ththMid-Season Report; while the top of NSIC has thinned out a bit over the course of the past month and there are still some questions that will finally be answered in the playoffs beginning next week, there is an outside chance for two-thirds of the league to finish with winning records and for three teams to get into the tournament. Here is how Week 10 unfolded:

Washburn 35
Northeastern St. 21

The Riverhawks were leading at halftime 21-7 despite being outgained 148 yards to 91 and it was looking like the Ichabods were about to drop their third in a row and fifth of the last six games. However, the Washburn defense turned up the intensity even more in the second half, holding NSU to just 19 total yards of offense the rest of the way. The Riverhawks did not have the ball in WU territory and could not muster a single first down in the second half, finishing the game with 110 yards of offense. The Washburn offense woke up in the second half as well, turning the two-touchdown deficit into a comfortable two-touchdown win. Surprising twist: The Riverhawks were held to -28 yards rushing for the game. No, that is not a typo.

Missouri Western St. 34
Nebraska Kearney 17Lindenwood 20
Central Oklahoma 37

After starting the season 0-4 against a difficult schedule, the Bronchos won their fifth out of the last six games on their Homecoming against the Lions. Their lone blemish during this stretch was a shootout loss to UCM. After being held to their worst offensive output against NWMSU in week 5, the UCO offense has been on a tear behind the play of QB TJ Eckert and RB Clay McKenzie, who has broken 100 yards in every game since. Seth Hiddink kicked 3 field goals to give him the UCO record for both single-season (16) and career (42) field goals, earning himself the MIAA STPOW for the third time this year. Connor Harris was his normal self, tallying 16 tackles as well as an interception that he returned down to the UCO 5 yard line. Surprising twist: After being down 13-0 and 20-7, Lindenwood fought back to tie the game at 20 in the second quarter.

Pittsburg St. 6
Central Missouri 34Ft. Hays St. 42
Missouri Southern St. 31Emporia St. 10
Northwest Missouri St. 44

In a matchup between the top two teams in the conference, the Bearcats dominated the line of scrimmage on both offense and defense, winning the game comfortably on their home field. The Bearcats were leading 14-0 and were looking to score again on a big pass over the middle to RB Jordan Grove, but ESU DB J.P. Lohrentz knocked the ball loose and the Hornets took over. After trading punts, ESU QB Brent Wilson then had his best series of the night, with two big pass plays that got the ball down to the Bearcat three yard line, where he was able to just get the ball over the goalline on a run on the next play to cut the lead in half. Unfortunately for the Hornets, that would be the closest they would get as NWMSU QB Brady Bolles hit WR Shawn Bane on a 68 yard bomb on the ensuing drive to seize back the momentum and it was basically over from there. The Hornets got a FG on the next drive to make it 21-10, but they would not score the rest of the game. Bolles was named MIAA OPOW after throwing for a career high 362 yards, and NWMSU DE Collin Bevins earned MIAA DPOW with four sacks, the first being a safety to make the score 30-10. The Bearcat defense held the Hornet offense to its lowest totals by a large margin in points, total offense, passing yards, and rushing yards. Surprising twist: Wilson did not have a touchdown pass in a game he started for the first time in his career.


Regular Season Finale Previews

Every year, week 11 is the most bittersweet week of the year. While the playoffs are, by far, the most exciting part of the year in my mind, for roughly two thirds of the league, this Saturday will mark the last game of the year for the teams. For the vast majority of the Seniors that are on each of these teams, it will mark the last football game of their lives. All of the blood, sweat, pain, and tears these warriors have put themselves through since spring camp will culminate in a final two-and-a-half-hour battle on Saturday, and I would expect these men to leave everything they have out on the field. This week there will be two games between two teams that will play their final game of the season on Saturday, and three games with a team with an eye on the postseason versus a potential spoiler. Fittingly, the final game of the week (and the MIAA TV Game of the Week) is a quasi-playoff game where the winner should be assured a postseason berth.

Missouri Southern St. (1-9) at Missouri Western St. (5-5) 11AMthrdth#2 Northwest Missouri St. (10-0) at Washburn (5-5) 1PMstNortheastern St. (2-8) at Lindenwood (3-7) 1:30PMNebraska Kearney (0-10) at #23 Emporia St. (8-2) 2PMrd in the MIAA. Still, if the OL can give him any sort of time, the ESU defense ranks 9thCentral Oklahoma (5-5) at Pittsburg St. (6-4) 2PM#13 Central Missouri (8-2) at Ft. Hays St. (7-3) 2:37PM
MIAA TV Game of the Weekth in the MIAA in rushing yards per game and behind only Wilson in passing yards per game, and Markel Smith is certainly in the conversation for MIAA Freshman of the year with his 881 yards on the year. That spells a bit of trouble for the Tigers, who are ranked 9th in total defense, 7th in rush defense, and 10ththPostseason Outlook and Games to Watch Around SR3

As I mentioned before, NWMSU will be going to the playoffs for a Division II record 11thrdWayne St. (NE) (4-6) at #2 Minnesota St. (9-1) #3 Humboldt St. (9-1) at #10 Western Oregon (7-2 in D2)

Western Oregon has played spoiler before, but this year, they have an extremely outside shot to get into the playoffs with a win. They have already beaten UNA in Monmouth this year, and have beaten the Lumberjacks at home for four straight years. HSU should still be in the playoffs even with a loss, although if these two schools are #7 and #8 in the rankings, it would be interesting to see how they consider head to head since both schools split the season series.

#4 Henderson St.

The Annual Battle of the Ravine should be another good game to watch, but Henderson should be in the playoffs even with a loss. A win should guarantee them a home playoff game.

Concordia-St. Paul (1-9) at #5 Augustana (8-2)#7 Sioux Falls (8-2) at Upper Iowa (6-4)

The last time the Cougars lost at home before last week, they went on the road and pounded CUSP 49-0. Upper Iowa will be a much stiffer test, but they have not been the same team since they lost their starting QB to injury. Mules fans will be huge Peacock fans this week.

Winona St. (5-5) at #9 Southwest Minnesota St. (7-3)