Pittsburg State gets to 11-0; Northwest Missouri makes its own case for D-II playoffs
The Pittsburg State Gorillas completed their perfect football regular season with a 35-14 home victory over Fort Hays State on Saturday.
The Gorillas are 11-0 and ranked No. 5 in NCAA Division II.
They had already clinched the MIAA league championship outright with their 10th victory last week, earned against Washburn in Topeka, but the Gorillas picked up the trophy Saturday as Chad Dodson Jr. connected on 17 of 26 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns.
Pitt State is a lock for the D-II playoffs.
Northwest Missouri State and Emporia State, however, had a showdown match to make their respective cases for a berth of their own.
As is usually the case for the storied program, Northwest Missouri State did what it could. The Bearcats’ Cahleel Smith intercepted a Braden Gleason pass in the end zone with 48 seconds left in the game, and Northwest held on for a hard-fought 27-21 victory.
Northwest Missouri is ranked No. 10 nationally in the coaches’ poll, Emporia State (8-3) No. 22., but with the Hornets ranked No. 9 in Super Region Three and Northwest Missouri sitting at No. 10, it was clear the loser of this game would be out while the winner still had a shot.
Northwest Missouri (9-2) will learn its fate Sunday during the NCAA Division II playoff selection show at 4:30 p.m. (Central) on NCAA.com.
Missouri Western’s Titus McCoy runs for 289 yards: Missouri Western running back Titus McCoy had a Senior Day to remember. McCoy rushed for 289 yards on 35 carries (8.3 yards per carry) with five TDs in the Griffons’ 41-0 victory in St. Joseph. McCoy’s longest run of the day was for 57 yards. The Griffons finished the season 5-6.
Washburn 37, Missouri Southern 20: The Ichabods bounced back from last week’s home loss to MIAA champ Pitt State by taking care of business against Missouri Southern in Joplin, Missouri. Washburn quarterback Jared Taylor passed for 215 yards and two TDs. The Ichabods are 7-4, while Missouri Southern dropped to 4-7.
Central Oklahoma 13, Central Missouri 10: Cedric Case completed 26 of 40 passes for 208 yards with one TD for the Mules, who finished the season 4-7 with the loss in Edmond, Oklahoma.
William Jewell 17, Quincy 7: Sean Mitchell’s 73-yard fumble return for a touchdown put the Cardinals up early in the first quarter, and then they never relinquished the lead in Quincy, Illinois. William Jewell, which recovered two fumbles and intercepted two passes, finishes its season 2-9.
NAIA
Avila secures KCAC crown, heads to NAIA playoffs: Avila came through with the big 42-26 home victory over Friends to secure the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference crown with a 9-1 league record (10-1 overall). It’s the Eagles’ second conference title in three seasons. With the win, Avila qualifies for the NAIA postseason tournament for the first time in program history.
Benedictine wins Heart South: The Ravens beat Mid-America Nazarene 43-21 in Olathe by controlling the ground game. Benedictine out-rushed the Pioneers 247-67 and improved to 10-1. Dalton Witherspoon led that running attack with 108 yards on 15 carries.
Benedictine has won nine straight and clinched the Heart of America Athletic Conference South Division with a 5-0 record. Blake Atkins completed 17 of 28 passes for 228 yards and two TDs for Mid-America Nazarene, which is 7-4.
Baker 14, Missouri Valley College 13: Andrew Colvert scored what turned out to be the winning touchdown with two minutes left in the game at Baldwin City, Kan. Baker finished its season 5-6. Colvert’s 1-yard score was his only rush of the game. Cole Fisher rushed for 121 yards for the Wildcats.
