NCAA DIVISION II PLAYOFFS - SUPER REGION THREE CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 3 Northwest Missouri State (11-1) at No. 1 Ferris State (11-0)
Saturday, Dec. 4 | 1 p.m. (ET) | Big Rapids, Mich. | Top Taggart Field (6,200)

LIVE STREAM | LIVE AUDIO | LIVE STATS | TICKETS 

THIS WEEK'S MATCHUP
The No. 3-ranked Northwest Missouri State University football team (11-1 overall) will travel to No. 1-ranked Ferris State University (11-0 overall) in the quarterfinals of the 2021 NCAA Division II Playoffs.
    Kick is set for 1 p.m. (ET) in Big Rapids, Mich., at Top Taggart Field.

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for Saturday's game can be purchased in advance online beginning Tuesday, Nov. 30, at 8 a.m. (CT) at FerrisStateBulldogs.com/Tickets.
    Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $7 for senior citizens (age 65+) along with $5 for students in grades K-12. In addition, FSU students and college students from competing schools with a valid student ID card are also $5. Children ages five and under are free.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Saturday's contest will mark the fourth all-time meeting between Northwest and Ferris State. Each of the matchups has occurred in the NCAA Division II playoffs with the home team winning each game.

Northwest vs. Ferris State Matchups
Northwest 35, Ferris State 20 (Dec. 10, 2016)
Ferris State 27, Northwest 21 (Nov. 24, 2018)
Ferris State 25, Northwest 3 (Dec. 7, 2019)

SUPER REGION THREE
For the third straight time, Northwest and Ferris State will meet in the Super Region Three title game. 
    Top-seeded Ferris State reached the region title game with a 54-20 win over rival Grand Valley State.
    No. 3 seeded Northwest got to the final with a 51-20 home win over Central Washington and a 28-9 road win at Harding.

FOUR WINS VS. NO. 1-RANKED TEAMS
Northwest owns four victories all-time against No. 1-ranked opponents.
    The Bearcats last road win over a No. 1-ranked team in the NCAA Div. II Playoffs came at Central Washington on Nov. 28, 2009.

Northwest All-Time vs. No. 1 Teams
L, 31-14 vs. Pittsburg State (10/3/92)
W, 58-52 vs. Carson-Newman (12/11/99)
L, 21-17 vs. PIttsburg State (11/6/04)
L, 50-36 at Pittsburg State (11/27/04)
L, 21-17 vs. Grand Valley St. (12/10/05)
L, 17-14 vs. Grand Valley St. (12/16/06)
W, 34-16 vs. Grand Valley St. (12/8/07)
W, 21-20 at Central Washington (11/28/09)
L, 17-13 at Minnesota Duluth (12/11/10)
W, 31-21 vs. Pittsburg State (10/13/12)
L, 38-35 at Minnesota State (11/24/12)

NORTHWEST'S MARK AS A RANKED TEAM
Northwest has played 253 games as a ranked team in the AFCA Top 25. Northwest has posted a record of 227-26 as a ranked team.
    Northwest is 35-6 when ranked No. 3 the nation.

ROAD PLAYOFF WINS
Northwest has tallied a mark of 14-9 all-time in road playoff games. Northwest is 6-1 on the road this season.

Northwest's Road Playoff Wins
1996 - W, 22-21 at Neb.-Omaha
1999 - W, 41-35 at Northern Colo.
2005 - W, 45-14 at Angelo State
2005 - W, 42-32 at Washburn
2005 - W, 21-10 at Pittsburg State
2005 - W, 25-24 at North Alabama
2007 - W, 26-13 at Chadron State
2008 - W, 45-36 at Abilene Christian
2009 - W, 21-10 at Cent. Washington
2010 - W, 35-31 at Texas A&M-Kingsville
2011 - W, 39-35 at Missouri Western
2011 - W, 31-31 at Midwestern State
2018 - W, 42-17 at Grand Valley St.
2021 - W, 28-9 at Harding

PLAYOFF EXPERIENCE
Northwest is in its 25th season of qualifying for the NCAA Division II playoffs - an NCAA record.
    Ferris State is making its seven consecutive appearance in the playoffs and 12th overall.
    Northwest and Ferris State are the only programs in Division II football to make the playoffs each of the past seven seasons.
    The Bearcats extended their streak of consecutive playoff appearances to 17 in a row in 2021.

Most NCAA Div. II Playoff Appearances
Northwest Missouri State    25
North Alabama        21
Grand Valley State    20
Indiana (Pa.)          19
Pittsburg State              18
UC Davis                   18
Valdosta State        18

Consecutive Div. II Playoff Appearances
Northwest Missouri State    17 (2004-pres.)
Grand Valley State          10 (2001-2010)
Pittsburg State                9 (1989-1997)
Albany State                  8 (2004-2011)
Texas A&M-Kingsville          7 (1992-1998)
Carson-Newman                 7 (1993-1999)
UC Davis                          7 (1996-2002)
North Alabama             7 (2005-2011)
Ferris State        7 (2014-pres.)

TWO WINNINGEST ACTIVE COACHES IN DIVISION II
Saturday's matchup will feature the two winningest active NCAA Division II head football coaches (minimum of four years as a head coach) in Northwest's Rich Wright and Ferris State's Tony Annese.
    Annese has posted a winning percentage of .860 with a record of 98-16 in nine years.
    Wright has won at an .824 clip with 42 wins and nine losses in four seasons at the helm of the Bearcat program.
    Among all NCAA football divisions with a minimum of four years head coaching experience, Annese ranks No. 5 and Wright ranks No. 12.

THE COACHES
Northwest is led by fifth-year head coach Rich Wright. Wright was named head coach at Northwest Missouri on Dec. 19, 2016. Wright has posted a 42-9 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.
    Now in the ninth season under head coach Tony Annese, the Bulldogs have become a national power on the Division II level. FSU has posted a 98-16 overall mark in his tenure and the Bulldogs have also posted the best winning percentage of all 21 collegiate programs in the state of Michigan along with the GLIAC since his arrival. Overall, Annese has won 86% of his games as a head coach on the collegiate and prep levels and owns 322 wins to date, which is the most of any current GLIAC member head coach at all levels.

FIVE PLAYOFF WINS FOR RICH
Northwest head coach Rich Wright posted his fifth career playoff victory in a 28-9 win at Harding. Wright is 5-3 in postseason play.

Northwest's Coaching Playoff Records
Mel Tjeerdsma    32-10
Adam Dorrel    15-3
Rich Wright    5-3
Vern Thomsen    0-1
Bud Elliott    0-1


LOOKING FOR 12 WINS
With a victory at Ferris State, Northwest would reach 12 victories in a season for the 14th time in program history.

Northwest's 12+ Win Seasons
15 wins - 1998*
15 wins - 2013*
15 wins - 2015*
15 wins - 2016*
14 wins - 1999*
14 wins - 2006
14 wins - 2009*
13 wins - 2008
12 wins - 1997
12 wins - 2002
12 wins - 2007
12 wins - 2010
12 wins - 2019
* - National Champions

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 Bearcats have played in the NCAA Div. II national championship game 10 times in the last 21 years. Northwest 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

52 ALL-TIME PLAYOFF WINS
The Bearcats are 52-18 all-time in the playoffs, which marks the most victories in Division II playoff history.
    Ferris State is 18-11 in 12 all-time NCAA Div. II playoff appearances. The Bulldogs have reached the semifinals three times and were national runners-up in 2018.
    The Bearcats (.739) also rank No. 2 in highest winning percentage in the Division II playoffs (minimum of 10 games played).

Most Division II Playoff Victories
Northwest Missouri State    51
Grand Valley State    36
North Alabama        35
North Dakota State    30
Valdosta State        26
Pittsburg State        25
Indiana (Pa.)        22
Carson-Newman        20
North Dakota        18
Ferris State            17

Div. II Playoff Win Percentage
West Florida        9-2 (.818)
Northwest Missouri State     52-18 (.743)
North Dakota State    30-12 (.714)
Grand Valley State    36-16 (.692)
Texas A&M-Commerce    9-4 (.692)
Valdosta State        27-13 (.675)
North Alabama        35-18 (.660)
Delta State        15-8 (.652)
Delaware            7-4 (.636)
Northern Colorado    12-7 (.632)
Jacksonville State        15-9 (.625)
Ferris State        18-11 (.621)
Pittsburg State        25-16 (.610)
Portland State         12-8 (.600)
minimum of 10 games played

50-WIN PLAYOFF CLUB
Northwest is one of only four NCAA schools with 50 or more all-time playoff victories.
    Mount Union holds the all-time playoff record with 106 wins. North Dakota State ranks second with 67 playoff victories. Wisconsin-Whitewater has posted 54 playoff triumphs.
    NDSU won 30 NCAA Div. II playoff games before transitioning to FCS where the Bison have picked up 37 more playoff wins.

