(Courtesy NorthwestBearcats.com)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chase McCoy booted a 26-yard field goal as time expired to help lift No. 15 Pittsburg State University to a 38-35 victory over No. 1 NW Missouri State University in The Fall Classic X at Arrowhead Stadium.

McCoy’s third field goal of the game helped the unbeaten Gorillas (5-0, 4-0 MIAA) halt the Bearcats (4-1, 3-1 MIAA) record streak of 49 consecutive MIAA regular season victories.

Pitt State became the first conference team to defeat Northwest in the regular season since the Gorillas handed the Bearcats a 56-35 defeat in The Fall Classic V on Oct. 29, 2005. Pitt State also halted a painful seven-game losing streak in the series with Northwest.

Read More: PittStateGorillas.com

After starting off with a loss at Abilene Christian (the second season-opening loss in a row to the Wildcats), the NWMSU plowed through the MIAA to become conference champions.  They avenged their loss to ACU in the second round of the playoffs and other than a scare at Central Washington had a comfortable run at the championship.  This season will potentially be more of the same.

They return All-American receiver Jake Soy, who was named the nation’s top receiver in 2009, and All-MIAA QB Blake Bolles to lead the Bearcat offense along with Pre-Season All-American lineman Brett Grozinger, a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award last season.  The defense will be anchored by All-MIAA and Pre-Season All-American Chad Kilgore and All-MIAA defensive back Ryan Jones.

While the Bearcats open at home against Texas A&M-Kingsville from the LSC, they only have three other home games.  Key contests will occur on the road against Nebraska-Omaha, Washburn, Central Missouri and the Fall Classic at Arrowhead vs. Pittsburg State.

D2 Sports Network predicts the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats will finish the season with a 13-1 record and repeat as MIAA and National Champions.

It’s the third championship for Northwest (14-1) and first since 1999. It also ends a string of four national runner-up finishes. The Bearcats are the only team to play in five straight championship games.

Bearcat coach Mel Tjeerdsma tied former North Alabama coach Bobby Wallace by winning his third national title. Tjeerdsma’s 29 postseason victories are a Division II record.

Council had 136 yards in the first half to help stake Northwest to a 21-0 halftime lead. Grand Valley State cut the deficit to 23-20 early in the fourth quarter, but Soy’s touchdown grab on 4th-and-4 with 10 minutes left helped seal the deal. The Lakers (13-2) had a final drive end near midfield in the final minute.

Soy caught nine passes for 118 yards and broke Ronnie West’s MIAA single-season record for receiving yards. It was the third championship game in which one team had a 100-yard rusher and a 100-yard receiver. Soy’s 27 touchdowns and 1,559 yards receiving both led the nation.

Northwest quarterback Blake Bolles broke Chris Greisen’s MIAA record for passing yards in a season. Bolles completed 15-of-23 passes for 198 yards. He threw 42 touchdowns this season and finished with 4,145 yards passing – both are MIAA records.

It was a Bolles pass to Council that set up the final score. Bolles scrambled out of the pocket on 3rd-and-22 before finding Council, who broke several tackles to net 18 yards. The play gave Tjeerdsma an easier decision to go for it on fourth down. Bolles laid a fade pass into Soy’s hands at the 5-yard line and Soy carried his defender into the end zone for the score.

The touchdown ended a 20-2 run by the Lakers to open the second half after Grand Valley netted 127 yards of total offense in the first. The Lakers finished with 91 yards rushing after entering the game with an average of 237.

The game was almost a blowout. The Bearcats had 1st-and-goal from the 2-yard line with the 21-0 lead near the end of the first half. Previn Perry, the fullback, carried to within inches of the goal line before James Wojciehowski stole the ball away. It was the first of three turnovers by the Bearcats.

Northwest had two Myles Burnsides’ interceptions negated by penalties. One erased a 70-yard return for a score by Burnsides, which would have made it 28-0 early in the third quarter.

Grand Valley capitalized on a Blake Bolles interception and scored on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Brad Iciek to Greg Gay on the Lakers’ first possession of the second half. Kyle Sunderman blocked the ensuing extra point and Ryan Jones scooped up the loose ball and returned it for a defensive two-point conversion that made it 23-6.

