Fort Hays State beats Northwest Missouri State to win MIAA football crown

The MIAA has a new football champion…Fort Hays State.

The Tigers defeated Northwest Missouri State 13-12 on Saturday in Maryville, Mo., to continue its perfect season (10-0) and capture its first conference title since joining the MIAA in 2006.

The loss for Northwest Missouri State comes a week after the two-time defending NCAA Division II champion Bearcats saw their 38-game winning streak end at Pittsburg State. They’ve lost two straight for the first time since 2001.

The Bearcats had won or shared the last four MIAA championships.

Saturday, Fort Hays opened a 13-3 lead in the fourth quarter on Jacob Merza’s 66-yard touchdown pass to Harley Hazlett.

Northwest (8-2) answered with its only touchdown of the game, a 21-yard pass from Jonathan Brown to Quincy Woods.

The Bearcats then forced Fort Hays into a fourth down from the Tigers’ 12. Fort Hays took a safety to make it 13-12 and came up with an interception on the final play.

One week remains in the MIAA regular season.

This story was originally published November 4, 2017 at 5:02 PM with the headline "Fort Hays State beats Northwest Missouri State to win MIAA football crown."