November 14, 2015-Needing a win to solidify their playoff chances, #19 Emporia State used a big third quarter to come away with a 52-34 win over Neb.-Kearney and finish the regular season 9-2.
ALMOST TO EASY
On the Lopers first possession Kole Schankie picked off a Bronson Marsh pass and returned it ot the UNK 25 yard line. Five plays later Brent Wilson hit Kavaski Ervin for the first of his five touchdown passes as Emporia State went up 7-0 with 12:29 left.
COMEBACK KEARNEY
Marsh led the Lopers on a pair of scoring drives to go up 14-7 with 3:08 left in the first quarter. The first score was a 1 yard run by Marsh that capped a ten play 75 yard drive. The drive was kept alive when Emporia State was flagged for a running into the kicker on fourth and five on a punt that Morris Williams had returned 64 yards for a touchdown. The penalty was just enough to give UNK a first down and continue the drive.
BACK IN FRONT
Emporia State scored on a three yard run by Antonio Brown to tie the score at 14 with 17 seconds left in the first quarter. The Hornets would go up 21-14 when Wilson was flushed from the pocket and was able to pull up just shy of the line of scrimmage and found Ervin for a 47 yard touchdown pass. UNK had a chance to tie the game at the end of the half when Marsh scored from two yards out with four seconds left, but Bren Wentling's PAT went wide right to give the Hornets a 21-20 lead at the break.
THIRD QUARTER DECIDES IT
The Hornets outscored the Lopers 24-7 in the third quarter to take control of the game. On the third play of the half Wilson hit Anthony Buffalomeat in stride and he went 65 yards to put Emporia State up 28-20. The Lopers answered with a ten yard touchdown run by Marsh to pull within 28-27 at the 9:25 mark of the third quarter. The Hornets answered with a 25 yard field goal from Austin Morton to take a 31-27 lead on the next possession. Wilson made it 38-27 on a two yard run with 2:27 left in the quarter that capped a 13 play, 87 yard drive. Brandon Gentz intercepted Marsh on the ensueing possession and three Wilson completions later Jordan Jackson scored from 12 yards out for a 45-27 Emporia State lead with :44 left in the third period.
RUNNING IT OUT
UNK scored on their first possession of the fourth quarter when Marsh connected with Cougar Williams from 23 yards out with 11:21 left in the game to close within 45-34. Two offensive plays later Wilson hit Morris Williams for a 51 yard touchdown and a 52-34 lead with 10:31 remaining. That would be the last play for Wilson, who was replaced by Ty Reasnor after the Hornet defense forced a three and out by UNK with 9:23 left in the game. The two teams traded three and outs until the Hornets took over at the 50 yard line with 6:24 remaining. Emporia State would run the ball ten straight times, taking it down to the Loper one yard line before turning it over on downs with 21 seconds left.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Wilson finished the game 18 of 30 for 353 yards with five touchdowns and added 61 rushing yards and a touchdown on five carries. He connected with seven different receivers with Ervin hauling in five passes for 125 yards with a pair of touchdowns. Williams had four catches for 67 yards and a touchdown while Buffalomeat had three receptions for 99 yards and a touchdown. Jordan Jackson added three catches for 40 yards and had the other touchdown.
Nault led the Hornets with 69 yards rushing on 14 carries. Antonio Brown had 36 yards on nine carries and a touchdown.
Defensively AJ West led the Hornets with nine solo tackles, including two for a loss, and two pass break ups. Tre Dickerson added five tackles and an interception, while Kole Schankie and Brandon Gentz each had interceptions as well.
RECORD BOOKS
Wilson continued to move up the Emporia State statistical charts. His third five touchdown performance of the season gives him a school record 34 touchdown passes this season. He had 414 yards of total offense to break Tyler Eckenrode's career record of 8,669 yards and now has 8,680 yards. He also passed former Northwest Missouri quarterback Chris Greisen for ninth in career passing yards in the MIAA with 7,797 yards.
UP NEXT
With the win Emporia State should be assured of advancing to the NCAA Playoffs for the second time in three years. They will learn their fate during the NCAA Selection Show at 4 p.m. on Sunday. The public is invited to join the Hornets in Webb Hall in the Memorial Union to watch the Selection Show live on ncaa.com.
