Northwest Missouri State kicks off their season at Abilene Christian as the Bearcats shoot for their fifth straight Division II national title game appearance in as many years. The season starts with a tough road game on national TV.
The Bearcats beat Abilene Christian last year 45-36 in the quarterfinals making up for their season opening loss from a year ago when NWMS lost 44-27. In that quarterfinal game, Joel Osborn and Blake Bolles combined to throw for 316 yards and score four touchdowns.
This year Bolles returns as well as three All-Americans in running back LaRon Council, defensive linemen Sean Paddock and safety Miles Burnsides, the national defensive player of the year. This team is stacked with 15 seniors have posted a record of 39-5 in the last three seasons.
The 2 nd ranked Bearcats return 11 of their top tacklers from last year’s squad. You can catch the game on the CBS College Sports station.