MARYVILLE, Mo. - The 2024 Northwest Missouri State University football season came to a conclusion Saturday when the No. 13-ranked Pittsburg State University Gorillas collected a 23-7 victory over the Bearcats on Senior Day.

Northwest out-gained Pittsburg State in total yards, 282-171. However, the Gorillas took advantage of a blocked punt for a touchdown, a safety and a pair of scoring drives that began on the short side of the field.

The contest featured a 45-minute lightning delay between the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth quarter.

Northwest completes its season with a mark of 6-5 overall and 5-4 in the MIAA. Pittsburg State is 8-2 overall and 7-2 in the MIAA. The Gorillas will await the NCAA playoff announcement on Sunday to find out their next assignment in Super Region III.

The Gorillas controlled the football for 19 minutes of the first half and spent a majority of the time on the Bearcat side of the field. PSU averaged a starting field position of the PSU 39-yard line in the first quarter and the NW 44-yard line in the second quarter.

The game was scoreless until PSU's Jaydon Knight blocked a Cole Lammel punt and it was scooped up bye Luke Niggemann at the 7-yard line. Niggemann then took it into the end zone for a touchdown for a 7-0 lead with 4:56 left in the first quarter.

The Bearcats gained the first turnover of the game when Austin McKinney batted a pass away at the goalline and Holden Zigmant corralled the pass for an interception at the one-yard line to thwart a PSU drive.

Unfortunately, Northwest could not gain a first down and was forced to punt. Lammel unleashed a 49-yard punt that was returned by PSU's Ryan Medeiros to the Bearcat 32-yard line. The Gorillas then drove 32 yards in four plays and cashed in with a two-yard touchdown run by Niggemann. Niggemann took a direct snap and plunged in two yards for the first offensive touchdown of the game with 8:58 to play in the first half. 

Northwest moved the ball to the 42-yard line and faced a 4th-and-3. Head coach Rich Wright called a fake punt that was snapped earlier than planned. The early snap forced a mixup on the play as up-back Andrew Dumas was stopped for a one-yard loss giving the ball back to Pitt State at the 41-yard line.

The Gorillas took advantage of the short field and marched 41 yards in 10 plays. Niggemann stepped in at quarterback again near the goal line and rolled left for a four-yard keeper that reached the end zone to give PSU a 21-0 lead with 1:47 left in the half.

At the half, Pittsburg State had amassed 144 yards of total offense. Northwest would hold the Gorillas to 27 total yards in the second half.

Pittsburg State ran eight plays in the third quarter for 26 total yards. The Bearcats's second drive of the third quarter pushed the ball all the way to the PSU 8-yard line, but the Gorillas sacked quarterback Henry Martin on Northwest's fourth-down play to end the scoring opportunity. 

The Gorillas managed three yards of total offense in the fourth quarter as the Bearcat defense locked in. 

The Bearcats avoided their first shutout since a 20-0 blanking by South Dakota State in 2003, when Martin scrambled 38 yards for a touchdown with 3:31 left in the game. For Martin, it was his fourth rushing touchdown of the season. 

The Bearcat defense forced another punt with 2:29 to play in the game. Bearcat punt returner Dominic Myers caught the PSU punt at the 5-yard line and was tackled for a two-yard loss putting the Bearcats's backs against the wall to start its drive.

Martin was sacked by PSU's Elijah Morton on the first play of the drive to cap the scoring in the game and give the Gorillas a 23-7 win.

NOTES: Pitt State won its third straight game in the series with Northwest ... Northwest leads the all-time series, 29-28 ... Northwest is 126-15 at Bearcat Stadium since the 2001 season ... Chris Ruhnke led the Bearcats in passing with 16 completions on 26 attempts for 161 yards ... Ruhnke left the game with an injury after scrambling for a 17-yard gain in the third quarter ... John Giagiari caught a team-hiigh six passes for 55 yards ... Henry Martin led the Bearcat rushing attack with 19 yards on three carries, including the 38-yard touchdown run ... Shane Fredrickson tallied a team-best eight tackles ... the Bearcat defense posted nine tackles-for-loss, including 3.5 from Andrew Dumas ... Dumas was credited with seven total tackles against the Gorillas ... Pittsburg State registered five sacks, while Northwest did not get a sack on the day.

Northwest honored 18 seniors prior to Saturday's kickoff:

Sam Clarkson (Scottsbluff, Neb.)
Connor DeLong (Olathe, Kan.)
Andrew Dumas (Olathe, Kan.)
Jake Fisher (Smithville, Mo.)
John Giagiari (Danville, Calif.)
Noah Guastella (San Pedro, Calif.)
Tyce Hoover (Manhattan, Kan.)
Tre'on Jones (Omaha, Neb.)
Bryce Krone (Bonner Springs, Kan.)
Cole Lammel (Omaha, Neb.)
Austin McKinney (Battle Creek, Mich.)
Carter Olesen (Pleasant Hill, Iowa)
Calvin Rhines (Gonzales, La.)
Keaton Ricke (Wichita, Kan.)
Jamar Simpson (Moreno Valley, Calif.)
Cahleel Smith (Independence, Mo.)
Derec Weyer (Harlan, Iowa)
Jake Winslow (Colona, Ill.)