Game No. 6 - No. 9 Northwest Missouri State (4-1) at No. 7 Pittsburg State (5-0)
Saturday, Oct. 8 | 2 p.m. (CT) | Pittsburg, Kan. | Carnie Smith Stadium (7,950)

LIVE STREAM | LIVE AUDIO | LIVE STATS | TICKETS 

Radio Play-by-Play: John Coffey
Radio Analyst: Matt Tritten
Radio Sideline: Sam Reeves

THIS WEEK'S MATCHUP
The Northwest Missouri State University Bearcat football team will head to Pittsburg, Kan., to take on the Pittsburg State University Gorillas.
    Kick is set for Saturday at 2 p.m. at Carnie Smith Stadium.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Northwest owns a 29-25 lead in the all-time series with Pittsburg State. Northwest has won five of the last six meetings.
    Northwest has won nine times in Pittsburg, Kan., including two of the last three matchups at Carnie Smith Stadium (aka The Jungle). Since 1997, Northwest is 6-3 at Pittsburg State.

Northwest Results at Pittsburg State
W, 31-7 at PSU (10/6/18)
L, 20-10 at PSU (10/28/17)
W, 31-14 at PSU (10/17/15)
L, 41-16 at PSU (12/3/11)
W, 21-10 at PSU (11/26/05)
L, 50-36 at PSU (11/27/04)
W, 35-31 at PSU (10/13/01)
W, 27-21 at PSU (9/18/99)
W, 15-14 at PSU (10/25/97)
L, 22-14 at PSU (11/11/95)
L, 38-12 at PSU (10/30/93)
L, 38-0 at PSU (10/5/91)
L, 28-7 at PSU (11/18/89)
L, 27-13 at PSU (10/7/89)
L, 28-7 at PSU (9/10/83)
L, 33-7 at PSU (9/6/80)
L, 30-10 at PSU (9/9/78)
W, 24-0 at PSU (9/11/76)
W, 14-10 at PSU (9/15/73)
L, 38-6 at PSU (10/8/60)
W, 26-13 at PSU (9/15/44)
L, 7-0 at PSU (11/29/34)
L, 25-0 at PSU (9/30/32)

THE COACHES
Northwest is led by sixth-year head coach Rich Wright. Wright was named head coach at Northwest Missouri on Dec. 19, 2016. Wright has posted a 46-11 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.
    Brian Wright enters his third season as head coach of the Pittsburg State University football program. Wright guided the Gorillas to an 8-3 record in his first full season in 2021, after helping Pitt State post a 2-2 mark during his debut 2020 season. Including four games as interim head coach at Florida Atlantic in 2013, Wright's career coaching record stands at 19-5. Wright came to Pitt State after serving the previous four seasons as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Toledo.

24TH MATCHUP WITH NW, PSU BOTH RANKED IN TOP 25
Saturday's matchup in Pittsburg, Kan., will mark the 24th time that Northwest and Pittsburg State have met when both teams are ranked in the AFCA Top 25.
    It will be the 14th meeting when both squads are ranked in the top 10. Northwest is 9-4 against PSU when both teams are ranked in the top 10.
    Northwest has been the higher ranked team in 14 of the 24 matchups.
    The Bearcats are 16-7 when facing the Gorillas when both programs are ranked.
    The Bearcats are 5-4 when they are ranked lower than PSU.

Results Northwest, PSU Both Ranked
#7 PSU 40, #2 NW 0 - Nov. 16, 1996
#5 NW 15, #2 PSU 14 - Oct. 25, 1997
#1 NW 27, #10 PSU 21 - Sept. 18, 1999
#1 NW 35, #6 PSU 28 - Sept. 16, 2000
#1 PSU 21, #2 NW 17 - Nov. 6, 2004
#1 PSU 50, #4 NW 36 - Nov. 27, 2004
#2 NW 41, #8 PSU 14 - Nov. 4, 2006
#7 NW 35, #6 PSU 10 - Oct. 4, 2008
#3 NW 35, #10 PSU 35 - Nov. 22, 2008
#7 NW 30, #4 PSU 10 - Sept. 12, 2009
#7 PSU 41, #10 NW 16 - Dec. 3, 2011
#7 NW 31, #1 PSU 21 - Oct. 13, 2012
#2 NW 24, #7 PSU 15 - Oct. 19, 2013

