By MATT PIKE/AP
St. Joseph Post
Walk off field goal from Griffons Cody Watson secures win over UNK
The Missouri Western State University Griffons scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, and Cody Watson would hit his second walk off field goal of the season in a 20-17 win over Nebraska-Kearney. Read our full recap HERE.
Bearcats suffer Homecoming blues in 28-7 loss to Pittsburgh State
The Northwest Missouri State offense struggled to put things together as the Bearcats were shutout until late in the fourth quarter, falling to Pittsburgh State 28-7 on Homecoming in Maryville.
Following a scoreless first quarter, the Gorillas would score 21 unanswered points in the second quarter thanks to three rushing touchdowns. Ty Pennington would account for two of those, rushing for scores of three and one yard respectively, while Noah Hernandez would punch one rush in from three yards out. The score at halftime was 21-0.
Again both teams defenses would come out swinging in the second half, recording a scoreless third quarter. Pittsburgh State would extend their lead midway through the final frame, Pennington scoring his third touchdown of the day and pushing the lead to 28-0.
Taking over with 5:44 left on the clock, the Bearcats would finally put together a scoring drive. Quarterback Mike Hohensee would come out firing, driving Northwest down the field 75 yards on 10 plays before finding Trevon Alexander for a 24 yard score.
The Bearcats would get one more chance after forcing a three and out on Pittsburgh State, but on the first play following the punt Hohensee would throw an interception to Carson Otworth, allowing the Gorillas to kneel out the remainder of the clock.
Despite the offensive struggles it was another solid day on the ground for Jay Harris who would rush 19 times for 123 yards. Hohensee threw for 172 yards on the day, throwing two interceptions and one touchdown. The leading receiver was Kashan Griffin who caught six passes for 65 yards.
Northwest's record now falls back to .500 as the Bearcats are 4-4 (3-4 MIAA) on the season. Northwest will now travel on Saturday to Topeka, Kansas to matchup with Washburn. Kickoff is at 1pm.
#18 Benedictine secures big Homecoming win over Missouri Valley
A balanced offense and timely defense helped the #18 Benedictine Ravens earn a 31-7 Homecoming win over Missouri Valley on Saturday at Larry Wilcox Stadium in Atchison, Kansas.
After the first two drives of the game ended with punts, the Ravens would score the first points of the game quickly. Getting the ball back with 9:21 left in the opening frame, Benedictine would need just two plays for Jackson Dooley to connect with Jacob Gathright for a 40 yard touchdown.
On the next offense drive for Benedictine, the lead would be pushed to 14-0 after a 10 play drive that took just over five minutes off the clock as the Ravens would go 63 yards, Dooley finding Kameron Dover this time on an eight yard pass.
The Vikings would narrow the lead in the second quarter, scoring their only points of the game after an eight play drive, quarterback Tionne Harris needing just one yard to get the ball to Khaleel Dampier for the touchdown, the score coming just two plays after a 44 yard rush from Jeremiah Bryant.
The score would hold at 14-7 until halftime, but on Benedictine's first offensive drive in the second half they would extend that lead on another passing touchdown from Dooley, this time the completion coming to Dalton Witherspoon for a 14 yard score extending the lead to 21-7.
Both defenses would again step up, holding the lead to two scores through the remainder of the third quarter. In the final frame the Ravens would score again however. On a drive that began with 2:50 left in the third, Benedictine would carry that into the fourth quarter, capping the outstanding 16 play drive with a 21 yard field goal from Harry Balke, the drive consuming just under nine minutes of clock.
On the ensuing drive the Ravens would score their final points of the game. With the Vikings looking to convert a 3rd and 9, Jagger Blubaugh would pick off Harris, taking the interception back 64 yards for a touchdown.
Dooley would go 15 for 24 through the air passing for 185 yards to go with his three touchdowns. Witherspoon would rush 11 times for 84 yards while catching two passes for 28 yards and a touchdown. Gathright would lead all receivers with four catches for 72 yards and a touchdown.
