Box
Score
Joplin, Mo.. - The Missouri Southern football team had its
highest point output of the season and Collin Howard threw for
three touchdowns, but the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks had a school
record 44 rushing attempts from true freshman Levi Terrell in his
first collegiate game and the Mavs defeated the Lions 44-36 in
front of a Homecoming crowd of 6,127 fans at Fred G. Hughes
Stadium.
Southern (1-3, 1-2 MIAA) was led offensively from Johnny Johnson
as the senior had 117 yards on seven carries and a touchdown
Johnson also picked up a receiving touchdown, as well. Howard went
12-31 for three touchdowns and Landon Zerkel caught three passes
for 65 yards and a score. Daniel Thompson had two catches for 47
yards and a score, while Toderick Hunt had 55 yards on 11 carries.
UNO (3-2, 2-1 MIAA) scored on its first play from scrimmage with
a 41 yard pass from Greg Wunderlich to Brian Miller. The Mavs
scored again midway through the first quarter as Wunderlich hooked
up with Brett Bohuslavsky for a five yard score.
The Lions wouldn't wait very long for their first score as
Johnson scored his first touchdown on the very next drive, a five
yard pass from Howard. That play capped off a six play, 73 yard
drive that took 1:23 off the clock. The Lions would then capitalize
on poor special teams from the Mavs as a pooch kick from Andrew
Gassen went un-touched and the Lions recovered on the UNO 33 yard
line. Johnson then took over and ran 42 yards on the second play of
the drive to tie the game at 14.
Omaha would convert a 25 yard field goal from Greg Zuerlein late
in the first and another field goal from Zuerlein, this time 42
yards, just nine seconds into the second quarter gave the Mavs a
six point lead.
The Lions added a touchdown from Howard to Zerkel on the very
next drive to go ahead momentarily 21-20, but another
Zuerlein field goal, this time 23 yards, gave the Mavs a 23-21
halftime lead.
The two teams traded scores in the third quarter as the Lions
got a 30 yard touchdown catch from Daniel Thompson, but two scores
in the fourth from UNO put the game out of reach.
A late fumble recovery and touchdown scamper from the Lions'
Antoine Brown made the final score 44-36.
Southern was out-gained 570-370. It was the first time the Lions
had given up 500 yards since Southern gave up 592 in last season's
finale against Northwest Missouri. The Lions came into the game
averaging over 33 minutes a game in time of possession, but
Southern could only hold the ball for just under 19 minutes today.
The Lions defense forced two turnovers today as Terrance Scott
picked up an interception and Dusty Bratzler forced a fumble that
led to a 54 yard return for a touchdown from Brown. Richard
Williams led the Lions with a career high 16 tackles, including one
quarterback hurry. Charles Johnson and David Benham had 11 and 10
tackles, respectively, while Rudy Mascaro had nine stops. Bratzler
also added a sack to go with his forced fumble.
Southern will be back in action next week as the Lions play host
to 23rd ranked Pittsburg State in the Sonic Miners Bowl at 2 pm in
Hughes Stadium.