NORTHWEST HAS DOMINATED D-II FOOTBALL SINCE 1990S
Since the start of the 1990 season, Northwest has accumulated 321 victories to rank as the highest win total in all of Division II football. Northwest has also captured the most national titles (6) in that same time frame.

D-II Wins Since 1990
1. Northwest Missouri St.    321-89-1
2. Grand Valley State    312-74-2
3. Pittsburg State    293-85
4. Indiana, Pa.        274-86
    Valdosta State        273-94

600+ BEARCAT VICTORIES
Northwest and Pittsburg State are two of seven NCAA Division II schools to have reached 600 or more victories.
    Northwest has compiled an all-time record of 620-406-33.
    
NCAA Division II All-Time Wins
1. Pittsburg State    731
2. Tuskegee    702
3. Hillsdale    653
4. Central Oklahoma    648
5. Carson-Newman    646
6. West Chester    645
7. Northwest Mo. St.    620
source: NCAA Football Record Book/Each Institution's SID

AMONG THE MIAA LEADERS
Northwest's defense has allowed eight touchdowns - the fewest in the MIAA. Northwest ranks No. 1 in the league in scoring defense (14.4 ppg).
    Northwest's seven field goals ranks tied for the league lead with Missouri Southern.

SIMPLY THE BEST
Northwest ranks No. 1 in the MIAA in fewest yards allowed per game (257.2).
    Northwest has allowed 1,286 total yards through five games.
    Northwest has limited the opposition to two rushing touchdowns - the fewest allowed in the MIAA.
    The Bearcats rank second in the league in kick return average (27.3 yards/return).
    Northwest has posted a league-best 19 quarterback sacks. Missouri Southern ranks No. 2 with 12 sacks this season.

FIRST DOWNS ARE HARD TO COME BY
The Bearcat defense has been locked in this season. The Bearcats have given up a league-low 73 first downs through five games.
    Northwest has allowed only 15 rushing first downs, which ranks No. 3 in the nation for fewest rushing first downs allowed.

STELLAR RUN DEFENSE
The Bearcat defense has been stellar against the run under the leadership of head coach and defensive line guru Rich Wright.
    Northwest ranks No. 1 in the nation in rush defense by allowing only 41.0 yards per game.

Div. II Rush Defense Leaders
1. Northwest Mo. St.    41.0
2. UIndy            50.5
3. Wheeling        52.2
4. California, Pa.        55.2
5. Wingate        59.2
6. Northern State        61.6
7. Virginia Union        66.4
8. Texas A&M-Kingsville    67.6
9. Ferris State        68.2
10. Shepherd        73.2

MINIMAL RUNS ALLOWED
The Bearcats is second in the nation in fewest rushing yards allowed at 140 this season. Northwest is allowing 1.44 yards per rush.
    Northwest shut down the Central Missouri running game to the tune of minus-3 yards rushing on 26 attempts.
    Northwest limited Lincoln to 24 rushing yards on 33 attempts in a 58-20 win in Jefferson City, Mo.
    Northwest allowed Fort Hays State to rush for only 13 yards in its season-opening 33-19 victory over the Tigers.
    Since 2017, Northwest has held 12 opponents to 20 rushing yards or less in a game.

