Box Score Kearney, Neb. - The 13th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney football team scored touchdowns the first six times it touched the ball in a 65-10 dismantling of Northeastern State Saturday afternoon at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field. 

Both schools will join the MIAA (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association) in July 2012. This was the first time the Lopers (2-0) played the RiverHawks (1-1) in football since 1980.

This marks UNK's first 2-0 start since 2002, a year Kearney made the playoffs.

NSU, which won the 2010 North Division title of the well regarded Lone Star Conference, was down 28-0 after the first quarter and 51-0 at the half. Just before the break, senior corner Arthur Hobbs (San Diego, Calif.) returned a pick 98 yards for a score. Later in the third quarter, he brought back another INT 90 yards for a score.

Hobbs finished with three INT's for 214 return yards (a new Division II record), seven tackles, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery. He also limited NSU receiver Trey McMay to 54 yards on four catches.

Offensively, the lightening-quick Lopers first six drives went 72, 82, 80, 60, 84 and 51 yards. Each drive lasted under three minutes with four running less than two minutes.

After having 700 yards in a 41-20 win at Wayne State, UNK totaled 624 yards today, 459 of that in the first half.

Since 1980, the 65 points is tied for the fourth most in game. The record for points by a Loper team came in 1914 vs. Nebraska Central (88) while the '99 squad tallied 79 in a win over Ft. Lewis. There is no official record for points in the first half.

Senior QB Jake Sptizlberger (Lakewood, Colo.) played just into the second quarter Saturday and was 14 of 22 for 242 yards and three TD's while also rushing for 52 yards and a score.

Next, senior RB Rustin Dring (Kearney) had 11 carries for 59 yards and one TD and also had team-highs in catches (four) and receiving yards (92).

On the third play of the game, he took a shovel pass from Spitzlberger and went 67 yards for a score to start the onslaught.

A 46-yard pitch and catch to junior Adam Lehner (Hastings) set up the Lopers second TD, a 20-yard Spitzlberger strike to fellow Bear Creek High alum Tommy Flanagan (Lakewood, Colo.).

A 46-yard gallop by senior back Riley Newcomer (Morrison, Colo.), another Bear Creek product, highlighted the third drive. That ended when Lehner caught his first scoring pass, from three yards out, as a Loper.

The score reached 42-0 after Dring ran in from six yards out, Spitzlberger scored on a five yard run and sophomore receiver Matt Berry (McCook) scored on a 36-yard reverse.

Besides Hobbs' first INT return, Northeastern had a bad snap on a punt that resulted in a safety and a 51-point first half.

UNK's lone offensive TD in the second half came when sophomore back Shad Bride (St. Johns, Ariz.) finished off a 14 play, 91-yard drive with a 16-yard scamper in the fourth.

Early in the second, NSU was at the Loper 43-yard line when Kenny Davis (17 of 28 for 223 yards) threw a pass to the goal line where Hobbs picked it off and brought it back 26 yards. His second INT came with NSU facing a 2nd and 6 from the eight.

Davis threw a pass to the left flat where Hobbs caught it and raced down the sidelines for a score. In the third, the RiverHawks were facing 3rd and 2 from the UNK 17. This time, Davis threw to the right side where Hobbs caught it at the ten yard line and raced the other way for a score.

Jim Zikmund (1970 vs. E. Montana), Al Sheffield (1972 vs. Peru State) and Nate Neuhaus (1997 vs. Wayne State) share the Loper record for INT's in a game at four.

Three years ago, safety Jake Mandelko had 115 INT return yards vs. Mesa State and, in 2007, corner Mike Neal had 120 INT return yards at Western New Mexico. Both of those players had two TD INT returns in those wins.

Northeastern finished with 439 yards of offense, most of that coming after the break. They carried the ball 42 times for 146 yards while passing for 293 yards and a score.

Besides Hobbs, Scottsbluff junior safety Trey Wilberger, Grand Island sophomore backer Kellen Werner and Axtell junior back Justin Swedburg made seven tackles as well.

UNK plays at Colorado Mesa (previously known as Mesa State) next Saturday in Grand Junction, Colo.