MEASURE UP WITH BEARCATS
Northwest owns an NCAA Division II playoff record 52 victories. The other current members of the MIAA have won a combined 41 playoff games.

MIAA Playoff Records
Northwest Missouri State    52-18 (25 years)
Pittsburg State        25-16 (18 years)
Central Oklahoma    3-4 (4 years)
Emporia State            3-4 (4 years)
Northeastern State      2-2 (2 years)
Central Missouri        3-4 (4 years)
Missouri Western        2-4 (4 years)
Washburn            1-4 (4 years)
Nebraska-Kearney        2-5 (5 years)
Fort Hays State            0-4 (4 years)
Missouri Southern        0-1 (1 year)

ROBERTS NAMED MIAA DEF. PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Senior defensive lineman Sam Roberts became the 11th Bearcat since 2000 to be named the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year.
    He is the fifth straight Bearcat defensive lineman to earn the league's top defensive honor. Roberts is a disruptive force on the Bearcat defensive line as he leads the team with 17.0 tackles-for-loss. Roberts is a two-time MIAA defensive player of the week award winner in 2021.
    Roberts and the Bearcat defense ranks No. 2 in the nation in total defense (207.8 yards per game). The Bearcat defense ranks No. 2 against the run allowing 57.4 yards per game.
    Roberts is also part of a unit that ranks No. 2 in country in scoring defense by allowing 10.1 points per game.
 
NW's MIAA Def. Player of the Year Since 2000
Sam Roberts, DL, 2021
Spencer Phillips, DL – 2019
Collin Blevins, DL – 2015
Matt Longacre, DL – 2014
Matt Longacre, DL – 2013
Ryan Jones, DB – 2010
Myles Burnsides, DB – 2008
Jared Erspamer, LB – 2007
Dave Tollefson, DL – 2005
Adam Long, LB – 2004
Brian Williams, LB – 2000

TANNER OWEN NAMED FINALIST FOR GENE UPSHAW DIV. II LINEMAN OF THE YEAR
Regional voting narrowed a field of 39 candidates to eight finalists, including Northwest Missouri State University senior offensive tackle Tanner Owen, for the 2021 Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award.
    The award is presented by the Manheim Touchdown Club and voted on by the nation's NCAA Division II sports information directors. Two finalists advance from each of the four NCAA Division II super regions. All nominees must be seniors or graduate players/transfers.
    Owen, a three-time First Team All-MIAA selection along the offensive line, and four-time All-MIAA recipient, has started 51 consecutive games (all 51 games of his collegiate career) for a Bearcat offense that ranks No. 10 in the nation in total offense. Owen has paved the way for running back Al McKeller to lead the MIAA in rushing and has kept pass rushers away from QB Mike Hohensee, who ranks No. 1 in the nation in passing completion percentage and No. 2 in the nation in passing efficiency. The Bearcat offense has produced six games of 500 yards or more offense which is the most for Northwest Missouri State since the 2013 season. Owen has helped NWSU reach the Division II playoffs all four seasons of his career at starting tackle.

NORTHWEST ONE OF NATION'S BEST 3RD DOWN TEAMS
A big part of Northwest's success this season is a result of its third-down conversion percentage. Northwest ranks No. 2 in the nation in third-down conversions at 56.1%.

Game-By-Game 3rd Down Conversions
5-for-15 at Fort Hays State
4-for-8 at Central Missouri
14-for-18 vs. Central Oklahoma
6-for-13 at Missouri Western
5-for-11 vs. Pittsburg State
7-for-13 at Washburn
5-for-7 at Northeastern State
8-for-10 vs. Nebraska-Kearney
7-for-11 at Missouri Southern
10-for-17 vs. Emporia State
7-for-11 vs. Central Washington
5-for-12 at Harding

NCAA Div. II Third Down Conversions
Rk.    School        Pct.
1.    Shepherd        .563
2.    Northwest Mo. St.        .561
3.     Oklahoma Baptist        .553
4.    Harding        .552
5.    Valdosta State        .530
6.    Lenoir-Rhyne        .527
7.    Henderson State        .517
8.    Washburn        .500
9.    West Georgia        .490
10.    Ouachita Baptist        .488

SECOND IN THE COUNTRY
IN RUSHING DEFENSE
Northwest ranks No. 2 in the nation in rushing defense by giving up only 57.4 rushing yards per game.
    Only three opponents (Central Missouri, Pittsburg State and Harding) have rushed for 100 or more yards against Northwest this season.

NCAA Div. II Rushing Defense
Rk.    School        YPG
1.    Augustana        41.8
2.    Northwest Mo. St.        57.4
3.    Harding        60.8
4.    Mars Hill        70.5
5.    Angelo State        73.8
6.    Kutztown        75.2
7.    California (Pa.)        79.4
8.    Truman State        80.4
9.    Indiana (Pa.)        81.5
10.    Colorado School of Mines        82.2

Game-by-Game Rushing Yards Allowed
48 at Fort Hays State
104 at Central Missouri
-28 vs. Central Oklahoma
8 at Missouri Western
110 vs. Pittsburg State
28 at Washburn
25 at Northeastern State
61 vs. Nebraska-Kearney
-10 at Missouri Southern
16 vs. Emporia State
82 vs. Central Washington
245 vs. Harding

BEARCATS RANK SECOND IN SCORING DEFENSE
The Northwest defense ranks No. 2 in the nation in scoring defense by allowing 10.1 points per game.
    Northwest has allowed the second-lowest total in the nation with 121 points in 48 quarters.
    Northwest is second in the nation in fewest touchdowns allowed (15). Albany State leads the nation with 10 touchdowns allowed.
    The Bearcat defense has allowed 13 touchdowns to be scored, while the Northwest offense has given up the other two touchdowns.

NCAA Div. II Scoring Defense
Rk.    School    Pts.    PPG
1.    Albany St.    75    6.2
2.    Northwest Mo. St.    121    10.1
3.    Colorado School of Mines    146    12.2
4.    Fayetteville State    125    12.5
5.    Bowie St.    165    12.7
6.    Harding    167    12.8
7.    Texas A&M-Commerce    145    13.2
8.    Kutztown    160    13.3
9.    California (Pa.)    138    13.8
10.    Charleston (W.Va.)    143    14.3

NCAA Div. II Fewest TDs Allowed
Rk.    School    TDs Allowed
1.    Albany State    10
2.    Northwest Mo. St.    15
3.    Fayetteville State    16
4.    Texas A&M-Commerce    17
5.    Colorado School of Mines    18
    Charleston (W.Va.)    18
    California (Pa.)    18
8.    Shaw        19
    Colorado Mesa    19
10.    Kutztown    21
    Stonehill    21
    Bluefield St.    21

SCORING BY QUARTERS
Northwest has out-scored its opposition in every quarter.
    The Bearcats have enjoyed a commanding scoring lead in the second quarter, 153-23.
    In the first half of games Northwest is out-scoring the opponents, 252-53.
    In the second half, Northwest holds a 201-68 scoring advantage.

Scoring by Quarters
    1st    2nd    3rd    4th    Total
NW    99    153    100    101    453
Opp.    27    26    40    28    121

SECOND IN TOTAL DEFENSE
The Northwest defense ranks No. 2 in the nation in total defense. Northwest's defense is averaging 207.8 yards allowed per game.

NCAA Div. II Total Defense
Rk.    School        YPG
1.    Albany St.        199.2
5.    Northwest Mo. St.        207.8
3.    Fayetteville St.        211.0
4.    Texas A&M-Commerce        214.9
5.    Bowie St.        234.4
6.    Angelo St.        244.2
7.    California (Pa.)        248.5
8.    Savannah St.        249.8
9.    Harding        250.7
10.    Kutztown        258.2

LIMITING FIRST DOWNS
The Bearcat defense rank tied for No. 11 in the nation in fewest first downs allowed (156).
    
NCAA Div. II Fewest First Downs Allowed
Rk.    School    First Downs Allowed
1.    Bluefield State    115
2.    Stonehill    123
3.    Fayetteville State    125
4.    Livingstone    130
5.    Johnson C. Smith    134
6.    Albany State    147
    Savannah St.    147
8.    California (Pa.)    152
9.    Shippensburg    155
10.    Charleston (W.Va.)    155
11.    Northwest Mo. St.    156
    Fort Valley St.    156

10TH IN D-II IN TOTAL OFFENSE
Northwest ranks No. 10 in the nation in total offense by averaging 464.1 yards per game.