20 Rushing Yds Allowed (or less) Since 2017
-3 yds vs. Central Missouri (9/17/22)
13 yds vs. Fort Hays State (9/1/22)
16 yds vs. Emporia State (11/13/21)
-10 yds. vs. Missouri Southern (11/6/21)
8 yds. at Missouri Western (10/2/21)
-28 yds. vs. Central Oklahoma (9/25/21)
16 yds. at Missouri Southern (9/21/19)
12 yds. vs. Fort Hays State (11/3/18)
5 yds. vs. Lindenwood (10/21/17)
-22 yds. at Northeastern State (10/14/17)
17 vs. Central Oklahoma (10/7/17)
-43 yds. vs. Missouri Southern (9/23/17)

Div. II Fewest Rushing Yards Allowed
1. UIndy            202
2. Northwest Missouri State    205
3. Wheeling        261
4. Ferris State        273
5. California, Pa.        276
6. Wingate        296
7. Northern State        308
8. Virginia Union        332
9. Texas A&M-Kingsville    338
10. Truman State        344

NO. 6 IN TACKLES-FOR-LOSS
The Bearcat defensive unit ranks No. 5 in the nation in tackles-for-loss per game (9.6).

Div. II Team Tackles-For-Loss Per Game
1. Wingate        11.5
2. Lane            10.6
3. Virginia Union        10.4
4. Texas Permian Basin    10.0
5. New Mexico Highlands    9.8
6. Northwest Missouri State    9.6
   Fayetteville State    9.6
   Northern State        9.6
9. Ferris State        9.5
10. Mars Hill        9.2

NO. 11 IN QUARTERBACK SACKS
The Bearcat ranks No. 11 in the nation in quarterback sacks per game (3.80).

Div. II Team QB Sacks Per Game
1. Wingate        4.80
2. Sioux Falls        4.60
3. Ferris State        5.50
4. Mars Hill        4.25
5. Southwestern Oklahoma    4.20
    Virginia Union        4.20
7. California, Pa.        4.00
    Newberry        4.00
    West Alabama        4.00
    Western New Mexico    4.00
11. Northwest Mo. St.    3.80

NO. 13 IN TOTAL DEFENSE
The Bearcats rank No. 12 in the nation in total defense by allowing 257.2 yards per game through four games.


EIGHT TDS ALLOWED
The Bearcats are tied for No. 11 in the nation for fewest defensive touchdowns allowed with eight.

Div. II Fewest Defensive TDs Allowed
1. Ferris State        3
2. Wingate        5
3. Ashland        6
    Savannah State        6
5. Benedict        7
    St. Anselm        7
    Texas A&M-Kingsville    7
    Grand Valley State    7
    Albany State        7
    West Georgia        7
11. Northwest Mo. St.    8
    Slippery Rock        8
    West Alabama        8
COLE CONNECTS
Sophomore Cole Lammel is a perfect 7-of-7 in field goal attempts this season.
    Lammel is one of 10 NCAA Div. II kickers to have made all of his field goal attempts this season (minimum of 1.0 made per game).
    Lammel had made field goals from 21, 22, 22, 25, 36, 37 and 46 this season.
    He leads the Bearcats and the MIAA in scoring with 37 points. Lammel has tallied 86 points in two seasons as Northwest's primary kicker.
    He was named the MIAA's Special Teams Player of the Week for his play vs. Fort Hays State.

Div. II FG Accuracy Leaders
Cole Lammel (Northwest Mo. St.)    7-7
Nick Williams (Mo. Southern)    7-7
Coleman Chapman (Black Hills)    6-6
Lucas Ruiz Diaz (Colorado Mines)    6-6
Cameron Shirkey (Notre Dame, OH)    6-6
Guillermo Rodriguez (Okla. Baptist)    5-5
Matt Greenwood (Wheeling)    5-5
Logan Turner (Southwest Baptist)    5-5
Nicholas Chodak (Assumption)    4-4
A.J. Rhodes (Ashland)        4-4

ZACH ATTACKS SACK, TFL LISTS
Senior Zach Howard has cracked the top-10 list for all-time quarterback sacks and tackles-for-loss at Northwest. Howard is tied for No. 6 on the sack chart and is No. 10 in tackles-for-loss.
    Howard tallied three tackles-for-loss in a 23-14 loss at Central Oklahoma.
    Howard registered three sacks against Fort Hays State to give him 21.0 career sacks.

