Since the MIAA played five of their six scheduled Week 2 games Thursday night, we thought it merited its own separate D2 Football WRAP article. So, without further ado, here it is…
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MULES PULL AWAY EARLY FROM FORT HAYS
BR-38 Central Missouri scored a pair of touchdowns within the first seven minutes of the game and never looked back in a 34-17 win over BR-42 Fort Hays State in Warrensburg, Mo.
Central Missouri (2-0, 2-0 MIAA) asserted themselves from the jump, as Garrett Fugate and Jaylen Zachary connected on touchdown passes of 58 and 14 yards on their first two possessions to take a 14-0 lead.
Meanwhile, the Fort Hays (1-1, 1-1) offense struggled in the opening 15 minutes; the Tigers didn’t record a first down until their fourth possession of the game as the Mules defense limited the visitors to 12 yards of total offense in those four possessions.
Ref got in the way
But listen for the hit and watch the ball go a-flying! pic.twitter.com/SczSO1xN3Q— UCM Football (@UCMFootballTeam) September 9, 2016
Fort Hays did get a break on the opening play of the second quarter after UCM’s Tevin Teamer recovered a Malik Thomas fumble on the Mules’ 28-yard-line … only to see Teamer fumble it right back as Thomas recovered at the 24.
Thomas would punch it in from three yards out six plays later to cut the Mules’ lead to 14-7. The Mules, however, would answer back with a Billy Greco 23-yard field goal with nine minutes to halftime to close the scoring in the first half and give UCM a 17-7 lead at the break.
A pair of third quarter touchdowns – one by Gabe Vandiver (9 yards) and the other by Xavier Washspun (20 yards) would ice the game for the Mules, who now sit tied atop the MIAA standings with BR-1 Northwest Missouri and BR-83 Missouri Western (who plays at BR-151 Missouri Southern Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. Central).
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CHAMPS BURY BODS IN HOME OPENER
The good news for BR-105 Washburn: they held Northwest Missouri to just 82 rushing yards and 320 yards of total offense during the Bearcats’ home opener in Maryville, Mo. Thursday night.
The bad news for the Ichabods: the defending national champions held Washburn to 215 yards of total offense in a 41-7 romp.
For the second straight game, Kyle Zimmerman did not throw an interception, completing 23-of-37 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns while leading Northwest (2-0, 2-0) with 30 rushing yards on the night.
Zimmerman threw two of his touchdowns in the first quarter, connecting with Dre Washington (eight yards) and Jordan Grove (40 yards) en route to a 17-0 lead after one quarter. Mickeel Stewart’s two yard run in the second quarter got Washburn (1-1, 1-1) to within 17-7 at halftime.
As the previous 16 Northwest opponents found out, the ‘Bods’ first half effort would be for naught as the Bearcats exploded for 24 points in the second half. The win marked the second straight 41-point outburst for Northwest this season.
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RIVERHAWKS RALLY, TAME LIONS
Gary McKnight’s performance in the fourth quarter of BR-142 Northeastern State’s 35-31 come-from-behind win over BR-129 Lindenwood in Tahlequah, Okla. couldn’t have come at a better time.
With Northeastern State (1-1, 1-1) trailing 31-21 with 5:32 left, McKnight snagged the second of his game-high three touchdowns of the night on a 35-yard strike in which he literally stripped the defender of the pass before cashing in for the score.
That game-winning drive almost didn’t happen, however, as McKnight muffed a punt which was recovered by Lindenwood’s (1-1, 1-1) Ben Jackson. The Riverhawks forced a three-and-out and would take over at their own two-yard line following the punt.
Nine plays and 98 yards later, McKnight, who finished with 99 yards on five catches, capped off the game winning drive with a 17-yard touchdown snag from Dimonic McKinzy with 33 seconds left. Devon Siers’ interception as time expired secured the win for Northeastern State.
Lindenwood’s Connor Harris recorded 12 tackles, becoming D2’s all-time career leader in tackles with 518; he is 32 short of the all-time NCAA record for tackles in all divisions.
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PITT STATE BOUNCES BACK, BURYS BRONCHOS
Spencer Brown with the pick 6!! #GorillaNation pic.twitter.com/riD0mPCtlt
— Pitt St Athletics (@PittStGorillas) September 9, 2016
Despite being narrowly out-gained (461 yards to 417), the BR-85 Pittsburg State defense came through down the stretch in a 45-31 win over BR-63 Central Oklahoma in Edmond.
After Central Oklahoma (0-2, 0-2) jumped out to a 14-3 lead at the end of the first quarter, Pitt State (1-1, 1-1) responded with a pair of touchdowns to take a 17-14 lead, the first of three lead changes in the second quarter. The Bronchos would tie the game at the end of the first half on a 48-yard Seth Hiddink field goal.
Jake Gandera’s 65-yard touchdown run five minutes into the third quarter gave UCO a 31-24 lead. The Gorillas, however, responded with 21 straight points to take the lead for good
Thomas LePage, who started in place of the injured John Roderique, threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Levi Copelin with six minutes left in the third to tie the game at 31-31.
Kiah Kintchen scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:56 left to play to give the Gorillas a 37-31 lead after a failed PAT kick. Spencer Brown would cash in a 25-yard Pick Six on fourth-and-10 with 1:30 left to ice the game for Pitt State.
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EMPORIA STATE STINGS LOPERS
BR-34 Emporia State bounced back from last week’s nightmarish opening week home loss to Northwest Missouri in a 34-7 win at BR-157 Nebraska-Kearney.
Emporia State (1-1, 1-1) wasted very little time on their opening possession, running 13 plays (12 of which were snapped within five seconds) and driving 77 yards before settling for an Austin Morton 21-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead.
UNK (0-2, 0-2) couldn’t get any momentum going on offense in the first half as the Hornets defense held the Lopers to 41 total offensive yards (251 for the game). Emporia would take a 17-0 halftime lead thanks to an Antonio Brown one-yard touchdown run and a Braxton Marstall touchdown pass to Justin Brown.
.@ESUFOOTBALL bounces back in a big way in their 34-7 win over the Lopers! https://t.co/mzVKzPDt1k pic.twitter.com/i6gcy0dnzK
— Chris Lilly (@wibwChrisLilly) September 9, 2016
Emporia State would extend their lead to 34-0 early in the fourth quarter before Kearney snapped the shutout thanks to Steve Worthing’s eight-yard touchdown toss to Julian Navarrette with 8:28 left.
Marstall finished with 272 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 24-of-42 passing while rushing for 67 yards on 10 carries. Justin Brown (eight catches) and Mitchell Foote (nine catches) each recorded 89 receiving yards for the Hornets.
