By MATT PIKE
The regular season wrapped up for Division II football on Saturday, while the Benedictine Ravens were on a bye week, awaiting Sunday's selection show to figure out their playoff fate. The Northwest Missouri State football team also clinched an outright MIAA title, to read our longer recap of that game you can click HERE.
MoWest close out dissapointing season with overtime loss to Bronchos
The Missouri Western State University football team battled hard in the regular season finale but fell in overtime at Central Oklahoma losing 30-24 at Chad Richison Stadium in Edmond, Oklahoma.
The Bronchos built a 14-0 lead late in the second quarter, after a scoreless opening frame, first scoring on an 11 yard touchdown pass from Jett Huff to Zane Zielny with just over five minutes remaining in the quarter, and then extending the lead with another 11 yard touchdown pass, this time from Huff to Darren Nickerson with 2:57 left in the half.
MoWest did finally answer and cut into the lead just a minute later as Isaiah Tate connected with Victor Taylor Jr on an 84 yard touchdown pass, but with zeroes on the clock Bradley Thao hit a 30 yard field goal to give Central Oklahoma a 17-7 lead at the halftime break. The second half became much more back and forth, a score again not coming until late in the third quarter, as Tate ran in for a two yard touchdown run, cutting the lead to 17-14 heading into the fourth quarter.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, the Bronchos added to their lead again with a one yard scoring run by Clayton Creasey, making it 24-14 Central Oklahoma, and with the Bronchos up by 10 it was the Griffons defense that provided a spark of life. With 11:33 left in the game, Zaidun Edwards intercepted Huff, and MoWest drove 67 yards on nine plays, scoring on a two-yard pass from Tate to Crew Myers. Then on the ensuing drive, after a Central Oklahoma fumble was recovered by Jackson Vikander, the Griffons drove for a game-tying 33-yard field goal by Latrell Armstrong.
Central Oklahoma missed a go ahead field goal attempt with 42 seconds left, and a hail mary attempt from Tate fell short, sending the game to overtime. The Griffons won the toss, choosing defense first and the Bronchos scored with a three yard run from Jadaniel Nettles, but missed the extra point. On the ensuing drive, MoWest was only able to move four yards on four snaps with Tate being sacked on a fourth down, ending the game.
Tate was 19-of-36 for 261 yards passing with two touchdowns and two interceptions adding 14 yards on the ground with a rushing score. Tate broke two single-season MoWest records with the most passing yards in a single season (3062) and most total offensive yards in a single season (3221). Myers had 10 catches for 94 yards and a score, also setting a new single season MoWest record for most catches (75). Taylor Jr. finished with 90 yards receiving and a score.
MoWest ends the season 3-8 overall and 2-7 in MIAA play. The Griffons finished with three wins or fewer in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1986-87. The Griffons open the 2027 season at home on Thursday, August 26th against McKendree.
No. 22 Tigers can do nothing to slow down No. 1 Bulldogs in Athens
The No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs scored on their first five possessions and the No. 22 Missouri Tigers could not do much to keep up, falling to 0-19 against teams ranked No. 1, losing 48-21 in Athens, Georgia.
After Tigers quarterback Austin Simmons threw an interception on the first drive of the game, the Bulldogs went out to a 31-0 lead before Missouri could get on the scoreboard. Nate Frazier scored twice on the ground in the first quarter, from four and three yards out, with an eight yard rushing touchdown by Gunner Stockton sandwiched between. In the second quarter, Peyton Woodring hit a 41 yard field goal and Stockton threw a 12 yard touchdown strike to Isiah Canion.
Trailing 31-0, the Tigers scored finally with 3:09 left in the half with a 15 yard touchdown pass from Simmons to Naeshaun Montgomery. The teams exchanged punts the remainder of the half for a 31-7 score at the halftime break. Missouri punted the ball five times in the first half following the Simmons interception. In the third quarter the Bulldogs extended the lead with a Woodring 40 yard field goal, and after a Tigers punt found the endzone again on the ground with a three yard trot from Frazier.
Now down 41-7, Missouri used an 11 play drive to score again through the air with Simmons finding Donovan Olugbode on an 11 yard touchdown pass. Georgia capped their scoring in the fourth quarter with their fifth rushing touchdown of the game, Chauncey Bowens scoring on a five yard run, and the Tigers answered on the ensuing drive with Simmons third passing touchdown, throwing two yards to Kenric Lanier II. Blake Craig did miss a 29 yard field goal attempt near the end of the game, making Craig 15-for-24 on the season.
Simmons was 17-of-25 for 175 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Jamal Roberts rushed 19 times for 62 yards and Ahmad Hardy added seven rushes for 33 yards. Olugbode had four catches for 67 yards and a touchdown while Cayden Lee had three catches for 44 yards. Montgomery caught five passes for 27 yards and a score.
Missouri (6-4, 3-4 SEC) will host No. 11 Kentucky (7-3, 5-3 SEC) on Saturday in Columbia. Kickoff is at 6:30pm, pregame will begin at 5:30 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).
Jayhawks get much needed win throttling Mountaineers in Morgantown
The Kansas Jayhawks were in desperate need of a win and quarterback Isaiah Marshall helped carry them to that with a career best rushing day, beating West Virginia 37-14 at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia.