Northwest's Career Quarterback Sacks
1. Collin Bevins (2013-16)        34.0
2. Matt Longacre (2011-14)        30.5
3. Sean Paddock (2006-09)        27.0
4. Ryan Waters (2003-06)        24.0
5. Erik Petersen (1988-91)        21.5
6. Matt Uhde (1992-96)        21.0
    Dave Tollefson (2004-05)        21.0
    Zach Howard (2018-pres.)    21.0
9. Brandon Yost (2012-15)        20.0
10. Jacob Vollstedt (2013-16)    19.5

Northwest's Career Tackles-for-Loss
1. Collin Bevins (2013-16)        58.5
2. Matt Longacre (2011-14)        47.0
    Sam Roberts (2017-21)        47.0
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. Zach Howard (2018-pres.)    36.0

GREEN MACHINE
Senior defensive lineman Elijah Green leads the Bearcats in both quarterback sacks (6.5) and tackles-for-loss (12).
    Green ranks No. 5 in the nation in quarterback sacks per game (1.30) and No. 6 in the country in tackles-for-loss per game (2.4).

Div. II Indiv. Quarterback Sacks Per Game
1. Caleb Murphy (Ferris State)    2.38
2. Zach Durfee (Sioux Falls)        1.80
3. DJ Horne (Wingate)        1.50
4. David Melendez (N.M. Highlands)    1.40
5. Elijah Green (Northwest Mo. St.)    1.30
6. Grayson Diepenbrock (Augustana)    1.20
    Jaylin Parnell (Western Oregon)    1.20
8. Cedric Dashell II (Bentley)        1.10
    Marquise Fleming (Wingate)    1.10
    Jeremiah Jackson-Trotter (FHSU)    1.10
    Jack Quander (New Haven)    1.10
    Branden Spencer (UNC-Pembroke)    1.10
    Cameron Merrell (Fayetteville St.)    1.10

Div. II Indiv. Tackles-For-Loss Per Game
1. Andrew Farmer (Lane)        3.8
2. Caleb Murphy (Ferris State)    3.6
3. Jackson Taylor (West Chester)    2.6
4. Ian Marshall (Northern State)    2.5
    Ben Straatmann (Missouri S&T)    2.5
6. Elijah Green (Northwest Mo. St.)    2.4
7. Marquise Fleming (Wingate)    2.3
8. Jeremiah Covington-Griggs (W. Va. St.)    2.1
9. Matt Feeney (Shippensburg)    2.1
10. DJ Horne (Wingate)        2.0

MOYA CAN DO MANY THINGS
Senior running back Jamar Moya leads the Bearcats in rushing (274 yards), receptions (21), all-purpose yards (426) and touches (74).
    Moya ranks No. 4 in the MIAA in rushing yards per game (67.3). He is tied for fourth in the league with 21 pass receptions. He ranks No. 3 in the MIAA in all-purpose yards per game (105.3.).
    Moya ranks second on the Bearcats in scoring with 24 points.

GRIFFIN IS THE ULTIMATE WEAPON
Junior transfer Kashan Griffin is averaging 97.8 all-purpose yards per game this season.
    Griffin ranks No. 2 in the MIAA in kick return average (28.0).
    Griffin has tallied 196 kick return yards, 131 receiving yards and 64 punt return yards. He is averaging 28.0 yards per kick return. He is averaging 12.8 yards per punt return. He has caught six passes and is averaging 21.8 yards per catch.
    Griffin made one catch for 45 yards in Northwest's 16-3 win over Missouri Western.

TREVON IS A TOP TARGET
Junior wide receiver Trevon Alexander leads the Bearcats in receiving yards (314) and receiving touchdowns (3).
    Alexander has caught at least one pass in each game this season, including a season-high six grabs against Central Oklahoma.
    He has scored a receiving touchdown in three of the five games this season.

ISAAC EYES TACKLES
Junior linebacker Isaac Vollstedt is Northwest's top tackler through the first four games.
    A team captain from Iowa City, Iowa, he has registered a team-best 31 total tackles. He has added 4.5 tackles-for-loss and 2.5 quarterback sacks.

