MARYVILLE, Mo. – The No. 22-ranked Northwest Missouri State University football team fell in its season-opening game for the first time in 13 years as the No. 13-ranked Minnesota State University Mavericks tallied a 36-22 victory at Bearcat Stadium.

The Mavericks bolted out to a 29-0 lead before enduring a 22-point bulge from the Bearcats to make it a one-possession game with 10:53 remaining in the game. The Mavericks were able to withstand the comeback and tacked on a 15-yard touchdown run by quarterback Hayden Ekern, his fourth of the game to clinch the 14-point road win.

The Mavericks totaled 214 rushing yards on 58 attempts and added 209 yards through the air to post 423 yards of total offense. Northwest was held to minus-17 yards rushing and notched 268 passing yards. Minnesota State ran 84 plays to only 44 for Northwest. Minnesota State dominated the time of possession by holding the ball for 40:14 to 19:46 for the Bearcats.

Northwest's Chris Ruhnke passed for a career-high 268 yards on 15-of-24 attempts. He connected on three touchdown throws to Andrew Bradley (43 yards), Luke Mathews (80 yards) and Tank Young (13 yards).

Minnesota State's 29-0 lead began to shrink when a bad snap on a punt went through the back of the end zone with 5:24 left in the third quarter. Northwest took over on the ensuing free kick and drove 61 yards in six plays. The drive was capped by Ruhnke finding Bradley alone in the end zone to cut the lead to 29-9 with 3:05 remaining in the third.

Northwest's Tre'on Jones ended a Minnesota State scoring threat by securing an interception in the end zone with 12:28 left in the game. Northwest wasted no time in capitalizing on the error when Ruhnke hit Mathews for the 80-yard score. Mathews caught the pass at the 30-yard line and then zigged and zagged his way 70 more yards for a touchdown. Mathews's score sliced the Minnesota State lead to 29-15 but Noah Guastella missed the extra point to the left with 12:11 left in the game.

The Bearcats took advantage of another Minnesota State error when punter Matthew Jaegar dropped a snap that was recovered by Shane Fredrickson at the 13-yard line with 10:58 on the clock. Northwest notched its second one-play touchdown drive when Ruhnke found Young in the end zone for a 13-yard score with 10:53 remaining.

The Mavericks put the game away by answering with a 12-play, 74-yard. Northwest's Cahleel Smith was flagged for a pass interference call that gave the Mavs a first down at the 47-yard line. Three plays later, facing a third down and 12, Ekern scrambled right and found Grant Guyett open at the stick for a 13-yard gain and a critical first down. Ekern capped the back-breaking drive with a 15-yard scamper up the middle for his fourth rushing touchdown of the game with 3:46 left in the game.

Northwest will travel to the University of Nebraska-Kearney next Saturday. Kick is set for 7 p.m. in Kearney, Neb.
 
NOTES: Northwest had won 12 straight home openers prior to tonight's 36-22 loss to Minnesota State … the Mavericks hold a 10-8 lead in the all-time series … Northwest is 5-4 all-time against Minnesota State in games played in Maryville … Northwest is 298-52 as a ranked team in the AFCA Top 25 poll … Northwest is 123-13 in Bearcat Stadium since 2001 .. it's only the fifth home non-conference setback for Northwest at home since 2001 (Northern Colorado – 2002; Nebraska-Omaha –2007; Abilene Christian – 2008; Texas A&M-Kingsville – 2010; Minnesota State – 2024) … head coach Rich Wright is 59-18 at Northwest … Mathews came into the contest having caught one pass for one yard in his Northwest career – before exploding for five receptions for 140 yards and a touchdown … Jones secured his third career interception … punter Cole Lammel punted four times for 207 yards (51.8 average) with a long of 64 … he also had a punt downed at the 5-yard line.