Kearney, Neb. - The 14th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney football team got out to a 28-0 lead and then hung for a 35-21 win at rival Chadron State Saturday afternoon.

The Lopers (5-1, 4-0 RMAC) picked off five Eagle passes, the last one by sophomore safety Sam Kuck (Central City), who returned it 38 yards for a TD with one minute remaining in the game.

UNK wins at Elliott Field for the third time since 2002 and now leads the series 23-10-1. The two teams will meet in Kearney next year and then the series might be put on hold.

The Eagles (3-3, 2-2 RMAC) tallied three TD's in the first five minutes of the 4th quarter to erase UNK's large lead. A 71-yard, six play drive ended when redshirt freshman QB Jonn McLain (24 of 42 for 231 yards, two TD's, three INT's) threw a 22-yard scoring pass to Jared Hanson at the 12:37 mark.

Chadron then forced a thee and out with defensive linemen Corey Beran blocking the ensuing Loper punt and returning it four yards for a quick score. After forcing another three and out, the Eagles got the ball back at the UNK 39 yard line.

McLain found Travis Reeves down the left side line for Chadron's final score of the game, coming at 7:37.  Of note, the Lopers picked up two first downs on those three and out drives but, on 3rd down each time, holding penalties wiped out the gains.

Chadron stopped the Lopers once again but, with about 6:40 left, punt returner/cornerback Trelan Taylor muffed a punt at midfield and true freshman ILB Kellen Werner (Grand Island) pounced on the loose ball.

In the first half, Taylor muffed another punt that led to Lopers second score.

While Werner's recovering didn't lead to any points, UNK did pick up a key first down and ran some clock. The Eagles did get the ball back, at its own 24-yard line, with 4:29 left but sophomore ILB Ethan Kuhlmann (Athol, Kans.) changed the momentum with a sack for a loss of eight yards.

Kuck then caught a tipped pass at the Eagle-46 yard line for his first pick of the game. After three Loper plays netted seven yards, Chadron got one more chance to tie things up. However, a sack by Werner made it 3rd and 7 from the Eagle 32-yard line with just over a minute left.

That's when Kuck reached around a CSC receiver and ran the ball all way into the end zone.

UNK dominated the first two quarters with junior RB Rustin Dring (Kearney) returning to the lineup to rush for 198 yards and two TD's on 32 carries. His scoring runs covered 22 and 57 yards.

Dring has rushed for at least 100 yards in his last three starts and is now tied for sixth (21) on the UNK career rushing TD list. 

Junior QB Jake Spitzlberger (Lakewood, Colo.) was 10 of 21 for 135 yards, two TD's and two INT's. He threw a 4-yard scoring pass to senior Brendan Liess (McCook) to start the day's scoring and then tossed a 53-yard TD strike to junior Eli Hammond (Colo. Springs), on 2nd and 28, to start the 2nd quarter.

Chadron, who also used senior QB Garrett Treffer (7 of 11 for 85 yards and two INT's), rushed 19 times for just one yard. That is the fewest the Eagles have ever rushed for against the Lopers, who registered four sacks for a loss of 39 yards.

Defensively, sophomore safety Pete Kropp (Grand Island) had eight tackles and an INT while sophomore ILB Justin Swedburg (Axtell) had eight stops as well. Finally, junior corner Arthur Hobbs (San Diego, Calif.) had five solo tackles, three pass breakup and brought back an INT 28 yards in the 1st half.

The Lopers play at No. 25 Colorado State-Pueblo next Saturday. The ThunderWolves lost 19-16 at Colorado Mines on Saturday.