JOPLIN, Mo. – The No. 6-ranked Northwest Missouri State University football team rallied from a 14-point first-half deficit to score a 31-24 road win in the season opener at Missouri Southern.
 
MSSU bolted to a 14-0 lead on a pair of touchdown passes from quarterback Luke Sampson from 68 yards and 10 yards. His second score gave the Lions a two-score advantage with 14:54 left in the second quarter.
 
Northwest struck back early in the second quarter on a one-yard quarterback sneak for a touchdown by Mike Hohensee. Hohensee's rushing score cut the MSSU lead to 14-7 with 13:00 left in the second quarter. The big play on the drive was a 46-yard passing play from Hohensee to Kashan Griffin that put the ball at the 1-yard line.
 
The Lions came back on their ensuing possession as MSSU's Drake Reese kicked a 46-yard field goal to take a 17-7 advantage with 9:18 left in the second quarter.
 
Northwest pulled to within three points of the Lions on a two-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Jay Harris for his first score of the season after tallying nine rushing scores as a true freshman. Harris's touchdown cut the MSSU lead to 17-14 with 5:41 left before halftime.
 
MSSU was called for an unsportsmanlike penalty following the Harris touchdown that allowed the Bearcats to kick from the 50-yard line. The Bearcats executed a surprise onside kick and Lammel pounced on the ball at the 38-yard line. Northwest turned the extra possession into a field goal when Lammel knocked in a 24-yard field goal with 1:21 remaining in the half to deadlock the contest at 17-17.
 
With 12:44 left in the third quarter and facing a 3rd-and-13 at their own 38-yard line, Sampson hooked up with Jaedon Stoshek on a 62-yard touchdown strike to give the Lions a 24-17 advantage.
 
Northwest leveled the contest at 24-24 with 4:31 left in the third quarter. Harris converted on a 4th-and-1 from the 27-yard line to keep the drive alive. Hohensee then struck gold with Trevon Alexander on a 13-yard touchdown pass to cap the drive.
 
The Bearcats took over at their own 9-yard line with 10:59 to play in the game. The Northwest offense then chewed up plays and the clock with a 16-play, 91-yard drive that consumed 8:39 off the clock. Harris capped the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run with 2:20 left in the game.
 
MSSU took over at its 30-yard line after the ensuing kickoff went out of bounds. On the third play of the drive, Northwest's Jianni Angulo intercepted a Sampson pass at the 22-yard line to clinch the Bearcat win. It was the only turnover of the game.
 
Northwest gained a first down on third down to earn the right to run out the clock on a kneel down from Hohensee.
Sophomore running back Jay Harris rushed 27 times for 131 yards and two touchdowns to lift the Bearcat offense from the 14-0 lead that MSSU had in the second quarter. Harris set a career-high with 131 yards after posting a 94-yard effort last year at Emporia State. Harris has scored 11 career touchdowns for the 'Cats.
 
Senior Isaac Vollstedt registered a team-best seven tackles. Junior Cahleel Smith notched Northwest's only tackle-for-loss.
 
Northwest will be back in action next Thursday at home against the Emporia State Hornets. Kick is set for 7 p.m. at Bearcat Stadium.
 
NOTES: Northwest won its 12th consecutive season opener and its 28th straight win over Missouri Southern … Northwest is 297-49 as a ranked team … Northwest owns a 30-4 lead in the all-time series with Missouri Southern … Northwest has produced 20 come-from-behind wins over the direction of head coach Rich Wright ... it's the fourth time Northwest has come from 10 or more points down to win a game under Wright's direction … Hohensee passed for 278 yards on 25-of-39 passing for one touchdown … Hohensee connected with nine different receivers … Hohensee rushed eight times for 31 yards … Hohensee also punted four times for a 43.5 average with one punt downed inside the 20-yard line … Kashan Griffin recorded his third 100-plus receiving effort with 111 yards on six receptions … the Bearcat offensive line did not give up a sack on 39 passing attempts from Hohensee … Northwest gained 26 first downs to only 12 for Missouri Southern … MSSU was limited to only four first downs in the second half … Northwest ran 80 plays to only 40 for MSSU … Northwest dominated the time of possession 39:17 to 20:43.