October 15, 2022-Emporia State rolled up 553 yards of total offense on the way to a 44-21 win over #22 Neb.-Kearney on Saturday in Kearney, Neb. It marks the first time since 2017 the Hornets have scored at least 40 points in three straight games.
The Lopers took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards on 12 plays before TJ Davis scored on a one yard run to take a 7-0 lead with 8:50 left in the first quarter. Two plays later
Braden Gleason hooked up with
Corey Thomas for a 65 yard touchdown to even the score at 7-7 just 34 seconds later.
Declan Haub got a sack of TJ Davis on third down to force a three and out on the next possession for UNK. After an incomplete pass on first down Gleason connected on five straight passes to take the Hornets down to the Loper 16 yard line.
Canaan Brooks burst up the middle from 16 yards out to give Emporia State a 14-7 lead with 5:00 left in the quarter. On the first play from scrimmage after the touchdown Zane Schawang fumbled the ball and Haub jumped on it to give ESU the ball at the Loper 29. Four plays later
Caden Dodson hit a career long 42 yard field goal with 3:23 left to give the Hornets a 17-0 lead after one quarter.
On the first possession of the second quarter Davis hit Cody Nelson on a 30 yard touchdown pass to pull within 17-14 with 11:40 remaining in the half. The Lopers converted a fourth and one at their own 47 during the seven play, 62 yard drive.
The teams traded punts before the Hornet took over at their own 22 yard line with 7:12 left in the half. Emporia State would eat up 5:20 off the clock on a 17 play, 78 yard drive.
Billy Ross Jr. capped the drive with a four yard touchdown run by
Billy Ross Jr. on a misdirection play with 1:52 left and the Hornets took a 24-14 lead into the half.
Emporia State got the ball to start the second half and drove 79 yards in 13 plays before Dodson connected on a 25 yard field goal to go up 27-14. The Hornets forced a three and out on the Lopers possession and Ross burst through the middle for a 52 yard touchdown that put ESU ahead 34-14 with 8:21 left in the third.
The Hornets forced another three and out and UNK's Hunter Kraus unleashed a 70 yard punt that resulted in a touchback to give ESU the ball with 6:31 left in the third. Emporia State went on another long drive, this time 13 plays for 68 yards before Dodson hit his third field goal of the game, this one from 29 yards, to give the Hornets a 37-14 lead with 2:20 left in the third.
Emporia State had the ball to start the fourth quarter and facing third and six Gleason scrambled for 22 yards to get into Loper territory. Brooks then went for 26 and 11 yards to score with 13:34 left as the Hornets took a 30 point lead with 13:34 left. Neb.-Kearney would eat 5:41 off the clock on a ten play, 75 yard drive with TJ Davis hitting JerQon Conners in the corner of the endzone for a 19 yard touchdown to wrap up the scoring.
Braden Gleason was 27 of 41 for 276 yards with a touchdown and added 36 rushing yards for 312 yards of total offense.
Billy Ross Jr had a career high 150 yards rushing with two touchdowns while
Canaan Brooks added 85 yards and two scores on the ground.
Corey Thomas had 110 yards on seven catches with a touchdown as eight Hornets caught a pass.
Jadeon Pool had a team high nine tackles as the Hornets held the Lopers to 310 yards of total offense and season low 21 points.
The Hornets will stay on the road as they travel to Missouri Southern next weekend. Kick-off from Hughes Stadium in Joplin, Mo.is set for 2:00 p.m. on October 22.
NOTES
Gleason moved into fourth on the ESU career passing chart with 6,059 yards, passing Pete Jelovic who had 5,970 from 1995-97.
Gleason moved into fourth in the ESU career total offense chart with 6,777 yards, passing Tad Hatfield who had 6,684 from 2001-04.
This is the best record after seven games for Emporia State since they started the 2016 season 6-1.
It was the first win over a team ranked in the AFCA Top 25 since a 28-24 win over then #18 Fort Hays State in 2018 and the first road win over a ranked team since a 37-31 double overtime win over then #13 Central Missouri in 2016.
