November 15th, 2025 4:00pm
From NSU sports information
LIVINGSTON, Ala. (Nov. 15, 2025) – Northeastern State made a strong final statement for a spot of some sort in the NCAA Division II football postseason, rallying from an early 10-point deficit to pull away for a 33-20 win over West Alabama on Saturday afternoon at Terry Bunn Field at Tiger Stadium.
Lloyd McIntosh put NSU (8-3) ahead 27-20 with a 20-yard interception return for a touchdown with 8:20 left and Troy Nguyen booted two of his school-record-tying four field goals in the final 2:58 to extend the lead.
It was the second win this season over a team that made the Division II playoff field last season. NSU didn't appear in the most recent Super Region Four rankings, but even if the RiverHawks aren't selected for the playoffs on Sunday, they could be chosen to appear in a Division II bowl game, such as the Heritage Bowl in Corsicana, Texas.
NSU recorded its most wins in a season since winning nine games in 2000. The RiverHawks won five road games for the first time since 1994 – when they won the NAIA championship – and their current six-game winning streak is their longest since winning six straight in 2011.
Many NSU players recorded individual single-game and single-season accomplishments. Nguyen kicked field goals of 44, 33, 30 and 24 yards, becoming the fourth NSU kicker to have four field goals in a game and the first to do so since Jared Homer against Central Oklahoma on Nov. 11, 2006.
NSU quarterback Donnie Smith completed 31 of 48 passes for 289 yards. Smith now has 212 completions this season, breaking the program single-season record of 193, set by Kevin Pantastico in 2014. Smith has completed 70.4% of his passes this season, well ahead of the previous record of 65.0% from Dallas McCutcheon in 2011.
Ramon McKinney Jr. rushed 18 times for 109 yards, including a 69-yard first-quarter scoring run, and finished with 118 all-purpose yards. He rose into third place on the NSU single-season all-purpose-yardage list with 1,678 yards, passing Carlton Booe, who had 1,580 in 1998. The program record is held by Trey McVay, who had 1,845 yards in 2011.
McKinney also increased his season rushing total to 1,088 yards, making him NSU's first 1,000-yard rusher since Joel Rockmore in 2012.
NSU also increased its season scoring total to 427 points, breaking the program record of 405, set in 2011. The RiverHawks are averaging 38.8 points per game, well ahead of the current program record of 37, set in 1969.
West Alabama (5-4) led 17-7 after a 51-yard field goal by Elijah Guyton with 47 seconds left before halftime. The RiverHawks quickly moved into position for Nguyen to kick his 44-yarder on the final play of the half.
NSU tied the game with a four-play, 49-yard touchdown drive, capped by a 1-yard run by Ethan Washington. The Tigers answered with a 27-yard field goal from Guyton to go back ahead 20-17, but those proved to be their final points. West Alabama hurt its cause by committing 15 penalties for 132 yards, compared to two for 20 yards for NSU.
Nguyen's 33-yard field goal brought NSU even again before McIntosh picked off West Alabama quarterback Spencer Arceneaux and returned it for the go-ahead score. Arceneaux completed 22 of 37 passes for 226 yards but also threw three interceptions. Along with McIntosh, Sim Kilpatrick and Jordan Tolbert also recorded picks for the RiverHawks. Colbert also had six tackles.
With NSU up 30-20, Kale Brakebill recovered a fumble by West Alabama's Brayden Jenkins with 2:11 left to seal the win. Kale Charboneau recorded 13 tackles to lead the RiverHawks, while Jordan Banks, Khaden Walker and Cooper Snyder had seven tackles apiece.
Cam Woods tied his career high with nine catches for 104 yards for NSU, while La'Vontae Shenault and Cam Jackson added seven catchs each, for 62 and 64 yards, respectively.