Sometimes it’s how you start rather than how you finish. The Tigers were out scored in the first half by the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats (3-0, 2-0 MIAA) 42-7 and that led to a 49-14 defeat, the third straight loss of the season.
Fort Hays State (0-3, 0-3 MIAA), held the Bearcats out of the end zone on their first possession, but then Northwest scored on five straight possessions, three of those coming on the ground by Billy Creason.
“There’s a reason their number three in the country, they do things very well on offense,” said head coach Chris Brown.
Down 14-0 however, the Tigers had a perfect opportunity to come within one touchdown as sophomore quarterback Treveon Albert hooked up with senior Tanner Hageman for a big 40 yard strike. Unfortunately, Hageman was drug to the turf by his his facemask with no flag thrown and lost the ball. Northwest recovered and turned the fumble into points making it 21-0.
“His head got turned and the kid punched it out underneath,” said Brown.
The Tigers had two more fumbles, and a blocked field goal, leading to the flawless play of the Bearcats churning out 519 yards of total offense in the first half.
“If you give a very good team a short field, they’re going to score points,” said Brown.
The Bearcats rattled off 28 unanswered points, two of the scores coming off big pass plays to Bryce Young and Ruben Thomas.
“It’s a discipline thing, we’ve got to know our assignments and hopefully we don’t give up those big plays,” linebacker Shane Smith said.
Albert who finished 14 for 22 and 158 yards through the air and adding 38 on the ground led the Tigers to their best offensive production of the year.
“He did a great job, he came out and led his team which is what he’s supposed to do,” said senior running back Andre Smith.
Smith found success on the ground, as the Tigers had their first 100 yard rushing game as a team, and Smith had his first 100 yard rushing game for the first time since missing most of last season with an injury.
“Gotta give it up to the linemen, without them, the 100 yards does not come,” Smith said.
Both of the Tigers touchdowns came on the ground as running back senior Ed Smith got his first touchdown of the year and Albert rushed for the other.
“If we play within our system we do pretty well,” Brown said.
Both teams would split quarterbacks, but it was expected that Trevor Adam and Brady Bolles would split snaps as they had done all year.
Splitting quarterbacks was not expected for the Tigers as Albert left mid-way through the third with cramps and would not return. Sophomore Edin Kovac, who saw time against Washburn last week came in and finished 2 of 5 for five yards.
“Treveon will be back, when you have a tough hard fought game you’re going to get cramps,” Brown said.
The Tigers will have another top 10 team up next on their slate as they head to St. Joseph, Missouri to tango with the 3-0,3-0 MIAA Missouri Western Griffons, last year’s MIAA Champions. Kickoff set for 6 p.m.