Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney football team will play its final home game of the 2015 season this Saturday, November 7th, when Missouri Western State comes to town.

The game, featuring "Super Hero" Day, kicks off at 1:00 p.m. from Foster Field at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium. Check the Loper schedule page for ticket and media links.

UNK (0-9) and MWSU (4-5) better get used to each other as they'll kick off the 2016 season on September, 1st (Thurs.) in St. Joseph. That'll be a big night for the Griffons as Spratt Memorial Stadium is currently going through major renovations.

This Saturday, two of the MIAA's top defenses will be on display.

Led by All-American cornerback Michael Jordan, Mo West ranks second in the MIAA in scoring (19.9) and total (352.1 yards per game) defense and has held eight opponents under 25 points. This unit is one reason the Griffons have been every game, currently 2-2 in contests decided by seven points or less.

On the other side of the field, UNK is coming off a performance in which it held the league's top two rushers, Treveon Albert and Shaquille Cooper of Fort Hays State, in check. While both finished with over 90 yards, the Tigers averaged just 3.3 yards per carry.

Overall, UNK leads the league in interceptions returned for scores (three), is third in defending the pass (205.1 ypg) and sixth in total defense (387.9 ypg).

The Lopers will have another tough challenge this week as senior Raphael Spencer has terrorized the MIAA the past four years, to the tune of 3,855 yards. He is closing in on a third straight 1,000 yard season and is the league's fourth leading rusher (89.9).

In three previous games against the Blue & Gold, Spencer has churned out 327 yards but hasn't reached the end zone.

Like Kearney, due to injuries, Mo West has used three different QB's this fall. Sophomore Skyler Windmiller (6-3, 190 lbs.) returned to the lineup last week and is slated to go Saturday.

Last November in St. Joe, Windmiller was 16 of 23 for 296 yards and two TD's in a 55-0 win over the Lopers. One of those scoring tosses was a 98-yarder to current senior receiver Dee Toliver.

After throwing nine TD's in nine starts last year, Windmiller is aver­aging 222 yards per game in six appearances this season. Completing 48% of his passes, he has tossed six TD's and thrown 10 INT's

Toliver is the top target, hav­ing 26 receptions for 617 yards (23.7 avg.) and four scores, with senior slot Brandynn Clark (22 recep., 329 yds., one TD) and senior TE Alek Ferbet (21 recep., 266 yds., two TD's) are also threats. Clark also doubles as the Griffons return specialist.

The lone senior up front is left tackle Leonard Wester (6-6, 300 lbs.).

Jordan, with 15 career picks, is one of five seniors on a defense that is allowing the opponent to covert only 29% of the time on third down. UNK's offense converts 30% of the time on "money down".

Jordan (6-0, 200 lbs.) and fellow senior corner Sam Brown (6-3, 170 lbs.) have combined to make 72 tackles, pick off six passes and have 33 PBU's. Sophomore end Cody Lindsay (6-2, 210 lbs.) has made 46 tackles but 14.5 have come behind the line, including 7.5 sacks. Next, redshirt senior inside backer Yomi Alli has a team-best 91 tackles, including 12.5 TFL's.
 
Finally, a veteran line features redshirt seniors Arbanas Elliot (6-4, 290 lbs.) and Janis Matulis (6-4, 270 lbs.).
 
Two years ago, Loper senior signal caller Bronson Marsh (Millard South H.S.) ran 18 times for 194 yards and three scores in a 31-19 home setback to the Griffons. UNK trailed 21-0 but scored 19 of the next 22 points before a Griffon fake punt led to the game's final points.
 
Currently, Marsh has 4,980 career yards of total offense. He is among UNK's all-time leaders in rushing scores (19) while ranking in the Loper top 10 in career pass completions (304) and attempts (601).
 
One of 10 offensive seniors, Marsh and two other QB's have completed passes to 15 different teammates this season. Receiver Cougar Williams (Hanford, Calif.), in eight games, leads in both catches (29) and yards (467) with his career yards per catch average of 17.65 rank ninth best in Loper history.
 
On the ground, Marsh has three of UNK's three scores, including a one-yard plunge last week at Hays that made it a 17-7 game with just under 10 minutes to go.
 
Prior to kickoff Saturday, UNK will honor its senior class. To close out 2015, the Lopers are at nationally-ranked Emporia State on November 14th.
 
2015 Seniors
# 1 Dalton Sealey (WR, Hastings)
# 13 Cougar Williams (WR, Hanford, Calif.)
# 25 Traveon Presley-Freeman (WR, Peoria, Ariz.)
# 32 Tannor Mroczek (WR, Gothenburg)
# 89 Darren Mason (WR, Weeping Water)
# 7 Bronson Marsh (QB, Omaha)
# 17 Tyler McKeone (QB, Lexington)
# 11 Romero Cotton (RB, Hutchinson, Kans.)
# 22 Kevin Lane Jr. (RB, Carson, Calif.)
# 61 Javier Mendoza (OG, Lexington)
# 72 Jake Spies (OG, Mullen)
Allen Sampson (Student Coach/WR out due to injuries, Tampa, Fla.)
 
# 21 Shai Harris (CB, Glendale, Ariz.)
# 9 Steven Burns Jr. (CB/S/.KR, Las Vegas, Nev.)
# 19 Dillon Loschen (S, Columbus)
# 24 Boone Anderson (S, Milford)
# 41 Greg Sherwood (OLB, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.)
# 27 Josh Papa (DE, David City)
# 37 Bryan Luna (DE, La Crescenta, Calif.)
# 97 Peyton Lange (DE/DL, Elkhorn)