MARYVILLE, Mo. — The No. 7-ranked Northwest Missouri State University football team held off a second-half charge from the Washburn Ichabods to score a 31-24 victory Saturday at Bearcat Stadium.
Northwest moved to 2-0 overall and 1-0 in the MIAA with its sixth consecutive home game at Bearcat Stadium. Washburn fell to 1-1-1 overall and 0-1 in the MIAA.
After
Grant Berry's third-down sack stopped the Ichabods' opening drive near midfield, Northwest answered with an 11-play, 76-yard touchdown march to move in front 7-0.
Zechariah Owens hit
Cooper Warren for 25 yards on third down, converted fourth-and-5 with a 5-yard completion to
Andrew Waltke, and later found Warren for a 15-yard touchdown at 7:06 before
Mo Alwaely added the extra point. Northwest's defense then forced another punt after
Zylen Saddler-Robinson hurried an incompletion and
Jackson Torry broke up a third-down pass at the Northwest 42. WU pinned Northwest Mo. St. at its 7 on the ensuing punt and got the ball back late, but Northwest Mo. St. finished the quarter ahead 7-0.
Northwest turned the second quarter with a late 10-point push, highlighted by
Jaron Cannon Jr.'s 45-yard touchdown run at 3:59 and
Patrick Martin's interception return that set up Alwaely's 23-yard field goal. Earlier, the Ichabods reached the Northwest 19 before the defense forced three straight incompletions, limiting the drive to a 36-yard field goal that made it 7-3. Northwest Mo. St. later backed up WU with consecutive negative plays on a drive, as
Devin Wilson recorded a sack,
David Jacquez made a tackle for loss and
Eric Smith III added a sack before a punt. After Cannon's score and Alwaely's extra point made it 14-3, Martin intercepted Logan Madden at the Ichabods 22 and returned it 18 yards to the 4, with Northwest converting the takeaway into three more points. The Ichabods moved to the Northwest Mo. St. 26 on the final snap, but the quarter ended with Northwest ahead 17-3.
Northwest opened the third quarter with a 75-yard scoring drive, using Owens' 64-yard run on third down to set up his 6-yard touchdown pass to
Jaidyn Doss and Alwaely's extra point for a 24-3 lead. The Ichabods answered with two touchdown drives, and Northwest Mo. St. had a brief three-play possession in between before the visitors moved the score to 24-17 at 7:19. Northwest responded with a 10-play, 80-yard drive that included Owens' 21-yard completion to
Karsten Pate, a 13-yard third-down throw to
Erwin Nash and an 18-yard pass to
Delton Davis to the 1.
Quincy Torry finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run, and Alwaely's kick made it 31-17 with 2:14 left before WU reached its own 47 as the quarter expired.
Northwest made the key fourth-quarter stop with 1:19 left, turning the Ichabods over on downs at the Northwest 11-yard line while holding a 31-24 lead. Earlier, Northwest also stopped a fourth-and-8 at its own 21 when
Jayden Welch broke up Logan Madden's pass and
Eric Smith III hurried the quarterback. WU later capitalized on a Northwest fumble, driving 32 yards before Madden hit Tre Calhoun for a 3-yard touchdown and the extra point made it 31-24. After Northwest punted on its next possession, the defense faced a 10-play Ichabods drive that reached the 11 before the fourth-down incompletion.
Quincy Torry then ran for 4 yards and later 18 yards around a 6-yard first-down run by Owens, helping Northwest run out the clock on a 31-24 win.
Owens completed 13 of 21 passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns and added a team-high 89 rushing yards on eight carries. Warren caught three passes for 45 yards and a touchdown.
Jaron Cannon Jr. rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown on two carries.
Holden Zigmant led Northwest Mo. St. with eight tackles.
Up next, Northwest will play host to Missouri Southern for Family Weekend next Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Bearcat Stadium.
NOTES: Northwest owns a 37-7 lead in the all-time series with Washburn ... Northwest has won 20 of the last 21 games against Washburn ... Northwest is 306-54 as a ranked team in the AFCA Top 25 poll ... Northwest has won 95 straight games when leading at the half ...
Cooper Warren scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 15-yard first-quarter reception ...
Eric Smith III posted his first collegiate sack.
