Kearney, Neb. - The 19th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney football team ran for 254 yards and used two late interceptions to edge Western State, 13-6, Saturday afternoon in Gunnison, Colo.

The Lopers (3-1, 2-0 RMAC) win a 12th straight league game, dating back to November 2008, and beat the Mountaineers (0-4, 0-2 RMAC) for a seventh straight time.

UNK, playing its lowest scoring game since a 12-0 win at Chadron State in 2002, had two chances to increase its seven-point lead in the 4th quarter. A 14-play, 74-yard Loper drive ended at the Mountaineer eight when Western tipped a third down pass from junior quarterback Jake Spitzlberger (Lakewood, Colo.), intercepted the ball and returned it 33 yards to its own 41-yard line.

But reserve safety Jack Douglas (Weeping Water) picked off Mountaineer junior QB Miles Gorham four plays later, at the UNK 29-yard line, to seemingly secure the win. After UNK put together a 56-yard drive, Western saw Loper freshman kicker Michael Gruber (San Diego, Calf.) miss a 33-yard field goal with 3:31 remaining.

The Mountaineers' last gasp drive went 34 yards before sophomore safety Pete Kropp (Grand Island) picked off Gorham at the Loper 29-yard line and allowed the offense to get into victory formation.

UNK broke a 6-6 tie in the third with an 11-play, 91-yard drive that featured eight runs for positive yards. Junior Riley Newcomer (Morrison, Colo.) capped things with a scoring run of five yards.

Not only was it Western's 2010 home opener today but it also was Homecoming for the Mountaineers. Additionally, former UNK defensive coordinator Pat Stewart is in his fifth year as Western's head coach.

The Lopers overcame what was an energized Mountaineer team by having a productive first drive. Senior Kyle Kaiser (Brooomfield, Colo.) opened the game with a 49-yard kickoff return that put the ball at midfield. UNK then drove 31 yards to set up Gruber for a field goal try. However, head coach Darrell Morris went to his bag of tricks as he called a fake field goal, which resulted in a 24-yard TD run for Gruber.

Two years ago in Gunnison, kicker/punter Geoff Carnahan completed a pass on a fake punt play and also ran for a first down on a fake field goal.

However, UNK was forced to punt on its next eight possessions. Gorham deserved some of the credit as he averaged 40.6 yards on nine punts, pinning the Lopers inside its own 20-yard line five times. The Western offense wasn't having a lot of success either. They put together drives of 84 yards (13 plays) and 27 yards (seven plays) in the first half but both resulted in field goals.

In the second half the Mountaineers punted on its first four possessions. On the day Western had 294 yards of offense, most of that coming from the arm of Gorham (21 of 40 for 225 yards, two INT's).

Gorham and two running backs rushed for just 69 yards on 28 carries. UNK senior defensive end Mason Brodine (Elm Creek) sacked Gorham three times, for a loss of 10 yards, to not only limit the Mountaineer ground game but also put his name into the record books. Brodine now has 21.0 career sacks, just ½ sack more then previous UNK record holder Brad Kjar (1997-00). Note defensive statistics have been kept at UNK since 1990.

Minus starting running back Rustin Dring (Kearney) and senior receiver Brendan Liess (McCook) due to injuries, the Loper offensive got going late. Sophomore running back Ryan Skogg (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) carried the ball 10 times for 93 yards while Newcomer had 14 carries for 72 yards. Finally Spitzlberger had 13 rushes for 61 yards, including a long run of 41 yards, and threw for 112 yards on nine completions. Kaiser had four of those receptions for 56 yards. 

Besides Brodine, the Loper defense also got 10 tackles from senior OLB Jay Kropp (Grand Island) and nine tackles from sophomore ILB Ethan Kuhlmann (Athol, Kan.).

UNK hosts Adams State next Saturday.