Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Sophomore running back Phil Jackson II ran for three touchdowns and the Northwest Missouri State defense held Nebraska-Kearney in check in a 31-7 victory Thursday night at Bearcat Stadium in Maryville.
 
This was the season opener for both teams. Northwest, ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division II and coming off a 15-0 national champion season, now leads the all-time series with the Lopers by an 8-3 margin.
 
A crowd of 7,878 watched the Bearcats, now 32-2 at home since 2009, grab a 17-7 lead right before halftime as sophomore kicker Simon Mathiesen booted a 44-yard field goal.
 
The kick capped a nine play, 38-yard drive that featured a 3rd and 4 conversion at mid field. The Bearcats went 10 of 18 on 3rd downs for the game.
 
Jackson, who finished with 56 yards on 12 carries, broke a 7-7 tie when he scored from a yard out at the 5:44 mark of the second quarter. That was his fourth run of a 26-yard drive that was kept alive when junior QB Brady Bolles threw a 13-yard pass to senior receiver Korey Jackson along the sidelines.
 
Bolles, from Lincoln, finished 19 of 30 for 257 yards, one TD and one INT. He also was sacked three times for a loss of seven yards.
 
Northwest finished the scoring when they tallied two TD's in about a minute span midway through the 3rd quarter.
 
A seven play, 74-yard drive ended when Jackson broke several tackles and raced 25 yards for a score. The 'Cats then forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and, three plays later, Jackson scored from two yards out.
 
UNK's best offensive drive came late in the 1st quarter when junior back Romero Cotton (Hutchinson, Kans.) powered the team down the field, having runs of nine, 17 and 36 yards.
 
The 10-play, 78-yard drive ended when junior QB Bronson Marsh (Millard South H.S.) made a couple of slippery moves to reach the end zone from eight yards out on 3rd and goal.
 
Facing the nation's best defense, with All-Americans at several positions, UNK finished with 165 yards on 50 plays. Meanwhile, Northwest had 435 yards while running 30 more plays.
 
Cotton finished with 15 carries for 76 yards with Marsh scrambling 11 times for 48 yards and that one score. He also was 5 of 17 for 27 yards and one INT. Five different Lopers had a reception, including newcomers Allen Sampson (Tampa, Fla.), Kevin Lane (Carson, Calif.) and Kalen Woodyard (Ocala, Fla.).
 
The Loper defense forced four punts, got an INT from redshirt freshman safety George Brown (University City, Mo.) and had 8.0 tackles for loss, including three sacks for a loss of 15 yards.

Dillon Loschen" alt="14105" src="/common/controls/image_handler.aspx?thumb_id=32&image_path=/images/2014/9/4//_43Q8958.jpg" />

 
Sophomore inside backers Tyke Kozeal (16) and Dexter Becker (13) led the way in tackles with junior corner Shai Harris (Glendale, Ariz.) at 10 and junior safety Dillon Loschen (Columbus) making seven.
 
Finally, senior Davis Brendel (Denver, Colo.) averaged 44.4 yards on eight punt attempts and also ran nine yards for a first down on a fake punt. Kozeal also fooled the 'Cats, running six yards for a first down on another fake punt.

For Northwest, besides Bolles and Jackson II, receiver Bryce Young had eight catches for 144 yards, including a 65-yard scoring grab to start the scoring. The NW defense managed 8.0 TFL with seven different players having four or more stops.
 
Next Thursday night, Washburn visits Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field. The high-scoring Ichabods got out to a 24-7 lead at home against Lindenwood but ending up falling, 44-38.