By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
Down 21-0 at halftime, Fort Hays State was unstoppable in the second half scoring touchdowns on six consecutive drives to race back and clip No. 12/15 ranked Nebraska-Kearney 42-35 at Lewis Field Stadium on Saturday night (Oct. 2). The Tigers knocked the Lopers from the list of unbeaten teams in NCAA Division II and ran their win streak in the series to nine straight games. FHSU is now 3-2, while UNK moved to 4-1.
UNK steadily built a three-touchdown lead, scoring on their second, third, and fourth drives of the game, seeing their lead reach 21-0 at the 7:16 mark of the second quarter. As dominant as the Tigers were on offense in the second half, they struggled to get past UNK’s 40 yardline all the way up until their final drive of the first half. A fast drive down the field that started at the FHSU 20 with 1:25 remaining almost resulted in a touchdown, but Hunter Budke was stopped a yard shy of the goal line as time expired in the half. The momentum gained on that drive carried over to the second half.
Out of the locker room, the fireworks began when Chance Fuller hit Alex Schremmer for a big 36-yard gain. A 13-yard pass to Manny Ramsey and then a 29-yard touchdown pass to Budke put the first dent in the Loper defense. However, UNK responded with a quick touchdown drive with gains of 28, 18, and 16 yards, pushing its lead back to 21.
The Tigers fired back as Fuller found Ramsey for a 21-yard gain to start the next drive. Fuller then picked up 28 yards on the ground over the next two plays. A few plays later, Fuller found Schremmer for a 17-yard touchdown pass, moving the Loper lead back to 14. Once again, the Lopers responded, marching down the field 79 yards over six plays to push their lead right back to 21 with 2:54 to go in the third quarter.
The Tigers did not relent and Adrian Soto was the spark to start the next scoring drive. He took the kickoff 47 yards to the UNK 37 yard line. Keylan Chapman tore off a 24-yard rush to get the Tigers inside the 10, and then Fuller capped a quick 3-play drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Ramsey. UNK led 35-21 with 1:37 to go in the third.
The Tiger defense finally came up with the stop it needed just before the end of the fourth quarter, forcing a three-and-out of the UNK offense. A punt returned by Schremmer ended the quarter as the Tigers started their next drive at their own 46. On 3rd-and-12, Fuller found Soto for a 25-yard pass and a roughing the passer penalty tacked on 15 more yards putting the ball at the UNK 16. Voshon Waiters then entered to throw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Budke. The lead was down to just seven and Lewis Field was really starting to rock.
The Lopers were able to get a bit of traction on their next drive, but stalled out just past midfield. The Tigers got the ball back at their own 14, looking to tie the game. Soto was the spark early in the drive once again, tearing off a 14-yard run and then catching a Fuller pass for 40 yards down to the UNK 32. The Tigers kept coming. Fuller hit Schremmer for a 22-yard pass, he scrambled for a nine-yard run almost getting in the endzone, and then Chapman punched the ball in from a yard out to tie the game, 35-35.
There was no “Last Minute Lopers” magic in this game after UNK had won its two previous games on final drives resulting in touchdowns inside a minute remaining to get past Washburn and Central Missouri. The Tigers kiboshed any hope of that by stopping UNK at its own 29 on a sack by Jhimon Preston on 3rd-and-6. They punted the ball away, setting up the stage for the Tigers’ final run at glory on Homecoming night.
The Tigers did not disappoint, starting at their own 33. Fuller found Schremmer for 14 yards to get the wheels turning. On 3rd-and-3, Soto broke off a 14-yard run for a big first down. Then Keylan Chapman almost all but delivered the knock out blow with a 31-yard run down to the UNK 1. But he came back on the next play to deliver the final blow, driving his legs into the endzone for a touchdown with 1:07 to play.
UNK picked up one first down on their ensuing drive, but then quarterback TJ Davis was intercepted by Devin White at the FHSU 40. It was Fort Hays State’s first interception of the season, and it put the final stamp on a comeback for the ages.
Fuller finished the game 22-of-36 for 345 yards and three touchdowns. Schremmer led Tiger receivers in yards with 98 on five catches. Soto finished with 87 receiving yards to go with his team-leading 98 rushing yards. Ramsey and Budke each had 82 receiving yards. Preston, who came up with the sack that sent Lewis Field Stadium’s 6,743 fans into a raucous frenzy, led the Tiger defense with 11 tackles. Soto continues to be Fort Hays State’s do it all guy with the ball as he added 124 kick return yards to his rushing and receiving totals and finished the game with 307 all-purpose yards.
UNK quarterback TJ Davis was impressive throughout the night, completing 12-of-15 passes for 202 yards and he rushed for 96. Montrez Jackson led the Lopers’ ground attack with 102 rushing yards. UNK finished with 274 rushing yards as a team. The Lopers gained 476 total yards as a team, but the Tigers were a bit better in that category finishing with 567. UNK entered the game allowing just 17 second half points for the season through four games and FHSU posted over double that amount in the amazing comeback.
Fort Hays State heads on the road for a key game at Washburn next week in Topeka. Both teams will enter the game 3-2 overall. Kickoff is set for 1 pm at Yager Stadium.