CFB: Tigers bring home Mayors Cup, NWMSU wins shootout, Ravens blowout Pride

By MATT PIKE

#23 Mizzou brings home Mayors Cup in SEC opener against Gamecocks

Ahmad Hardy bounced his way for 138 yards rushing and a touchdown, Beau Pribula led #23 Missouri downfield for a go-ahead score in the fourth quarter and the Tigers beat South Carolina 29-20 at Faurot Field in the SEC opener for Mizzou.

Pribula threw for 171 yards with a touchdown pass, and Jamal Roberts had a nifty touchdown jaunt of his own with 9:32 left to give the Tigers  the lead, ultimately helping them to their 14th consecutive home win.  The Tigers finished with 285 yards rushing. South Carolina had minus-9 on the ground.

LaNorris Sellers had 302 yards passing and two touchdowns for the Gamecocks, but their star quarterback missed a couple of open receivers in the fourth quarter when the game was on the line. South Carolina twice went three-and-out down the stretch, giving the powerful Missouri ground game the chance to close out the win.

There were questions about whether he would play early in the week. By game time, Sellers was off the injury report entirely.

South Carolina needed his magic. The Tigers struck first with a 99-yard drive, their third full-field march of the season but missed the extra point, before Sellers answered with a 49-yard touchdown throw to Vandrevius Jacobs to give the Gamecocks a 7-6 lead.

Sellers hit Brian Rowe Jr. with his second touchdown throw later in the half, and South Carolina led 14-12 at the break as Mizzou got field goals of 23 and 22 yards respectively from freshman kicker Robert Meyer following the touchdown.

Hardy carried the Tigers in the second half, bouncing off defenders like a pinball. The highlight may have been his touchdown run, when it looked as if he was stood up at the line of scrimmage, spun off the pile and scored to give Missouri an 18-17 lead, after South Carolina got a 32 yard field goal from William Joyce to start the second half.

It always felt as if the game was destined to be decided in the fourth quarter, though, just like last November, when Sellers capped a 353-yard, five-touchdown performance by rallying the Gamecocks for a 34-30 win in the Palmetto State.

This time, South Carolina had regained the lead when Pribula led the Tigers downfield in the fourth quarter. And after Hardy had checked out for a breather, Roberts did his best impersonation of him, bouncing off tackles on a 16-yard sprint to the pylon for a touchdown; Pribula added the two point conversion to give Missouri a 26-20 lead with 9:36 to go.

Then it was the Tigers defense that stepped up, forcing South Carolina into a pair of three-and-outs before Meyer kicked a clinching 40-yard field goal with 1:34 left on the clock.

To go with Pribula’s 171 passing yards, and Hardy’s 138 rushing yards, the leading receiver was Marquis Johnson with seven catches for 80 yards.  Additionally to Hardy, Roberts rushed 13 times for 76 yards and a score.

Next, #23 Missouri (4-0, 1-0 SEC), who could go up in the AP Poll that will be released later today, will stay home again to face UMass on Saturday.  Kickoff is at 6:30pm.

Northwest wins third straight in shootout with Missouri Southern

The Northwest Missouri State Bearcats put together a work-man-like effort in scoring a 21-14 road win over the Missouri Southern Lions at Fred G. Hughes Stadium in Joplin.

After a scoreless first 28 minutes of action, Northwest used a ricocheted pass from Chris Ruhnke to Andrew Waltke for a 44-yard reception to set up a Bearcat scoring opportunity. Ruhnke dropped back on his own 34-yard line for an intended pass to Erwin Nash, but the ball bounced off Nash into the hands of Waltke who caught the ball at the 40-yard line and was brought down at the Missouri Southern 22-yard line.

After the wild play, Te’Shaun Porter carried three times and accounted for 15 of the final 22 yards in the drive. The Bearcats took a 7-0 lead on a one-yard score from Porter with 24 seconds left in the half. It was Porter’s first rushing touchdown of the season and second of his Bearcat career.  That lone was the lone score of the first half, which Northwest would carry to halftime.

