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Northwest Missouri State advances to D-II semifinals with impressive win over Harding

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Photo/NWMS athletics

Photo/NWMS athletics

The Northwest Missouri State University football team held Harding to just 119 yards on the day on the way to a 35-0 win in the Super Region 3 Championship in Maryville.

Top seeded Northwest Missouri will host Ferris State on Saturday, Dec. 10 at Bearcat Stadium in Maryville, Mo. The game will be the ninth home semifinal for the Bearcats and the 11th appearance all-time. Ferris State defeated Grand Valley State, 47-32. It willbe the first all-time meeting between the two programs. Kickoff time for Saturday will be at 2:30 p.m. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN3.com.

NWMSU struck first at the 12:27 mark in the first quarter as Kyle Zimmerman found Jordan Grove for a 58-yard pass and catch to take the early lead. They would then tack on three more at the as Simon Mathiesen connected from 22-yards out.

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Northwest quarterback Zimmerman named Academic All-American of the Year

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Kyle Zimmerman (photo/bearcatsports.com)

Kyle Zimmerman (photo/bearcatsports.com)

Northwest Missouri State University senior quarterback Kyle Zimmerman has been named the 2016 CoSIDA Academic All-America® of the Year for Division II Football. Zimmerman, who earlier on Wednesday was named a Harlon Hill Trophy finalist, was named to the Academic All-America first team.

A Business Management major with a 3.95 GPA, Zimmerman becomes the 10th player in Bearcat football history to earn Academic All-America honors. In all, Northwest football has 15 Academic All-America accolades dating back to 1981. He joins Josh Lamberson (2005), Myles Burnside (2009) and Trevor Adams (2013) to earn the Academic All-America of the Year award, given to the sports’s top academic performer in a given season.

The 2016 MIAA Offensive Player of the Year, Zimmerman has thrown for 3,242 yards on 250 completions this year with an MIAA best 35 passing touchdowns. He has thrown just two interceptions the entire season, leading the nation’s second-highest scoring offense (48.6 ppg) and second most efficient red zone offense (95.3 percent).

Earlier this season, Zimmerman set Northwest single-game records for passing touchdowns (six) and total touchdowns (seven) in a homecoming victory over Pittsburg State University Oct. 29. He has accounted for multiple touchdowns in 11-of-12 games this season.

Zimmerman has been named a finalist for the 2016 Harlon Hill Trophy, given to the Division II College Football Player of the Year. Zimmerman was one of nine student athlete finalists that was announced Wednesday morning by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee

Story courtesy–Northwest Missouri State Athletics

Fast start helps Northwest win 27th straight as D-II title defense begins

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Northwest Missouri makes it 27-straight wins on Saturday (photo/Bearcatsports.com)

Northwest Missouri makes it 27-straight wins on Saturday (photo/Bearcatsports.com)

Northwest Missouri State quickly jumped out to a 17-0 lead over Emporia State in the first quarter on their way to a 44-13 victory in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs on Saturday afternoon in Maryville, Mo.  The Bearcats won their 27th straight and advance to next Saturday’s game against Harding University.

After a three and out to start the game, Northwest got the ball at the 39 and needed just six plays to cover 61 yards. They scored on a 6-yard shuttle pass from Zimmerman to Shane Williams.   The Hornets fumbled the ball on thier next possession and it was recovered by the Bearcats at the 18. Three plays later, a 1-yard run by Zimmerman gave Northwest a 14-0 lead with 6:57 left in the first quarter. The Bearcats tacked on a 38-yard field goal by Simon Mathiesen with 56 seconds left in the first quarter for a commanding 17-0 lead.

A trick play led to a 52-yard touchdown for Emporia State, but Northwest answered in just 1:13 to go 75 yards to increase their lead to 24-6.  With 18 seconds left in the half, Northwest added another touchdown on a 1-yard run by Zimmerman to make it 31-6.

Story courtesy:  Bearcats Athletics

Three Missouri schools make D-II football playoffs

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Northwest Missouri State celebrates their MIAA championship (photo/bearcatsports.com)

Northwest Missouri State celebrates their MIAA championship (photo/bearcatsports.com)

Three Missouri teams made the field for the NCAA Division II National Football Tournament. Games are scheduled to begin on Nov. 19 at campus sites with everything culminating at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City on Dec. 17 with the National Championship Game.

Northwest Missouri earned the top seed in Super Region 3 and will earn a bye and await the winner of a first round game. The Bearcats wrapped up their 28th overall MIAA championship yesterday going 11-0 on the year. They are led by Kyle Zimmerman who is averaging 277 yards per game passing with 34 touchdowns through the air.

