I had this funny feeling it was going to happen this week. As top-tiered teams continue to drop like flies left and right across the nation, I expected an MIAA team would stumble this week.

I picked Missouri Western, the only unranked top-tier team to be the one, and while they didn't win by much, they proved me wrong with a 22-16 victory over the Emporia.

Northwest Missouri struggled at first, but scored 52 unanswered points to end the game, and any chances at an upset by Eastern New Mexico.

And the three other conference powers, Pitt State, Washburn and Central Missouri, all took care of business in dominating fashion, perhaps solidifying the notion that it simply doesn't get any better when you're talking Division 2 football than the top half of the MIAA.

I did get one thing right this week. Missouri Southern and Truman was the most exciting game. The game was tight until the end, and even when Southern was in run-out-the-clock mode, a fumble gave Truman another breath of light.

But JB Clark, who continues to put up nice numbers but not lead his team to victory, couldn't move the ball and Southern (2-4, 2-4) came away with the 24-17 victory.

Props to Southern's Ryon Phillips, who had three sacks for the Lions, including one near the end of the first half, when he teamed up with teammate Brandon Williams to put an end to a Truman (2-5, 1-5) drive. For his efforts, he's my pick for the Defensive Player of the Week.

Back to Missouri Western (5-2, 4-2). Travis Partridge, who I stopped calling Little P a few weeks ago more because I felt bad for him than him actually earning a different nickname, finally earned it in the first half this week, when he threw three touchdowns to three different receivers to give Missouri Western a 19-0 lead.

The touchdown drives of 62, 78 and 61 were impressive and it looked like the Griffons were going to run away with this game.

But Missouri Western could only muster one more drive of 40-plus yards, when they converted a Tyler Eckenrode interception into a field goal.

It's almost like the safety, on the Griffs' first play from scrimmage following their three-straight touchdowns, took it all out of Partridge and company. Had Emporia (2-5, 1-5) been able to find themselves a little earlier, it could have been a very different outcome.

In Pittsburg, the game was over three and a half minutes before it started, and the Gorillas earned a great 69-6 homecoming victory over Lincoln (1-6, 0-6) in front of a crowd of nearly 10,000.

So many guys got to play, nobody really had a standout performance, except maybe the Pitt punt block team, who ran back two blocked punts for touchdowns. This won't happen, but the entire Pitt punt team earned my Special Teams Player of the Week award.

Now I know Pitt (7-0, 6-0) always draws a crowd, and it was homecoming, but that's pretty awesome a game against MIAA's nobody drew 9,915 fans. Well done Gorillas.

On the other hand, the seats looked pretty empty in Hays for the MIAA Network matchup between Fort Hays State (2-5, 2-4) and Central Missouri.

LIke MoWest, Central (5-2, 4-2) jumped out big early and then kinda stalled, but was able to add a few late touchdowns for a 35-7 victory. Props to Tommy Corwin and his 398 yards passing. Corwin had some big shoes to fill this year, and while Central fans are certainly missing Anthony Stewart, Eric Czerniewski's loss doesn't seem so bad.

Can somebody tell me how Eastern New Mexico jumps out to a 20-13 lead over Northwest? I mean I get their quarterback is good, but come on! No worries though, the Bearcats (6-1, 5-1) found themselves and turned into a good old beatdown by halftime.

After a shaky game last week, Trevor Adams came through, passing for 444 yards and a school record (tie) five touchdowns.

And finally this week, Dane Simoneau continued his MIAA Player of the Year campaign with a 338 yard, five touchdown performance leading the 7-0 (6-0) 'Bods to a 48-3 shallacking of Central Oklahoma.

Simoneau had some help too, in the forms of receivers DeJuan Beard and Ronnell Garner, who had three and two touchdown catches, respectively, and both went well over 100 receiving yards.

Running back Sean McPherson also had himself a nice day, averaging 7.5 yards a carry on his way to a 120 yard day on the ground.

So who gets my vote for Offensive Player of the Week? You could go any of the Washburn guys above, but I won't.

You could go with Corwin, or this week's top target, David Cannon, who had 116 yards and two touchdowns, but I'll pass.

Heck, Michael Hill had nearly 200 total yards, helping Western hold on to their win, and Partridge's three TDs WERE impressive, but not enough to earn my vote.

I'm gonna go with Adams, and no this isn't me being a Bearcat homer. Northwest was backed up against the wall there for a minute, and he helped turn on the steam and pull away from what was almost a scary situation in Maryville.

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