WARRENSBURG, Mo. – TJ Davis scored on a one-yard run with 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to give the No. 16 Nebraska Kearney Lopers a 31-28 comeback win over the University of Central Missouri Mules football team Saturday, Sept. 25, at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
Central Missouri (0-4, 0-4 MIAA) is scheduled to travel to Northeastern State for an MIAA road game Saturday, Oct. 2, at 2 p.m. in Tahlequah, Okla.
The Mules trailed the Lopers (4-0, 4-0 MIAA), 24-21, with just under eight minutes to go in the fourth before quarterback
Logan Twehous engineered a five-play, 68-yard drive capped off by a 26-yard touchdown pass to Cam Saunders with 6:01 on the clock, putting UCM in front, 28-24.
Nebraska Kearney responded, however, and manufactured what turned out to be the game-winning drive – 10 plays, 70 yards in 2:42 – punctuated by Davis' one-yard scamper into the endzone with 22 ticks left in the game, giving UNK the 31-28 victory.
In his first start of 2021, Twehous went 25-for-44 with 312 yards passing and threw for three touchdowns while also rushing for 39 yards on seven carries.
Saunders paced the Mules receiving efforts, scoring a pair of TDs on eight receptions with 138 yards.
Arkell Smith caught his first-career touchdown pass and added 58 yards through the air, while
Trevor Twehous found the endzone and had 26 yards.
Koby Wilkerson rushed for 84 yards on 15 carries, leading Central Missouri on the ground, respectively.
Defensively,
Codie Bell tallied eight total tackles, while
Tyron Taylor added seven tackles, and
Chima Dunga and
Travis DeGrate both ad six tackles, leading the Mules.
Davis threw for a pair of touchdowns, going 13-for-20 with 225 yards, while also rushing for 51 yards and scoring a pair of touchdowns on 21 attempts.
Damien Cearns rushed for 79 yards on eight carries to pace the Loper ground game.
Darius Swanson had 11 total tackles, leading the Nebraska Kearney defense.
The Mules out-gained the Lopers for the game, 490 to 456, but UNK was able to post a 33:42 to 26:18 advantage in time of possession and went 4-for-4 in the red zone.Â
Â
