Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney football team looks to slow down the red hot Missouri Western State Griffons Saturday afternoon in St. Joseph.

The 30th all-time meeting between the Lopers (5-4) and 27th-ranked Griffs (7-2) kicks off at 1 p.m. from Craig Field at Spratt Stadium. Check the football schedule page for media links; note this week's contest can be heard live on KRVN 880 AM.
 

GAME NOTES/DEPTH CHARTS

Nebraska-Kearney

Missouri Western

Facing a Top 30 team for the fourth week in a row, UNK will try and hand Mo West its first loss since September 21. The Griffs have playoff aspirations as they are eighth in the most recent NCAA Region Rankings; the top seven teams from each of Division II's four regions reach the playoffs.

It's also "Senior Day" in St. Joe and that takes on added significance as MWSU has a senior-laden unit in 2019. Ten of 11 offensive starters are seniors including the entire line with the defensive and special team two deeps adding five more seniors.

Mo West has won nine of the last 10 meetings with the Lopers but Kearney still has a 17-12 all-time series lead. Last year at Cope Stadium the Lopers led 17-6 but were blanked in the second half and fell 25-17. The Griffs out gained UNK by a 370-369 margin and took advantage of three turnovers. 

Offensively Missouri Western is averaging 41 points and 445 yards per game thanks to an 88% rate in the red zone (37 of 42) including 34 touchdowns. The Griffs also convert 45% of the time on third down.

Senior quarterback Wyatt Steigerwald (#12) is making the most of his one-year as a starter, completing 58% of his passes for 227 yards per game, 25 touchdowns and only five interceptions. His favorite targets include sophomore tight end Cam Grandy (#89), redshirt freshman receivers Devon Holmes (#84) and Cooper Burton (#14). This trio has combined for 11 scoring receptions and 1,017 yards. Note Grandy isn't listed on the current two deep.  

Next the backfield features grad transfer Markel Smith (#6) and 5-7 junior Shamar Griffith (#3). Smith (5-11, 230 lbs.) was the 2015 F.O.Y. for Central Missouri with the pair combining for 14 scores and 1,348 yards. Finally five seniors dot the o-line and are led by 2018 first-team All-MIAA pick and center Hayden Eatinger (#72).

Just one senior -- WLB Anthony Williams (#23) -- starts on a defensive unit giving up 28 points and 467 yards per game. Allowing 4.4 yards per carry, Mo West had forced 17 turnovers (10 fumbles & seven INT's) and has a 69% red zone rate (25 of 36). That includes giving up just 20 TD's.
 
Junior LB's Evan Chohon (78) and Williams (72) have combined for 150 tackles to rank among the MIAA individual leaders in stops. Williams has 6.5 TFL's, four PBU's and two fumble recoveries with Chohon at 5.0 TFL's. The secondary features junior corner Sam Webb (#27) who has a team-best three INT"s as well as nine PBU's. He is tied for second in the league in picks and has also made 24 tackles. Finally redshirt freshman end Cameron Ravenell (#44) and senior nose guard Marquis Caldwell (#43) have a combined 13 TFL's including 4.0 sacks.
 
True freshman defensive back Trey Vaval (#31) highlights the Griffons special teams as he is the MIAA leader in both punt (13.8) and kickoff (34.4) return averages. The 6-0, 165 lbs. Vaval brought back a kick 91 yards for a score vs. UCM. That started MWSU's comeback from a 31-0 deficit. The Mules did go on to win 48-45 in OT.

Still third in the nation in rushing (315.4 yards per game), UNK has cranked up its passing game the past few weeks. Redshirt freshman QB TJ Davis (Colorado Springs) has completed at least 52% of his passes in each of the past five games and had 12 completions of at least 15 yards in that stretch.
 
That includes a 78-yard scoring strike to senior wideout Sedarius Young (Orlando) last Saturday in a 47-40 loss to Central Missouri. The fourth quarter grab is UNK's longest play from scrimmage this fall and pushes Young's receiving total to 435 yards for the season. That is the third best in UNK's MIAA era (2012-pre.), trailing only Malcolm Moore in 2016 (707) and Cougar Williams in 2015 (645).

On the ground senior back David Goodwin (Lauderhill, Fla.) is now UNK's leading rusher for the season after a 191-yard outburst last week. He is averaging 8.0 yards per carry, has scored eight TD's (seven rushing and one receiving) and now has 1,188 career rushing yards.

Also close to a milestone is senior ILB Sal Silvio (Kansas City). He is one tackle shy of 300 for his career, following previous inside backers Tyke Kozeal ('16/604) and Kellen Werner ('13/317) as Lopers to reach this lofty mark. He also is within shouting distance of breaking the single season sack record of 9.5 ('08/DE Nate Reicks). Silvio is up to 7.0 sacks, tied for first in the MIAA with UCM end Ubong Udom.

UNK hosts Washburn (4-5) next Saturday at Cope Stadium to close out the 2019 season. The Ichabods host Missouri Southern State this week.