Kansas scored on five of their six possessions of the first half to build a 30-7 lead at halftime. After Martin Connington hit a 24 yard field goal to start the scoring in the first quarter, Trey Lathan intercepted Mountaineers quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr., setting up a Khijohn Cummings-Coleman five yard touchdown run to take a 10-0 lead. West Virginia was able to answer on the ensuing drive with Hawkins Jr rushing for a two yard score, but the Jayhawks instantly extended their lead again with Cummings-Coleman, running for a 26 yard score, leading 17-7 at the end of the opening quarter
After a Mountaineers punt, the lone Jayhawks possession without a score in the first half ended with Marshall throwing an interception to ChaMarryus Bomar, but West Virginia was again forced to punt and Kansas scored for the third time on the ground, this time with Chase Belcher on a two yard run. After another Mountaineers three and out, Marshall scored with his legs, also from two yards out, and the next time Kansas held the ball the half ended, the Jayhaws leading 30-7.
Both teams exchanged punts throughout the third quarter before Kansas found the endzone for the final time to start the fourth quarter, an eight yard touchdown run from Belcher. Late in the fourth quarter West Virginia capped their scoring through the air as Hawkins Jr threw a 17 yard touchdown pass to John Neider.
Marshall was 15-of-18 through the air for 152 yards with an interception while rushing 19 times for a career high 164 yards and a touchdown. Cummings-Coleman added 15 rushes for 56 yards and two scores while Belcher ran 14 times for 58 yards and two touchdowns. Nik McMillan had six catches for 44 yards and Cam Pickett had three catches for 29 yards.
Up next, Kansas (4-6, 2-5 Big 12) have two tough tests ahead to close out the season starting with hosting No. 10 BYU (8-2, 5-2 Big 12) on Saturday. Kickoff time will be at 11am with the game being aired on ABC.
Wildcats attempt to rally in second half but fall short against TCU
The Kansas State Wildcats had all sorts of issues, starting with not landing in Texas until just three hours before kicking off against TCU, attempting to rally but falling short in a 20-10 loss at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.
Kansas State punted on five of their six drives in the first half, with one ending with a fumble. The turnover in the first quarter by the Wildcats led to the opening score by the Horned Frogs with a 19 yard rushing touchdown by Kari Ashley. TCU though also could not get much going, having to punt on four of their six drives, in the second quarter extending their lead on a 29 yard field goal by Kyle Lemmermann and leading 10-0 at the halftime break.
The Wildcats managed to get within a touchdown in the third quarter. After TCU opened the second half with a five yard touchdown pass from Jaden Craig to Jacobe Hayes, Kansas State answered with Luis Rodriguez hitting a career long 55 yard field goal. The Wildcats forced a Horned Frogs punt and Dillon Duff needed just three plays to throw a 53 yard touchdown pass to Jaron Tibbs, making it 17-10 heading into the final quarter.
TCU added a 36 yard field goal from Lemmermann to extend the lead to 20-10 to start the fourth quarter. Kansas State was forced to punt on the ensuing drive, but got another opportunity when they forced the Horned Frogs to punt. On the drive following the punt though, Duff was sacked at the TCU 27 yard line and fumbled with the Horned Frogs recovering, allowing TCU to run out the remaining time in the game.
Duff was 22-of-33 for 244 yards with a touchdown. Joe Jackson ran five times for 33 yards while Rodney Fields Jr ran nine times for 33 yards. Tibbs caught eight passes for 115 yards and a score and Garrett Oakley added six catches for 60 yards.
Next, Kansas State (4-6, 1-6 Big 12) will return home for their final home matchup of the season hosting No. 23 Arizona (7-3, 4-3 Big 12). Kickoff is at 6pm and the game will air on FS1.
Huskers get back into win column with road shutout against Rutgers
The Nebraka Cornhuskers snapped a four game losing streak and got back into the win column, one week after firing their offensive coordinator, shutting out Rutgers on the road 31-0 at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey.
The Huskers forced the Scarlet Knights to punt in the first quarter, and proceeded to use up over nine minutes of clock on a 16 play drive to score the games opening touchdown, Anthony Colandrea throwing a 15 yard pass to Luke Lindenmeyer for a score. The teams exchanged punts from there before Nebraska added another touchdown in the second quarter, after a 10 play drive this time using five minutes, Colandrea scoring on the ground this time with a six yard rush and giving Nebraska a 14-0 lead at the halftime break.
The Huskers turned the ball over on downs to start the second half, but Caleb Benning intercepted Rutgers quarterback AJ Surace to get the ball back for Nebraska, setting up Mekhi Nelson to rush for an 11 yard touchdown run to add to the lead. The Scarlet Knights were forced to punt on the ensuing drive, and for the second time in the quarter Nebraska's drive ended with a turnover on downs, but so did Rutgers following drive.
And after the Scarlet Knights turnover on downs, starting the fourth quarter, the Huskers scored again through the air with Colandrea connecting with Carter Nelson for a 13 yard touchdown pass. Rutgers punted on the ensuing drive and kicker John Hohl capped the scoring for Nebraska hitting one from 41 yards away. The Huskers defense made one final play after the field goal, with Jeremiah Charles intercepting Surace, before the teams punted the remainder of the game before the final whistle.
Colandrea was 15-of-22 for 188 yards with two touchdowns through the air while adding nine rushes for 66 yards and another score. Jamal Rule ran 22 times for 103 yards on the day while Nelson ran three times for 31 yards and a touchdown. Nelson had two catches for 53 yards and a score and Lindenmeyer caught three passes for 52 yards and a touchdown. Isaiah Mozee had four catches for 48 yards.
Up next, Nebraska (6-4, 3-4 Big Ten) will return home for a ranked matchup hosting No. 20 Ohio State (7-3, 5-2 Big Ten). Kickoff is at 11am and the game will air on Fox.
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.