Despite three TD’s by Aderias Ealy, the Bearcats posted a 58-20 victory
By Dan Carr, assistant AD for Media Relations
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Facing the No. 2 team in the country, the Lincoln football team made some huge plays, with Aderias Ealy scoring three touchdowns and the LU defense forcing four turnovers. Northwest Missouri had a big second half, however, as the Bearcats topped the Blue Tigers, 58-20, on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 10).
Ealy’s first score came on the second play of the game, as he had a 64-yard catch-and-run to give Lincoln (0-2, 0-2 MIAA) the early 6-0 lead. The Bearcats, who are ranked No. 2 in this week’s American Football Coaches Association Division II poll, answered with a touchdown drive of their own, but the first quarter ended with Lincoln trailing nationally-ranked Northwest Missouri (2-0, 2-0 MIAA) by just one point, 7-6.
Midway through the third quarter, Winston Ausmer forced NWMSU to fumble, and then made the recovery to set up another Blue Tiger scoring drive. A 32-yard connection from Zamar Brake to Samuel Ingoli was the big play of the drive, which ended with Ealy catching an eight-yard pass at the goal line for another LU touchdown. Ealy also scored in the fourth period, as he caught a 51-yard pass from Nathan Valencia and sped past the Northwest Missouri defenders.
Otis Jackson made a clutch interception in the end zone to end one NWMSU scoring drive, and also forced and recovered a fumble while leading the LU defense with 13 tackles. Jaylon Mosley had 11 takedowns, including assisting Cameron Hawkins on a tackle for loss, and Jahkari Larmond forced a fumble and returned it 20 yards to end another Northwest Missouri drive. Julian Jackson-Linkhart made eight tackles, including one for a loss, and Larmond had a hurry. Cory Macon and Jamahreon Smith each broke up passes, and Ishaq Robinson led the defense with two hurries.
Brake threw for 144 yards and two scores, and Valencia passed for 65 yards and a score. Ealy had 134 receiving yards to go with his three touchdowns, and Ingoli caught four passes for 62 yards. Charles Johnson also had four receptions.
Javier Moreno made two extra points, and Michael Cunningham averaged 58.3 yards on four kickoffs. Cunningham also averaged 37.7 yards on punts, with one kick going for 50 yards. Clayton Winkler, meanwhile, averaged 35.8 yards on five punts.
The Blue Tigers will be back at home next Saturday (Sept. 17) to host Fort Hays State at 6 p.m.
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