HAYS, Kan. – The No. 15-ranked Northwest Missouri State University football team dropped back-to-back football games for the first time since the 2017 season when the Fort Hays State University Tigers gained a 17-6 victory over the Bearcats.
 
The Bearcats dropped to 1-2 overall and fell below .500 after three games for the first time since the 2003 season. FHSU improved to 2-1 overall.
 
The Bearcats forced two turnovers and held the Tigers to seven yards rushing on 24 attempts. However, FHSU passed for 353 yards and scored the only two touchdowns of the game. FHSU went 6-of-15 on third downs, while Northwest was able to convert only two of 15 third-down opportunities.
 
Sophomore running back Jay Harris gained his third consecutive 100-yard rushing game with 104 yards on 27 carries. Redshirt freshman quarterback Henry Martin made his first career start and he passed for 162 yards on 21-of-35 passing without an interception.
 
Junior kicker Noah Guastella made both his first two collegiate field goal attempts to account for Northwest's scoring in the game. Guastella made field goals from 29 and 27 yards.
 
The Bearcats gave up an opening-drive field goal to the Tigers. FHSU drove 55 yards in nine plays and capped the drive with a 38-yard field goal by Carson Arndt with 11:24 left in the first quarter.
 
FHSU looked to score again on its second possession of the game, but Bearcat senior captain Isaac Vollstedt stepped in front of a pass at the goal line for an interception. Vollstedt returned the ball 35 yards to the 37-yard line.
 
Northwest was able to draw even at 3-3 when Noah Guastella knocked in a 29-yard field goal with 14:57 left in the half. The Guastella field goal capped a 10-play, 56-yard drive that consumed 3:02 off the clock. Northwest thought they had scored the first touchdown of the game but a holding call cancelled a Jay Harris score and the Bearcats had to settle for the short field goal.
 
Vollstedt came up big again in the second quarter when he stuffed FHSU quarterback Jack Dawson on a 3rd-and-1 for a one-yard loss with 12:53 left in the half.
 
FHSU attempted to re-take the lead on a 45-yard field goal with 6:47 left in the half. But the kick by Arndt came up short and the score remained tied at 3-3.
 
Northwest drove the FHSU 40-yard line inside of four minutes to play before half. However, Harris was stopped on a 4th-and-2 to give the ball back to the Tigers.
 
The Bearcats forced another Tiger punt and then was able to run out the first-half clock and take the tie game to the intermission. Northwest held FHSU to minus-7 rushing yards on 11 attempts in the opening 30 minutes.
 
FHSU took a 10-3 lead on its first drive of the second half. The Tigers scored the game's first touchdown on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Jack Dawson to Bryson Smith with 11:48 left in the third quarter. The scoring play came on a 3rd down and goal from the 18-yard line as Dawson tossed it up toward the front pylon and Smith went up and caught the pass for the touchdown.
 
Guastella kicked his second field goal of the game to pull Northwest to within 10-6 with 2:19 to play. Guastella connected on a 27-yard field goal to cap a 14-play, 43-yard drive.
 
Bearcat linebacker Bryce Krone pried the ball loose from FHSU's Shane Watts and Charles Gadie pounced on the fumble to set the Bearcats up at the 26-yard line with 12:21 to play in the game.
 
The Bearcat offense then leaned on Jay Harris and the offensive line to drive the ball to the edge of the end zone. Harris rushed for five yards, 12 yards, one and six yards to put the ball on the FHSU 2-yard line. However, on 3rd-and-goal, Northwest had quarterback Henry Martin line up under the right guard and the snap went directly to Harris. Harris tried to get around the left side but fumbled at the 4-yard line and the Tigers recovered to end the Bearcat scoring threat.
 
FHSU then went 96 yards in seven plays and took a commanding 17-6 lead with 5:25 left to play. The Tigers scored on a 33-yard touchdown pass from Dawson to Smith on a 2nd-and -10.
 
Northwest's ensuing drive featured 34 passing yards that moved the ball to the FHSU 44-yard line. But Northwest was unable to convert on a fourth down attempt and FHSU took over with 3:38 left in the game.
 
FHSU punted the ball back to Northwest with 1:49 left in the game. Northwest gained 68 yards on eight plays before time expired and FHSU picked up its first win over the Bearcats in Hays, Kan., since 1977.
 
Northwest will return home for Family Weekend next Saturday against Lincoln. Kick is slated for 1:30 p.m. at Bearcat Stadium.