UNK Football Wins At Chadron State To Open Up The Season

Keanrey, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney defense came up with three second half interceptions, grad transfer quarterback Reagan Jones tossed two first half touchdowns and junior back Isaiah Harris ran for 121 yards to help the Lopers beat longtime rival Chadron State, 18-6, Thursday night in the panhandle.

This was the 73rd all-time between the two in a series that dates to 1921. UNK has now won the past five meetings with the Eagles and, tonight, got to take home the "Good Life" trophy. The award is new to the series with the programs slated to meet next year at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium.

"When you hold a team to six points on the road, in a rivalry game, that's pretty impressive," said UNK head coach Ryan Held. "We won tonight and that's the number one thing, to get that trophy and be 1-0. We now have to find a way to get better as Northwest Missouri is going to be a formidable opponent."

It wasn't a thing of beauty as the Lopers punted on seven straight second half possessions and racked up 105 yards on 10 penalty flags. However, UNK scored on its first possession of the season, held CSC to 213 total yards and led from start to finish. ​

"We drove right down (on the season's first possession) and that was big drive. We ran in it well, made some throws," said Held. "We can be good offensively, but we must continue to be aggressive when we need to be aggressive. In the MIAA, scoring 18 points usually won't be good enough."

Redshirt sophomore backer Parker Wise (Kearney), senior safety Jamere Jones (Clayton, N.C.) and grad corner Jabea Tilong (Aurora, Colo.) each picked off passes to help keep the Eagles at bay. Wise's first college pick came at the Loper 20-yard midway through the third quarter with Jones coming a few plays later. Junior Miguel Larios, one of three CSC QB's to play, lofted a ball to the UNK 13-yard line that Jones easily snagged. Finally, Tilong's interception came on 3rd & 6 and at the Lopers 10-yard line. This marks Blue & Gold's first three pick game since a 46-22 win over Fort Hays State in 2022.

Picking up his ninth career win as a college starter, Jones (Wichita) was 12 of 21 for 180 yards and scoring strikes of 24 and 50 yards. He first hit grad transfer Shane Dailey Jr. (Bellevue West) and then found a wide-open Reggie Anderson (Gaithersburg, Md.) late in in the first half. UNK managed an extra point as redshirt freshman kicker Trey Prichard (Monument, Colo.) ran for two points after Anderson's score. He also booted a 25-yard field goal in his first collegiate game.

Harris (Millard South) reached his game-high total on 23 carries with a long effort of 24 yards. Averaging 5.3 yards per carry, he helped start a key fourth quarter drive with an eight-yard run. Four plays later, a scrambling Jones found Anderson along the sidelines for a 17-yard gain and another key first down. That nearly 50-yard drive ate up nearly seven minutes off the clock.

"I thought Isaiah ran well and Reagan did a nice job in game one. We weren't as aggressive in the second half because I didn't want to do anything to help them. As long as the defense was playing well, I just wanted to make sure we found a way to eat clock and get it done," said Held.

​Both Anderson and Dailey Jr. had three catches apiece with redshirt junior Zane Schawang (Waverly) running for 29 yards and Jones having a 17-yard scamper in the second half. On special teams, redshirt freshman Marty Mormino (Omaha Wetside) pinned the Eagles deep in their territory in the first half as four of his nine attempts landed inside the 20-yard line. CSC's avearge first quarter field position was its own 14-yard line and that moved to just its 27-yard line in the second. 

"What a deal for a redshirt freshman; he was tremendous," said Held. "We worked on pinning a deep team and forcing them to have to go 95 yards."

Chadron was paced by running back Jake Marschall (18 carries, 78 yards; team-high three catches) punter Brodie Eisenbraun (42.6 avg.) and linebacker Reed Henkel (11 tackles). Larios finished 13 of 19 with three picks and 103 yards while two others were 3 of 8 for 11 yards.

Defensively for UNK, end Quillan Felton (Lithonia, Ga) had a team-best eight tackles with newcomers Jovan Marsh (Robbins, Ill.) and Josh Davies-Balogun (Richmond, Texas) combining for nine more. Davies-Balogun also had the team's lone sack. Next, Wise had four tackles with Jones at three and senior corner Kendall Brewer (Kansas City, Kan.) at two tackles for loss.

"They tackled well and we didn't give up any big pass plays. We made their QB's throw the football and Coach (Tim) Schaffner does a great job…he gives you different looks," said Held. "We're deep along the d-line and I thought this game would be won in the trenches."

UNK hosts 22nd-ranked Northwest Missouri State next Saturday night. The Bearcats lost at home tonight to 13th-ranked Minnesota State, 36-22.