NCAA Div. II Total Offense
Rk.    School        YPG
1.    Shepherd        529.0
2.    Valdosta St.        525.7
3.    Ferris St.        509.7
4.    Henderson St.        494.3
5.    Lenoir-Rhyne        488.7
6.    Slippery Rock        478.5
7.    West Florida        475.6
8.    Augustana        467.1
9.    Bemidji St.        466.7
10.    Northwest Mo. St.        464.1

ROBERTS RACKS UP TFLS
Senior defensive lineman Sam Roberts was credited with 0.5 tackle-for-loss in Northwest's 28-9 win at Harding.
    Roberts, the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year, has collected a team-best 17.0 tackles-for-loss, which ranks second in the MIAA.
    Roberts has registered 46.0 career tackles-for-loss to rank No. 3 on Northwest's all-time TFLs list.

Northwest's Career Tackles-for-Loss Chart
1. Collin Bevins (2013-16)        58.5
2. Matt Longacre (2011-14)        47.0
3. Sam Roberts (2017-pres.)        46.0
4. Jacob Vollstedt (2013-16)        44.5
5. Sean Paddock (2006-09)        43.5
6. Brian Williams (1997-2000)        42.0
7. Brandon Yost (2012-15)        41.5
8. Aaron Becker (1996-2000)        41.0
9. Ryan Waters (2003-06)        38.5
10. Kyle Kaiser (2003-06)        35.5

HOHENSEE DIALED IN
Sophomore quarterback Mike Hohensee is the nation's leader in pass completion percentage (73.6%) and passing efficiency (187.3).
    Hohensee ranks No. 2 in the nation in yards per pass attempt (10.39).
    Hohensee is 148-of-201 passing for 2,173 yards. He has thrown 20 touchdowns against 10 picks.

NCAA Div. II Completion Percentage Leaders
1. Mike Hohensee (Northwest Mo. St.)    73.6%
2. John Matocha (Colorado Mines)    70.8%
3. Cooper Callis (Southwest Baptist)    69.2%
4. Tyson Bagent (Shepherd)        69.0%
5. Adam Morse (Adams State)        66.9%

NCAA Div. II Passing Efficiency Leaders
1. Mike Hohensee (Northwest Mo. St.)    187.3
2. T.J. Davis (Nebraska-Kearney)    183.3
3. Tyson Bagent (Shepherd)        175.9
4. Shane Dooley (West Chester)    170.3
5. K'hari Lane (Fayetteville St.)        168.7

NCAA Div. II Yards Per Pass Attempt Leaders
1. T.J. Davis (Nebraska-Kearney)    11.16
2. Mike Hohensee (Northwest Mo. St.)    10.81
3. Shane Dooley (West Chester)    9.88
4. K'hari Lane (Fayetteville St.)        9.38
5. Tyson Bagent (Shepherd)        9.17

IMONI MAKING PLAYS
Over the past five weeks, senior wide receiver Imoni Donadelle has 12 catches for 348 yards and five touchdown receptions.
    Donadelle caught a pair touchdown receptions in Northwest's 50-21 win over Central Washington.
    Donadelle ranks third on the team with 23 receptions and 527 receiving yards. His seven touchdown receptions rank second on the team. Donadelle averages a team-best 22.9 yards per catch.
    In his Bearcat career, Donadelle 63 receptions for 1,160 yards and 15 touchdown catches.


DAVIS DID WORK IN PLAYOFF WIN AT HARDING
Senior wide receiver Kaden Davis snared a pair of touchdown receptions in a 28-9 playoff win at Harding.
    Davis caught four passes for 82 yards vs. the Bisons. Davis caught a 13-yard score from Braden Wright with :08 left in the first half to give Northwest a 14-9 lead. His 58-yard catch and score put the finishing touches on a 28-9 win with 4:21 to play in the fourth quarter.
    Davis ranks tied for No. 3 in the MIAA and leads the Bearcats with nine touchdown receptions.
    Davis has 39 total catches for 639 yards. He is averaging 16.4 yards per catch.
    Davis has three career 100-yard receiving games entering Saturday's contest at Ferris State.

100-PLUS RECEIVING FOR ALEC
Senior wide receiver Alec Tatum registered his fourth career 100-plus receiving game at Harding
    Tatum tallied five catches for 124 yards against the Bisons.
    His previous 100-yard receiving games came against Emporia State (105 yards on Sept. 19, 2018, vs. Central Oklahoma (205 yards on Sept. 18, 2021) and vs. Nebraska-Kearney (124 yards on Oct. 30, 2021).

A CATCH IN EVERY GAME
Senior wide receiver Alec Tatum is the only Bearcat to have at least one reception in all 12 games.
    Tatum has caught at least one pass in 15 consecutive games dating back to the 2019 season.
    Tatum ranks No. 4 in the MIAA with 59 catches. He ranks No. 4 in the league in receiving yards with (828). Tatum ranks No. 5 in the MIAA in receptions per game (4.9).
    Tatum has caught 134 career passes for 1,767 yards. He has eight career touchdown receptions.

MCKELLER CARRIES THE LOAD
Senior running back Al McKeller has been a touchdown machine over the last five weeks. He has recorded 13 rushing touchdowns in his last five games.
    McKeller has eight 100-yard rushing performances for Northwest.
    McKeller has carried the ball 268 times for 1,527 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns.

Northwest Single-Season Rushing Yards
1.     Xavier Omon (2007)    2,337
2.     Jesse Haynes (1996)    1,829
3.    LaRon Council (2009)    1,782
4.    LaRon Council (2008)    1,739
5.    Xavier Omon (2005)    1,643
6.    David Jansen (1999)    1,616
7.    Xavier Omon (2004)    1,575
8.    Al McKeller (2021)    1,527
9.    Xavier Omon (2006)    1,518
10.     Ed Tillison (1989)    1,288

Northwest Single-Season Rushing Attempts
1.     Xavier Omon (2007)    370
2.    Xavier Omon (2006)    343
3.    LaRon Council (2008)    325
4.    Xavier Omon (2005)    309
5.    LaRon Council (2009)    299
6.    David Jansen (1999)    282
7.    Jesse Haynes (1996)    268
    Al McKeller (2021)    268
8.    Xavier Omon (2004)    249
10.     Jim Albin (1973)    228

Northwest Single-Season Rushing TDs
1.     Xavier Omon (2007)    37
2.    LaRon Council (2008)    35
3.    James Franklin (2011)    24
4.    LaRon Council (2009)    22
    Xavier Omon (2006)    22
6.    David Jansen (1999)    20
    Jesse Haynes (1996)    20
8.    Xavier Omon (2004)    19
9.    Al McKeller (2021)    18
10.    Derek Lane (1998)    16
    David Jansen (2000)    16

YOU CAN CALL ME AL
Senior running back Al McKeller leads the MIAA and ranks No. 7 in the nation in rushing yards per game (127.2 yards/game).
    McKeller has carried the ball 268 times for 1,527 rushing yards, which ranks as the nation's fifth-highest total in 2021.
    McKeller recorded his 25th collegiate 100-plus rushing game with 130 rushing yards vs. Central Washington. McKeller has posted eight 100-plus rushing efforts for the Bearcats in 2021.
    McKeller joined the Bearcats after transferring from the University of Indianapolis.

Al McKeller Game-by-Game Rushing
28-161/1 at Fort Hays State
13-97/0 at Central Missouri
21-147/1 vs. Central Oklahoma
28-171/2 at Missouri Western
16-93/0 vs. Pittsburg State
29-138/1 at Washburn
16-130/0 at Northeastern State
17-91/4 vs. Nebraska-Kearney
25-140/3 at Missouri Southern
31-169/3 vs. Emporia State
23-130/2 vs. Central Washington
21-60/1 at Harding

NCAA Div. II Rushing Yards/Game Leaders
1. Toriano Clinton (UIndy)        169.4
2. Cody Schrader (Truman State)    168.6
3. Jordan Terrell (Barton)        167.5
4. Dwayne McGee (Lenoir-Rhyne)    151.6
5. T.J. Cole (Ouachita Baptist)        138.9
6. Jariq Scales (Southern Arkansas)    134.3
7. Al McKeller (Northwest Mo. St.)    127.2
8. Justin Felder (Stonehill)        125.2
9. Khaleed Exum-Strong (Assumption)    122.8
10. Tyreik McAllister (Charleston)    121.1

NCAA Div. II Total Rushing Yards Leaders
1. Cody Schrader (Truman State)    1,855
2. Jordan Terrell (Barton)        1,843
3. Dwayne McGee (Lenior-Rhyne)    1,668
4. T.J. Cole (Ouachita Baptist)        1,528
5. Al McKeller (Northwest Mo. St.)    1,527
6. Toriano Clinton (UIndy)        1,525
7. Jariq Scales (Southern Arkansas)    1,477
8. Cole Chancey (Harding)        1,441
9. Michael Zeman (Colorado Mines)    1,358
10. Josh Cummings (Western Colorado)    1,299
AL ADDS TO RUSHING TOTALS
Senior running back Al McKeller pushed his career rushing yardage total to 5,025 yards and 59 rushing touchdowns.
    McKeller is the nation's No. 1 active career rusher among NCAA Division II schools.    
    McKeller joined the Bearcat team in August following a transfer from the University of Indianapolis.
    McKeller rushed for 3,558 yards and was a two-time Harlon Hill Award candidate at UIndy.