RHETT GOES SOLO
Sophomore safety Rhett Jordon has tallied a team-best 22 solo tackles through the first five contests.
    The Waverly, Neb., native has also broken up three passes.

MIKEY IS OH SO ACCURATE
Quarterback Mike Hohensee ranks No. 4 in the nation in passing percentage at 68.1% this season.
    Hohensee has completed 64-of-94 passes. He ranks No. 39 in the nation in passing efficiency (142.9).
    Hohensee collected his first career 300-yard passing game against Lincoln. Hohensee shredded the Blue Tigers by going 21-of-24 passing for 312 yards and three touchdowns.
    His 87.5 completion percentage against Lincoln is the highest single game completion percentage this season in NCAA Div. II.
    Last season, Hohensee led the nation in passing completion percentage (73.6%) and passing efficiency (187.3) last season.
    In his career, Hohensee is completing 72.3% of his passes (224-of-310) for 3,041 yards and 31 touchdowns. He possesses a career passing efficiency mark of 177.98.

Div. II Indiv. Completion Percentage
1. Turner Pullen (McKendree)    .739
2. John Matocha (Colo. Mines)    .720
3. Mak Sexton (Indiana, Pa.)        .709
4. Mike Hohensee (Northwest Mo. St.)    .681
5. Tyson Bagent (Shepherd)        .679
6. Patrick Shegog (Delta State)    .678
7. Andrew Edwards (Henderson St.)    .674
8. Jacob Cavazos (Texas A&M-King.)    .664
9. Drake Davis (Northern Michigan)    .663
10. Dre Harris (Newberry)        .656

ALLOWING 19 POINTS OR LESS
Northwest has produced a mark of 36-3 when limiting the opposition to 19 points or less under head coach Rich Wright.

HALFTIME LEADS ARE SECURE
Northwest is a perfect 41-0 under head coach Rich Wright when the Bearcats lead at the half.
    Overall, Northwest has won 69 straight games when leading the half.
    The last time Northwest lost a game it led at the half came Nov. 22, 2014, in an NCAA playoff game at Minnesota-Duluth. Northwest led 14-6 at the half before bowing to the Bulldogs, 25-21.

ONE SCORE GAMES
Under head coach Rich Wright, Northwest has produced a mark of 7-6 in one-score games.

HOME WIN STREAK = 15
Northwest extended its home win streak to 15 in a row with a 16-3 triumph over Missouri Western.
    The 15-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.

Active Div. II Home Win Streaks
Northwest Mo. St. – 15
Notre Dame (Ohio) – 14
Ferris State – 10
California (Pa.) – 10
Angelo State – 8
Bowie State – 8
Shepherd – 8

Active MIAA Home Win Streaks
Northwest Mo. St. – 15
Pittsburg State – 3
Central Oklahoma – 2
Nebraska-Kearney – 2

Active NCAA Home Win Streaks
Clemson (FBS) – 37
Cincinnati (FBS) – 29
Oregon (FBS) – 22
Linfield (III) – 21
Alabama (FBS) – 16
Miami, Ohio (FBS) – 15
Montana State (FCS) – 15
Northwest Mo. St. (II) – 15
North Central, Ill. (III) – 15
Wartburg (III) – 15
Georgia (FBS) – 14
Notre Dame, Ohio (II) – 14
Aurora (III) – 14
Mary Hardin Baylor (III) – 14
Ole Miss (FBS) – 13
North Carolina State (FBS) – 13
Florida A&M (FCS) – 13
North Dakota State (FCS) – 13
DePauw (III) – 13

BEARCAT STADIUM DOMINANCE
Since the 2001 season, Northwest football has gone 117-10 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).

