Week 5 Recaps

Northeastern State 14
Missouri Western State 45Pittsburg State 45
Washburn 27Missouri Southern State 24
Nebraska Kearney 14

Coming off the heartbreaking Homecoming loss in triple overtime to Washburn the week before, the Lopers were unable to shake their season-long problems of finishing drives, allowing big plays, and untimely penalties against the Lions. Despite gaining 427 yards of offense (with 214 coming on the ground), UNK managed just 14 points. They marched down the field on their first drive of the game, only to see MSSU linebacker Xavier Mardsen end the threat with an interception at the MSSU 17 yard line. After the teams traded punts, MSSU scored first on a 23 yard touchdown pass from TJ Fleeton to Anthony Cannon. After forcing the Lopers to punt on the next drive, Scott Lathrop returned the punt 41 yards to give the Lions great field position, which was then aided by a pass interference on the first play of the drive. A few play later, Fleeton ran it in from a yard out to put the Lions up 14-0. The second quarter saw the Lopers get on the board with a 18 play, 80 yard touchdown drive to cut the Lion lead in half. On the next drive, the Lions hit on a 52 yard pass play from Scott Brayden to Josiah Bennett down to the three yard line, but Brayden was stripped at the goalline a couple plays later and LB Tyke Kozeal recovered for a touchback, keeping the score 14-7 at halftime. UNK was driving once again on the first drive in the third quarter, getting to the Lion 34 yard line, when a personal foul penalty turned a 2nd and 9 play into a 2ndLindenwood 6
Fort Hays State 37Central Oklahoma 21
Emporia State 35rd down pass fell incomplete, and Seth Hiddink came on to hit his second field goal to make the score 28-21 with 5:52 left in the game. With all of the momentum against them, the Hornet offense responded with a game-clinching, 10 play, 80 yard drive, culminating with the fourth Marstall-to-Foote connection from 17 yards out with 1:53 left. Eckert drove the Bronchos to the Hornet 30 yard line, but was intercepted on 3rd down with about a minute to go, and the Hornets went into victory formation.

Central Missouri 17
Northwest Missouri State 42rd and goal from there, the UCM defense stuffed Phil Jackson for a 1 yard gain to the one. After calling a timeout to think it over, the Bearcats went for it on 4th and goal, with Jackson scoring behind a great push by the left side of the Bearcat OL. The Mules came right back on the next drive and tied the game after a 10 play 83 yard drive, ending with a Fugate 14yd touchdown pass to Zachery. On the first play of the very next drive, NWMSU QB Kyle Zimmerman hit wideout George Sehl for a 43 yard gain to the UCM 25, but Simon Mathieson would miss his second field goal of the year from 40 yards out four plays later. After the Mules were forced to a punt, two Bearcat TDs were sandwiched around one by the Mules, and the teams went into the locker room with the score 21-14 in favor of the Bearcats. At halftime, the Mules had 208 total yards, which was more yardage than ESU, WU, and UNK managed in their entire games against the Bearcats. It certainly looked like a shootout was going to go down in the second half. Bearcat Defensive Coordinator Rich Wright had other ideas, and the adjustments he and the defense made in the second half proved to be too much for the Mules offense, as they were only able to gain 77 total yards and score a field goal in the second half. The Bearcat offense helped their defense out, too; after being held to a punt on the first drive of the second half, they did not punt the rest of the game, going 6 for 6 on third down and scoring on the next three drives to put the game away.


Updates from around the region and countryMy MIAA rankings after Week 5

1. NWMSU (5-0) Closest game has been a 24 point win at MSSU. (Also not a typo)
2. ESU (4-1) After getting clubbed by NW in the opener, has been almost as dominant since.
3. UCM (3-2) Only losses are to the above teams. Played the toughest schedule in D2 to date.
4. FHSU (4-1) Defense is playing very well, and a more balanced offense than last year is doing its job.
5. PSU (4-1) Offense struggled for a half last week and the defensive is consistently inconsistent.
6. MWSU (3-2) Offense leads MIAA in total offense; defense has been dominanat in the wins, less than so in the two losses.
7. WU (3-2) One of four defenses allowing less than 400ypg, but offense is too inconsistent. Basically the polar opposite of PSU.
8. UCO (1-4) Offense ranked 4th in the MIAA. Defense is ranked 11th.
9. NSU (1-4) Teams have figured out the Riverhawk passing game.
10. LU (1-4) Offensively much improved over last year. Defensively has regressed to one of worst in the country (158th of 170 teams)
11. MSSU (1-4) Lowest scoring and rushing team in MIAA, and defense giving up 471ypg. Not a good combo.
12. UNK (0-5) Young team making too many young mistakes. Outgained MSSU at home by over 120 yards and still lost by double digits.


Week 6 Previews

Two more Homecoming games this week, and oddly enough they will occur roughly 30 miles apart. So far the Home teams are 1-2 in Homecoming games on the year (UNK and NSU lost two weeks ago, while FHSU won last week). Here's what to look for this Saturday:

Nebraska Kearney (0-5) at #20 Central Missouri (3-2) 1PMMissouri Western State (3-2) at Lindenwood (1-4) 1:30PMth ranked rush defense is allowing 163ypg. The Lions have done much better against the run than they have against the pass. The problem there is that Skyler Windmiller has really improved his game over last year (2nd in the MIAA in pass efficiency), so while the Griffons typically like to ground and pound, Windmiller and Dijuan Ussery have certainly had their share of big connections, and they will look to make some more against the 7thrd#11 Emporia State (4-1) at Northeastern State (1-4) 2PMth#1 Northwest Missouri State (5-0) at Central Oklahoma (1-4) 2PMth in scoring). The Bearcat defense is once again the best in the league (and ranks 3rdFort Hays State (4-1) at #25 Pittsburg State (4-1) 2PM
HomecomingWashburn (3-2) at Missouri Southern State (1-4) 3PM
Homecomingth ranked run defense this week. The success the Lions have had this year has been on the arm of TJ Fleeton, as the Lions are 7th in the league in passing yards per game. Fleeton is elusive as well, as the Lions have only given up 7 sacks on the season, tied for 4thth