NCAA Div. II Active Rushing Yardage Leaders
1. Cole Chancey (Harding)        5,124
2. Al McKeller (Northwest Mo. St.)    5,085
3. Toriano Clinton (UIndy)        3,537
4. Michael Roots (CSU Pueblo)    3,484
5. Gavin Lavat (Frostburg State)    3,249

NCAA All Div. Active Rushing Yardage Leaders
1. Jaleel McLaughlin (Youngstown St.)    6,578
2. Cole Chancey (Harding)        5,124
3. Al McKeller (Northwest Mo. St.)    5,085
4. Josh Petruccelli (Mount Union)    5,011
5. Larry Rivers (Lakeland)        4,558

NCAA Div. II Active All-Purpose Yards Leaders
1. Al McKeller (Northwest Mo. St.)    5,500
2. David Turner (Ohio Dominican)    5,409
3. Cole Chancey (Harding)        5,134
4. Devante Turner (Central Mo.)    5,066
5. Tywan Pearce (Concord)        5,051

NCAA Div. II Active Rushing TD Leaders
1. Cole Chancey (Harding)        66
2. Al McKeller (Northwest Mo. St.)    60
3. T.J. Davis (Nebraska-Kearney)    41
4. Toriano Clinton (UIndy)        37
    Seth McGill (Valdosta St.)        37

NCAA All Div. Active Rushing TD Leaders
1. Cole Chancey (Harding)        66
2. Jaleel McLaughlin (Youngstown St.)    65
3. Josh Petruccelli (Mount Union)    63
4. Al McKeller (Northwest Mo. St.)    60
5. Ethan Greenfield (North Central)    58

NCAA Div. II Active Points Scored Leaders
1. Tanner Harding (Notre Dame, OH)    429
2. Cole Chancy (Harding)        396
3. Chase Allbaugh (Lenoir-Rhyne)    390
4. Al McKeller (Northwest Mo. St.)    366
5. McLean Robinson (Wingate)    296

TOUGH TO TAKE DOWN
Al McKeller has been a tough customer for defenders to catch behind the line of scrimmage. McKeller has lost only 20 yards rushing despite carrying the ball 268 times, the most totes in the MIAA.
    McKeller leads the MIAA with 1,527 rushing yards. He is tied for the league lead with 18 rushing scores.

BRADEN'S PLAYOFF TOTALS
Junior quarterback Braden Wright has played in seven career playoff games.
    He has thrown for 1,130 yards and 11 touchdowns in postseason play. Wright has completed 89 passes in 155 attempts in seven postseason contests.
    His 11 playoff touchdown passes ranks tied for fourth-best in Bearcat history with Josh Lamberson (2002-05). Trevor Adams holds the Northwest postseason record with 18 career playoff touchdown tosses.

Braden's Playoff Game-by-Game Stats
at Grand Valley State (11/17/2018)
  6-for-13, 92 yards, 2 TDs
at Ferris State (11/24/2018)
  28-for-43, 269 yards, 2 TDs
vs. Harding (11/23/2019
  16-for-28, 154 yards, 1 TD
vs. Lindenwood (11/30/2019)
  12-for-24, 152 yards, 0 TD
at Ferris State (12/7/2019)
  6-for-16, 54 yards, 0 TD
vs. Central Washington (11/20/2021)
  11-for-15, 178 yards, 3 TDs
at Harding (11/27/2021)
  10-for-16, 231 yards, 3 TDs

RARE AIR FOR BRADEN
Junior quarterback Braden Wright is one of 12 NCAA Div. II players to have passed for at least 4,000 yards and to have rushed for at least 1,000 yards.
    Wright ranks No. 8 on Northwest's all-time passing yards list.
    Wright enters Saturday's game at Ferris State having passed for 5,806 yards and rushed for 1,226 yards. He has tallied 7,032 yards of total offense in his Bearcat career.

NCAA Div. II 4,000 Passing/1,000 Rushing
Rk. Name            Passing    Rushing
1. Nick Watson (Tiffin)    12,175    1,363
2. Preston Haire (Okla. Bap.)    11,640    1,481
3. Bryce Witt (Chowan)    9,440    1,433
4. Cade Brister (Lindenwood)    7,790    1,408
5. Braden Wright (NW Mo. St.)    5,806    1,226
6. John Larson (Minn.-Duluth)    5,308    1,172
7. J.D. Ekowa (Minnesota St.)    4,845    1,463
8. Dre Harris (Newberry)    4,712    1,192
9. Austin Brenner (Ashland)    4,493    1,230
10. Will Schneider (William Jewell)    4,512    1,034
11. Kenny Hrncir (East Central)    4,333    1,041
12. Carlton Aiken (Pace)    4,085    1,227

Northwest's Career Total Offense Yards
1. Brady Bolles (2012-15)                      9,296
2. Blake Bolles (2007-10)                       9,254
3. Trevor Adams (2013-16)              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.)                   7,032
8. Travis Miles (1997-2000)                    6,276
9. Greg Teale (1993-96)                          6,094
10. John McManamin (1999-02)            6,074

Northwest's Career Passing Yards
1. Blake Bolles (2012-15)                      8,668
2. Trevor Adams (2010-13)        7,791
3. Brady Bolles (2012-15)        7,728
4. Chris Griesen (1995-98)        7,457
5. Josh Lamberson (2002-05)    7,365
6. John McMenamin (1999-02)    6,225
7. Travis Miles (1997-00)        6,201
8. Braden Wright (2018-pres.)    5,806
9. Greg Teale (1993-96)        5,689
10. Josh Mathews (2004-07)        5,664

WRIGHT CRACKS TOP-10 LIST FOR COMPLETIONS
Junior quarterback Braden Wright has completed 433 passes in his Bearcat career, which ranks as the 10th-best total in school history.

Northwest's Career Pass Completions
1. Blake Bolles (2007-10)             662
2. Brady Bolles (2012-15)        622
3. Josh Lamberson (2002-05)    575
4. Trevor Adams (2010-13)        562
5. Chris Griesen (1995-98)        500
6. John McMenamin (1999-02)    488
7. Greg Teale (1993-96)        467
8. Joel Osborn (2004-08)        454
9. Josh Mathews (2004-07)        440
10. Braden Wright (2018-pres.)    433

WRIGHT CLIMBS BEARCAT PASSING TDS LIST
Junior quarterback Braden Wright moved up to a tie for No. 5 on Northwest's all-time touchdown passes list with three scores Harding to give him 56 as a Bearcat.
 
Northwest's Career Passing TDs Chart
1. Blake Bolles (2012-15)                      79
2. Trevor Adams (2010-13)        74
3. Chris Greisen (1995-98)        68
4. Josh Lamberson (2002-05)    65
5. Brady Bolles (2007-10)        56
    Braden Wright (2018-pr.)    56
6. Travis Miles (1997-00)        54
8. Greg Teale (1993-96)        52
9. John McMenamin (1999-02)    48
10. Brian Quinn (1980-84)        45

BRADEN NEARING BEARCAT RUSHING TOUCHDOWN LIST
Junior quarterback Braden Wright has rushed for 24 career touchdowns. He needs four more touchdowns to crack to the top-10 list for Bearcat career rushing scores.
    Wright is eight rushing scores away from equaling the most career rushing touchdowns by a Bearcat quarterback. Brady Bolles tallied 32 rushing touchdowns from 2012-15.
 
Northwest's Career Rushing TDs Chart
1. Xavier Omon (2004-07)        92
2. LaRon Council (2006-09)        59
3. David Jansen (1997-00)        43
4. Jordan Simmons (2009-12)    38
5. James Franklin (2011-12)        36
    Phil Jackson II (2013-16)        36
7. Derek Lane (1995-98)        32
    Brady Bolles (2012-15)        32
9. Jeremy Wilson (1988-91)        28
10. Billy Creason (2009-13)        27
    
HOWARD SHOWS OFF THE TRUFFLE SHUFFLE AGAIN
Junior defensive lineman Zach Howard showed off his "Truffle Shuffle" dance with a sack at Harding.
    Howard ranks second in the MIAA with 8.5 sacks in 2021. He has registered 18.0 career sacks.

