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Fort Hays State 24
Washburn 30Northeastern State 29
Northwest Missouri State 74rd and 10 just 53 seconds into the game. The Bearcats answered right back, and scored the next 21 points of the game. A fast paced second quarter full of big plays (including a 98 yard blocked PAT return by NWMSU) by both teams ended with the score 46-15 at the half. Five more touchdowns were scored by the two teams in the 3rd quarter, including 71 yard and 28 yard touchdown passes from McKinzy to Gary McKnight. Unfortunately for the Riverhawks, the Bearcats got the other three TDs of the quarter and tacked on another in the 4th for the final score. After three straight games of throwing three interceptions, McKinzy did not throw one in this game, finishing with 4TDs and 263 yards on 10 for 23 passing. His 26.3 yards per completion led the MIAA last week. Meanwhile, Kyle Zimmerman threw 5 touchdowns for the second straight game, and finished with 270 yards on 16 of 22 passing, and still has yet to throw a pick on the year. After the last two weeks where he has thrown for 10 touchdowns and only 11 incompletions, his pass efficiency rating has climbed to 181.8, which is third in the country. The Bearcats rolled up 371 yards on the ground, and Shawn Bane had 4 receptions for 157 yards and two TDs to lead all receivers on the day.
Pittsburg State 55
Missouri Western State 47ththLindenwood 28
Emporia State 35
The Lions of the East went toe-to-toe with the second place Hornets, making the Homecoming crowd of 6000 people sweat some bullets in the process. A defensive first half saw the Lions strike first on an eleven yard TD pass from Allen Thigpen to Aaron Daniels roughly halfway through the second quarter. That was the only score of the first half, and the visitors were up 7-0 at the break. Lindenwood received the second half kickoff, but went three and out on their first drive, and the Hornet offense executed some halftime adjustments. After punting on five of their seven first half drives and missing field goals on the other two, the Hornets would score touchdowns on all five second half drives. After falling behind ESU 14-7, the Lions answered every Hornet touchdown of their own, with their last tying the game at 28 with 3:17 left in the contest. However, for the second time on the year, the Lindenwood defense gave up a game winning drive in the final minute, as QB Braxton Marstall scored on a 15 yard run with five seconds left to go. Marstall finished with 317 passing yards and 49 rushing yards, despite being sacked seven times for 37 yards.
Central Oklahoma 32
Nebraska Kearney 47th and 9, UCO QB Chas Stallard threw his 4th interception of the game, this one to Tyke Kozeal, who ran the ball back 16 yards for a touchdown and the game was pretty much over. Kozeal, who already had an earlier fumble recovery, would also force a fumble on the last play of the game and led all tacklers with 15 for the game, earning him MIAA Defensive Player of the Week. The Bronchos outgained the Lopers 551-413 in yardage, but lost the turnover battle 6-0 to decide the game.
Central Missouri 56
Missouri Southern State 7th
| Team | Yds LY | Yds TY | Difference | % change |
| FHSU | 396.0 | 364.0 | -32.0 | -8.1 |
| ESU | 408.8 | 401.4 | -7.4 | -1.8 |
| WU | 379.0 | 381.3 | 2.3 | 0.6 |
| UCM | 365.8 | 386.0 | 20.2 | 5.5 |
| MSSU | 471.5 | 503.3 | 31.8 | 6.7 |
| NSU | 438.2 | 479.9 | 41.7 | 9.5 |
| UNK | 412.0 | 453.6 | 41.6 | 10.1 |
| LU | 437.7 | 494.3 | 56.6 | 12.9 |
| NWMSU | 218.6 | 247.0 | 28.4 | 13.0 |
| MWSU | 346.6 | 402.1 | 55.5 | 16.0 |
| PSU | 403.9 | 474.3 | 70.4 | 17.4 |
| UCO | 403.6 | 482.1 | 78.5 | 19.4 |
| MIAA | 390.1 | 422.4 | 32.3 | 8.3 |
| Team | PPG LY | PPG TY | Difference | % change |
| FHSU | 23.4 | 21.1 | -2.3 | -9.8 |
| ESU | 25.5 | 25.1 | -0.4 | -1.6 |
