Missouri State Bears win 4th straight; Bearcats and Gorillas headed for showdown

Teams that may have some postseason games to play are certainly showing themselves as playoff scenarios take shape in KC-area and regional college football.

Here are some highlights from this week’s games:

Missouri State 21, Liberty 17: Missouri State scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns and pulled out the victory in Lynchburg, Virginia. Missouri State has won four straight games, is 6-3 overall and 4-1 in Conference USA. Bears quarterback Jacob Clark passed for 286 yards with two TDs.

Northwest Missouri State 38, Missouri Western 7: The host Bearcats rolled to victory once again in Maryville. Quarterback Chris Ruhnke (Platte County High) threw for 208 yards with three touchdowns for Northwest Missouri, which won its ninth straight and improved to 9-1. The Bearcats had 222 yards passing and 273 yards rushing. Northwest Missouri is 8-0 MIAA and will play Pittsburg State (7-1 MIAA) for the conference crown on Nov. 15 at Children’s Mercy Park.

Pittsburg State 48, Central Missouri 35: Berry Jackson threw for 296 yards with two touchdowns as the Gorillas came away with the win in Warrensburg. TyJuan Atkins, Jr. caught four balls for 142 yards, including a 71-yard TD in the third quarter that put Pitt State up 35-21. Zahmari Palode-Gary gained 144 rushing yards with two TDs for the Gorillas (8-2), who won their eighth straight. Hogan Wasson had 15 receptions for 153 yards with a touchdown for the Mules, who dropped to 4-6.

Benedictine 31, Baker 10: Xavier Ugorji powered the Ravens’ offense with 196 rushing yards on 25 carries in a road victory at Baldwin City, Kansas. Ugorji scored two TDs and Benedictine won its eighth straight game. The Ravens are 9-1, 5-0 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference, and rank No. 3 in the NAIA coaches poll. Baker is 5-1 in the HAAC, 5-4 overall.

MidAmerica Nazarene 45, Missouri Valley 14: Pioneers running back Aaron Johnson gained 137 yards on 15 carries in a win at Marshall, Missouri. Johnson’s 55-yard TD run in the third quarter put MidAmerica Nazarene up 31-0. Linebacker Eli Saintjuste had two sacks for the Pioneers, who improved to 6-3. MNU will get its shot at Benedictine on Nov. 15 in Atchison, Kansas.

Central Oklahoma 44, Missouri Southern 17: Isaiah Padello hauled in three passes for 61 yards, including both of the Lions’ touchdowns, in a loss at Edmond, Oklahoma. Missouri Southern fell to 3-7, while Central Oklahoma improved to 5-5.

Emporia State 45, Washburn 17: The Emporia State Hornets scored four touchdowns in the fourth quarter against the Ichabods and turned this game in Topeka into a blowout. The last two of those TDs came on pick-sixes, one by Landon Boss that went 43 yards, the other by Kaliel Boyd for 29. Emporia State improved to 5-5; Washburn is 2-8.

Truman State 35, William Jewell 17: Tyler Kubat connected on 24 of 32 passes for 174 yards with a touchdown, but the Cardinals lost in Kirksville Missouri. William Jewell is 2-8 and has lost eight straight.

Missouri S&T 59, Lincoln 0: Senior Leroy Tellis intercepted two passes in a home loss on Senior Day in Jefferson City, Missouri. But the Blue Tigers (2-8) could not get anything going on offense and lost their eight straight game.

This story was originally published November 8, 2025 at 6:40 PM.