Mules Football earned the No. 6 seed in that same Super Region 3 and will play third-seeded Harding next Saturday, Nov. 19 in Searcy, Ark.  The Mules won their final six games of the regular season to finish at 9-2 and earn their first NCAA-II Playoff berth since 2010 and the third in program history.

For the first time in school history the Southwest Baptist University Bearcats had made the field of 28 for the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs. The Bearcats earned the #3 seed in the Super Region 4, and will play host to #6 seed Colorado School of Mines on Saturday, November 19 at 1:00 p.m. from Plaster Stadium.

Download the D-II bracket

Central Missouri hangs with defending champs early, but Northwest Missouri too much…again

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Northwest Missouri State battled Central Missouri at Arrowhead Stadium. A game between two nationally ranked teams (photo/Bearcats Athletics)

Northwest Missouri State battled Central Missouri at Arrowhead Stadium. A game between two nationally ranked teams (photo/Bearcats Athletics)

My take–There are some really good Division II football teams in the state of Missouri…and then there is Northwest Missouri State.  They’re on a different level and after trailing at halftime, it just seems like when the Bearcats need to reach a certain level, they can turn it on and even a talented team like Central Missouri isn’t going to stop them.

Northwest Missouri State defeated Central Missouri, 42-17, on Saturday evening at Arrowhead Stadium in the 2016 Fall Classic.  It marked the 13th time Northwest has played at Arrowhead. The Bearcats are 10-3 all time. It was the first time UCM has played at Arrowhead.

The Bearcats racked up 488 yards of total offense, 204 coming on the ground. UCM gained 285 total yards and were held to 84 on the ground.  Phil Jackson II had 97 yards rushing on 15 carries with two touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 13 yards giving him 110 total yards of offense on the day. Kyle Zimmerman was 24-of-33 with two touchdown passes. He threw for 275 yards and also ran the ball four times for 19 yards.

Northwest has now won 20 consecutive games, the third longest streak in program history.

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Top ranked @NWBearcatsFB win 17th straight, @UCMFootballTeam rolls at home, @LU_Lions linebacker sets tackling record

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WashburnWashburn-7

Northwest MissouriNorthwest Missouri-41

Leading 17-7 at the half, the number one ranked team in the country turned it loose in the third quarter to win their 17th straight game.

Fort Hays StateFort Hays State-17
Central MissouriCentral Missouri-34
Garrett Fugate connected with Jaylen Zachery on two first quarter touchdowns and the UCM defense held Fort Hays State to just over 200 yards of total offense.
LindenwoodLindenwood-31
Northeastern StateNortheastern State-35

Lindenwood linebacker Connor Harris broke the NCAA Division II tackles record, but the Lions lost in the final minute 35-31 to Northeastern State.

Harris, from Lee’s Summit, played HS ball at Blue Springs South, recorded his eighth tackle of the game in the third quarter which gave him 518 for his career, the most for any defender in NCAA Division II history. He finished with four more tackles to give him 522 as he moves closer to the NCAA All-Division record of 550.

College football season opens Thursday night for several Missouri teams including @MoStateFootball and D-II champs @NWBearcatsFB

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Dave Steckel looks to improve off a 1-10 first season.

Dave Steckel looks to improve off a 1-10 first season.

The Missouri State Bears kick off their 105th season of college football and 75th season at Robert W. Plaster Stadium on Thursday (Sept. 1) when they welcome the Southwestern Moundbuilders of the NAIA to Springfield for a 6:04 p.m. non-conference contest. The visitors from Winfield, Kan., are coming off a 3-8 campaign last season.

Missouri State head coach Dave Steckel is in his second season on the sidelines as he brings back 15 starters, 39 lettermen and 57 total returnees. A trio of returning Bears earned Preseason All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors earlier this fall, led by All-America linebacker Dylan Cole, who posted 152 tackles last season — the most by any returning FCS player. Return specialist Deion Holliman was also on the conference’s elite preseason list after he led the nation in total return yards (1,233) in 2015. Sophomore safety Jared Beshore was also recognized on the Valley preseason list after he finished third on the team with 70 tackles as a freshman.

Watch Coach Stec ahead of their season opener (VIDEO/Missouri State Athletics)

There are also six Division II games scheduled for Thursday night.  Preseason 20th ranked Central Missouri has a tough MIAA road test at Pittsburg State and the defending national champs and preseason ranked number one Northwest Missouri State plays at Emporia State.  The Bearcats prepare for their run at a sixth national title.