Iciek threw two touchdown passes and finished with 290 yards on 28-of-49 passing. He was also intercepted by Jones late in the first half – just his third pick thrown on the year. Ryan Bass caught eight passes for 111 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown grab in the third quarter, to lead Grand Valley State.

The Lakers faced 3rd-and-1 from the Bearcat 3 trailing 30-20 with five minutes left. Iciek was dropped for a loss by Sunderman and Willie Horn on third down and Grand Valley State settled for a Jay Jandasek field goal.

Northwest recovered the ensuing onside kick, but punted the ball back to the Lakers with three minutes left. Grand Valley State started from its 20 and drove to its own 44 before seeing a 4th-and-15 pass fall incomplete. A 14-yard run by Council and a knee from Bolles began the celebration.

FULL STORY

–Courtesy NWMSU Athletics

It’s the second year in a row that Northwest has avenged a season-opening loss against Abilene Christian by beating the Wildcats in the postseason. It was also a bittersweet win for the Bearcat seniors, who improved to 27-1 at Bearcat Stadium. The lone loss was to the Wildcats last season.

Council capped the opening drive of the game with an 8-yard touchdown run. He had three rushing scores on the day and hauled in a 23-yard touchdown pass from Blake Bolles in the fourth quarter. Council carried 17 times for 87 yards.

The Wildcats answered with a 29-yard field goal by Morgan Lineberry on their first possession and had third-and-goal from the 1 on their second. Quarterback Mitchell Gale tried to extend the football across the goal line on a sneak, but Northwest linebacker Willie Horn knocked the ball loose and the Bearcats recovered.

Northwest seized the momentum from that play and never gave it back. Two series later, Bolles broke a career-long 71-yard touchdown run that gave the Bearcats a 14-3 lead, which they took into halftime.

Wildcat running back Reggie Brown fumbled on the opening carry of the third quarter and Northwest recovered. Council scored from 1-yard out three plays later and the lead was 21-3. It was 35-3 before Abilene Christian tacked on a late score.

Abilene Christian entered Saturday’s game with the top run defense in the nation, but surrendered a season-high 168 yards to Northwest. It also allowed a season high for points. Northwest outgained Abilene Christian 397-288.

Both teams combined for seven turnovers. The Bearcats sacked Gale six times and recovered three Wildcat fumbles. Bolles threw a career-high three interceptions and lost another possession on a fumbled snap from center. He finished 15-of-20 for 229 yards and a touchdown in his first postseason start.

Northwest wide out Jake Soy caught seven passes for 141 yards – his seventh 100-yard effort this season. Edmund Gates caught eight passes for 102 yards for Abilene Christian.

–Courtesy Northwest Missouri State Athletics

Division II – Second Round

SCOREBOARD:

Super Regional 1

#9 West Liberty 84, Edinboro 63

#22 California (PA) 26, #17 Shippensburg 21

Super Regional 2

#5 North Alabama 41, #21 Arkansas Tech 28

#10 Carson-Newman 56, West Alabama 41

Super Regional 3

#3 Grand Valley State 44, #15 Hillsdale 27

#4 Minnesota-Duluth 42, #6 Nebraska-Kearney 7

Super Regional 4

#1 Central Washington 27, #12 Tarleton State 6

#2 Northwest Missouri State 35, #18 Abilene Christian 10

The Bulldogs, buoyed by a defensive unit which has been nothing short of stifling all year long, put a huge exclamation mark on a season for the ages by holding off No. 3 Northwest Missouri State University 21-14 in the NCAA II championship at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Ala. With the historic victory, UMD finishes the year a perfect 15-0 — one of only three NCAA II schools to ever reach that mark.

“All I can say is ‘wow,’” said UMD head coach Bob Nielson, whose club completed the greatest one-year turnaround (they were 4-6 one year ago) since the NCAA II began keeping that statistic in 1996. “The kind of win we had today really speaks to the character of our football team. They never give up and are always supportive of one another, no matter what the circumstances. Today’s game is simply a great ending to a great, great year.”