GREEN NABS FOUR SACKS
Senior defensive lineman Elijah Green posted a career-high four quarterback sacks in Northwest's 24-7 Family Weekend win over Central Missouri and was named the MIAA Defensive Player of the Week.
    Green entered the game against UCM with 3.5 career quarterback sacks.
    Green led the Bearcats with six total tackles. His four quarterback sacks took away 33 UCM rushing yards. Green had a total of 4.5 tackles-for-loss which resulted in 34 lost yards for the Mules.
    Green's four sacks ranks tied for the second-most sacks in a single-game in Bearcat history.

Single-Game Sack Record
1. 4.5, Matt Uhde vs. PSU (11/4/95)
2. 4.0, Dave Tollefson vs. MWSU (9/17/05)
    4.0, Collin Bevins vs. Shepherd (12/19/15)
    4.0, Collin Bevins vs. ESU (11/7/15)
    4.0 Elijah Green vs. UCM (9/17/22)
5. 3.5, Collin Bevins vs. ESU (11/26/16)
6. 3.0 - 14 times (latest Zach Howard)

300-GAME SUPERLATIVES
Hohensee's 312-yard passing performance was the 64th 300-yard passing game in Bearcat history.
    It was the the 17th time that a Bearcat quarterback had at least three touchdown passes in a 300-plus yard passing game.
    Hohensee's three incompletions ranks as the third fewest incomplete passes in a 300-yard passing game by a Northwest quarterback. Only Kyle Zimmerman (19-of-21, 421 yds., 6 TDs) against Pittsburg State on Oct. 29, 2016, and Travis Miles (21-of-23, 305 yds., 2 TDs) against Washburn on Oct. 28, 2000, had fewer incompletions in their 300-yard games.

ALEXANDER, STURDY SURPASS 100-YARD RECEIVING GAMES
Junior wide receivers Trevon Alexander and Keegan Sturgy each surpassed 100-yard mark in receiving yards in a 58-20 win at Lincoln.
    It was the first 100-yard receiving games for each player.
    Alexander caught five passes for 126 yards, including a 35-yarder fro a touchdown.
    Sturdy nabbed a team-best seven catches for 137 yards, including a 74-yard touchdown toss from Mike Hohensee.

SHANE TAKES IT TO THE HOUSE
Redshirt freshman safety Shane Fredrickson made his first career start in Northwest's 58-20 win over Lincoln.
    Fredrickson made the most of his opportunity as he collected his first interception and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown.

THREE BEARCATS SCORE FIRST CAREER TDS AT LINCOLN
A trio of Bearcats scored their first career touchdowns in a Northwest uniform in the 58-20 win at Lincoln.
    Redshirt freshman Tank Young was the first to find the end zone when he scored on an 8-yard pass from Mike Hohensee.
    Junior wide receiver Keegan Sturdy latched on to a 74-yard touchdown strike from Hohensee.
    Redshirt freshman safety Shane Fredrickson noched a 38-yard interception return in the fourth quarter.

50 OR MORE POINTS
Northwest's 58-point performance at Lincoln marked the 56th time in program history that Northwest has scored at least 50 points in a game.
    It is the 12th time that Northwest has posted 50 or more points for head coach Rich Wright.

RARE AIR FOR BRADEN
Senior quarterback Braden Wright is one of 10 NCAA Div. II players to have passed for at least 4,000 yards and to have rushed for at least 1,000 yards.
    He has tallied 7,749 yards of total offense in his Bearcat career, which ranks No. 5 on the school's all-time chart.
    Wright ranks No. 5 on Northwest's all-time passing list with 6,368 yards.
    
