Northwest Missouri rallies for comeback victory over Central Missouri in Fall Classic

Northwest Missouri football got to make its annual jaunt to Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday and again put its team on display in the Fall Classic.

And this time there was even more for the Bearcats to exhibit: two straight NCAA Division II national championships and a 34-game win streak.

But what the No. 1 Bearcats really got to show off on Saturday against MIAA rival Central Missouri was an amazing comeback victory: Northwest Missouri scored a touchdown with 7 seconds left and pulled out a 24-20 triumph, just after having given up what looked to be a score that spelled demise.

In the end, it was the Bearcats’ 35th straight victory. What a way to get it.

Central Missouri was certainly poised for the upset. Surely so after getting the go-ahead score with just 34 seconds left in the game on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Mules quarterback Brook Bolles to Kyrion Parker.

And the Mules had trailed the entire game, including 14-3 at the half, but stayed in and fought their way back with 10 third-quarter points.

In the fourth quarter, the Central Missouri defense matched Northwest Missouri’s vaunted defense measure for measure. And to top that all off, the Mules, 3-2, put together an 84-yard drive that started with 3 minutes left and culminated in what looked to be the winning score from Parker that had the Mules up 20-17.

But the Bearcats mounted one last drive of their own. It started with 30 seconds left. The big play was a 47-yard pass completion from Zach Martin to Shawn Bane. It got Northwest Missouri to Central Missouri’s 7. The next play got Northwest Missouri the win. After a timeout with 12 seconds, Martin found Jordan Bishop for a completion and the 7 yards the Bearcats needed.

Northwest Missouri improved to 5-0. It was not easy.

This story was originally published September 30, 2017 at 7:59 PM with the headline "Northwest Missouri rallies for comeback victory over Central Missouri in Fall Classic."