No.5 Northwestern secured its spot in the NAIA Football Championship Series with a convincing 31-14 home win over Briar Cliff this afternoon on Senior Day at DeValois Stadium. The Red Raiders conclude the regular season with an 8-1 league record, 9-1 overall.
The Red Raiders, under the direction of head coach Matt McCarty, qualify for the FCS for the second consecutive year and 20th overall. McCarty’s squad will host a first round match-up next weekend, Nov. 17, against an opponent to be determined. The NAIA will announce the 16-team Football Championship Series qualifiers and first round match-ups tomorrow (Sunday, Nov. 11) at 4pm.
Sophomore quarterback Tyson Kooima threw for 336 yards, his third straight 300-yard game, and matched his career high with four touchdown passes. Shane Solberg was on the receiving end of all four scoring passes, totaling 11 catches for 145 yards and four touchdowns.
The Raider D showcased its dominance as well, holding down the Briar Cliff offense to 231 yards and forcing a pair of turnovers, both on interceptions by Bryce Van Beek.
On a cold and blustery day, the Red Raider offense was both efficient and effective, totaling 425 yards and scoring on five of their first seven drives. Kooima completed 24-of-29 passes and led an offense that averaged over seven yards per play.
Northwestern came up empty on its opening drive and the Chargers came through with their best offensive series, marching down field with a 15-play, 66-yard drive that finished with a Noah Ylagan seven-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter. The Red Raiders dominated thereafter, scoring 24 unanswered points over the next two quarters, 17 coming in the before the first half.
Kooima connected with Solberg for their first touchdown, a 13-yard completion, to tie the game at seven early in the second quarter. Following a Chargers punt, Braxton Williams capped a seven-play, 70-yard drive with a 35-yard field goal to take 10-7 lead with 4:36 remaining in the first half. Van Beek came through with his first interception on the Chargers next possession, setting up the final scoring drive of the half when Kooima found for a seven-yard touchdown pass with 54 seconds on the clock.
The Raider D came up with another stop on the Chargers opening drive of the second half, giving the ball back to their offense which went on a 10-play, 64-yard drive that finished with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Solberg to make the score 24-7.
Briar Cliff took advantage of a Red Raider turnover, returning a fumble 64 yards to the Northwestern 15-yard line. Ylagan then scored on a five-yard run to get within two scores, 24-14. Northwestern put the game away on its next offensive series when Kooima found Solberg wide open in the left corner of the endzone for a 31-14 lead. The Raider D took over from there, stopping the Chargers on fourth down on their final two drives.
Brady Moser caught six passes for 69 yards, both career highs, on senior day, and Jacob Kalogonis rushed 17 times for 75 yards. Cade Moser totaled four catches for 72 yards. Defensively, Tanner Machacek came through with a game-high nine tackles and both Ben Granstra and Nate Bennett accounted for eight stops each. All three players also recorded a quarterback sack. Van Beek picked off two passes, his eighth and ninth of the season, as the senior passed both Terril DeHaan and Coach McCarty for eighth place with 16 career interceptions.
Ylagan rushed 29 times for 119 yards and two scores to lead the Chargers offense. Brad Cagle completed 10-of-24 passes for 106 yards and two interceptions, losing his first game under center in five games played.
