Emporia State Downs Lopers 42-35

Kearney, Neb. – Junior lefty quarterback Gunnar Gundy threw five touchdown passes, each to senior receiver Tyler Kahmann, and ran three-yards for the winning score as No. 14/15 Emporia State slipped past Nebraska Kearney, 42-35, Saturday afternoon at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium.

The all-time series is now tied at 14 apiece but the Hornets (7-1, 5-1) have taken nine of the 12 MIAA games. The Lopers (4-4, 2-4) fall to 2-3 in one score games this fall.

"We felt like we could go out there and beat these guys. I've told our guys that we're going to be in these kinds of games. That's the 14th-ranked team in the country," said Loper head coach Ryan Held. "Our kids played hard, and we had our chances but at the end of the day that was a team loss. Both sides are going to go back and see, four or five plays that hurt us."

While Gundy, son of Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy, threw for a school-record 564 yards, he also fumbled once and was picked off three times. His third interception came with just over six minutes remaining and UNK up 35-34. Senior backer Devin Guggia (Santa Clarita, Calif.) tipped Gundy's pass that junior nickel Anthony Hebert (Corona, Calif.) caught at the UNK 32-yard line.  

However, the Loper momentum was short lived as they fumbled on the very next play. The Hornets stung quickly, marching 45 yards in three plays with Kahmann having catches of 14 and 28 yards, respectively. A 2023 All-American, he finished with 19 receptions for a school-record 296 yards (long play of 37 yards).

"He's a tremendous receiver and you have to tip your cap to him. I've never seen a kid have 19 catches for almost 300 yards and five touchdowns in my coaching career. They got him the ball and that's what their offense does," said Held.  

Gundy's three-yard run to start the fourth made it 40-35 and then he converted a two-point play to Kahmann. Thanks to a 29-yard run by junior back Jadarrius Thomas (Marietta, Ga.), UNK had the ball inside Emporia territory on its next drive. However, a dropped pass on 3rd & 4 and then an incomplete pass on fourth down ended the drive.

The Loper defense did force a three-and-out and gave the ball back to the offense with 1:39 left and at their own 20-yard line. Quarterback Regan Jones (Wichita) completed passes of 31 and 14 yards, respectively, but the next three passes were incomplete. Emporia then recorded its lone sack of the day to end things.

"We ended up plus one in the turnover battle but had a couple of sequential plays in the fourth quarter that definitely hurt us," said Held.

Emporia out gained UNK by a 580-530 margin while running six more plays. Converting 9 of 17 third downs, the Hornets had second quarter scoring drives of 85, 84 and 78 yards to lead 20-14 at the break. They then had scoring drives of 66 and 75 yards in the second half before that late short field.

"Our team is going to be disappointed with this (result) but we'll come back in tomorrow and go back to work," said Held. "It's just a few plays but against a team like Emporia, those plays really hurt if you don't execute at the level you need to."

UNK had the ball for almost seven more minutes but was 6 of 17 on third down and 0 for 2 on fourth down. The Lopers did out rush the Hornets by a 243-16 margin; the Hornets had a 23-yard scamper on a reverse and two kneel downs (minus 12 yards at the end) among 21 carries.  

Gundy ended 48 of 68 and completed passes to seven others besides Kahmann. The busiest were sophomore receiver Trenden Collins (nine recep., 60 yards) and senior receiver Zion Jones (five recep., 54 yards), a prep teammate of Jones. Next, Kahmann had TD catches of five, 36, 15, 34 and 14 yards and now has a school-record 43 in his career. Finally, senior backer Caleb Mondi had 11 tackles (seven solo) to pace the defense.

Jones had one of the busiest passing days for a Loper QB in recent memory, going 26 of 49 for 287 yards and a 37-yard scoring strike to senior tight end Trayvon Moore (Hattiesburg, Miss.). He completed passes to 10 teammates with junior back Isaiah Harris (Millard South) having a day. Before leaving the game due to cramps midway through the third, he had five catches for 74 yards and 13 carries for 134 yards and three scores (eight, 13 and one yards). Finally on offense, Thomas had 55 yards and TD with graduate receiver Shane Dailey Jr. (Bellevue) at six grabs for 44 yards.

"We definitely sputtered early but we really found our way (offensively) in the second half. Isaiah played amazing for us today and I thought Reagan had a good second half," said Held. "All you can ask for is the opportunity with the ball to go and tie it."

Defensively, Guggia had a first quarter pick with junior safety Chandler Brown (Whittier, Calif.) intercepting Gundy at the Loper six-yard line in the second. Senior safety Jamere Jones (Maryland) had eight tackles and three pass breakups with senior end Quillan Felton (Lithonia, Ga.) having four tackles for loss among eight stops. That included two sacks for a loss of 12 yards.

"We're close and there's no moral victories but we're such a better team than we were last year. We must fix those mistakes and not have those three or four plays that really hurt you," said Held.

The Lopers head to Washburn (2-6, 2-5) next Saturday for the Ichabods "Homecoming." The 'Bods fell at Central Missouri today, 31-28.