CFB: Bearcats run over Tigers, Mizzou pulls out OT win, Ravens dominate Central Methodist

By MATT PIKE

Bearcats run all over Fort Hays State in dominant 52-3 win

The #19 Northwest Missouri State University football team pounded the Fort Hays State University Tigers, 52-3, rushing for a season-high 437 yards and piling up 580 total yards in the victory.

Northwest has now won six games in a row for the first time since the 2022 season. 

The Bearcats opened the first quarter by capitalizing on their possession with a methodical drive that spanned 65 yards and culminated in a two yard touchdown run by Te’Shaun Porter. Following a defensive stop, the Bearcats quickly regained possession and Owens broke free for a 56-yard touchdown run, further extending the lead. Fort Hays managed to respond with a 39-yard field goal by Zane Hall, closing the quarter with the home team leading 14-3.

The second quarter started with Northwest’s defense applying pressure, and after a touchback on the punt, the Bearcats initiated a strategic drive. Chris Ruhnke connected with Luke Mathews and T.J. Williams-Bey, moving the ball steadily downfield before Quincy Torry’s 15-yard rush secured a first down to maintain momentum. The drive ended with a two yard touchdown rush by Porter.

After another punt, Northwest took control again, as Ruhnke led the offense with precision, highlighted by a 33-yard field goal from Mo Alwaely. The half concluding with a 24-3 advantage for the Bearcats.

The third quarter began with the home team extending their lead with decisive plays on both sides of the ball. Alwaely’s kickoff set the tone, and the defense quickly forced a three-and-out, highlighted by a sack from Jordan Pigram. On the ensuing drive, Owens guided the offense downfield, culminating in an 11-yard touchdown pass to Mathews.  Then, following another defensive stop, Owens broke free for a 73-yard touchdown run, further widening the gap.

Torry then added to the score with an 85-yard touchdown rush on the very next drive.  Northwest capped the scoring in the fourth quarter as Ruhnke’s eight yard rush set up a scoring opportunity for Dominic Myers to capitalize with a one yard touchdown run for the final score.

Owens completed six of eight passes for 63 yards and added 164 rushing yards on eight carries, scoring two touchdowns. Williams-Bey hauled in three passes for a team-best 48 receiving yards. Mathews contributed with three receptions for 29 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, Torry ran for 114 yards and a touchdown on eight carries. Owens rushed eight times for 164 yards and two touchdowns.

Northwest (6-1, 5-0 MIAA) will now face Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday in Maryville. The annual Homecoming game will kick off at 2 p.m.

Big second half for Gorillas takes down MoWest at home

MIssouri Western State University battled hard for three quarters, but #12 Pittsburg State rushed for 264 yards and put it away late in a 44-20 tilt at Spratt Stadium.

The game started with a  51-minute rain delay early in the first quarter, and  MoWest took the lead 7-3 on a 16-yard touchdown from Kane Donovan to Bryce Marcus III, after the Gorillas managed just a 31 yard field goal from Austin Schmitt in the opening frame. 

Pittsburg State however, scored 17 unanswered points from that point on, getting a two yard touchdown run from Zahmari Palode-Gary and a another field goal from Schmitt, this time from 50 yards out for a 13-7 lead at the halftime break, before opening up the third quarter, after a turnover on downs by MoWest, with another touchdown run from Palode-Gary to extend the lead more.  

The Griffons had an eventual response, as Donovan connected with Marcus III on a 46-yard touchdown catch, making it 20-14.  But from there, the Gorillas continued to control the game, Schmitt connecting on a 56 yard field goal and Palode-Gary scoring his third touchdown of the game on a three yard run for a 30-14 lead at the end of three.  

Trailing entering the fourth quarter, MoWest scored on a two-yard touchdown run from Evan Williams, but the ensuing point-after try missed following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.  Pitt State put it away for good after that with a 13-play, 75-yard drive that took nearly eight minutes off the clock, scoring on a 17 yard touchdown pass from Jackson Berry to Jaelon Travis. The Gorillas added one more score  with about four minutes left Greyson Holbert rushing in from 13 yards out.

Donovan was 13-of-34 for 189 yards and two touchdowns. Brandon Hall had 82 yards rushing on 20 carries. Marcus, who had missed the previous three games with injury, finished with a career-best 96 yards and two touchdown grabs.

MoWest (1-6, 0-5 MIAA) is back on the road Saturday to face Missouri Southern. Kickoff  in Joplin is set for 2 p.m.

Mizzou pulls out overtime thriller against Auburn in first road game

#16 Missouri may have delivered the knockout blow to Auburn coach Hugh Freeze.  Beau Pribula scored on a three yard run in the second overtime, lifting Missouri to a 23-17 victory over reeling Auburn in the Tigers first road game of the season at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Auburn opened the scoring with Jackson Arnold scoring from a yard out. But coach Hugh Freeze’s team,  like so many other times in his three seasons, had trouble moving the ball for most of the game. Arnold finished with 207 yards passing and his first interception of the season.

After the opening score, Missouri answered with a field goal from freshman kicker Robert Meyer, a 24 yard boot, before taking the lead early in the second quarter with the only other score of the first half, Ahmad Hardy rushing in from two yards out.  Missouri held a 10-7 lead at the halftime break.  

