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MARYVILLE, Mo. — Northwest Missouri State running back LaRon Council scored four touchdowns to lead the second-ranked Bearcats to a 35-10 win against 18th-ranked Abilene Christian in a second-round NCAA playoff game Saturday at Bearcat Stadium.
It’s the second year in a row that Northwest has avenged a season-opening loss against Abilene Christian by beating the Wildcats in the postseason. It was also a bittersweet win for the Bearcat seniors, who improved to 27-1 at Bearcat Stadium. The lone loss was to the Wildcats last season.
“I’m thrilled with the win,” Northwest Missouri State coach Mel Tjeerdsma said. “We really put a lot of preparation in this thing and we knew that ACU was so good on defense. If we wouldn’t have turned the ball over and made so many mistakes offensively we probably could have scored a few more points.
Council capped the opening drive of the game with an 8-yard touchdown run. He had three rushing scores on the day and hauled in a 23-yard touchdown pass from Blake Bolles in the fourth quarter. Council carried 17 times for 87 yards.
The Wildcats answered with a 29-yard field goal by Morgan Lineberry on their first possession and had third-and-goal from the 1 on their second. Quarterback Mitchell Gale tried to extend the football across the goal line on a sneak, but Northwest linebacker Willie Horn knocked the ball loose and the Bearcats recovered.
Northwest seized the momentum from that play and never gave it back. Two series later, Bolles broke a career-long 71-yard touchdown run that gave the Bearcats a 14-3 lead, which they took into halftime.
“Oh that was huge. That’s a 14-point swing really,” Tjeerdsma said. “We didn’t score on that possession but we got it back and that was when Bolles hit the long run the next possession after that so that was a huge momentum change. Even if we hadn’t of scored just to stop them there gave our defense so much momentum and it really took a lot away from them.”
Wildcat running back Reggie Brown fumbled on the opening carry of the third quarter and Northwest recovered. Council scored from 1-yard out three plays later and the lead was 21-3. It was 35-3 before Abilene Christian tacked on a late score.
Abilene Christian entered Saturday’s game with the top run defense in the nation, but surrendered a season-high 168 yards to Northwest. It also allowed a season high for points. Northwest outgained Abilene Christian 397-288.
Both teams combined for seven turnovers. The Bearcats sacked Gale six times and recovered three Wildcat fumbles. Bolles threw a career-high three interceptions and lost another possession on a fumbled snap from center. He finished 15-of-20 for 229 yards and a touchdown in his first postseason start.
Northwest wide out Jake Soy caught seven passes for 141 yards – his seventh 100-yard effort this season. Edmund Gates caught eight passes for 102 yards for Abilene Christian.
Abilene Christian.................3 0 0 7—10
NW Missouri State.................7 7 14 7—35
N: Council 8 yd run (Adolf kick)
A: FG 29 Lineberry
N: Bolles 71 yd run (Adolf kick)
N: Council 1 yd run (Adolf kick)
N: Council 1 yd run (Adolf kick)
N: Council 23 yd pass from Bolles (Adolf kick)
A: Richardson 1 yd run (Lineberry kick)
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