#16 Neb.-Kearney 41 Wayne State 20
#16 Nebraska-Kearney used numerous big plays, racking up 700 yards of total offense, to down Wayne State 41-20 in non-conference college football played Thursday evening in Wayne before a crowd of 3,413 at Cunningham Field in Wayne. The game was also broadcast statewide on Nebraska Educational Television.
The first series of the game saw WSC lose starting quarterback Cyle Schultz, who was knocked out for the rest of the game on the third play of the contest. Later in the quarter, the Wildcats opened the scoring as backup quarterback Evan Johnson found junior wide receiver Kevin Paulsen on a 10-yard scoring strike that capped a 10 play, 80-yard drive giving WSC a 7-0 lead with 8:22 to play in the first quarter.
The second quarter was a scoring bonanza with both teams combining for 37 points. But Nebraska-Kearney scored 27 of the points to take a 27-17 lead at halftime. Rustin Dring scored on a three yard run with 13:39 to play in the first half to tie the score at 7-7. WSC came right back on the next drive and used a Max Martin 41 yard field goal to regain the lead at 10-7 with 11:00 to go in the quarter.
But it would be the last lead of the night for the Wildcats. Jake Spitzlberger found the end zone on a five yard run, putting the Lopers in front 14-10. Dring bolted 59 yards for another score with 6:14 to play in the second quarter, giving UNK a 21-10 lead. But the ensuing kickoff saw Wayne State's Tommy Warren field a squib kick at the 18 yard line and he raced 82 yards for the score, cutting the Loper lead to 21-17 with 6:03 remaining. The Lopers responded on their next drive as Spitzlberger scampered 36 yards with 3:59 to play in the half, making the score 27-17 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Riley Newcomer capped a 17 play, 78 yard drive to start the second half with a one yard run, giving UNK a 34-17 lead with 9:32 left in the third quarter. Later in the quarter, WSC forced a UNK fumble and recovered at the Loper nine yard line. But UNK stopped the Wildcats and forced WSC to kick a 22 yard field goal by Max Martin to make the score 34-20. Spitzlberger closed the scoring on a 74 yard run with 3:02 left in the third quarter to make the final score 41-20.
UNK finished the game with 700 yards of offense, including 518 on the ground, while Wayne State had 253 with 217 through the air and 36 on the ground. Evan Johnson completed 10 of 22 passes with one TD and one interception for 139 yards. Kevin Paulsen had a team-high five receptions for 46 yards and one score while senior Bryce Hawthorne was the top rusher for the Wildcats with 34 yards on five carries.
For Nebraska-Kearney, senior quarterback Jake Spitzlberger accounted for 457 yards of total offense. He rushed for 275 yards on just 18 carries with three scores while going 18 of 28 passing for 182 yards and three interceptions.
Defensively for Wayne State, senior defensive end Richard Daniel had a team-high 10 tackles followed by Nick Lewis, Austan Pomajzl, Ben Radel and Nick Monzu with nine stops each.
Wayne State opens Northern Sun Conference play next weekend when the Wildcats visit Minnesota, Crookston next Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m.
