.
Avery Johnson passed for 177 yards on 15 of 28 passing with a touchdown and an interception while Jackson added 69 yards rushing and a touchdown for the Wildcats who need one more win to become bowl eligible. Brown caught three passes for 82 yards and a score to lead the receivers
Next, Kansas State (5-5, 4-3 Big 12) visits Utah on Saturday. Kickoff time is to be determined.
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.