CFB Roundup: MWSU falls on late TD, Ravens win top 25 clash, Kansas wins big

By MATT PIKE

Welcome to the college football roundup, where we take a look at all of the colleges from around our area, and what they did in their week of college football action.  We cover Missouri, Northwest Missouri State, Missouri Western, Benedictine, Kansas, Kansas State, and Nebraska. 

For a look at our roundup of Thursday’s action in week one with Missouri, Northwest, and Nebraska you can click HERE.  

Last second Augustana touchdown downs MoWest in season opener

The Missouri Western State University Griffons lost a back-and-forth, non-conference battle at No. 23 Augustana, as the Vikings threw the game-winning touchdown with 10 seconds left for a 30-26 victory.

MoWest struck first in the opening quarter when quarterback Kane Donovan connected with Bryce Marcus III on a 44-yard pass, however the extra point attempt hit the right goalpost.  Augustana quickly responded with a seven-yard touchdown pass to take a 7-6 lead.

The Vikings forced a safety on the following Griffons drive, as Donovan was sacked in the endzone, extending the Vikings’ advantage.  The second quarter, however, belonged to the Griffons. Early in the period, kicker Mason Grove drilled a 47-yard field goal to tie the game at 9-9 with 10:15 left in the half.

The Vikings put together an eight-play, 77-yard drive that reached the MoWest one-yard line, but the Griffon defense came up big with a stop, forcing a turnover-on-downs.  Later, Donovan struck again leading a 99-yard drive, this time hitting Michael Haggerty for a 19-yard touchdown to swing momentum back to the Griffons. Spencer Sprenger’s extra-point capped off a 10-point quarter for the Griffons, giving them a 16-9 lead at halftime.

MoWest’s opening drive to start the second half extended the lead to double digits, as Sprenger hit a 23-yard field goal. The Vikings responded with a run of 14 unanswered points, taking a 23-19 lead over MoWest early in the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Augustana lined up for a field goal attempt with 6:32 left in the fourth, but senior Grant Finley came up with a block, and Logan Clark returned it 54 yards to set up the drive.  In quick work, running back Rickie Dunn carried the ball three straight times, punching it in for the score from five yards out to put the Griffons ahead 26-23 with 5:01 left in the fourth.

The Griffons were later forced into a three-and-out and had to punt, leaving 1:44 on the clock for the Vikings, giving Augustana a chance for a game-winning drive, which they seized with a 10-yard touchdown pass to take a 30-26 lead with 10 seconds left.

Donovan completed 15-of-27 for 226 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Marcus III was the top target, collecting two passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. Haggerty finished with 27 yards on two receptions and a touchdown.

MoWest (0-1) will have an early bye week on September 6 before returning for its home opener at Spratt Stadium against Missouri S&T on September 13.

#4 Ravens top #3 Morningside in Top 25 clash in Atchison to open season

It what could easily be considered and championship-level game in a season opener, No. 4 Benedictine Football took the series lead over No. 3 Morningside University with a 38-34 win.

Benedictine opened the scoring on their first possession. Xavier Ugorji scored on a 24-yard rush, followed by a Christian Klobe point after to stake the Ravens to an early lead. Morningside followed with a pair of touchdowns, a 35-yard pass from Zack Chevalier to Drew Sellon and a 20-yard rush by Jaylen Burch, to take a 14-7 lead.

It took Benedictine just nine seconds in the second quarter to tie the game. Kameron Dover caught a 59-yard pass from Jackson Dooley to pull the Ravens even early in the quarter. Klobe capped off the scoring in the first half with a 43-yard field goal as the Ravens shutout the Mustangs to take a 17-14 lead into halftime.

The third quarter started with the two teams trading long touchdown plays. Morningside regained the lead with a 49-yard screen pass inside the first two minutes. On the Ravens first play from scrimmage, Dooley connected with Titan Osburn who took off down the Morningside sideline for a 70-yard touchdown reception 21 seconds after Morningside scored.

The Mustangs did regain the lead, a 17 yd pass from Chevalier to Sellon, but the point after failed to pull back ahead by three points, 27-24. They held the Ravens in check to keep the lead until Benedictine picked off Chevalier for the second time with just under three minutes left in the third quarter. Isaiah Hasten returned his interception for 34 yards to set the Ravens offense up for their next touchdown. Dooley hit Joseph Lagafuaina for an eight yard touchdown to put Benedictine back in front 31-27 with just over one minute left in the third.

Morningside took back the lead on a six yard rushing touchdown by Chevalier with 6:39 left in the game and forced Benedictine to punt on their next possession. The Ravens defense held the Mustang to a three and out, getting the ball back at their own 22 with 3:30 left in the game, setting up their final drive eventually capping off a 13-play, 79-yard drive with a Dooley keeper to take a 38-34 lead that proved to be the game-winning touchdown.

Dooley finished with 280 yards on 20 of 37 passing with 3 touchdowns. Ugorji led the Ravens rushing with 91 yards on 14 carries while Dalton Witherspoon added 58 yards on 10 carries. Osburn led the Raven receivers with 93 yards and a touchdown on three catches.

The Ravens (1-0) will hit the road for Week 1 of the regular season, taking on defending NAIA Champs, and No. 1-ranked Grand View University, in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday at 12. 

