The Northwest Missouri State Bearcats, the 4th ranked team in the country, survived a strong opening night on the plains of western Kansas, winning a defensive struggle at Fort Hays State in Hays, Kansas by a score of 15-7.
The scoring started in odd fashion for Northwest, with the Bearcats grabbing a 2-0 lead after one quarter, with Sam Phillips end zone sack four minutes into the opening quarter putting the safety up on the scoreboard. In the second quarter, Northwest scored in more traditional fashion, as a 13-play, 58 yard drive was finished off on a 3-yard run by Al McKeller, with the extra point pushing the lead to 9-0.
Not to be overlooked, the Bearcats defense was stifling, holding the Tigers to 54 total yards, and just eight on the ground, in the first half, with only three first downs.
Fort Hays State looked rejuvenated in the third quarter, but had a drive stall in the end zone, with a 39-yard field goal attempt missing, leaving the margin at nine. However, later in the quarter, the home-standing Tigers the length of the field, this time scoring on a 36-yard pass with 5 minutes to go in the quarter, as the Bearcat lead shrunk to 9-7.
Opportunities for both teams followed, but a Bearcat fumble and a Fort Hays interception kept the score 9-7. Fort Hays missed a 50-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter, failing to grab the lead away, with the Bearcats getting the all-important second touchdown of the game on a scoring pass from Braden Wright to Kaden Davis, with the blocked extra point keeping the Tigers within one score. An interception at Northwest’s Isaiah Nimmers on the final play of scrimmage, run from the Bearcats 34, ended the contest.
Northwest will open its home schedule next Thursday at 6 p.m. at Bearcat Stadium against the Lincoln Blue Tigers.
In Edmond, Oklahoma, the Missouri Western Griffons showed moxie in rallying with a 24-7 hole, but failed to climb all the way back, falling to the Central Oklahoma Bronchos 24-20.
The Griffons will try and bounce back in their home opener next Thursday as they entertain Fort Hays State at 7:00 p.m. inside Spratt Stadium in St. Joseph.
Elsewhere in the MIAA on Thursday night, Washburn obliterated Lincoln, with the final from Jefferson City 76-12. Pittsburg State won in Warrensburg against the Central Missouri Mules 35-16, while the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers dominated Missouri Southern up in Kearney, Nebraska, cruising to a convincing 38-0 whitewash.