Northwest took the second half kickoff and marched to the 3-yard line before being stopped on a 4th-and-goal. Northwest rushed the ball eight times for 59 yards on the drive before turning it over on downs to the Lions with 10:24 to play in the third quarter.  The Lions then drove the length of the field and leveled the score at 7-7. Running back Nathan Glades scored from a yard out with 3:38 left in the third quarter. 

Porter found the endzone for the second time on the day with a one-yard plunge early in the fourth quarter to give the Bearcats the lead once again. Later in the quarter, after a missed field goal from Bearcat kicker Mo Awaely, the Northwest defense stepped up again. Defensive lineman Clayton Power intercepted a screen pass that gave the ball back to Northwest on the Missouri Southern 37-yard line.  The Bearcats then extended the lead as Dominic Myers caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Ruhnke with 3:19 to play in the game.

The Lions closed to within a score with 2:06 to play on a 62-yard touchdown pass from Tillman Martin to Draper Parker.  But, Luke Mathews secured the onside kick and Northwest was able to gain a first down on the ground from Quincy Torry to secure the seven-point triumph.

Northwest rushed for 217 yards led by Porter’s 20 carries for 98 yards with a pair of touchdowns.  Ruhnke was 6-for-11 through the air for 85 yards and a touchdown.  Nash was the leading receiver with three catches for 54 yards 

Northwest (3-1, 2-0 MIAA) will return home next for a Family Weekend matchup with Central Oklahoma. Kick is set for Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Bearcat Stadium.

MoWest can’t overcome big second quarter from Mules in MIAA opener

The Missouri Western State University Griffons came up short in a 34-26 battle with Central Missouri at Spratt Stadium  in the first MIAA game of the season.

MoWest got off to a fast start, leading 10-0 at the end of the first quarter, first getting a 31 yard field goal from Spencer Sprenger early in the quarter before a two-yard touchdown run by running back Rickie Dunn was added near the end of the frame.

UCM though struck back with 24 second quarter points in all – at one point leading 21-13 with 1:20 left before halftime.  The Mules got a three yard touchdown run from Jordan Pachot before MoWest answered with another field goal from Sprenger, this time from 41 yards away.  Touchdown passes of four yards and three yards from Pachot, to Bo Reeves and Hogan Wasson, gave UCM the eight point lead. 

After UCM scored a touchdown to go up by eight points, the Griffons Jaelon Dixon returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, but a two-point conversion attempt to tie the game failed, making the score 21-19 with 1:02 to go in the second quarter.  The Mules tacked on a 40 yard field goal from Will Peacock to end the half, leading 24-19 at the break.

After both teams went three-and-out to start the second half, UCM put together an 83-yard scoring drive to extend their lead with 10:19 remaining in the third, Pachot connecting on a long 66 yard touchdown pass to Latravious Boyd. The Mules added another 31 yard field goal from Peacock to up the score to 34-19 with 5:58 left in the third quarter.

MoWest rallied, putting together a six-minute scoring drive which wa capped off by a one-yard touchdown run by Jayden Williams, making it a 34-26 game early into the final quarter of the game.  UCM went on a long drive of their own, milking nearly seven minutes of clock. The Mules were driving into Griffon territory, but a strip sack by the Griffons Drew Scott, and the ensuing recovery by Trey Nesbitt, gave MoWest new life, putting the Griffons at the UCM 49-yard line with still eight minutes to go.

MoWest though got all the way to Mules’ nine-yard line and failed 4th down try which stopped the drive short, and the Mules were able to run out nearly the rest of the remaining time, taking back over with 1:52 to play.

Kane Donovan led the MoWest offense with 243 passing yards, completing 27-of-46 passes. Brandon Hall was the lead rusher, turning in a season-best 94 yards on 17 carries.  Gyasi Smith was the lead receiver, hauling in four passes for 107 yards – both career-highs.

Missouri Western (1-2, 0-1 MIAA) is back on the road Saturday to face Fort Hays State. Kickoff  in Hays, Kansas is set for 7 p.m.

#3 Ravens continue to roll with dominate effort win over Clarke

Hosting their second-straight NAIA Top 25 team in as many weeks, the Clarke University football team was unable to produce many highlights as the #3 Benedictine Ravens scored another dominate win, beating the Pride 45-10 at Dalzell Field in Dubuque, Iowa.

