ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Armani Edden threw for 300 yards, and Jonas Bennett added 126 receiving yards, but No. 21 Missouri Western State fell to Northwest Missouri State 27-23 at home Saturday afternoon at Spratt Stadium.
The Bearcats improved to 4-3 on the year and 3-3 in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play, while the Griffons fell to 5-2 overall and 4-2 in conference matchups.
Missouri Western took a 3-0 lead over Northwest after scoring on a Cody Watson field goal of 47 yards with 4:55 remaining in the first quarter. Northwest then tied it up at 3-3 before the Griffons responded with a one-yard touchdown rush from Reagan Jones to jump back ahead 10-3.
Northwest fought back to take a 27-17 lead before Edden hit James from 13 yards to cut into the lead with 7:40 remaining in the fourth quarter and make it a 27-23 game. Taylor Williams forced a fumble by stripping Jay Harris with 1:39 left in the game, but an Edden interception ended the game.
Edden went 25-for-40 on the way to the 300-yard, one-touchdown outing with one interception. Bennett's performance led the Missouri Western receiving corps. Traveon James also hauled in six passes for 62 yards and one touchdown.
Desmond Green showed out for the Missouri Western defense, totaling one pick-6 that he took back 90 yards to make it a 24-17 game in the third quarter. Dakari Streeter added five tackles and one recovered fumble, and Lamont Washington had one tackle for a loss and one sack in the loss.
The Griffons won the turnover battle in Saturday's game, forcing two turnovers while coughing the ball up one time, with Missouri Western turning those takeaways into seven points.
Missouri Western's defense was tough against the run, limiting Northwest Missouri State to only 92 yards on the ground.
GAME NOTES
- Northwest outgained Missouri Western 402-283 in the contest.
- Missouri Western converted 4-of-14 third downs while Northwest Missouri was successful on 4-of-11.
- The Griffons had three players with more than eight tackles in the ballgame led by TreVon Holmes, who had 10.
- Missouri Western went 2-for-3 on fourth down, converting on 66.7% of attempts.
- Missouri Western allowed just six points in three Northwest trips to the red zone.
- Missouri Western forced one red zone turnover in the contest.
- Missouri Western won the time of possession battle 30:36 to 29:24.
- Mike Hohensee led the Bearcats passing attack, completing 20 of his 30 attempts for 310 yards and three touchdowns with one interception.
- Jay Harris led the Northwest Missouri State rushing attack with 105 yards.
UP NEXT
Missouri Western takes on Nebraska Kearney (2-5, 2-5 MIAA) this Saturday at 12 p.m. in Kearney, Nebraska, at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium. The Lopers have lost two in a row, falling 31-17 on Saturday at Fort Hays State.