Benedictine is now 6-2 (2-0 Heart South) on the season, and will watch the polls that come out Monday to see if they go up in the rankings. Next up for the Ravens is a road trip to Liston Stadium in Baldwin City, Kansas for a matchup with Baker. Kickoff is at 1pm.
Explosive plays earn Mizzou the Mayor's Cup on Homecoming in CoMO
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Cody Schrader ran for 159 yards and two touchdowns and No. 20 Missouri sacked Spencer Rattler six times in a 34-12 victory over South Carolina on Saturday.
Missouri (7-1, 3-1 SEC) has seven victories in its first eight games for the first time since 2013.
Brady Cook completed 14 of 24 passes for 198 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score, and Luther Burden III caught four passes for 90 yards and a TD.
Rattler completed 23 of 40 passes for 217 yards, and South Carolina kicker Mitch Jeter converted four of five field goals.
After South Carolina (2-5, 1-4 SEC) cut it to 24-12 with 10:31 left on Jeter's goal, Schrader sealed it with an 11-yard touchdown run with 2:46 to go.
Cook capped an 87-yard drive with a 17-yard rushing touchdown, and Harrison Mevis hit a 21-yard field goal in the second quarter to give Missouri a 24-0 lead. Jeter spoiled the shutout with a 51-yard field goal with 31 seconds left in the half.
Schrader had 10-yard touchdown run to give the Tigers a 14-0 lead with 46 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Missouri took a 7-0 lead when Cook threaded a 42-yard touchdown pass to Burden through double coverage with 6:31 remaining in the first.
THE TAKEAWAY
The Tigers did not allow a touchdown for the first time since beating Vanderbilt 41-0 on Nov. 28, 2020.
TROPHY STAYING PUT
Missouri is keeping the Mayor’s Cup trophy given to the winner of the matchup between the two schools in cities named Columbia.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Missouri is poised to rise at least a spot or two and will likely have its highest ranking since being ranked 14th at the 2014 season.
UP NEXT
The Tigers will have a bye this week. A tough matchup will be coming next week as Mizzou will travel to Athens, Georgia for a matchup with the current #1 team, the Georgia Bulldogs. Kickoff time is still to be determined, as is where the game will air.
Will Howard and Avery Johnson lead Wildcats to blowout win
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Will Howard threw three touchdown passes, including a 61-yarder to DJ Giddens, to help Kansas State beat TCU 41-3 on Saturday night.
The contest was a rematch from the Big 12 title game last season, which Kansas State won 31-28.
Howard went 10-for-16 passing for 154 yards with three touchdowns and 62 yards rushing. Howard started at quarterback for the Wildcats, but Kansas State (5-2, 3-1 Big 12) quickly used both Howard and freshman Avery Johnson.
A week after a five-touchdown performance, Johnson earned his first career start by taking a jet-sweep for 4 yards on the opening play. Johnson finished with 73 yards rushing and threw for 90 yards and a touchdown, going 5-for-10 passing. Treshaun Ward was the recipient of Johnson’s first collegiate touchdown pass.
Giddens ran for 85 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown to make it 7-0, and his 61-yard catch-and-run gave the Wildcats a 21-3 lead going into the second quarter. Jayce Brown and Will Swanson had their first collegiate touchdown receptions.
The Wildcats had 587 total yards, the most allowed by TCU (4-4, 2-3 Big 12) this season.
Josh Hoover went 23 for 43 for 187 yards with an interception for TCU in his second career start. The Horned Frogs were held to 300 yards, their lowest total this season.
Emani Bailey had 100 yards rush for had his fifth career 100-yard game. The Horned Frogs finished with 113 total rushing yards.
Griffin Kell put the Horned Frogs on the board with a 32-yard field goal in the first quarter.
THE TAKEAWAY
Kansas State was propelled by an extremely hot start with 21 points and 238 total yards, including 127 rushing yards in the first quarter alone. Giddens scored a 2-yard touchdown to end an eight-play, 75-yard drive on the opening possession for the Wildcats. K-State has produced points in six of seven opening drives this season, five of which have been for touchdowns.
