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Story Headlines
- The Northwest Missouri State University football team defeated Harding University, 35-0, on Saturday afternoon at Bearcat Stadium in Maryville, Mo.
- The No. 1 ranked Bearcats improved to 13-0 overall while No. 5 Harding ends its season with a 13-1 record.
- Northwest held the Bisons to just 119 total yards, all coming on the ground.
- It was the lowest total by Harding all season. The previous low mark was 214 against Henderson State on Oct. 8.
- With the win, Northwest has advanced to the program's 11th NCAA semifinal.
- Fans can find a Facebook photo album HERE.

Key Northwest Statistics
- Northwest gained 418 yards of total offense on the day. The Bearcats also converted 6-of-14 third down attempts.
- The Northwest defense recorded 10 tackles for loss and picked off two passes.
- Harding's offense was forced into three-and-outs eight times in the game, including five of the first six possessions of the ball game.
- The Bisons did not enter Bearcat territory until the first drive of the second half.
- For just the second time all year, Harding lost the time of possession stat. Northwest held the ball for 31:20 to the Bisons' 28:40.
- It was the second all-time meeting between the two programs. The Bearcats won, 35-0, on Nov. 17, 2012, in Maryville, Mo.
- Harding was held to just 3-of-15 on third down conversions and was 0-of-1 on fourth down tries. The Bison got just four first downs the entire game.
- The Bearcats were a perfect 5-of-5 in red zone scoring chances.
- Kyle Zimmerman completed 30-of-42 passes for 340 yards and a touchdown. It was the fourth 300+ yard passing performance of his career.
- Jordan Grove caught four passes for 73 yards and a touchdown. He ran the ball just twice for three yards, resulting in touchdowns on both carries.
- Dre Washington had seven receptions and 135 yards, both career highs for the senior wideout.
- Cameron Wilcox had eight carries for 36 yards.
- Phil Jackson had 31 yards rushing on eight carries.
- Simon Mathiesen hit a Northwest single-game record five field goals, connecting on distances of 22, 32, 46, 39 and 21.
- Jacob Vollstedt had a team-high 13 tackles. He had 3.5 tackles for loss for seven yards with a quarterback hurry.
- Cass Weitl had 11 tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss.
- Jarrod Bishop had nine tackles and for the second time in as many games, he recorded an interception. He also had a tackle for loss.
- Ben Althoff had five tackles, a tackle for loss and a forced fumble.
- Jack Young picked off his 12th career pass in the third quarter. He finished the day with three tackles and an assisted tackle for loss.
- Collin Bevins had three tackles and blocked a third quarter field goal.
- Kevin Berg had 1.5 tackles for loss. Jacob Gassman and Caleb Mather also recorded a half tackle for loss each.

Northwest Scoring Drives
- Northwest took the opening drive 88 yards in six plays to begin the game. Zimmerman completed all five of his pass attempts. He found Sehl for a 14 yard strike on the second play of the game to give the Bearcats a first down at their own 31. Four plays later, Zimmerman found Grove alone on a post pattern and after eluding a couple tacklers, found his way into the end zone for the 58 yard touchdown.

- After a three-and-out defensively, Northwest got the ball back and went 67 yards in 12 plays, resulting in Mathiesen's first field goal of the game, this one from 22 yards out. Zimmerman started the drive with a 27 yard strike to Washington to put Northwest in Bison territory.

- The third Bearcat score came right at the start of the second quarter. Northwest had started the drive on its own 17 and had moved it to the 43 yard line when the first quarter expired. Mathiesen capped the 10 play drive with a 32 yard field goal to give Northwest a 13-0 lead. Washington caught two passes on the drive for 34 yards, including a 12-yard third down conversion.

- The Bearcat special teams came up huge on the next drive as Richey blocked a punt giving Northwest possession on Harding's 6-yard line. Four plays later, Grove took a direct snap and ran it in from a yard out on fourth down, giving the Bearcats a 19-0 lead.

- A short 24-yard Bison punt on the next possession gave Northwest the ball at the Harding 46 yard line. The Bearcats got down to the 29 yard line before stalling. Mathiesen kicked his third field goal of the game, a 46-yarder to make it 22-0.

- Harding's offense started the second half with its most successful drive of the game, going 49 yards in seven plays, sparked by a 36 yard run to convert a third down. But the Bearcat special teams came up big again as Bevins blocked the field goal attempt to keep Harding off the board. Northwest took the ball 58 yards in 10 plays, ending with Mathiesen's fourth field goal make from 39 yards out to give the Bearcats a 25-0 lead. Zimmerman completed a 30-yard pass to Washington and a 16-yard third down completion to Shane Williams.

- Harding tried a fake punt at the end of the third quarter but was stopped short of the line to gain. Northwest took over on the Bison 38 yard line and went all the way down to the 1-yard line. Mathiesen hit his fifth make of the game from 21-yards out with 12:33 left in the fourth quarter.

- Jarrod Bishop's fourth-quarter interception set Northwest up at the Harding 8-yard line. Zimmerman completed a two-yard pass to Williams on first down and Grove ran it in from two-yards out on the next play for the game's final score.

Up Next
- Northwest will host Ferris State on Saturday, Saturday 10, at 2:30 p.m. CST at Bearcat Stadium in Maryville, Mo.