For the 14th time in 15 games this season, No. 6 UMD got on the scoreboard first when senior wide receiver Tony Doherty hauled in a 38-yard touchdown catch from senior All-American quarterback Ted Schalfke with 14 seconds remaining in the opening half. The Bulldogs extended their lead to 14-0 midway though the third quarter on a Schalfke-to-Isaac Odim scoring strike from five yards out before Odim made it 21-0 a liitle more than a minute into the fourth quarter by plowing ahead for his school-record 30th overall touchdown on the year.

Northwest Missouri added a pair of scores in the last eight minutes of regulation – a 44-yard interception return by Aldwin Foster-Rettig and a one-yard touchdown reception by Ralphael Robinson to pull to within seven. But, on the ensuing kickoff following Robinson’s touchdown, Northwest Missouri State attempted an onside kick which was smothered by Bulldog senior Luke Schalekamp sealing UMD’s first NCAA II championship in any sport.

FULL STORY

–Courtesy of UMD Athletics

That Bearcat Tradition

It will be a tough task to unseat defending champion and three-time consecutive national runner-up, Northwest Missouri State University. Even though the Mavericks defeated the Bearcats early last season, NWMSU will still be favored to compete for the conference title. The Bearcats will have to overcome several losses of personnel including offensive superstar All-American Xavier Omon. The will be led on offense by returning All-American Reid Kirby and All-MIAA selections Kendall Wright (WR) and Jeremy Davis (RG). Leading the defense will be by All-MIAA safety Miles Burnsides.

NWMSU opens the season hosting Abilene Christian from the LSC and a playoff selection last season. The will also play two other 2007 playoff teams (UNO and Washburn) on the road and will have tough battles at Central Missouri and with archrival Pittsburg State at Arrowhead Stadium.

New Team on the Block

Of course, it makes sense that the reigning champion of the defunct North Central Conference will also make a run for the title in their new conference. Nebraska-Omaha was top-seeded in the D2 Northwest Regional last year, yet lost in the second round after a bye. They return Harlon Hill Trophy regional finalist tailback Brian McNeill and All-NCC quarterback Zach Miller. The season will feature renewed series between the Mavs and three former conference foes Emporia State, Fort Hays State and Pittsburg State. UNO plays two playoff teams from last season as they host NWMSU for the second straight season and travel to Washburn.

Others Will Fight

Several other schools that will strongly contend for the title will be Pittsburg State, Missouri Western, Central Missouri, and Washburn. The Gorillas will be led by senior All-MIAA selections Mark Smith at quarterback and Caleb Farabi at running back. PSU plays RMAC and SW Region top seed Chadron State during the second week of the season. They also play three other 2007 playoff teams but host all of them with the exception being the Fall Classic at Arrowhead with Northwest Missouri.

Washburn went down in the first round of the playoffs last season and lost their starting quarterback to graduation. The Ichabods return All-MIAA Zach Watkins (LB) to lead the defense and All-MIAA second team selection Brandon Walker (RB) to lead the offense. Missouri Western will be led by All-MIAA offensive linemen Roger Allen and will face two OOC opponents including Minnesota-Duluth, a new member of the NSIC. Central Missouri will be led by All-MIAA defensive linemen John Wood along with second team selections Glenn Milner (RB), Craig Harrison (OL), Randy Shepherd (DB) and Matt Frankel (P). The Mules play two out-of-conference games with one coming against Arkansas Tech of the Gulf South Conference.

After seeking a bit of revenge by ending Grand Valley’s 40 game winning streak, the Bearcats were favored in the game after Valdosta had a tougher than expected game with California (PA) in the semifinals. First year Head Coach David Dean saw his Blazers perform well in the first half yet were down 14-3 at the break. Momentum completely favored his team when a blocked extra point was returned and made the score 20-19 with a little of three minutes remaining. The Blazers then marched down the field and scored with 22 seconds left to seal the 25-20 victory.

The Championship weekend was also marked by events that named Danny Woodhead (Chadron State) the repeat winner of the Harlon Hill Trophy and inducted another class into the DII Hall of Fame. Woodhead, who became the NCAA all-time leading rusher this season, was voted winner ahead of finalists Bernard Scott (Abilene Christian) and Michael Eubanks (Delta State). The HOF Class of 2007 included Earl Dotson (Texas A&M – Kingsville), Ronald McKinnon (North Alabama), and Mike Turk (Troy State).