College football scoreboard: UCM survives scare vs. Bearcats; Griffons knock off ESU

The second half of Saturday’s Central Missouri-Northwest Missouri State football showdown in Warrensburg could not have played out more differently than the first.

The 21st-ranked Mules held the Bearcats to just three points in the opening half, but Northwest rallied for a 21-point third quarter that found the game knotted at 24 entering the final period.

A Northwest touchdown pass from Mike Hohensee to John Giagiari trimmed the deficit to three points with 58 seconds left, but UCM (4-1) was able to hang on for a 41-38 victory.

Mules running back Marcellous Hawkins scampered for 149 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, while quarterback Zach Zebrowski threw for 412 yards and tossed TD passes to Arkell Smith and Jack Pospisil, who finished with 10 receptions apiece.

Northwest fell to 2-3.

In other Saturday games:

Missouri Western 34, Emporia State 31: The Griffons stunned the No. 11-ranked and previously undefeated Hornets on homecoming in St. Joseph. Cody Watson’s 41-yard field goal with 8 seconds left was the game-winner. Emporia State (4-1) held its only lead at the 11:37 mark in the opening quarter on a 25-yard TD pass from Braden Gleason to Jaylen Varner; the point-after failed. Missouri Western went ahead on Armani Edden’s 8-yard TD pass to Caleb Martin and Watson’s PAT and never trailed again. The Griffons (4-1) have now won four straight.

Southern Illinois 33, Missouri State 20: Jordan Pachot and Jacob Clark each threw touchdown passes for the Bears in a physical game at Carbondale, Illinois, but the Salukis were too much to overcome. Ro Elliott rushed for a pair of Southern Illinois touchdowns to open the game. Missouri State fell to 1-3. SIU improved to 4-0.

William Jewell 30, Upper Iowa 13: The Cardinals won their afternoon homecoming game in Liberty. Keaundre McCullough rushed for an 8-yard touchdown to open the scoring, and by game’s end William Jewell would aad TD passes from CJ Ward (to Deldrionn Amos) and Taylor Eggers (to Nathan Barnett). Jewell improved to 2-2.

Central Oklahoma 30, Missouri Southern 27: After winning three straight, the Lions lost a heartbreaker at Richison Stadium in Edmond, Okla. Drake Reese hit a 43-yard field goal for MSSU (3-2) to knot it at 27 with 4:34 left, but the Bronchos (2-3) got into position for a game-winning 29-yard kick with 1 second remaining.

Pittsburg State 42, Northeastern State 6: The unbeaten No. 3 Gorillas had little trouble at Doc Wadley Stadium in Tahlequah, Okla. Pitt State (5-0) enjoyed 2 passing TDs from QB Chad Dodson Jr., a couple of rushing scores and a pick-six by Jordan Rogers. Northeastern (0-5) didn’t get onto the scoreboard until the final quarter.

Fort Hays State 71, Lincoln 3: At Hays, the Tigers trounced the visiting Blue Tigers from start to finish. Jack Dawson threw three touchdown passes, Jayden Horace was on the receiving end of two and four different FHSU rushers ran for TDs. Fort Hays State improved to 3-2 while Lincoln fell to 0-5.

Nebraska-Kearney 27, Washburn 14: The Lopers (2-3) were tough on their visitors in the second half, turning a 6-0 halftime edge into a decisive victory over the Ichabods at Cope Stadium in Kearney, Neb. Washburn (1-4) QB Sam Van Dyne threw for a pair of TDs, but he also tossed an interception and was sacked six times.

Baker 38, Culver-Stockton 7: In a showdown of Wildcats at Poulton Stadium in Canton, Missouri, Baker (4-1) held the hosts scoreless until the third quarter en route to a commanding victory. Baker rolled up 403 yards and held Culver-Stockton (1-5) to a mere 180, with Rashaan Graves rushing for 160 and a TD on 15 carries.

Evangel 44, Avila 6: RJ Wakley threw three touchdown passes for unbeaten and 18th-ranked Evangel (6-0) as the visiting Valor spoiled Avila’s hopes for a homecoming upset. Avila dropped to 1-5.

Ottawa 40, Bethany 13: At Ottawa, the Braves (2-4) collected their second win of the season with an overwhelming victory over Bethany (1-5). It was 26-6 at halftime. Ottawa QB Billy Maples threw 3 TD passes and Wynton Ruth rushed for 133 yards and a TD on 19 carries.

Southwestern 36, Saint Mary 20: The visiting team led 30-0 at one point in Saturday night’s game at Leavenworth, Kansas, before the Spires battled back. Erick Covington’s 2-yard TD run got it to 30-20 in the fourth quarter, but Saint Mary (2-4) could draw no closer. Southwestern improved to 5-0.

MidAmerica Nazarene 41, Graceland 21: At Lamoni, Iowa, MNU’s successful afternoon featured a record-setting 92-yard touchdown-pass play from Adrian Parsons to Arlandes Mitchell. The Pioneers improved to 5-1 entering their off-week while Graceland dropped to 3-3.