ALLOWING 19 POINTS OR LESS
Northwest has produced a mark of 34-3 when limiting the opposition to 19 points or less under head coach Rich Wright.
    Central Washington was the first Northwest opponent to score more than 19 points against the Bearcats this season.

CEDAR RAPIDS CONNECTION PRODUCES TWO MORE PICKS
Seniors Drew Dostal and Isaiah Nimmers, both of whom hail from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, each produced an interception in Northwest's 50-21 win over Central Washington.
    Dostal has recorded a team-high five interceptions, while Nimmers ranks second on the squad with three picks.

HOME WIN STREAK
Northwest moved its home win streak at Bearcat Stadium to 12 in a row with a 50-21 victory over the Central Washington Wildcats.
    The 12-game home win streak ranks as the Longest active streak among NCAA Div. II programs.
    The school record for consecutive home wins is 22 - set on two previous occasions. The first set of 22 straight home wins came from Sept. 5, 1998 to Nov. 18, 2000. The other 22-game home win streak came from Nov. 1, 2014 through Oct. 21, 2017.
    Harding had owns the nation's longest active home winning streak at 14 before Northwest scored a 28-9 playoff win in Searcy, Ark.

Active Div. II Home Win Streaks
Northwest Mo. St. – 12
Notre Dame (Ohio) – 11
Savannah State – 10
Charleston (W.Va.) – 9
California (Pa.) – 8

BEARCAT STADIUM DOMINANCE
Since the 2001 season, Northwest football has gone 114-10 in Bearcat Stadium.
    Six of the 10 losses have come against MIAA opponents - Fort Hays State in 2017, 2018; Pittsburg State in 2014; Missouri Western in 2012; Washburn in 2005 and Central Missouri in 2003.
    The four non-conference losses came against Northern Colorado (2002 playoffs), Nebraska-Omaha (2007 season opener), Abilene Christian (2008 season opener) and Texas A&M-Kingsville (2012 season opener).

25 STRAIGHT HOME PLAYOFF VICTORIES
Northwest has recorded 25 straight home playoff victories. The Bearcats are 32-3 all-time at home in the playoffs.

Northwest's Home Playoff Games
1997 - W, 39-28 vs. North Dakota State
1997 - L, 25-19 vs. Northern Colorado
1998 - W, 28-14 vs. Nebraska-Omaha
1998 - W, 42-17 vs. Northern Colorado
1998 - W, 49-34 vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville
1999 - W, 20-13 vs. North Dakota
1999 - W, 20-12 vs. Indiana (Pa.)
2000 - L, 31-17 vs. North Dakota State
2002 - W, 45-41 vs. Minnesota Duluth
2002 - L, 23-12 vs. Northern Colorado
2004 - W, 34-14 vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville
2006 - W, 27-0 vs. Midwestern State
2006 - W, 28-21 vs. Chadron State
2006 - W, 33-3 vs. Bloomsburg
2007 - W, 56-28 vs. West Texas A&M
2007 - W, 34-16 vs. Grand Valley State
2008 - W, 38-35 vs. Pittsburg State
2008 - W, 41-7 vs. North Alabama
2009 - W, 35-10 vs. Abilene Christian
2009 - W, 56-31 vs. California (Pa.)
2010 - W, 28-24 vs. Missouri Western
2010 - W, 37-20 vs. Central Missouri
2012 - W, 35-0 vs. Harding
2013 - W, 45-21 vs. Minnesota Duluth
2013 - W, 59-21 vs. St. Cloud State
2013 - W, 27-13 vs. Grand Valley State
2015 - W, 54-7 vs. Humboldt State
2015 - W, 38-17 vs. Emporia State
2015 - W, 38-23 vs. West Georgia
2016 - W, 44-13 vs. Emporia State
2016 - W, 35-0 vs. Harding
2016 - W, 35-20 vs. Ferris State
2019 - W, 7-6 vs. Harding
2019 - W, 63-7 vs. Lindenwood
2021 - W, 50-21 vs. Central Washington

ROBERTS, MCKELLER COLLECT
MIAA PLAYER OF WEEK HONOR
After clinching the program's 31st MIAA regular season conference title with a 35-7 win over Emporia State, a pair of Northwest Missouri State University football players were named the league's athletes of the week presented by Mammoth Turf.
    Senior defensive lineman Sam Roberts collected his second MIAA defensive athlete of the week award, while senior running back Al McKeller earned his first MIAA offensive athlete of the week honor.
    Roberts tallied seven tackles, a sack and a tackle-for-loss as the Bearcat defense held Emporia State to 101 total yards (16 rushing, 85 passing) in clinching the programs 31st MIAA regular season crown. ESU came into the game averaging 455.8 yards of total offense per game. ESU's previous total offense low in 2021 came when it was held to 292 yards against Washburn (Oct. 2). Roberts and the Bearcats defense held ESU to only 51 total plays - ESU's lowest play total this season. Roberts leads the Bearcats in tackles-for-loss (12.5) in 2021. He has tallied 42.5 career tackles-for-loss.
    McKeller gained 169 rushing yards and scored three touchdowns in helping Northwest to the outright MIAA regular season title. McKeller had rushing scores from seven yards, 27 yards and four yards in the victory. Seven of McKeller's 31 carries resulted in first downs for the Bearcats. In total, the Bearcat ground game posted 347 yards on 61 carries with 15 of the totes resulting in first downs. McKeller leads the MIAA in rushing with 1,337 yards.
    All told, Northwest has recorded eight MIAA player of the week honors in the 2021 season.

6TH TIME THIS YEAR WITH 500 OR MORE TOTAL OFFENSE YDS
The 2021 Bearcats have posted 500 or more yards of total offense six times.
    Northwest had 511 yards at Central Missouri, 527 yards vs. Central Oklahoma, 648 yards at Northeastern State, 606 yards vs. Nebraska-Kearney, 511 vs. Missouri Southern and 590 vs. Emporia State.

Games with 500 Yards or More (since 2004)
2021 - 6
2019 - 5
2018 - 4
2017 - 2
2016 - 5
2015 - 3
2014 - 1
2013 - 6
2012 - 3
2011 - 7
2010 - 4
2009 - 7
2008 - 5
2007 - 4
2006 - 1
2005 - 0
2004 - 3

PLENTY OF STREAKS AGAINST MISSOURI SOUTHERN
Northwest recorded its 26th consecutive victory over the Missouri Southern Lions, 49-7.
    It also marks the 14th straight matchup that the Bearcats have scored at least 38 points or more against the Lions.

600-PLUS YARDS FOR NW
Northwest eclipsed 600 yards of total offense for the second consecutive week.
    Northwest put up 648 yards in a 59-7 win at Northeastern State and followed it up with 606 yards of offense in a 66-13 trouncing of Nebraska-Kearney.
    It's the first time that Northwest has produced back-to-back 600-plus yards of total offense since the 2011 season. Northwest had 684 yards of total offense vs. Eastern New Mexico (Oct. 15, 2011) and then had 605 yards of offense vs. Washburn (Oct. 22, 2011).

MCKELLER RUNS THROUGH MISSOURI SOUTHERN
Running back Al McKeller ran through the Missouri Southern defense as he recorded sixth 100-yard rushing game on the season with 140 yards. McKeller cashed in three of his 25 carries for touchdown runs. McKeller scored on runs of one yard, two yards and 22 yards.

GALENTINE KICKS IT IN
Freshman Charlie Galentine took over the extra point duties against Missouri Southern and produced a perfect 7-for-7 performance.

HOHENSEE GRABS MIAA OFFENSIVE POW HONOR
Quarterback Mike Hohensee has been named the MIAA's football offensive athlete of the week presented by Mammoth Turf.
    Hohensee passed for 270 yards (14-of-18, 3 TDs) and rushed for 68 yards (1 TD) as he led Northwest to a 66-13 Homecoming win over No. 17-ranked Neb.-Kearney.
    Hohensee engineered six first-half (seven total) touchdown drives and completed 77% of his passes for a 258.8 QB rating against the Lopers. Hohensee rushed a 56-yard touchdown in the first quarter to put Northwest on top for good at 12-7. He connected on three touchdown throws to three different receivers (Imoni Donadelle - 55 yards; Trevon Alexander - 15 yards; Cole Hembrough - 9 yards). He also rushed for a two-point conversion following the 55-yard touchdown toss to Donadelle. Hohensee was responsible for 32 points in the victory.

