The Northwest Missouri State University football team will travel to Topeka, Kansas, Saturday to take on the Washburn Ichabods in an MIAA football scrimmage.
The scrimmage will get underway at 3 p.m. at Yager Stadium. The matchup can be viewed for free on The MIAA Network. Fans can also listen to the action on the Bearcat Radio Network with John Coffey (play-by-play), Matt Tritten (analyst) and Logan Weber (sideline) on the call.
The matchup will not count for any school records or coaching records as the teams have entered into a gentleman's agreement to have starters play the first half and then have reserves play the remainder of the scrimmage.
Tickets –
SOLD OUT
Live Stream –
The MIAA Network
Live Audio -
KXCV
Radio Play-by-Play: John Coffey
Radio Analyst: Matt Tritten
Radio Sideline: Logan Weber
Bearcat Radio Network Affiliates:
Flagship – KXCV (90.5 FM), Maryville
KRNW (88.9 FM), Chillicothe
KMA (960 AM), Shenandoah, Iowa
KKWK (100.1 FM), Cameron
KCWJ (1030 AM), Kansas City
HEAD COACH RICH WRIGHT
Northwest is led by fourth-year head coach
Rich Wright. Wright was named head coach at Northwest Missouri on Dec. 19, 2016. Wright has posted a 31-8 mark for the Bearcats. Wright arrived at Northwest in 2004 as the defensive line coach and coordinator of special teams. In 2011, Wright was named defensive coordinator and assistant head coach. A native of Hamilton, N.Y., Wright earned his bachelor's degree at Dana College in 1995 and his master's at Northwest in 1996.
WRIGHT PATH
Rich Wright is only the third Bearcat head coach to increase his win totals in each of his first three seasons. Wright guided Northwest to nine wins in 2017, 10 wins in 2018 and 12 wins in 2019. H.F. Lawrence went from three wins in 1923 to six wins in 1924 to seven wins in 1925. Mel Tjeerdsma had zero wins in 1994 before upping his win total to six in 1995. Tjeerdsma then tallied 11 wins in 1996.
NEW TO THE STAFF
Head coach
Rich Wright added
Todd Sturdy to the Bearcat coaching staff in the offseason. Sturdy will serve as the offensive coordinator at Northwest and he brings a wealth of coaching experience with him to Maryville. Sturdy has coached football at the FBS, FCS and NAIA levels for 28 years. He has served as an offensive coordinator in 20 seasons. In 14 seasons as a head coach at the collegiate level, Sturdy has compiled a record of 96-51.
PROGRAM OF THE DECADE
Northwest was the winningest NCAA Div. II program of the decade from 2010-2019. Northwest is 119-18 for an .869 winning percentage since 2010. Northwest captured three national titles in the decade (2013, 2015, 2016).
1. Northwest Missouri State .869 (119-18)
2. Colorado State Pueblo .862 (106-17)
3. Minnesota State .854 (111-19)
4. Minnesota-Duluth .843 (107-20)
5. Shepherd .842 (101-19)
MIAA CHAMPS
Northwest earned a share of the program's 30th MIAA regular season title in 2019. The Bearcats have claimed six of the last seven MIAA crowns.
DIVISION II'S ELITE PROGRAM
Northwest has captured six NCAA Div. II national championship – the most national titles by any Division II program. Northwest won national championships in 1998, 1999, 2009, 2013, 2015 and 2016. The Bearcat have played in the NCAA Div. II national championship game 10 times in the last 22 years. Northwest has played for the crown in 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2015 and 2016.
NCAA Division II National Titles
Northwest Missouri State 6
North Dakota State 5
Grand Valley State 4
Valdosta State 4
North Alabama 3
Minnesota Duluth 2
Northern Colorado 2
Pittsburg State 2
Texas State 2
Troy 2
15 others have one national title
24 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES, 16 STRAIGHT
The Bearcat football team secured the program's 24th NCAA Division II playoff bid with a berth into the 2019 field. It was the 16th straight season that Northwest competed in the playoffs for a shot at the Division II national championship.
50-WIN PLAYOFF CLUB
Northwest is only the fourth NCAA school with 50 or more all-time playoff victories. Northwest is 50-18 all-time in the NCAA Division II Playoffs. Mount Union holds the all-time playoff record with 104 wins. North Dakota State ranks second with 66 playoff victories. Wisconsin-Whitewater has posted 53 playoff triumphs. The other current members of the MIAA have won a combined 40 playoff games.
600 BEARCAT VICTORIES
Northwest became the seventh NCAA Division II school to record 600 or more victories. Northwest has compiled an all-time record of 605-404-33.
RETURNING ALL-CONFERENCE PERFORMERS
Northwest returns 10 all-MIAA picks from a season ago. Senior offensive lineman
Tanner Owen and senior defensive back
Blake Bayer earned first-team all-MIAA honors in 2019.
Tanner Owen – 1
st Team
Blake Bayer – 1
st Team
Jackson Barnes – 2
nd Team
Imoni Donadelle – 2
nd Team
Zach Howard – 2
nd Team
Sam Roberts – 2
nd Team
Braden Wright – 2
nd Team
Sam Phillips – 3
rd Team
Trey Washington – 3
rd Team
Gabe Bautz – Honorable Mention
RED-ZONE SCORING LED THE NATION
Northwest ranked No. 1 in the nation in red zone scoring offense in 2019. The Bearcats scored on 39 of their 40 trips inside the red-zone for a 97.5 percent scoring percentage.
NINE DEFENSIVE SCORES
The Bearcats tied for No. 1 in the nation with nine defensive touchdowns in 2019.
WRIGHT CLIMBS TOTAL OFFENSE CHART
Junior quarterback
Braden Wright ranks No. 7 on the Northwest's all-time total offense chart. Wright has compiled 6,314 yards of total offense in his first two seasons as the Bearcat signal caller.
1. Brady Bolles (2012-15) 9,296
2. Blake Bolles (2007-10) 9,254
3. Trevor Adams (2013-13) 8,260
4. Josh Lamberson (2002-05) 8,064
5. Chris Griesen (1995-98) 7,574
6. Xavier Omon (2004-07) 7,073
7.
Braden Wright (2018-pr.) 6,314
8. Travis Miles (1997-2000) 6,276
9. Greg Teale (1993-96) 6,094
10. John McManamin (1999-02) 6,074
NEXT TIME OUT
The Bearcat football team will wrap up its fall drills Nov. 21 at 3 p.m when Northwest plays host to the Central Missouri Mules in a scrimmage at Bearcat Stadium. The matchup can be viewed for free on The MIAA Network. Fans can also listen to the action on the Bearcat Radio Network.