Late in the third quarter, Auburn took the lead back in the game, Omar Mabson II rushing in from one yard away.  In the fourth, Alex McPherson hit a field goal from 22 yards out to extend the Tigers lead.  With 5:07 left to go in regulation though, Mizzou drove down the field, and it was Hardy again tying up the game with a three yard rushing score. 

Auburn intercepted Pribula’s pass in the final drive of regulation to send it to overtime, but McPherson missed a field goal on Auburn’s first possession. It was his third miss of the night.  Meyer also missed a game winning field goal on the other end for Mizzou to force the second overtime.

After Pribula scored his rushing touchdown to give MIzzou the lead, though the Tigers were unable to convert the two point try, Missouri got a defensive stop on fourth down on the final possession in overtime to seal the one-possession victory.

Pribula threw for 252 yards, with two interceptions, and ran for 28 more.  Hardy ran for 58 yards and two scores for Missouri . The Tigers bounced back from a home loss to Alabama to beat the other team from the state.

Next up, Missouri (6-1, 2-1 SEC) stays on the road traveling to #17 Vanderbilt on Saturday.  Kickoff is time is yet to be determined

Despite long delay, Ravens dominate Eagles on the road

The #3 Benedictine Ravens dominated the Central Methodist Eagles on a rainy Saturday in Fayette, that included a significant lightning delay, before the Ravens came away with a 52-7 win at Davis Field.  

The Ravens opened the scoring early in the first quarter needing just three plays to do so before Jackson Dooley connected with Tanner Zimmerman on a 42 yard touchdown pass.  The Eagles answered later in the quarter with their only score of the game, cashing in on a recovered fumble, with Jordan Gile throwing a five yard touchdown pass to Elijah Jar.  

With the game tied, it was all Ravens from that point, Dooley gave Benedictine the lead again on a 25 yard touchdown pass to Joshua Zander, before Christian Klobe hit a 55 yard field goal for the final score of the opening quarter to put the Ravens up 17-7.  With 14:33 on the clock in the second quarter, a lightning delay forced both teams off the field.  The delay lasted nearly four hours.  

The 55 yard field goal from Klobe prior to the delay broke a school record for Benedictine.   The previous mark was 54 yards, held by Carey Shaw since 1978.

After the delay, Benedictine added the only score of the second quarter, another touchdown pass from Dooley going eight yards to Titan Osburn.  The Ravens held a 24-7 lead at the halftime break. Out of the break, in the third quarter Benedictine added two more rushing scores, one yard from Dooley and a four yard run by Xiomar Hernandez.  Robbie Sharp scored the final two touchdowns of the game in the final quarter, a 46 yard rushing touchdown and a 12 yard running score respectively.

Dooley was 12-for-27 through the air for 175 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions, adding 25 yards rushing and a score on the ground.  Xavier Ugorji rushed 13 times for 138 yards to lead the running attack.  Zimmerman had three catches for 83 yards and a touchdown, while Joseph Lagafuaina had three catches for 29 yards.

Benedictine (6-1, 2-0 Heart) next will return home for Homecoming to take on William Woods.  Kickoff is at 1pm.

Nebraska offense can’t get going as Minnesota sacks Raiola nine times

Darius Taylor ran for 148 yards and a touchdown, Drake Lindsey completed 16 of 20 passes for 153 yards and a score and Minnesota sacked quarterback Dylan Raiola a school-record nine times in a 24-6 victory over No. 25 Nebraska on Friday night at Huntington Bank Stadium.

The Golden Gophershave won six straight against the Cornhuskers, who fell short in their bid to win back-to-back road games in consecutive weeks for the first time since 2006. Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck improved to 7-1 against Nebraska, which hasn’t won in Minneapolis since 2015.  The Huskers were held without a touchdown in a loss for the first time since a 62-3 loss to Ohio State in 2016.

Kyle Cunanan knocked through a 33 yard field goal with no time left in the opening quarter to give Nebraska the lead.  But Minnesota took the lead shortly into the second quarter thanks to a one yard, tush-push score by Lindsey. Taylor’s 71-yard run down the right sideline set up the touchdown and eclipsed the running back’s 44 yards in the previous two games.  Cunanan hit a 30 yard field goal late in the second quarter to put the Cornhuskers down by one score, and the Golden Gophers led at halftime 7-6.

Lindsey found Le’Meke Brockington in the front corner of the end zone on a 20-yard touchdown pass to make it 14-6 with 2:36 left in the third quarter.   A pass-interference penalty negated a Nebraska interception on Minnesota’s next possession, capped by Taylor’s one yard touchdown run that pushed the Minneosota lead to 21-6.  The Golden Gophers capped the scoring midway through the fourth with a field goal by Brady Denaburg, knocking it through from 30 yards out.

Raiola completed 17 of 25 passes for 177 yards for the Huskers, who spent part of a short week addressing rumors of coach Matt Rhule’s candidacy for the vacant Penn State job.  Emmett Johnson rushed 14 times for 63 yards in the loss.  On the receiving side, Luke Lindenmeyer had four catches for 52 yards.  Nyziah Hunter had five catches for 40 yards while Johnson also added five catches for 37 yards.

Next, Nebraska (5-2, 2-2 Big Ten) hosts Northwestern on Saturday.  Kickoff time is yet to be determined.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.