MSSU football falls to Kearney State 16-13

(From Missouri Southern Athletics)

KEARNEY, Neb. - Allen Mitchell rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown as Missouri Southern football (1-6, 0-5 MIAA) fell to Nebraska Kearney (1-6, 1-4 MIAA) 16-13 Saturday afternoon at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium.

MSSU is 1-6 overall and 0-5 in MIAA conference play. The Lopers are now 1-6 overall and 1-4 in conference play.

Asher Huffman converted both of his field-goal attempts, including a 41-yarder, and made his lone PAT.

Briar McIntire recorded a team-high 11 tackles with a tackle for loss.

Isaiah Green caught four passes for 54 yards.

The Lions were held scoreless in the first quarter and trailed 7-0 after Nebraska Kearney finished a 63-yard drive with a 1-yard rushing touchdown and extra point at 7:11.

Earlier, Tillman Martin completed passes to Isaiah Padello on Missouri Southern's first two possessions, but his third-down pass was intercepted at 14:06, giving UNK the ball at the MSSU 33 before the Lions defense forced a punt.

Mitchell produced Southern's lone first down of the opening quarter with a 9-yard run on the next possession after the touchdown, but the drive stalled following a loss and a sack.

Defensively, MSSU also forced a late Lopers punt after McIntire stopped a short pass for a 2-yard loss, while the Lions' offense finished the quarter with one first down, 26 total yards and an 0-for-4 mark on third down.

Missouri Southern closed the second quarter with a 75-yard touchdown drive, using Martin's 40-yard completion to Green on third-and-8 and runs of 9 and 8 yards by Narkel LeFlore before Mitchell scored from 4 yards out with 27 seconds left.

Earlier, Mitchell Cory's 58-yard punt pinned UNK at its 12, and MSSU forced a punt after allowing one 5-yard completion and a 2-yard gain on third-and-10.

The next Southern possession reached the Lopers 35 behind Martin's 9-yard third-down run, but a third-down interception gave Nebraska Kearney the ball at its 41 after Michael Washington forced a fumble on the return that UNK recovered. The Lopers turned that possession into a 13-play, 59-yard touchdown drive, but the Lions answered with their late score and finished the quarter trailing 14-7.

MSSU's biggest third-quarter push was a 77-yard drive built on Mitchell runs of 41 and 34 yards, and Huffman finished it with an 18-yard field goal at 2:02 that made the score 14-10.

Earlier, Southern stopped UNK's opening drive at the MSSU 33 and took over at its 28 after a punt and personal foul, then picked up a first down on consecutive LeFlore runs before punting. 

The MSSU defense forced another Lopers punt midway through the quarter, helping set up the later scoring march from the MSSU 22. Nebraska Kearney kept the ball for the final 2:02 and reached its 40 before time expired, leaving Missouri Southern down 14-10 entering the fourth quarter.

UNK's safety with 2:41 left was the late sequence Missouri Southern could not answer, as Martin was sacked in the end zone and the scoreboard moved to 16-13.

Earlier, Southern's defense held the Lopers to one rushing yard and 0-for-4 on third down in the quarter, including an eight-yard shared sack by Gavin Walker and Kason Messenger and a turnover on downs that gave the offense the ball at the UNK 41 with 10:11 remaining.

The Lions turned that field position into points behind LeFlore's 15-yard run and Huffman's 41-yard field goal at 7:18, leaving MSSU down 14-13.

The MSSU defense forced another punt after Nebraska Kearney reached fourth-and-1 at its 46, but the ensuing Missouri Southern drive began at the 3 and ended with the safety. After one more defensive stop, Martin completed a 14-yard pass to Green and a pass-interference penalty gave Southern a first down, but the final possession ended on a fourth-down sack as UNK closed out the 16-13 win.

MSSU rushed for 149 yards and held UNK to 186 total yards but finished 2 of 15 on third down conversion and threw two interceptions.

Martin was 9-for-25 for 67 yards with two interceptions.

LeFlore carried the rock 11 times for 59 yards.

Riley Hammons added seven total tackles while Noah Conner and Peyton McKee each notched five tackles.

The Lions next face Missouri Western on Oct. 24. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m., CT in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Fall MSSU Athletic tickets are currently on sale online. Fans can also purchase an MIAA Network subscription to support Missouri Southern Athletics and catch all the Lions action this 2026-27 season.