This week, the MIAA will have the focus of the NCAA Division II football world with two of the three games between AFCA Top 25 opponents occurring in the conference this Saturday.
For the second time in as many seasons, the eighth-ranked Northwest Missouri State Bearcats (3-1, 2-0 MIAA) visit Nebraska-Omaha (3-0, 2-0 MIAA) to face the fifth-ranked Mavericks — only this time the game has MIAA implications.
These teams have been no stranger to each other over the years preceding UNO’s entry into the conference. The Mavs and Bearcats have met nine times in the previous 12 seasons — with Northwest holding a 5-4 edge in those contests.
This year’s meeting, moved to a 1:30 p.m. start to avoid a conflict with the Nebraska/Virginia Tech game, has the top two scoring teams in the MIAA butting heads. Northwest has averaged 45.2 points in its four games, while Nebraska-Omaha sports a scoring average of 43.3 ppg.
The Mavericks boast the league’s top rushing offense (283.0 ypg) while the Bearcats pace the MIAA in passing offense (307.2 ypg). Northwest (500.5 ypg) and UNO (481.0 ypg) are 1-2 in MIAA total offense.
The other game with national as well as conference significance has seventh-ranked Pittsburg State (4-0, 2-0 MIAA) hosting No. 19 Central Missouri (4-0, 2-0 MIAA) in a battle of undefeated squads.
Both squads are coming off of shoot-out wins last week. The Gorillas hung on to defeat Missouri Western (1-3, 0-2 MIAA), 46-40, avoiding a last-second loss to the Griffons for the second time in as many seasons as Western misfired on three tries from the PSU 2-yard line in the final 10 seconds.
The Mules needed to touchdowns by junior WR/RB Bobby Guillory in the fourth quarter to hold off a late charge by then-No. 25 Washburn (2-2, 0-2 MIAA) and collect a 43-34 win.
Central Missouri’s league-best rushing defense (88.8 yapg) will get a test as the MIAA’s No. 2 rushing offense (217.5 ypg) of PSU is coming off a 351-yard performance last week at Western.
Ironically, Washburn and Western will do battle in Topeka this week while Pitt State and UCM face off.
The Ichabods are trying to regroup with back-to-back losses coming on the heels of their big win at Division I-FCS Missouri State to end non-conference play.
The Griffons are trying to escape a deeper hole. Western has dropped three in a row — all against nationally-ranked opponents — since opening the year with a road win over Northern (S.D.) State. MWSU has allowed 45 points per game in the losing skid.
Emporia State (3-1, 1-1 MIAA) will host Missouri Southern (2-2, 0-2 MIAA) as the Hornets play their fourth home game in five outings this season.
ESU was out to a quick start against Fort Hays State (2-2, 1-1 MIAA) last week, scoring on each of its first three possessions (a field goal and two touchdowns) before junior QB Andre Sloan El left with an ankle injury. The defense responded by holding the Tigers to a field goal from that point forward in a 24-13 win.
Missouri Southern is seeking its first MIAA win after losses to both PSU and UNO to open league play. The Lions were only able to log 215 yards of offense against the Mavs last week, but did close the gap on UNO to nine points in the third quarter.
The longest road trip of the season is on tap for the Truman Bulldogs (1-2, 0-2 MIAA), as they head west to face FHSU as the Tigers are the first to play a Homecoming game in the conference for 2008.
The defense has been the key for Fort Hays State in the early stages of league play, as the team has allowed only 31 points in its first two MIAA contests. The offense has only averaged 217.5 yards in that stretch, scoring 30 points in the two games.
Truman is coming off its worst offense performance since Shannon Currier became head coach of the Bulldogs, as the squad could only muster 143 yards against Northwest. The running game has averaged only 51.7 yards per game (10th in the MIAA) so far in 2008, putting plenty of pressure on the Bulldogs’ passing attack.
