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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Jack Douglas
27
Winner Colorado St.-Pueblo CSUP 7-0 , 5-0
14
Nebraska-Kearney UNK 6-1 , 4-1
Winner
Colorado St.-Pueblo CSUP
7-0 , 5-0
27
Final
14
Nebraska-Kearney UNK
6-1 , 4-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
CSUP Colorado St.-Pueblo 7 3 0 17 27
UNK Nebraska-Kearney 7 0 0 7 14

Game Recap: Football |

Pueblo Scores 17 4th Quarter Points to Beat Football

Kearney, Neb. – The 11th-ranked Colorado State-Pueblo ThunderWolves scored 17 fourth quarter points and forced five turnovers to beat 4th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney, 27-14, Saturday afternoon at a windy Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field.

Pueblo, which restarted its football program in 2008, improves to 7-0 (5-0 RMAC) while the Lopers (6-1, 4-1 RMAC) suffer its first lost of the season.

To beat UNK for the first time in four meetings, Pueblo turned to its Division II leading defense, which came in allowing 11.5 points per game. The T-Wolves held UNK to a season-low 385 yards and picked off four passes in the fourth quarter.  The Lopers came in ranked second nationally in scoring (50.0 ppg) and first in total offense (598.3 ypg).

The final 15 minutes seemingly started well for Kearney as sophomore running back Stephan Rush (Merna) capped a 10 play, 64-yard drive with a one yard scoring plunge with 14:43 left.  For the fifth straight drive, the UNK defense shut down Pueblo's offense, forcing a three out. During these five drives, which started late in the second quarter, the T-Wolves totaled 29 yards.

However, the Loper momentum was short lived as, after an eight yard run by Rush, senior QB Jake Spitzlberger (Lakewood, Colo.) took a shot down field, only to have his pass picked off at the Pueblo 36-yard line by corner Stephen Dickens.

Pueblo's offense then started to move, going 64 yards in five plays to grab the lead for good. A two-yard run by freshman back J.B. Mathews capped things at 10:28. UNK helped out on this drive as they were flagged 15 yards for pass interference and 15 yards for a personal foul.

On its ensuing possession, UNK gained nine yards and was forced to punt on a 4th and 1. Pueblo took over at its own 41-yard line and, on 3rd and 7, got a 27-yard pass play to keep the chains moving. For the game, the teams combined to go 7 of 30 on third down.

Mathews recovered his own fumble two plays later and senior Kyle Major booted a 41-yard field goal to push the lead to six. With just 5:19 left, Spitzlberger completed a 10-yard pass to sophomore receiver Matt Berry (McCook) to start the next Loper drive. However, a tipped ball was caught by senior linebacker Lee Meisner and it was T-Wolves ball again.

Thanks to two penalties, Pueblo was pushed out field goal range and UNK still had a chance to drive the field for the winning touchdown. Taking over at its own 20-yard line with 3:19 left, UNK saw Spitzlberger get picked off for a third time as Dickens stepped in front of a Loper receiver and returned the interception 44 yards for a game winning TD.

UNK moved the ball down the field after the Dickens pick but another tipped ball resulted in an interception by safety Jon Bailey at the Pueblo 21-yard line.

On a day when the defense dominated, both teams ironically scored the first time they touched the ball. Pueblo took the opening kickoff and marched 60 yards in six plays. Junior QB Ross Dausin lofted a 31-yard scoring pass to start the scoring. UNK responded with an 11 play, 58-yard drive that ended when Spitzlberger ran in from nine yards out.

The only other points in the first half came when Major nailed a 22-yard field goal five minutes before the break.  This three pointer came after UNK failed on a 4th and 1 from the Pueblo-27 yard line. Pueblo took over on downs and converted a 4th and 1 from the Loper 44-yard line. Seven plays later, Major made his field goal.

Spitzlberger finished 18 of 39 for 193 yards. He also rushed 16 times for 50 yards and is now tied with Mike Miller ('04) for the UNK all-time lead in rushing TD's (34). Also on the ground, Florida freshman Ricky Trinidad ran 15 times for a game-high 84 yards with senior Riley Newcomer (Morrison, Colo.) having nine totes for 40 yards.

Ten different players caught at least one ball with Hastings junior Adam Lehner having three for 42 yards and Colorado Springs senior Eli Hammond having three grabs for 27 yards.

Pueblo tallied 295 yards of offense with Dausin going 12 of 25 for 135 yards, two INT's and one TD. He also rushed six times for 37 yards.  UNK managed to keep senior running back Jesse Lewis (64 yards) and Mathews (41) pretty much in check although Pueblo ended up with 160 yards rushing (3.7 avg.).

Defensively, sophomore OLB Jack Douglas (Weeping Water) and sophomore ILB Kellen Werner (Grand Island) each made 10 tackles. Werner also had one pick, as did junior safety Sam Kuck (Central City).

UNK is at New Mexico Highlands next week
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