October 26, 2024-It was a record setting day as #14 Emporia State defeated Neb.-Kearney 42-35 on Saturday afternoon in Kearney, Neb. The win coupled with Pittsburg State's win at Central Oklahoma moved the Hornets into a tie for first place in the MIAA.
Gunnar Gundy threw for a school record 564 yards while
Tyler Kahmann tied Emporia State's single game records with 296 receiving yards and five touchdown catches.
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The Lopers took an early 7-0 lead on an Isaiah Harris one yard run just 2:55 into the game. The Hornets got a five yard touchdown pass from Gundy to Kahmann with 9:51 left in the second quarter and went up 14-7 on a 36 yard connection between the two with 6:51 left in the half. Raegan Jones hit Trayvon Moore with a 37 yard touchdown with 4:25 left to tie the game at 14. Emporia State answered quickly as Kahmann and Gundy connected again, this time from 15 yards out to go up 20-14 with 2:42 remaining in the half.
Caden Dodson's extra point attempt was blocked, snapping his school record streak of 53 consecutive makes.
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Neb.-Kearney retook the lead on their first possession of the second half as Harris scored from 13 yards out to give UNK a 21-20 lead with 11:29 left in the third quarter. Emporia State again had and answer and it was again Gundy and Kahmann as they connected on a 34 yard touchdown to go up 27-21 just two minutes later.
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The fourth quarter started off with another Harris touchdown, this one from one yard out with 14:05 left to put the Lopers up 28-27. The Hornets then went 66 yards in ten plays, capped by a 14 yard touchdown from Gundy to Kahmann – their fifth connection of the day – to go up 34-28. Neb.-Kearney then answered with a eight play, 75 yard drive and took a 35-34 lead with 7:20 left on a one yard run by Jadarrius Thomas.Â
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The Hornets would get to near midfield on their next possession before Gundy was intercepted by Anthony Hebert with 5:52 left in the game. Â On the Lopers first play from scrimmage Thomas fumbled the ball and
Jaaron Joseph recovered it at the UNK 45 yard line with 5:46 left. On First down Gundy hit
Trenden Collins for 14 yards and then connected again with Kahmann for 28 yards down to the Loper three yard line. Gundy then ran it in around the right side with 4:45 left to put the Hornets up 40-35. ESU went for two and Gundy hit Kahmann for the conversion to make it a seven point game.
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Neb.-Kearney would get two more chances but Emporia State forced turnovers on downs in both of them, the last coming on a
Lavon Jones sack with 51 seconds left on fourth and ten. The Hornets were then able to run out the clock for the victory.
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Gunnar Gundy was 48 of 68 for 564 yards and five touchdowns with three interceptions and added a rushing touchdown.Â
Tyler Kahmann had 19 catches for 296 yards and five touchdowns in addition to the two point conversion.
Caleb Mondi led the Hornet defense with 11 tackles while
Lavon Jones had eight tackles with a sack and
Jaaron Joseph had seven stops, a fumble recovery and a pass break up.
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With the win Emporia State improved to 7-1 on the year and 5-1 in the MIAA. They are one of three teams in the association with one loss. The Hornets will return to Welch Stadium for the first time in nearly a month when they play host to Fort Hays State on November 2. Kick-off from Jones Field at Welch Stadium is set for 1:00 p.m.
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NOTES
Tyler Kahmann now has 48 career touchdown receptions to break the MIAA record of 45 set by Northwest Missouri's Jake Soy from 2008-11.
Tyler Kahmann broke the MIAA single game receiving yards record of 268 yards set by Gavin Luteman (vs ESU in 2014) of Pittsburg State and tied Bruce Cerone's (vs Washburn in 1968) Emporia State single game record with 296 receiving yards.
Tyler Kahmann tied  Ray Ray Davis (vs. UCO in 2013) Emporia State single game record with five touchdown catches.
Gunnar Gundy's 564 passing yards broke Brent Wilson's Emporia State single game record of 522 yards set against UCO in 2013. It is the second most passing yards in MIAA history.
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