FOUR RUSHING TDS FOR AL
Al McKeller rushed for four touchdowns in the 66-13 win over Nebraska-Kearney. McKeller became the 15th Bearcat to rush for at least four touchdowns in a single game.
    McKeller ranks second in the MIAA in points scored (60).
    He also ranks No. 2 in the MIAA in all-purpose yards per game at 148.9.

DAVIS TAKES OPENING KICK TO THE HOUSE
Kaden Davis took a reverse from teammate Imoni Donadelle on the opening kickoff of the game 90 yards for a touchdown en route to a convincing 66-13 win at home over No. 17-ranked Nebraska-Kearney.
    Davis tallied 123 kick return yards against the Lopers. He also tallied three receptions for 73 yards. On the day, Davis registered 196 all-purpose yards on five touches.

11TH CAREER TD RECEPTION FOR DONADELLE
Senior wideout Imoni Donadelle caught his 11th career touchdown reception in Northwest's 66-13 win over Nebraska-Kearney.
    Donadelle caught a 55-yard touchdown strike from Mike Hohensee in the second quarter that gave Northwest a 32-7 lead.
    Donadelle has caught 14 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns this season.
    In his career, Donadelle has tallied 54 catches for 899 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has two 100-yard receiving games at Northwest.
    Donadelle has scored 13 career touchdowns for the Bearcats (11 receiving; 1 rushing; 1 kick return).

ALEXANDER FINDS PAYDIRT FOR FIRST TIME
Sophomore wideout Trevon Alexander scored his first collegiate touchdown in Northwest's 66-13 dismantling of Nebraska-Kearney.
    Alexander caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Mike Hohensee with 8:37 left in the second quarter that put the Bearcats on top, 40-7.
    Alexander, a transfer from the University of Northern Iowa, has posted seven catches for 94 yards.

MOST PTS FOR NORTHWEST VS. NEBRASKA-KEARNEY
Northwest's 66 point output against Nebraska-Kearney is the most it has ever scored against the Lopers in 17 all-time meetings.
    Northwest's previous best scoring performance against UNK came in a 53-7 win over the Lopers on Sept. 28, 2013.
    The 53-point margin of victory is also the largest in the series. The previous mark of 47 came in the 2013 encounter.

600 DIVISION II VICTORIES
Northwest is one of seven NCAA Division II schools to record 600 or more victories. Northwest has compiled an all-time record of 616-405-33.
    
NCAA Division II Football Wins
1. Pittsburg State    726
2. Tuskegee    699
3. Hillsdale    650
4. Central Oklahoma    644
5. Carson-Newman    643
6. West Chester    642
7. Northwest Mo. St.    616
source: NCAA Football Record Book/Each Institution's SID

BEARCATS AVOID BACK-TO-BACK LOSSES
Northwest avoided back-to-back losses with a convincing 59-7 victory at Northeastern State after coming off a 17-16 loss at Washburn.
    Northwest last dropped two straight MIAA games on Oct. 28, 2017 at Pittsburg State and then lost the following week at home on Nov. 5, 2017, against Fort Hays State.
    Prior to those losses to PSU and FHSU in 2017, Northwest had not lost consecutive MIAA games since a three-game skid in 2001 against Truman State, Central Missouri and Missouri Western.

MORE & MORE MOYA
Junior Jamar Moya enjoyed a breakout performance in Saturday's 59-7 win at Northeastern State.
    Entering Saturday, Moya had rushed the ball 11 times for 55 yards and had caught three passes for 36 yards.
    Against the RiverHawks, Moya simply took over. He carried the ball eight times for 169 yards (21.1 yards/rush) and two touchdowns. He also caught four passes for 22 yards and two more scores.
    Moya tallied touchdown runs of 10 and 71 yards and receiving scores of 16 and five yards against the RiverHawks.

MOYA'S LONG RUN
Jamar Moya's 71-yard touchdown run was the longest rushing play by a Bearcat since James Franklin had a 74-yard run against Emporia State on Nov. 12, 2011.

COMEBACK 'CATS
Northwest produced its 11th come-from-behind victory, and the largest second-half comeback, in the head coach Rich Wright era in Saturday's win against Pittsburg State.
    PSU led 16-0 with 10:39 to play in the third quarter before Northwest rallied to defeat the Gorillas, 20-19.
    It is the second-largest deficit Northwest has overcome since Wright took over the program in 2017. Fort Hays State led Northwest 17-0 in the second quarter of a Nov. 9, 2019 matchup in Hays, Kan., befor the Bearcats rallied for a 36-33 double-overtime triumph.

Comeback Wins Under Wright
-3 at Central Missouri (9/30/17)
-3 vs. Central Oklahoma (10/7/17)
-7 vs. Washburn (9/6/18)
-4 at Missouri Western (9/5/19)
-3 at Washburn (9/14/19)
-8 at Emporia State (10/5/19)
-7 vs. Pittsburg State (10/21/19)
-7 vs. Lincoln (10/26/19)
-17 at Fort Hays State (11/9/19)
-7 at Missouri Western (10/2/21)
-16 vs. Pittsburg State (10/9/21)
-1 vs. Nebraska-Kearney (10/30/21)

HALFTIME DEFICIT
The Bearcats won for only the second time when trailing at the half in the head coach Rich Wright coaching era when they responded from a 13-0 halftime deficit vs. Pittsburg State.
    Northwest is 2-7 since 2017 when trailing at the break.
    Before the Pitt State comeback, Northwest's last halftime deficit that resulted in a win came Oct. 5, 2019, when Northwest was down 17-12 at the break at Emporia State.

ROBERTS EARNS MIAA DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior defensive lineman Sam Roberts was named the MIAA's Defensive Athlete of the Week.
    Roberts tallied seven tackles, two tackles-for-loss and a quarterback sack as he helped Northwest score a come-from-behind 20-19 win at home over Pittsburg State.
    Following an opening drive touchdown by the Gorillas, Roberts and the Bearcat defense allowed only four field goals the rest of the game by PSU.

HOHENSEE GUIDES 2ND-HALF COMEBACK VS PITT STATE
Sophomore quarterback Mike Hohensee directed three second-half touchdown drives to lead a Northwest comeback that saw the Bearcats trailing 16-0 with 10:39 to play in the third quarter.
    Hohensee hit Kaden Davis for a 33-yard touchdown strike with 7:59 to play in the third. Following a PSU field goal, Hohensee drove the Bearcats for another touchdown that was capped off with a 23-yard scoring pass to Jadon Brady. The Hohensee to Brady connection trimmed the PSU lead to 19-14 with 0:53 left in the third.
    Hohensee then led the game-winning drive that was comprised 79 yards in 10 plays and consumed 4:30 off the block in the fourth. Hohensee went 5-for-6 passing on the drive, including an 8-yard touchdown pass to Davis on 3rd-and-goal with 5:15 to play in the game.
    Hohensee finished the game going 17-of-23 passing for 199 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 12 yards on two carries.

HEMBROUGH SCORES FIRST TOUCHDOWN
Sophomore tight end Cole Hembrough caught his first collegiate touchdown in Northwest's 30-7 win at Missouri Western.
    Hembrough caught a 36-yard pass from Mike Hohensee in the first quarter to tie the game at 7-7.

MILLER NOTCHES TWO SACKS
Sophomore defensive end Tyler Miller registered a pair of quarterback sacks and recovered a fumble against Missouri Western.
    He was a part of a Bearcat defense that held the Griffons to eight yards rushing and 93 yards passing.
    Miller posted three total tackles as the Bearcat defensive unit did not allow a point (MWSU defense scored on a fumble) for the second straight week.

PUNTING ON SHORT NOTICE
Freshman punter Dallas Williams dressed for his first collegiate game at Missouri Western and was thrust into game service immediately.
    Williams punted four times for a 41.0 average. Two of his kicks were downed inside the 20, including a coffin-corner punt that went out at the one-yard line. He had a long punt of 44 yards.

TRULY DEFENSIVE GEM
The Bearcat defense produced a defensive gem against Central Oklahoma.
    The Bearcats held the Bronchos to 122 total yards, including minus-28 on the ground.
    UCO was limited to eight first downs and only 42 total plays.

PLENTY OF BEARCAT
OFFENSIVE EFFICIENCY
Northwest converted on 14-of-18 third down opportunities against Central Oklahoma.
    The 14 third-down conversions are the most by an NCAA Division II team in a single game this season.

