Story Highlights- No. 1 Northwest Missouri State moved to 2-0 on the season with a 40-14 victory over Missouri Southern on Thursday night at Fred G. Hughes in Joplin, Mo.
- The Bearcats scored 20 unanswered points to capture the victory.
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Brady Bolles and
Phil Jackson II each found the end zone on the ground twice. Bolles also had two scores in the air.
Key Individual Stats- Bolles completed 19-of-28 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran 13 times for 34 yards and two scores.
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Phil Jackson II had 15 carries for 86 yards and two scores. He was not stopped for a loss all game.
- Bolles completed passes to nine different receivers led by
Bryce Young,
Jason Jozaites and
Korey Jackson with four each.
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TJ Schieber and
Jacob Vollstedt each had touchdown catches from Bolles in the first half.
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Kyle Goodburn was called upon to punt four times. He averaged 50.8 yards per kick and placed two fourth-quarter kicks at the MSSU 2 and 3-yard lines.
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Eric Reimer had a team-high 10 tackles and recorded the lone Bearcat sack. He had 2.0 tackles for loss for eight yards.
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Kevin Berg and
D.J. Gnader each recorded interceptions in the game.
Key Team Stats- Northwest racked up 383 yards of total offense, 212 yards in the air and 171 on the ground.
- The rushing game accounded for four touchdowns.
- Defensively, Northwest allowed just 177 yards of rushing to last year's MIAA team rushing leader.
- For the second-straight year, the Lions did not gain a yard through the air on the Bearcats. MSSU attempted five passes with two interceptions.
- Northwest was 9-for-14 on third down conversions and held MSSU to just 4-of-12.
- The Bearcats had 11 tackles for loss on the day.
First Half Key Plays- Northwest took advantge of a muffed punt attempt early in the first half and capitalized a few plays later on a Bolles pass to
Jacob Vollstedt to make it 7-0.
- Northwest struck again as Bolles found
TJ Schieber from 23 yards out to cap an eight-play, 66-yard drive, with 3:28 left in the first quarter.
- On the Bearcats' first drive of the second quarter, Bolles used his legs as he ran in from six yards out to make it 20-7 to cap a nine-play 60-yard drive.
- With the half coming to a close, Northwest went on an 11-play 87 yard drive that was helped by a pass interference call on the Lions that put it on the two-yard line. On the next play, Bolles rushed in for his second touchdown to give the Bearcats a 27-14 lead at the half.
- Northwest had one interception in the first half as
Kevin Berg picked off a second quarter pass from Jay McDowel.
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Eric Reimer had a game-high seven first half tackles.
Second Half Key Plays- Northwest took the opening kickoff of the second half and marched down the field on a 15-play, 98-yard drive. Jackson capped the drive with a two yard run to give Northwest a 33-14 lead. The Bearcats got key completions from Bolles to
Bryce Young,
Jason Jozaites and
Korey Jackson on the drive.
- Gnader came up with a key interception as the Lions were driving late in the third quarter as he picked off a pass at the Northwest 28 on a third down and 18.
- The Bearcats scored on the opening drive of the fourth quarter as well, going 72 yards on 11 plays as Jackson ran in from one yard out for the final score of the game.
- Goodburn hit a pair of punts in the final two posessions that pinned the Lions deep. His first punt was downed on the three and his final punt sailed out of bounds at the two-yard line.
Up NextNorthwest returns home to play Central Missouri at 1 p.m. for Friends and Family Weekend at Bearcat Stadium.