NCAA Div. II 4,000 Passing/1,000 Rushing
Rk. Name            Passing    Rushing
1. John Matocha (Colo. Mines)    7,334    1,178
2. Braden Wright (NW Mo. St.)    6,368    1,381
3. Ivory Durham (Valdosta St.)    5,399    2,003
4. T.J. Davis (Neb.-Kearney)    4,007    3,133
5. Dre Harris (Newberry)    5,501    1,353
6. Austin Brenner (Ashland)    5,324    1,299
7. Kenny Hrncir (East Central)    5,452    1,112
8. Demilon Brown (Ark.-Mont.)    4,508    2,002
9. Carlton Aiken (Pace)    4,893    1,553
10. Patrick Shegog (Delta St.)    4,872    1,151

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. Braden Wright (2018-pr.)           7,749
6. Chris Griesen (1995-98)                      7,574
7. Xavier Omon (2004-07)                      7,073
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 (2007-10)                      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. Braden Wright (2018-pres.)    6,368
7. John McMenamin (1999-02)    6,225
8. Travis Miles (1997-00)        6,201
9. Greg Teale (1993-96)        5,689
10. Josh Mathews (2004-07)        5,664

BRADEN IS A RESPONSIBLE QB
Senior quarterback Braden Wright ranks tied No. 6 on the NCAA Division II career list for touchdowns responsible for with 84.

Touchdowns Responsible For (Div. II)
1. Tyson Bagen (Shepherd)        141
2. Chris Brimm (Notre Dame, Ohio)    107
3. John Matocha (Colo. Mines)    100
4. Turner Pullen (McKendree)    87
    T.J. Davis (Nebraska-Kearney)    87
6. Braden Wright (Northwest Mo. St.)    84
    Noah Mitchell (California, Pa.)    84
8. Shaw Crooker (Wingate)        81
    Ivory Durham (Valdosta State)    81
10. Brandon Alt (Bemidji State)    73

WRIGHT CRACKS TOP-10 LIST FOR COMPLETIONS
Senior quarterback Braden Wright has completed 473 passes in his Bearcat career, which ranks as the seventh-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. Braden Wright (2018-pres.)    473
8. Greg Teale (1993-96)        467
9. Joel Osborn (2004-08)        454
10. Josh Mathews (2004-07)        440

WRIGHT CLIMBS BEARCAT PASSING TDS LIST
Senior quarterback Braden Wright ranks No. 5 on Northwest's all-time touchdown passes list with 59.
 
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. Braden Wright (2018-pr.)    59
6. Brady Bolles (2007-10)        56
7. 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
Senior quarterback Braden Wright has rushed for 25 career touchdowns. He needs two more touchdowns to crack to the top-10 list for Bearcat career rushing scores.
    Wright is seven 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 RACKS UP SACKS
Senior defensive lineman Zach Howard registered three quarterback sacks in Northwest's 33-19 season-opening win over Fort Hays State and was named the MIAA's Defensive Player of the Week.
    Howard's three sacks ranks tied for the sixth most sacks in a single-game in Bearcat history.

TWO IN THE NFL
Northwest Missouri State football is represented by a pair of players in the National Football League.
    Sam Roberts, a sixth-round draft pick in 2022, is a member of the New England Patriots' 53-man roster.
    Free agent Tanner Owen is a member of the New Orleans Saints' 53-man roster.

FOR OPENERS
The Bearcats have won 11 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 11 Season-Opening Contests
9/1/22        W, 33-19 vs. Fort Hays State
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

NORTHWEST'S MARK AS A RANKED TEAM
Northwest has played 336 games as a ranked team in the AFCA Top 25. Northwest has posted a record of 289-47 as a ranked team.
    Northwest is 46-8 when ranked No. 2 the nation.
    The Bearcats are 4-0 when ranked No. 12 in the country.

SHUTOUTS UNDER WRIGHT
Northwest has recorded nine shutouts under the direction of head coach Rich Wright, following a 38-0 blanking of Central Oklahoma in the 2021 season (Nov. 2).

26 STRAIGHT WINNING YEARS
The Northwest football program has produced a winning season in each of the last 26 seasons.
    The 26 consecutive winning seasons ranks as the fourth-longest active streak among all NCAA schools.
    Northwest's run of 26 straight winning seasons is the longest active streak among NCAA Division II programs.
    UC Davis holds the Div. II mark with 37 straight winning seasons (33 at D-II before transitioning to FCS) from 1970-2006. West Chester (1940-1972) and Pittsburg State (1978-2008) each had a streak of 31 straight winning seasons to rank second among Div. II schools.

