Playoffs at Stake in NWMSU-MWSU Matchup

By David Boyce
Niles Media Group & Northwest Guest Columnist

MARYVILLE, MO. -- No matter what is at stake, whenever the Northwest Missouri State football team faces Missouri Western, the anticipation by the players and both fan bases is high.

The reason is simple: proximity.

St. Joseph is just 40 miles south of Maryville.

"Whether you want to or not, their people go out on the town or our people go out on the town, you are always going to see Bearcat paws or Missouri Western stuff," Northwest coach Adam Dorrel said. "Obviously, we see that school anytime we drive down the interstate. I think the big thing is the proximity.

"We will be ecstatic. From our standpoint, when you recruit a kid here and you redshirt him, he gets acclimated to the fact that our people want to beat Missouri Western. I'm sure their people do the same thing.

"Our players learn at a young age in our program that this is a game that is very important. I think both teams could be undefeated or 0fer and it would still be a big game."

That pretty much sums up a rivalry that has all the ingredients to make for a fun Saturday afternoon each fall.

The fact that adds spice is the playoff implications the game has brought in recent years. Nothing is different this season.

Northwest enters Saturday's game at Missouri Western with an 8-1 overall record and 6-1 in the MIAA. The Bearcats are ranked third in Super Region 4.

Missouri Western is 7-2 overall and 5-2 in conference. The Griffons are ranked seventh in region. Only the top six teams advance to the NCAA Division II playoffs.

If Missouri Western has any hopes of returning to the playoffs, it must win Saturday.

As implausible as it sounds, if Northwest loses on Saturday, it might not reach the playoffs for the first time since 2003.

A playoff atmosphere will definitely be in the air 2 p.m. Saturday and it will be captured on television as the MIAA Game of the Week. In the Kansas City area, it will be shown on KSMO Channel 62.

"Getting our name out there in the Kansas City area is big for us. Kansas City is a big recruiting area for us," Dorrel said. "Honestly, we go head-to-head a lot with Missouri Western in recruiting.

"But I think the biggest thing is these telecasts are good for Division II football, not just the individual institution. The big boys, University of Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas and Kansas State, you are always going to hear about them and that's great. You should. But we feel like we feel we play at a high level of college football. We have a good caliber of student-athlete.

"I think you guys (Niles Media Group) do a great job of hammering that home. That it is still about academics and graduating. It is important that we still talk about that."

If history is any indication, Northwest and Missouri Western should put on a good show for viewers.

Last year Northwest trounced Missouri Western 42-0 in the regular-season, but in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs, the Bearcats needed to overcome a 17-0 halftime deficit at home to beat Missouri Western 28-24.

It was a thrilling game if you were on the winning side.

The returning Griffons must surely remember the way their rivals ended their season and are out to seek a little revenge.

The Bearcats definitely want to remain the king of Division II football in the Northwest corner of Missouri.

"It's always definitely a good game. It always gets a lot of attention and that gets everybody excited," Northwest senior tight end Kyle Kilgore said.

Freshman free safety Bryce Enyard is eager to get his first taste of this rivalry.

"A lot of older guys talk about this rivalry," Enyard said. "They say you are going to love it because this is what football is about. The rivalry is so big.

"I know what to expect. They are going to come at us hard. We are going to play Bearcat football."