TATUM JOINS 200-YARD CLUB
Senior wide receiver Alec Tatum produced the seventh 200-yard receiving game in program history. His 205 receiving yards ranks as the fourth-highest single-game total in Bearcat history.
    Tatum caught 11 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns in the 38-0 win over Central Oklahoma. Tatum nabbed a 44-yard Hail Mary at the close of the first half, and then latched on to a 28-yard score in the fourth quarter.
    Tatum is one of 10 NCAA Division II players to have reached 200 yards receiving in a game this year.

Receiving Yards (Single Game)
220, Steve Hansley vs. Nebraska-Omaha (11/25/84)
217, Jamaica Rector vs. Minnesota-Duluth (11/23/02)
217, Steve Hansley vs. Central Missouri (10/13/84)
205, Alec Tatum vs. Central Oklahoma (9/25/21)
204, Jamaica Rector vs. Central Missouri (10/27/01)
202, Jamaica Rector vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville (11/20/04)
200, Andre Rector vs. Pittsburg State (10/29/05)

TATUM TURNS IT UP TO 11
Senior wide receiver Alec Tatum's 11 receptions vs. Central Oklahoma tied him for the sixth-most catches by Beacat in a single-game.
    The last Bearcat to grab at least 11 receptions in a game was Shawn Bane Jr., when he caught 11 passes vs. Washburn (11/14/2015).

GREEN, KRAUSE HOOK UP FOR FIRST TOUCHDOWNS
Junior running back Davonte Green tallied his first collegiate touchdown on a 65-yard screen pass from redshirt freshman quarterback Joseph Krause in the fourth quarter of Northwest's 38-0 win over UCO.

TATUM, BARNES EARN MIAA ATHLETE OF THE WEEK AWARD
Senior wide receiver Alec Tatum (Huntsville, Texas) and senior linebacker Jackson Barnes (Kansas City, Mo.) have been named the MIAA football offensive and defensive athletes of the week presented by Mammoth Turf for their vs. Central Oklahoma.
    Tatum tallied 11 receptions for 205 yards and two touchdowns against the Bronchos. Tatum nabbed a 44-yard Hail Mary at the close of the first half, and then latched on to a 28-yard score in the fourth quarter. Tatum is one of 10 NCAA Division II players to have reached 200 yards receiving in a game this year.
    Barnes led the Bearcat defense to a 38-0 shutout of Central Oklahoma. Barnes notched three tackles-for-loss and a sack as the Bearcats limited UCO to 122 yards of total offense (minus-28 rushing) and eight total first downs. The UCO offense was held to only 42 plays.
    It marks the second consecutive week that Barnes has earned the MIAA's top defensive weekly honor.

WHAT A START FOR QB MIKE
Sophomore quarterback Mike Hohensee made his first career start in Northwest's 47-7 road win over Central Missouri.
    Hohensee accounted for six touchdowns in the victory. Hohensee passed for four touchdowns and rushed for two against the Mules.
    Hohensee went 14-of-18 passing for 260 yards. He also rushed for 30 yards.
    He started the scoring Saturday with a 33-yard touchdown run down on Northwest's opening drive. He hit Kaden Davis for a 13-yard touchdown pass on his second drive.
    On his third drive, he connected with Al McKeller on a 44-yard touchdown score to give Northwest a 21-0 lead.
    On his fourth drive of the contest, Hohensee scored on a quarterback keeper on 3rd-and-goal to put Northwest up 27-0.
    In the second half, he hooked on passing touchdowns to Davis again for 15 yards and Imoni Donadelle for a 17-yard scoring strike.

HOHENSEE OWNS TOP PASS EFFICIENCY IN THE NATION
Mike Hohensee produced this year's NCAA Division II best passer efficiency rating of 272.4 in his debut as a starter against Central Missouri.

SHUTOUTS UNDER WRIGHT
Northwest has recorded nine shutouts since head coach Rich Wright took over the program in 2017.
    The Bearcats posted five shutouts in 2017 and added two more in 2018.
     Northwest added a 79-0 blanking of Northeastern State in 2019.
    The Bearcats blasted Central Oklahoma for their latest shutout, 38-0.

Bearcat Shutouts Since 2017
W, 34-0 vs. No. 4 Emporia State (8/31/17)
W, 13-0 at Nebraska-Kearney (9/16/17)
W, 63-0 vs. Missouri Southern (9/23/17)
W, 19-0 vs. Lindenwood (10/21/17)
W, 30-0 at Missouri Western (11/12/17)
W, 63-0 vs. Missouri Southern (9/15/18)
W, 41-0 vs. Emporia State (9/29/18)
W, 79-0 vs. Northeastern State (11/2/19)
W, 38-0 vs. Central Oklahoma (9/25/21)

BARNES NAMED MIAA DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior linebacker Jackson Barnes has been named the MIAA's co-defensive athlete of the week presented by Mammoth Turf.
    Barnes tallied a game-high 10 tackles, broke up four passes, registered two tackles-for-loss and intercepted a pass in Northwest's 47-7 road triumph over the Central Missouri Mules.
    With Northwest holding a 14-0 lead, UCM struck for a 53-yard pass play to move the ball to the 22-yard line. However, the Bearcat defense responded with the first turnover of the game as Barnes intercepted a pass and returned it 15 yards to turn away the Mules drive. His interception led to a touchdown four plays later and Northwest did not look back en route to the 40-point win.

DAVIS ENJOYS UCM
Senior wide receiver Kaden Davis seems to enjoy playing the Central Missouri Mules.
    Davis has tallied two 100-yard receiving games in his career and both have come against the Mules.
    Davis posted four receptions for 103 yards and two touchdowns in Northwest's 47-7 win at UCM.
    On Nov. 16 2019, Davis recorded four catches for 105 yards against the Mules.

PLUNKETT SCORES 1ST TD
Sophomore Peyton Plunkett scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 22-yard blocked punt return.
    Northwest's Jake Fisher secured his first career blocked punt against Central Missouri. Plunkett then scooped up the ball and scampered 22 yards to give Northwest a 27-0 lead at UCM.

HEAVY WORKLOAD
Al McKeller's 28 carries against Fort Hays State were the most by a Northwest player since James Franklin rushed 28 times vs. Central Missouri on Oct. 8, 2011.

FIRST-TIME PASS RECEPTIONS
Northwest had three players make their first collegiate pass receptions against Fort Hays State. Davonte Green (2 rec., 15 yds.), Trevon Alexander (1 rec., 15 yds.) and Cole Hembrough (1 rec., 9 yds.) each caught their first college passes.

DYNAMITE DEFENSE
The Bearcat defense put on quite an impressive performance in the 15-7 win at Fort Hays State.
    Northwest did not allow Fort Hays State to begin a play in the red zone. The closest FHSU got to the red zone was the 22-yard line.
    FHSU's average starting field position for the game was its own 15-yard line. In the first quarter, FHSU's average starting position was its own 4-yard line. It improved to their own 31-yard line in the second quarter. FHSU's average starting position in the third quarter was its own 11-yard line. FHSU's fourth quarter average starting position was its own 22-yard line.
    The Bearcats held the Tigers to eight rushing yards in the first half and 48 total rushing yards in the game.

BEARCATS OWNED TIME OF POSSESSION VS TIGERS
Northwest enjoyed a time possession lead vs. Fort Hays State to the rune of 39:06-20:54.
    Northwest had nine drives that lasted longer than two minutes.
    FHSU had only two drives that lasted more than two minutes.
    Northwest forced a three-and-out or a turnover on seven of FHSU's drives.

ANDERSON WITH A PICK
Senior J'Ravien Anderson recorded his third career interception in the fourth quarter of Northwest's 15-7 win at Fort Hays State.
    Anderson recorded his first interception in 2017 and added another in 2019.

NIMMERS CLINCHES THE WIN
Senior Isaiah Nimmers clinched the Bearcat victory with an interception in the endzone on the final play of Northwest's 15-7 win over Fort Hays State.
    It was his second career interception having tallied a pick in an NCAA FCS Playoff game against Lamar University when he played at the University of Northern Iowa on Nov. 24, 2018.

HOHENSEE NAMED MIAA SPECIAL TEAMS ATHLETE OF WEEK
Sophomore Mike Hohensee was named the MIAA's Special Teams Athlete of the Week (Sept. 6).
    Hohensee (St. Charles, Ill.) punted seven times for a 41.4 average in a 15-7 victory at Fort Hays State. Four of his punts were downed inside the 20-yard line, including a pair at the one-yard line.
    Hohensee recorded the longest punt of the 2021 season by any MIAA player when he unleashed a 73-yard punt in the third quarter.    

