JOPLIN, Mo. - A fumble midway through the third quarter turned the tide in Upper Iowa's (1-1) 21-19 loss to Missouri Southern (1-1) in Fred G. Hughes Stadium on Saturday night. Both teams battled through hot conditions, with the temperature at kickoff at 96 degrees.
With 5:52 left in the third quarter and the Peacocks up 13-7, sophomore Christian Lassiter recorded his first career interception at the Missouri Southern 37-yard line. Immediately on the next play, an errant toss on a reverse gave the ball right back to the Lions. MSSU took advantage of that opportunity, driving 53 yards in six plays to take a 14-13 lead.Â
A few drives later, Missouri Southern struck with an 80-yard touchdown pass down the seam to Isaiah Green, extending the lead to 21-13 with 10:27 left in the game.
The Peacocks responded with an 11-play drive, including a critical 4th-and-2 conversion to Master Brooks. Quarterback Zamar Wise ran for 48 of UIU's 75 yards on the possession, and running back Jayden Gordon capped off the drive on a one-yard score with 4:26 left.Â
Trailing 21-19, Upper Iowa needed the two-point conversion to tie the game. After a delay of game penalty moved the Peacocks back to the eight, Wise's pass in the end zone to Saxson Va'a fell incomplete. The Peacock defense was unable to get a stop, allowing two Lion first downs to run out the clock.
The Lions scored their first touchdown on the opening drive of the game with a 30-yard rushing touchdown by Jackson Marrs. The game remained 7-0 until a 48-yard completion to LJ Nyenow Jr. set up a 26-yard field goal by Nathan Behne with 6:39 left in the first half.Â
On the MSSU possession after the field goal, Demontay Mack got in the backfield and hit running back Narkel LeFlore, who fumbled the ball, and Aaron King recovered for UIU around midfield. The Peacock offense took advantage of that turnover with a 55-yard passing touchdown to freshman Ronald Wilson Jr. on a screen play. UIU led 10-7 at halftime, and a Behne 43-yard field goal on the first drive of the second half extended the lead to 13-7.Â
Wise totaled 235 all-purpose yards with 163 passing and a team-high 72 rushing yards. He was 12-of-20 throwing and ran the ball 16 times. Wilson Jr. led the team in receiving with three catches for 64 yards. Nyenow Jr. totaled two catches for 52 yards, and Camden Hungerholt had three catches for 14 yards.Â
RJ Wells was the team's second-leading rusher with nine carries for 41 yards. He also had a 10-yard catch. Gordon ran the ball six times for 19 yards and a touchdown.
Central Arkansas transfer Jalen Hodo led the Peacocks in tackles with seven, including two tackles-for-loss. Mack added four tackles with two for loss and a forced fumble. Michael Mulherin totaled six tackles while V'Jay Garrard and Dominic Salibi each had five tackles. Lassiter had four tackles, an interception and a pass breakup.
Missouri Southern quarterback Martin Tillman finished the game 20-of-33 passing for 242 yards and a touchdown. He also had four carries for 20 yards. Green totaled seven catches for 144 yards and a score. LeFlore was the Lions' leading rusher with 53 yards and a touchdown.Â
MSSU outgained Upper Iowa 356-289 with a 242-163 advantage through the air. UIU held a slight 126-114 advantage on the ground. The Lions were 7-of-12 on third downs compared to UIU's 4-of-12. The game featured 18 penalties, nine for both teams.
This marks the fourth straight season that UIU has started 1-1. The Peacocks last started a season 2-0Â in 2015.Â
UIU has a bye next week before heading up north to Houghton, Michigan, on Sept. 19 to face Michigan Tech (2-0). The Huskies defeated Midwestern State (Texas) (1-1) on Saturday. Midwestern State defeated Missouri Southern, 30-23, in the season opener last weekend. Kickoff between Upper Iowa and Michigan Tech is set for 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT in Kearly Stadium.