Jalon Daniels airs it out as Kansas dominates Wagner in Friday clash

Jalon Daniels threw for 280 yards and four touchdowns despite playing just one drive in the second half and Kansas defeated Wagner 46-7 as the Jayhawks opened their season with a second straight win.

The Kansas defense held Wagner to 18 yards of offense in the first quarter and built a 14-0 lead on the strength of two Daniels touchdown passes. Daniels found DeShawn Hanika uncovered for a four-yard scoring strike to cap off KU’s first drive, which covered 50 yards in six plays. Two drives later, Daniels hit Emmanuel Henderson on a nine-yard slant route to put the Jayhawks up 14-0 with 3:12 to play in the first quarter.

Daniels threw his third touchdown pass of the contest on the Jayhawks next drive, finding Cam Pickett wide open across the middle for a 20-yard score to go up 22-0 early in the second quarter after Carson Bruhn ran in the two-point conversion.  Daniel Hishaw scored his first touchdown of the season with a 20-yard run that put the Jayhawks up 29-0 with 5:19 to play in the half.

Wagner got on the board with a 45-yard touchdown pass on the next drive, cutting KU’s lead to 29-7 at halftime.

The Jayhawks struck again early in the third quarter, needing just two plays to cover 75 yards as Daniels connected on a deep ball to Henderson for a 62-yard score to go up 36-7 less than a minute into the half. Laith Marjan added a 27-yard field goal later in the third to give Kansas a 39-7 advantage at the end of three.

Kansas added their final score in the fourth quarter as Harry Stewart III scored his first career touchdown from one yard out.

Henderson hauled in six of Daniels’ passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns for Kansas (2-0). Daniel Hishaw rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown, all in the first half.

Kansas outgained Wagner 623-143, including 285-53 on the ground and 346-90 through the air. The Jayhawks had 32 first downs, compared to just six for Wagner.

Kansas (2-0) returns to action on Saturday as the Jayhawks travel to Columbia to take on Missouri (1-0) at 2:30.  Pregame will air at 1:30pm on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).

The game reignites one of the oldest rivalries in college football, dating back to 1891, and was last played in 2011.

Late score helps lift Kansas State past North Dakota

Avery Johnson engineered an 81-yard drive and threw a six yard touchdown pass to running back Joe Jackson with 42 seconds remaining, and the Kansas State Wildcats held off first-time starting quarterback Jerry Kaminski and North Dakota for a 38-35 nail-biting victory at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

After both teams went three and out on their opening possessions, Kansas State had to convert twice on 4th-and-1 to get into the red zone on their second. Both of those conversions went for big gains, the second being a 38-yard completion from Johnson to Will Swanson. Stuck on 4th down again, K-State had to settle for a 30-yard field goal from Luis Rodriguez.

The Wildcat defense promptly gave up plays of 12, 27, and 35 yards, setting up 1st-and-goal at the one yard line. North Dakota’s Grant Tylutki fumbled into the end zone, but Kaminski recovered in the end zone to take the lead.  Johnson responded with a 44-yard touchdown to Jayce Brown on the next drive to give Kansas State the lead back.

Later in the game, the Hawks exploded for 82 yards, getting to the Wildcat one yard line.  On the next two plays Kaminski completed passes at the line of scrimmage which resulted in no yardage, setting up 3rd-and-goal. Kaminski eventually kept the ball himself from the pistol to retake the lead.

The Wildcats took the lead back thanks to a very smart decision on Johnson’s part to throw on a scramble for a first down instead of running with it himself.  Johnson fired a 30-yard pass to Jaron Tibbs that was tipped and almost intercepted, but Tibbs kept his eye on the ball and snagged it for the go-ahead score.

Near the end of the first half, a 16 yard touchdown rush by Sawyer Seidl, gave North Dakota a 21-17 lead that they carried into the halftime break, and would also come out receiving the second half kickoff.  However, the Wildcats forced a  three and out to open the third quarter, and then methodically marched downfield. ending with DeVon Rice running in on the outside for a nine yard score to get Kansas State back on top. 

After the Wildcats defense forced another three and out, eight plays later, Rice plunged up the middle for 13 yards and another touchdown, giving Kansas State a 31-21 lead. 

A punt opened the fourth quarter, and North Dakota put together some second-half offense. After converting on 4th-and-8, Kaminski hit Korey Tai for a 22-yard score to make it 31-28, and after the Cats went three and out, a pass interference call on Zashon Rich on a deep ball gave North Dakota the ball at the 30, and three plays later Seidl ran it in from 20 yards out, giving the Hawks a 35-31 lead with 4:19 to go in the game.

Late in the game, Johnson rambled free for a 25-yard gain, and then tossed to Jackson who scored from six yards out on the following play. With 42 seconds left, K-State had the lead again scoring the final points they would need.  Rich atoned for his earlier pass interference with a brilliant breakup over the middle as the Wildcat defense forced 4th-and-10 from the Hawks 47 with 11 seconds to go. Kaminski’s last-gasp pass to Dennis was long, and Kansas State survived, somehow.

Johnson went 28-43 for 318 with three touchdowns and no interceptions, plus 43 yards on the ground. Jackson ran 11 times for 55 yards, while Rice added 40 yards on seven carries. Brown had 109 yards on 12 catches and a touchdown.

Next up, Kansas State (1-1) hosts Army (0-1) on Saturday.  Kickoff will be at 6pm and the game will air on ESPN.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.