3RD-LONGEST STRETCH BETWEEN BEARCAT VICTORIES
Northwest scored a 15-7 victory at Fort Hays State to begin the 2021 season. It marked the first victory for the Bearcats in 642 days - the third-longest stretch between victories in school history.
    The longest stretch between wins is 743 days (Oct. 27, 1916 - Nov. 9, 1918). The second-longest stretch is 700 days (Oct. 16, 1993 - Sept. 16, 1995).

FOR OPENERS
The Bearcats have won 10 consecutive season openers. Northwest last lost its opening game of the season on Sept. 2, 2010, in a 16-7 setback vs. No. 14-ranked Texas A&M-Kingsville.

Last Nine Season-Opening Contests
9/2/21        W, 15-7 at Fort Hays State
9/5/19        W, 45-35 at Missouri Western
8/30/18    W, 28-6 vs. Missouri Western
8/31/17    W, 34-0 vs. No. 4 Emporia State
9/1/16        W, 41-14 at No. 24 Emporia State
9/3/15        W, 31-0 at Nebraska-Kearney
9/14/14    W, 31-7 vs. Nebraska-Kearney
9/15/13    W, 45-24 vs. No. 22 Saginaw Valley
8/30/12    W, 33-3 vs. East Central
9/1/11        W, 65-3 at Truman State

PROGRAM OF THE DECADE
Northwest is the winningest NCAA Div. II program of this decade from 2010-2019. Northwest is 119-19 for an .875 winning percentage since 2010. The Bearcats have been ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Div. II Top 25 poll 38 times since the start of the 2010 season.

BEARCATS PICKED TO WIN MIAA REGULAR SEASON TITLE, NO. 4 IN PRESEASON POLLS
Northwest has been tabbed as the top team by both the coaches and the media in the 2021 MIAA football preseason polls. Northwest was also pegged at No. 4 in the 2021 Preseason American Football Coaches' Association Top 25 Poll and the D2FootballCom Top 25 Poll.

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.
    Wright also added Roberto Davis to coach the Bearcat running backs and Zach Martin to serve as the Northwest wide receivers coach.

ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS
It's not easy to get on the Academic All-America list. The Bearcats do a pretty good job of filling it up though, placing 19 players on the list, including 18 since 2003. In 2016, Kyle Zimmerman (QB) took home the top honor – Academic All-American of the Year – something no Bearcat had ever done. Northwest had two student-athletes, Jackson Barnes and Zach Howard, named to the 2020-21 CoSIDA Academic All-America(R) NCAA Division II football team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors Association (CoSIDA).
    This marks the third time since 2018 that two Bearcats have earned Academic All-America honors after Marqus Andrews (first team in 2018, second team in 2019) and Ryan Spelhaug (first team in 2018 and 2019) each received recognition.

Northwest's Academic All-America Selections
Chip Gregory, LB - 1981 (First Team)
Josh Lamberson, QB - 2004 (First Team)
Troy Tysdahl, LB - 2004 (First Team)
Josh Lamberson, QB - 2005 (First Team)
Myles Burnsides, DB - 2008 (Second Team)
Myles Burnsides, DB - 2009 (First Team)
Sean Paddock, DL - 2009 (Second Team)
Jake Soy, WR - 2010 (Second Team)
Trevor Adams, QB - 2011 (Second Team)
Trevor Adams, QB - 2012 (Second Team)
Nate DeJong, DB - 2012 (Second Team)
Trevor Adams, QB - 2013 (First Team)
Eric Reimer, LB - 2013 (Second Team)
Eric Reimer, LB - 2014 (First Team)
Kyle Zimmerman, QB - 2016 (First Team)
Marqus Andrews, TE - 2018 (First Team)
Ryan Spelhaug, OL - 2018 (First Team)
Marqus Andrews, TE - 2019 (Second Team)
Ryan Spelhaug, OL - 2018 (First Team)
Jackson Barnes, LB - 2020-21 (Second Team)
Zach Howard, DT - 2020-21 (Second Team)

SIX CAPTAINS
Head coach Rich Wright has designated six captains for the 2021 football season. Wright has named linebacker Jackson Barnes (Kansas City, Mo.), defensive lineman Zach Howard (Bolivar, Mo.), offensive lineman Tanner Owen (Kearney, Mo.), defensive lineman Sam Roberts (Waynesville, Mo.), wide receiver Alec Tatum (Huntsville, Texas) and quarterback Braden Wright (Elkhorn, Neb.) as the team captains.

SIX GRADUATES TAKE THE FIELD THIS YEAR FOR 'CATS
The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame today released a list of 3,284 student-athletes who have already earned their undergraduate degrees and will be playing college football this fall while pursuing second diplomas. This season marks the fourth year the NFF has compiled the list of graduated players.
    Northwest will have six student-athletes suiting up this season who have already claimed their undergraduate degrees.

Graduates Playing at Northwest
Jackson Barnes
Brody Buck
Tanner Owen
Bailey Pickering
Sam Roberts
John Rolls
Alec Tatum

NORTHWEST CAPTURES 31ST MIAA REGULAR SEASON TITLE
Northwest claimed its 31st MIAA regular season title with a 35-7 win over Emporia State.
    It is the 21st outright MIAA title for the Beacats and first outright title since 2016.
    The Bearcats have claimed seven of the last eight MIAA crowns.
    Head coach Rich Wright clamied his third MIAA title and first outright championship since taking over the program in 2017.

MIAA Football Titles Won
31, Northwest Missouri State
26, Truman State
17, Southeast Missouri State
12, Pittsburg State
9, Central Missouri
8, Missouri S&T
7, Missouri State
2, Fort Hays State
2, Missouri Western
1, Emporia State
1, Lincoln
1, Missouri Southern
1, Washburn

Northwest's MIAA FB Titles
Year - Head Coach (MIAA Record)
1925 - H.F. Lawrence (3-0-1)
1931 - E.A. Davis (4-0)
1938 - Ryland Milner (5-0)
1939 - Ryland Milner (5-0)
1941* - Ryland Milner (3-1-1)
1942* - Ryland Milner (3-1-1)
1948* - Ryland Milner (4-1)
1952* - Ryland Milner (4-1)
1972* - Gladden Dye (5-1)
1974 - Gladden Dye (5-1)
1979 - Jim Redd (5-1)
1984 - Vern Thomsen (5-0)
1996* - Mel Tjeerdsma (8-1)
1997 - Mel Tjeerdsma (9-0)
1998 - Mel Tjeerdsma (9-0)
1999 - Mel Tjeerdsma (9-0)
2000 - Mel Tjeerdsma (9-0)
2002 - Mel Tjeerdsma (9-0)
2003* - Mel Tjeerdsma (7-2)
2006 - Mel Tjeerdsma (9-0)
2007 - Mel Tjeerdsma (9-0)
2008 - Mel Tjeerdsma (9-0)
2009 - Mel Tjeerdsma (9-0)
2010 - Mel Tjeerdsma (9-0)
2013 - Adam Dorrel (10-0)
2014* - Adam Dorrel (10-1)
2015 - Adam Dorrel (11-0)
2016 - Adam Dorrel (11-0)
2018* - Rich Wright (9-2)
2019* - Rich Wright (10-1)
2021 - Rich Wright (9-1)
*-shared MIAA Title

Bearcat MIAA Titles by Coaches
12, Mel Tjeerdsma
6, Ryland Milner
4, Adam Dorrel
3, Rich Wright
2, Gladden Dye
1, H.F. Lawrence
1, E.A. Davis
1, Jim Redd
1, Vern Thomsen

RICH COMPANY FOR WRIGHT
Northwest head coach Rich Wright became only the third Bearcat head coach to increase his win total in each of his first three seasons.
    Wright guided Northwest to nine wins in 2017, 10 wins in 2018 and the Bearcats tallied their 12th win in 2019 with a 63-7 victory over Lindenwood.
    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.

HUGHES FAMILY FIELDHOUSE
Located just northwest of College Park and Bearcat Stadium on the Northwest campus, the Carl & Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse serves as a host site for a wide range of University and community activities. The project represents the single largest public-private partnership in Northwest's 114-year history – and one of the largest public-private partnerships ever in the region.

The Hughes Fieldhouse features:
• 137,250 square-foot recreation and multipurpose facility featuring recreation and exhibition space,
• indoor flooring system,
• 90-yard practice turf,
• 300-meter indoor track,
• spectator seating and
• tiered meeting rooms
    The Hughes Fieldhouse is an estimated $20 million project with multiple financing sources, including commitments from the University, private support and community support. The facility is named for the Carl and Cheryl Hughes family, who committed a significant gift to the project through the Hughes Family Foundation.

NCAA STATBROADCAST LINK