JD RADER
raderjd@lopers.unk.edu
After only leading 6-0 after the first quarter, the UNK offense exploded for three second-quarter touchdowns while the defense remained tough in a 44-0 victory over the Blue Tigers of Lincoln University.
The Lopers improved to 4-2 on the season while Lincoln falls to 0-6. Despite being winless on the season, the Blue Tigers have the nation’s third-leading rusher in Division II. Lincoln sophomore running back Hosea Franklin came into Saturday’s game averaging 161 yards per game and 7.4 yards per carry but was held to a season-low 49 yards on 15 carries before leaving the game late in the third quarter with an injury.
“Our defense prepared all week for him because he is their team’s biggest weapon,” said redshirt senior running back David Goodwin. “This game was honestly just a game to get used to playing full speed and great effort. We knew coming into this game what the outcome would be as long as we took care of business.”
UNK came into Lincoln, Missouri planning to establish the run game and did just that. With a season-high 138 yards from redshirt junior Dayton Sealey and 115 yards from Goodwin, the Lopers had amassed a total of 393 rushing yards.
“We owe all the credit to the guys up front,” said redshirt freshman quarterback TJ Davis. “It’s the little things people don’t see on paper.”
Threw the air, Davis went 5-9 for 111 yards and redshirt freshman Michael Koch lead the Lopers in receiving yards with 69 on three catches.
After Davis scoring on a two-yard run and a failed two-point conversion attempt, the Lopers picked up three touchdowns in the second quarter on a 22-yard run from Goodwin, a 27-yard run from Goodwin and a 71-yard run from Sealey. This put the Lopers up 27-0 at halftime.
In the second half, UNK kept the pressure on. The Lopers picked up two more touchdowns, including an 18-yard fumble recovery return from redshirt freshman Tell Spies and a 25-yard field goal from sophomore kicker Junior Gonzalez.
On the defensive side of the football, junior nose guard Shane Henderson had five total tackles with three tackles for loss, including two sacks for 16 yards. Spies also finished with five tackles, including two for loss.
UNK will be up against a much greater challenge this Saturday as No. 7 Northwest Missouri State comes to town. The Bearcats (6-0) defeated No. 15 Pittsburg State, who beat the Lopers 37-14 earlier this season, 38-17, Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