The MIAA Conference

Central Missouri Pittsburg State 7 p.m. Pittsburg, Kan.
University of Central Oklahoma Lindenwood 7:00 p.m. St. Charles, Mo.
Northwest Missouri State University Emporia State 7:00 p.m. Emporia, KS
Missouri Southern Fort Hays State 7:00 p.m. Hays, Kan.
University of Nebraska at Kearney Missouri Western 7:00 p.m. St. Joseph, Mo.

The Great Lakes Valley Conference

Eastern New Mexico Southwest Baptist 7:00 PM Bolivar, Mo.

Own a piece of Northwest Missouri State football history

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Photo/NW Missouri State athletics

Photo/NW Missouri State athletics

Northwest Missouri State University football fans will be able to purchase their own piece of Bearcat Stadium turf this summer. The Department of Athletics will be selling 3×3 and 6×6 pieces of the recently removed turf that saw Northwest go 42-4 overall in nine seasons.

Fans can purchase an approximate 3×3 foot piece for $25 or an approximate 6×6 foot piece for $100. These pieces are sold as-is and are on a first-come, first serve basis. There will be no pre-sale for these pieces and only cash or checks made out to the Northwest Foundation will be accepted. Fans must purchase and pick up their piece of the turf at Bearcat Stadum as items will not be available for shipping. A 3×3 piece of the turf weighs approximately 4 lbs. and a 6×6 piece weights 16 lbs.

On Sale Hours
Wednesday, July 27 – 1-5 p.m.
Thursday, July 28 – 1-5 p.m.
Friday, July 29 – 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

The center paw at the 50 yard line has been preserved as whole and will be auctioned off. Details and the date of the auction will be announced at a later time.

Bearcat Stadium will remain closed for the duration of the field installation, including the Herschel Neil Track.

Defending Nat’l Champs, Northwest Missouri will face Central Missouri at Arrowhead in October

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UCM and NW meet for the first time at Arrowhead this October. (photo/Andrew Mather, matherphotos.com)

UCM and NW meet for the first time at Arrowhead this October. (photo/Andrew Mather, matherphotos.com)

Northwest Missouri State and Central Missouri will play their Saturday, Oct. 1, football game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.  The Bearcats have not played at Arrowhead since the 2013 season, and it will be the first appearance for Central Missouri. Game time has been set for 5 p.m. to coordinate with the Kansas City Royals home game scheduled for that afternoon at 3:15 p.m.

“I want to thank our University leadership and the Kansas City Chiefs for their hard work to provide our football program with this opportunity,” head football coach Adam Dorrel said. “So many things go into this process, and the result is an incredible showcase for our fans and supporters in one of the top outdoor football venues in the United States. Kansas City has always been such a great base for our program, and our track record of success and record-setting crowds speak for themselves. It’s the area of our largest alumni base and as we saw during last year’s national championship game, Bearcat Nation out in full force is an amazing sight.”

“”We are very excited about the opportunity to play the defending national champions in Arrowhead Stadium, one of the best venues in the NFL,” head coach Jim Svoboda said. “With both schools having a large alumni presence in the Kansas City area we hope to attract a great crowd to showcase the tremendous athletes in Division II and the MIAA. I’d like to thank Mel Tjeerdsma and the Chiefs for making this event happen.”

Arrowhead Stadium played host to 12 annual meetings between the Bearcats and the Pittsburg State Gorillas. Northwest is 9-3 all time at Arrowhead.

Tjeerdsma nominated for College Football Hall of Fame

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Mel Tjeerdsma, hall of fame coach, will now oversee NW Missouri State's athletic department. (Darren Whitley, NWMS)

Mel Tjeerdsma, hall of fame coach, oversees NW Missouri State’s athletic department. (Darren Whitley, NWMS)

Former Northwest Missouri State University head football coach and current Director of Athletics Mel Tjeerdsma has been nomintated for the 2017 College Football Hall of Fame. The National Football Foundation (NFF) and the College Football Hall of Fame released the 2017 ballot which includes 75 players and six coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 95 players and 29 coaches from the divisional ranks.

Also included is Tony Miles,  a two-time First Team All-American, who led Bearcats to back-to-back Division II National Championships (1998-99) and four-consecutive MIAA titles. He set conference and school records for career receiving yards (3,890), receptions (235) and TDs (37).

Tjeerdsma, who coached at Austin College (Texas) from 1984-93 and at Northwest from 1994-2010, led the Bearcats to seven Division II national championship games, winning in 1998, 1999, 2009. He was a four-time AFCA Coach of the Year who boasts most wins (183) in Northwest history. He led teams to 15 MIAA conference titles and 15 playoff appearances.