In the blink of an eye, the Ravens showed their mettle after Benedictine’s Isaiah Hasten picked off Clarke quarterback Carson Estrada on a third and 10 to give the Ravens an early short field. It would take their offense just two plays to put their first touchdown on the board when quarterback Jackson Dooley hit Joseph Lagafuaina for a 13-yard strike to make it 7-0 in under three minutes.

Dooley would have a big day for Benedictine, passing for 422 yards and five touchdowns as the big play was vital to their success, completing seven passes that went for over 20 yards, including four of his five touchdown strikes, the longest of which went for 82 yards to tight end Tanner Zimmerman, who finished with just three catches but for 155 receiving yards.

Xavier Ugorji was the Ravens leading rusher with nine carries for 62 yards.  He scored a touchdown in the first quarter of the game alongside Dooley’s barrage through the air.  

Benedictine (3-1) returns home on Saturday for Family Weekend and will host Peru State.  Kickoff is set for 1pm.

Kansas runs away with Big 12 opening win over West Virginia

Jalon Daniels threw three touchdown passes, Emmanuel Henderson returned a kickoff 94 yards for a score, and Kansas beat West Virginia 41-10  in the Big 12 opener for both teams at David Booth Memorial Stadium.

After forcing a three-and-out on West Virginia’s first drive, Daniels threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to Levi Wentz. Daniels also hit Boden Groen for a 7-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

Leshon Williams had 19 carries for 129 yards, which included a 62-yard touchdown to cap the scoring.  Williams also added a 39-yard touchdown reception from Daniels, which was set up by a 43-yard kickoff return by Henderson.

Laith Marjan kicked a 42-yard field goal early in the second quarter and a 44-yarder as time expired in the first half before Henderson caught the opening kickoff in the third quarter at the six yard line, eluded a pair of would-be tacklers at the 20 and 25 before racing to the end zone to make it 27-3.

Daniels was 12-of-24 passing for 138 yards with no interceptions and was not sacked by a West Virginia defense that went in with 13 sacks (Ranked #4 in the FBS).  The Jayhawks finished 242 yards rushing, 69 by Daniels on five carries, and forced the game’s only two turnovers.

Kansas (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) will remain at home on Saturday to play Cincinnati.  Kickoff is at 11am and the game will air on TNT.

Huskers fight hard but fall short against #21 Michigan in Big 10 opener

Much of the focus leading into #21 Michigan’s visit to Nebraska centered on how Bryce Underwood would perform in his first Big Ten road opener after he struggled two weeks ago at Oklahoma.

Never mind his modest passing numbers in the 30-27 win. The five-star freshman was more than good enough on a day he and running backs Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall turned long runs into touchdowns and the defense sacked Dylan Raiola seven times.

Underwood was just 12-of-22 passing for 105 yards but scored the Wolverines’ first touchdown on a 37-yard run and extended his team’s last scoring drive with a key third-down pass and a scramble.  Haynes rushed for 149 yards, including a 75-yarder where he went untouched late in the first half, and Marshall ran for 80 yards, including a 54-yarder that gave Michigan a 10-point lead entering the fourth quarter.

The Wolverines finished with 286 yards on the ground, the most against Nebraska since Oklahoma ran for 312 in 2022.

Raiola’s 52-yard Hail Mary to Jacory Barney Jr. for a touchdown to end the first half tied it 17-all and gave the Cornhuskers momentum. Michigan wasn’t fazed.  The Huskers managed just a field goal in the second half until Raiola led them on a 75-yard drive to make it a three-point game with 1:34 left.

Michigan  recovered the onside kick, picked up a first down and ran out the clock.  Nebraska lost its sixth straight Big Ten opener and 28th consecutive game against a Top 25 opponent.  The Huskers’ losing streak against Top 25 opponents is second-longest among power-conference teams. Rutgers has lost 41 in a row.

Raiola was 30 of 41 for 308 yards and three touchdowns, the first quarterback to throw for 300 yards against Michigan since Purdue’s Aidan O’Connell in 2022. Barney caught six balls for 120 yards and two touchdowns, but the Huskers netted only 43 yards on the ground because of the sacks and converted only two of 12 third downs.

Nebraska (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) has an open date this week.  Nebraska hosts Michigan State on October 4th.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.