HOME COOKING
Kansas State returned home to the friendly confines of Bill Snyder Family Stadium for the first time since hosting UCF for its Big 12 opener on September 23. The Wildcats are 4-0 at home this season. The Horned Frogs left the Lone Star State for just the second time this season. TCU only plays three regular season games outside of Texas in 2023.
UP NEXT
Kansas State hosts Houston Saturday in the first meeting between the programs. Kickoff is at 11am and the game will be aired on ESPN2.
Huskers defense shines in 17-9 win over Northwestern
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska's success in Matt Rhule's first season is going to depend on his defense. That much was clear in a 17-9 win over Northwestern on Saturday.
The Cornhuskers matched their season high with eight sacks, had their most tackles for loss in four years and held a second straight opponent under 10 points for the first time since 2010.
The offense, meanwhile, continued to sputter against Big Ten opponents and is averaging just 13.5 points in four conference games.
“I want our defense to understand we're a defensive football team,” Rhule said. “That doesn't mean the offense takes a backseat to it. It means I expect our defense is going to go win games when it has a chance to go win games.”
The Huskers (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) have won four of their last five games and matched their 2022 win total.
When Northwestern pulled within eight points in the fourth quarter, the Huskers' defense turned up its game another notch. Four of its sacks of Brendan Sullivan came on the Wildcats' last two possessions.
“We go out there with the mindset on defense that we're going to win every football game no matter what's going on with the offense, good or bad,” said defensive lineman Nash Hutmacher, who had 2 1/2 sacks. “We're going to go out there and play the same brand no matter if we're up 30 or down 30. We knew going in we would take advantge of them pass-rushing, and we really did today."
Heinrich Haarberg scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 3-yard run just before halftime and put the Huskers up 17-6 with a 44-yard pass to Malachi Coleman early in the fourth quarter.
Jake Olsen kicked three field goals for the Wildcats (3-4, 1-3 Big Ten), who were held without a touchdown for the third time in 10 games.
The Huskers' 13 tackles for loss were their most since they had the same number against Illinois in 2019. They limited Northwestern to 81 rushing yards on 39 carries, including minus-5 on 18 runs in the second half. The Huskers have held six of their seven opponents under 100 rushing yards.
Haarberg, who was intercepted on two of his first four passes, was 8 of 17 for 85 yards. He ran 16 times for 72 yards.
Northwestern has lost 14 straight true road games.
“In the locker room, in there right now, it’s crushed," Wildcats interim coach David Braun said. “This team, this program came into Lincoln today expecting to win a football game. They walked in here and we challenged them to play for four quarters. There’s no doubt in my mind that our young men did just that. They played their tails off for four quarters."
THE TAKEAWAY
The Huskers managed to win with an inconsistent offense that generated only 248 yards. But there are more wins out there this season if the defense keeps playing like it has the last two games.
ONE PLAY, TWO INJURIES
Nebraska lost two starters on the same play early in the second quarter. Season receiving leader Billy Kemp injured his left leg and offensive lineman Ethan Piper injured his right leg. Both left the field with assistance. Defensive back Tommi Hill didn't play the second half after injuring his ankle.
STADIUM MILESTONE CELEBRATION
The Huskers celebrated the 100th anniversary of Memorial Stadium. Three Nebraska National Guard soldiers honored the state's fallen soldiers with a three-volley salute before the national anthem, Hall of Fame coach Tom Osborne gave a video message and stories about the stadium history were shown during breaks in the action.
Nebraska played its first game in the stadium on Oct. 13, 1923. Saturday marked the 592nd game at the stadium and 393rd consecutive sellout since 1962.
UP NEXT
Nebraska hosts Purdue on Saturday. Kickoff is at 2:30pm and the game will be aired on FS1.
Bye Week Notes
The Kansas Jayhawks got a week to help quarterback Jalon Daniels get healthy from a back injury. The Jayhawks will be back in action on Saturday against Oklahoma. Kickoff is at 11am and the game will be aired on Fox