MARYVILLE, Mo. - The No. 2-ranked Northwest Missouri State University football squad recorded eight quarterback sacks in a 24-7 victory over the University of Central Missouri Mules at Bearcat Stadium.

Northwest (3-0 overall) moved its home-field win streak to 14 in a row as the Bearcats limited the Mules (0-3 overall) to 103 yards of total offense. Northwest shut down the UCM rushing game by holding the Mules to minus-3 yards on the ground. Northwest has allowed 37 rushing yards through the first three games this season.

Senior defensive lineman Elijah Green racked up a career-high four quarterback sacks, a half sack away from the Northwest single-game sack record set by Matt Uhde on Nov. 4, 1995. Green totaled a team-best six tackles overall. He had 4.5 tackles-for-loss that resulted in 34 lost yards for the Mules.

Northwest came into the contest averaging 533 yards per game on offense. The Mules held the Bearcats to 346 total yards, 181 on the ground and 165 through the air. 

Senior running back Jamar Moya accounted for 159 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns to lift the Bearcat offense. Moya carried the ball 16 times for 91 yards and a rushing score. Moya also caught a team-best seven passes for 69 yards and a touchdown reception. 

Northwest tallied the first score of the game with 4:38 left in the first quarter when Moya scored on the ground from two yards out. Cole Lammel added the extra point to give Northwest a 7-0 lead completing a nine-play, 53-yard drive.

UCM would draw even at 7-7 when quarterback Cedric Case hit running back Xavier Jackson on a deep pass down the right side of the field for a 55-yard touchdown with :49 left in the first quarter. Following the touchdown strike from Case to Jackson, Northwest would allow UCM only 34 more yards of total offense in the entire game.

Northwest reclaimed the lead at 14-7 with only :16 left in the first half. Quarterback Mike Hohensee engineered a nine-play, 64-yard drive that was culminated by a one-yard keeper over the left side by Hohensee. Lammel's extra point put Northwest up by seven at the break.

The Bearcats extended the lead to 21-7 in the third quarter when Hohensee hooked up with Moya for a 32-yard screen pass for a score. Northwest was facing a 1st and 25 from the 32-yard line following an offensive pass interference penalty, but the Bearcats struck quickly on the pass from Hohensee to Moya. Lammel's extra point with 10:06 to go in the third quarter gave Northwest a 14-point cushion.

Lammel would put the finishing touches on the scoring with a 21-yard field goal with 10:56 to play in the fourth quarter to give Northwest a 24-7 advantage. Lammel is 4-for-4 on field goals this season.

The Bearcats will be back in action next Saturday at Central Oklahoma. Kick is set for 2 p.m. in Edmond, Okla.
 
NOTES: Northwest has won nine straight matchups against Central Missouri ... Northwest has won 18 of the last 19 matchups with UCM ... Northwest has gone 116-10 at Bearcat Stadium since the start of the 2001 season ... Northwest has allowed 20 rushing yards or less for the 12th time since the beginning of the 2017 season ... Northwest is 289-46 as a ranked team ... the Bearcats are 46-7 when ranked No. 2 in the nation ... Northwest is 35-3 when limiting the opposition to 19 points or less under head coach Rich Wright ... Northwest is 41-0 when leading at the half under head coach Rich Wright ... Northwest has won 69 straight games when leading intermission ... Northwest produced 23 first downs, while UCM tallied eight first downs ... Northwest enjoyed a time of possession advantage (37:53 to 22:07) ... the eight quarterback sacks by Northwest are the most by a Bearcat team since producing eight sacks against Central Missouri on Nov. 16, 2019.

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)