HSU Athletics Department.

HSU Athletics:

Humboldt State football will face its most difficult challenge of the season Saturday as it visits No. 1 Northwest Missouri State for the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. PT.
 
The undefeated Bearcats (11-0) entered the postseason ranked No. 1 in the AFCA Coaches Poll and were tabbed as the top seed in the Super Region Three poll. Northwest Missouri State received a bye in the first round of the playoffs as the top-seeded program.
 
“I have voted Northwest Missouri State No. 1 in the AFCA Coaches Poll many times this season. They are the top team that I have seen,” said HSU Head Coach Rob Smith. “They are very solid in all three phases of the game. That is why they are undefeated and are the top-ranked team.”

Northwest Missouri State has arguably the nation’s best defensive unit. The Bearcats rank first in total defense and surrender an average of just 218.6 yards per game. Saturday’s opponent has been a dominating force in the first quarter of games this season and have allowed only 24 points. In fact, the Bearcats have shut out seven of their 11 opponents in the first quarter.
 
To say the Bearcats roster is talented may be an understatement. Twenty-one Northwest Missouri State football players collected all-conference honors, including 11 first team selections.
 
Junior defensive tackle Collin Bevins, the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association co-Defensive Player of the Year, will be a player to watch on the Bearcats defensive front. Bevins led Northwest Missouri State with 17.0 tackles for loss and had 8.0 sacks this season. Standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing in at almost 300 lbs, Bevins has displayed his ability to be one of the nation’s most disruptive playmakers. He is also a Gene Upshaw Award finalist, an award that goes to the country’s best lineman.
 
The Bearcats offense is guided by senior quarterback and First Team All-MIAA selection Brady Bolles. The Lincoln, Neb., native has passed for 2,908 yards and 22 touchdown this season. Bolles is a strong-armed and accurate passer who has completed 59.4 percent of his passes.
 
In order to find success Saturday, the Lumberjacks will need to repeat the offensive execution they displayed from a week ago. HSU ran a program and conference-record 103 offensive plays in its win over Augustana. The Green and Gold broke another Great Northwest Athletic Conference mark with 707 yards of total offense.
 
HSU’s passing attack put up impressive numbers against the Vikings, but that doesn’t mean the rushing attack was lacking. Sophomore running back Ja’Quan Gardner ran for 246 yards and two touchdowns on 44 carries. The performance was Gardner’s sixth 200-plus yard rushing game of the season.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Jacks limited one of the nation’s most high-powered offenses to only 17 first downs and 279 yards of total offense. Senior defensive lineman Anthony Ezirm recorded a pair of sacks and looked to have returned to form after missing part of the season due to injury.