Northwest Missouri State keeps impressive NCAA football streaks alive, looks for more
Northwest Missouri State continues its impressive streak of NCAA DIvision II Playoff appearances Saturday with a chance to add to its championship pedigree.
The Bearcats (9-1), whose 25 overall and 17 consecutive NCAA playoff appearances are Division II records, kick off against Central Washington (6-5) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Bearcat Stadium in Maryville.
Northwest’s six NCAA championships and 50 playoff victories also top Division II. The Bearcats are riding a 24-game home playoff winning streak.
Coach Rich Wright’s program won its third MIAA title in five years and first outright championship.
Two other MIAA teams also kickoff off the postseason on Saturday. Washburn (9-2), making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2011, travels to Harding in Searcy, Arkansas for a 1 p.m. kick. Nebraska-Kearney (9-2) visits Western Colorado in a game that starts at 2 p.m.
Emporia State is also part of the postseason. The Hornets (6-5), making their sixth postseason appearance in the past nine seasons, will meet Southeastern Oklahoma A&M in the Farmers Bank & Trust LIVE UNITED Bowl on Dec. 4 in Texarkana, Arkansas.
One game that will not be played this season is the Mineral Water Bowl in Excelsior Springs, a bowl official told The Star. This marks the second straight year the game has been canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.