Active Consecutive Winning Years
    School    Streak    Losing Season
1. Linfield (Ore.)    65    1956
2. Mount Union    42    1979
3. Wartburg    28    1993
4. Northwest    26    1994
5. Hobart    24    1997
6. Mary Hardin Baylor    22    2000
    LSU        22    1999
    Oklahoma    22    1999

52 ALL-TIME PLAYOFF WINS
The Bearcats are 52-19 all-time in the playoffs, which marks the most victories in Division II playoff history.
    The Bearcats (.732) also rank No. 2 in highest winning percentage in the Division II playoffs. (minimum of 10 games played)

Most Division II Playoff Victories
Northwest Mo. St.    52
Grand Valley St.    36
North Alabama    35
North Dakota St.    30
Valdosta St.    28
Pittsburg St.    25
Indiana (Pa.)    22
Carson-Newman    20
Ferris State    20

Div. II Playoff Win Percentage
West Florida    9-2    .818
Northwest Mo. St.    52-19     .732
North Dakota State    30-12     .714
Grand Valley State    36-16     .692
Tex. A&M-Commerce    9-4    .692
Valdosta State    28-14     .667
Ferris State     20-11     .645
North Alabama     35-18     .660
Delta State     15-8     .652
minimum of 10 games played

50-WIN PLAYOFF CLUB
Northwest is one of four NCAA school with 50 or more all-time playoff victories.
    Mount Union holds the all-time playoff record with 107 wins. North Dakota State ranks second with 71 playoff victories. Wisconsin-Whitewater has posted 56 playoff triumphs.
    NDSU won 30 NCAA Div. II playoff games before transitioning to FCS where the Bison have picked up 41 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    52-19 (25 years)
Pittsburg State    25-16 (18 years)
Central Oklahoma    3-4 (4 years)
Emporia State    3-4 (4 years)
Northeastern St.    2-2 (2 years)
Central Missouri    3-4 (4 years)
Missouri Western    2-4 (4 years)
Nebraska-Kearney    2-5 (5 years)
Washburn    1-4 (4 years)
Fort Hays State    0-4 (4 years)
Missouri Southern    0-1 (1 year)

MIAA CHAMPS
Northwest earned a share of the program's 31st MIAA regular season title in the 2021 season.
    The Bearcats have claimed seven of the last eight MIAA crowns.
    It was the third MIAA title for head coach Rich Wright.

PLAYOFF EXPERIENCE
Northwest extended a pair of Division II playoff standards by earning a bid into the 2021 playoffs.
    Northwest earned its 25th overall appearance in the Div. II playoffs.
    The Bearcats extended their streak of consecutive playoff appearances to 17 in a row.

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

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

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 21 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 Mo. St.    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
16 others have one national title

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 21 players on the list, including 20 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 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-America(R) NCAA Division II football team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors Association (CoSIDA).
    This marks the fourth 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 - 2019 (First Team)
Jackson Barnes, LB - 2020-21 (Second Team)
Zach Howard, DT - 2020-21 (Second Team)
Jackson Barnes, LB - 2021 (First Team)
Zach Howard, DT - 2021 (Second Team)

SIX CAPTAINS
Head coach Rich Wright has designated six captains for the 2022 football season.
    Wright has named defensive lineman Elijah Green (Maryville, Mo.), linebacker Sam Phillips (Tabor, Iowa), quarterback Braden Wright (Elkhorn, Neb.), offensive lineman Mitch Goff (Des Moines, Iowa), defensive lineman Zach Howard (Bolivar, Mo.) and linebacker Isaac Vollstedt (Iowa City, Iowa) 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 3,052 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
Walker Graves
Woobendy Guerrier (Akron)
Tyler Miller
Sam Phillips
Isaac Vollstedt
Braden Wright

HUGHES FAMILY FIELDHOUSE
Located just northwest of College Park and Bearcat Stadium on the Northwest campus, the Carl & Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse serve 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.