Last year, UNK fell to Missouri Western on a game winning field goal. This year, the Lopers returned the favor with a 24-23 game-winning field goal against the Griffons.
The Lopers improved to 4-3 on the season (2-3 MIAA) with Missouri Western falling to 3-5 (2-5 MIAA) on the year. The win was Ryan Held’s first MIAA road win as the Lopers head coach.
That’s a huge win for this program,” Held said postgame. “It’s a lot easier going back home when you get a walk-off victory than if you lose those walk-offs.”
UNK started off the game on a disastrous note, as the Lopers fumbled the ball on the opening play of the game. Missouri Western would score on a receiving touchdown from Branden Berwald to Tyler Carey for 16 yards.
After trading punts, UNK would score later in the first, as Reagan Jones would connect with a 42 yard pass to Dijmon Wheeler, and then roll in the endzone with a quarterback keeper from 9 yards out.
Both teams traded touchdowns in the second quarter, as Missouri Western would cap off a 14 play, 80 yard drive with a goal line punch-in from Ison Robinson. UNK would respond near the end of the quarter with a 25 yard touchdown pass from Jones to Stephen Lewis. Missouri Western would end the quarter with the lead, as a Cody Watson 37 yard field goal would push Missouri Western in front, 17-14.
Missouri Western would not hold onto the ball for long on their first possession of the second half, as the Griffons were intercepted at the UNK 24 yard line by Kendall Brewer. UNK wasn’t able to get any momentum on their end, as they would turn the ball over on downs, and after the teams would trade drives that ended with a turnover on downs, Missouri Western would score again early in the fourth with a six yard pass from Berwald to Carey.
Three minutes later, Jones would torch the Missouri Western defense with a 75 yard completion to Reggie Anderson to get the game within three points. The drive was set up by a blocked field goal with 8:01 to go.
Missouri Western worked off six minutes off the clock on their next drive. Berwald would connect to Jonas Bennett to the UNK 25, but the play was negated in part to a Griffon holding penalty. On the ensuing 3rd down and 2, Berwald was rocked by Anthony Hebert for a loss of 11 yards, and the Griffons were forced to punt.
UNK started with the ball with 2:32 left in the game at their own 15. From there, Jones would engineer an 11 play, 69 yard drive, completing passes to Anderson (28 yards), Wheeler (5 and 11 yards), and Shane Daily Jr. (5 yards), alongside two rushing attempts to set up the game winning field goal from Kyle Failing from 33 yards, which was his first field goal of the season.
Reagan Jones, who returned to St. Joseph after being with the Griffons for three years, went 17-32 for 279 yards and 2 touchdowns. His leading target was Reggie Anderson, who only caught 2 passes in the game but made the most of them, going for 103 yards and a touchdown.Isaiah Harris led the Lopers with 76 rushing yards.
UNK is back at home next week against nationally ranked Emporia State. The Hornets are 6-1 and were off this week. Kickoff from Ron & Carol Cope Stadium is set for 2PM.