| MSSU | 40.6 | 40.3 | -0.3 | -0.7 |
| WU | 28.3 | 30.7 | 2.4 | 8.5 |
| LU | 31.6 | 36.3 | 4.7 | 14.9 |
| UNK | 32.4 | 38.4 | 6.0 | 18.5 |
| NSU | 35.4 | 43.9 | 8.5 | 24.0 |
| UCM | 20.6 | 25.7 | 5.1 | 24.8 |
| PSU | 28.5 | 35.6 | 7.1 | 24.9 |
| NWMSU | 11.9 | 16.0 | 4.1 | 34.5 |
| MWSU | 19.7 | 28.9 | 9.2 | 46.7 |
| UCO | 27.5 | 41.0 | 13.5 | 49.1 |
| MIAA | 27.1 | 31.9 | 4.8 | 17.7 |
| Team | Rush LY | Rush TY | Difference | % change |
| ESU | 176.6 | 132.9 | -43.7 | -24.7 |
| WU | 145.3 | 114.0 | -31.3 | -21.5 |
| FHSU | 155.5 | 138.4 | -17.1 | -11.0 |
| UNK | 203.5 | 185.1 | -18.4 | -9.0 |
| NSU | 247.8 | 228.0 | -19.8 | -8.0 |
| NWMSU | 68.7 | 64.1 | -4.6 | -6.7 |
| LU | 192.3 | 179.6 | -12.7 | -6.6 |
| UCO | 177.4 | 182.9 | 5.5 | 3.1 |
| PSU | 156.1 | 162.1 | 6.0 | 3.8 |
| MWSU | 121.7 | 129.1 | 7.4 | 6.1 |
| UCM | 131.6 | 149.0 | 17.4 | 13.2 |
| MSSU | 210.5 | 255.3 | 44.8 | 21.3 |
| MIAA | 165.6 | 160.0 | -5.5 | -3.3 |
| Team | Pass LY | Pass TY | Difference | % change |
| FHSU | 240.5 | 225.6 | -14.9 | -6.2 |
| MSSU | 261.0 | 248.0 | -13.0 | -5.0 |
| UCM | 234.2 | 237.0 | 2.8 | 1.2 |
| WU | 233.7 | 267.3 | 33.6 | 14.4 |
| ESU | 232.2 | 268.6 | 36.4 | 15.7 |
| MWSU | 224.9 | 273.0 | 48.1 | 21.4 |
| NWMSU | 149.9 | 182.9 | 33.0 | 22.0 |
| PSU | 247.8 | 312.1 | 64.3 | 25.9 |
| LU | 245.3 | 314.7 | 69.4 | 28.3 |
| UNK | 208.5 | 268.4 | 59.9 | 28.7 |
| UCO | 226.3 | 299.3 | 73.0 | 32.3 |
| NSU | 190.4 | 251.9 | 61.5 | 32.3 |
| MIAA | 224.6 | 262.4 | 37.8 | 16.9 |
Overall, the league is allowing 5.5 yards less rushing per game than last year, with over half the league allowing less than last year (led by the Hornets, who are allowing almost 44 yards per game less than last year). However, there is a huge difference in passing yardage. The league as a whole is allowing 37.8ypg more than last year, and only two teams (FHSU and MSSU) are allowing less than last year. It is kind of hard to believe, but the MIAA has moved from a run-heavy conference to a pass heavy conference. 75% of the MIAA has increased their allowed passing yardage by 33 yards per game. It sure makes for exciting and entertaining games, but you have to wonder how these trends might come into play in the postseason.
My rankings through Week 7Playoff Watchbold):
NWMSU (PSU, FHSU)
Harding (no playoff contenders)
Sioux Falls (MSU)
Still control their own fate (one loss):
ESU (PSU, FHSU, WU)
Henderson St. (SAU)
Azusa Pacific (CWU, Colorado Mesa-OOC)
Central Washington (APU)
Bemidji (UMD)
UMD (BSU)
Need a lot of help (2 losses):
UCM (WU)
FHSU (ESU, NWMSU)
PSU (ESU, NWMSU)
WU (UCM, ESU)
Southern Ark. (HSU)
Mankato (USF)
Winona (no playoff contenders)
Assuming NWMSU and USF both win this weekend, USF will be the #1 seed when the rankings come out on Monday. They have a higher SOS number than either NW or Harding, and would have 5 wins over teams with winning records. NWMSU only has three of those wins right now and Harding has four. At first glance, without crunch all the numbers, I think the rankings will look like this on Monday (assuming all the favorites win this week):
1. USF
2. HU
3. NWMSU
4. APU
5. CWU
6. Henderson
7. UCM
8. Bemidji/UMD winner
Week 8 Previews:Washburn (5-2) at #15 Central Missouri (5-2) 1:30PM
Homecoming
The losing team of this game will be unofficially eliminated from playoff contention, making this one pretty much a playoff game in and of itself. Washburn kept their hopes alive with an upset last week and will look to do the same this week against a team that was completely dominant on both sides of the ball last week, and rank 4thth#1 Northwest Missouri State (7-0) at Lindenwood (1-6) 1:30PM
HomecomingMissouri Southern State (1-6) at Central Oklahoma (1-6) 2PMth and 11thNebraska Kearney (1-6) at Northeastern State (1-6) 2PMMissouri Western State (4-3) at Fort Hays State (5-2) 2PM#7 Emporia State (6-1) at Pittsburg State (5-2) 2PM
