Playing in wet and sloppy field conditions the Northwest Missouri State football Bearcats took a 73-7 win over Lincoln University on Saturday afternoon at Dwight T. Reed Stadium in MIAA action.
Northwest stays unbeaten on the season at 3-0 and moves to 2-0 in league play without two senior captains in uniform, Jake Soy and Blake Christopher. The Blue Tigers fall to 1-2 on the year and 0-2 in conference action.
The Bearcats jumped out early on the Blue Tigers scoring four times in the first quarter to build a 24-0 lead. However, four turnovers from the Bearcats on wet field conditions kept the game scoreless in the second quarter.
Northwest would come out firing on all cylinders to start the second half as Trevor Adams replaced Christopher and threw four touchdown passes, two in each half. Adams would find Tyler Shaw for the second time of the day to build a 31-0 lead just three minutes into the third quarter.
With seven minutes left in the third quarter Adams’ final touchdown came on a 16-yard pass to Clint Utter pushing the Northwest lead 38-0. But it was the Bearcat defense the showed pride in the final 30 minutes of action.
Lincoln would score their only touchdown on a 90-yard kickoff return from Fred Fuller; however the Bearcats would not be outdone as Jordan Simmons returned the ensuing kickoff 75-yards to pay dirt for the first special teams touchdown of the year for the Bearcats.
Northwest would finish with 577 yards of total offense while holding under 150 total yards of offense. The Bearcat defense held the Blue Tigers to only 10 first downs in the game compared to 28 for Northwest.
The only blemish in the Bearcat blowout would be five Northwest turnovers. Trevor Adams was picked off twice and Tyler Seals once. It was the first time in 2011 the Bearcats allowed an interception and the first turnover since the opening drive of the season at Truman.
Northwest returns home to host Fort Hays State in the first ever blackout at Bearcat Stadium. Kickoff between the Bearcats and Tigers is set for 1 p.m.
— NWMSU Sports Information —