Emporia State and Northwest Missouri rolled - as expected - to easy victories Thursday night as MIAA football opened the season, while Missouri Western and Lindenwood pulled out tight victories. Central Oklahoma also started their season with a victory.

In Emporia, the Hornets used 2 defensive touchdowns in a 14-second span in the second quarter (they hadn't scored on defense in nearly 2 years) to build a 29-13 halftime lead and never really looked back en route to a 53-28 victory.

ESU QB Brent Wilson, coming off a super sophomore season, was good - not great - going 21-31 for 244 yards and 2 scoring strikes. Austin Willis was his most targeted receiver, grabbing 5 catches for 126 yards and a TD.

Northwest Missouri led only 17-7 at halftime, but added two second-half scores for a relatively easy 31-7 victory. Running back Phil Jackson found his way into the end zone three times. Quarterback Brady Bolles was 19 of 30 for 257 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT.

Those games went about as planned, but a few others sure didn't.

In St. Joseph, Missouri Western head coach Jerry Partridge's redshirt freshman quarterback combo didn't exactly impress, but did enough to squeak by Central Missouri 10-9 with a late touchdown sparked by an interception by nose tackle Arbanas Elliot.

TJ LaFever got the start under center for the Griffons, but struggled mightily, converting just 3 of 12 passes for 14 yards. Skyler Windmiller, another redshirt freshman, played much of the second half (both QBs were expected to see playing time) and didn't do that much better, finishing 5 of 11 for 69 yards.

Western RB Raphael Spencer (30 carries, 161 yards) was the lone bright spot for the otherwise non-existent Griffon offense.

And in the game of the night in the MIAA, Lindenwood had an answer for Washburn every time, from when the Lions fell down 24-7 early to when they traded scores with the 'Bods late in the game. Washburn QB Mitch Buhler threw 4 TDs (3 to DuJuan Beard) and RB Vershon Moore added 108 yards on 16 carries, but it wasn't enough. Lindenwood ended up with a 44-38 victory.

LWU QB Dillon Miller finished his day 24-42 for 230 yards and 1 TD.

Central Oklahoma won at Fort Hays 26-7. Hays' only score came on an 89-yard KO return from DeAndre James, while Central Oklahoma scored on 4 FGs and 2 touchdown tosses from Chas Stallard to Connor Pulley.

Attendance and box scores:

Emporia State 53 Missouri Southern 28; 6,045 http://www.esuhornets.com/custompage...4/14FBES01.HTM
Missouri Western 10 Central Missouri 9; 5,105 http://www.gogriffons.com/boxscore.a...&path=football
Northwest Missouri 31 UNK 7; 7,878 http://www.bearcatsports.com/boxscor...otball&id=2383
Lindenwood 44 Washburn 38; 6,217 http://wusports.com/boxscore.aspx?path=football&id=4366
Central Oklahoma 26 Fort Hays 7; 4,133 http://www.bronchosports.com/boxscor...otball&id=3355