Jacob Kalogonis rushed for a career-high 264 yards and the Red Raiders dominated the line of scrimmage on both side of the ball in leading No.11 Northwestern to a 31-12 road win over Hastings this afternoon in the wet conditions on Lloyd Wilson Field in Hastings, Neb.
The Red Raiders improve to 7-1 in league play, 9-1 overall, and most likely clinch a spot in the 16-team, NAIA Football Championship Series, beginning next weekend.
Offensively, Northwestern rushed for its second highest total of the season (354 yards) and averaged nearly seven yards per attempt behind the o-line of Taylor Kooi, Brad Mould, Grahm Kenobbie, Dustin Brown and Tyler Alger. Not to be outdone, the Raider D, led by linemen Cody Bauman, Nate Bennett and Jed Van't Hof, held Tahj Willingham,, one of the top rushers in the NAIA, to just 26 yards on 12 carries.
Northwestern gave the ball to Kalogonis repeatedly and the sophomore was brilliant, rushing 35 times for a career-best 264 yards and two touchdowns. It was his third 200-yard game of the season and also the fourth-most rushing yards in a single game in program history. Kalogonis, who pushed his season total to 1,426 yards, moved into second place all-time for yards in a season, trailing only Dave Perrigo (2,504 yards in 2000).
Tyson Kooima accounted for 141 yards of offense, rushing 10 times for 46 yards and a score, while also completing 8-of-17 passes for 95 yards. Gabe Toki added six carries for 44 yards and scored his second touchdown of the season.
Knowing a win would most likely clinch a postseason berth, Northwestern came out strong on both sides of the ball, scoring 17 points in the first 12+ minutes of the game. The Red Raiders began the game with a four-play, 73-yard drive ending with a five-yard scoring run by Kalogonis, who also had a 44-yard run on the first play from scrimmage. Fueled by its offense's early success, the Raider D came up with a turnover on Hastings' first play as Nate Bennett forced and recovered a fumble that led to a 32-yard field goal by Braxton Williams and a 10-0 lead.
The Raider D stepped up once again on the next drive as Bryce Van Beek recorded his NAIA-leading seventh interception of the season at the Northwestern 48-yard line on the Broncos first play. Nine plays later, Kalogonis made it 17-0 when he scored for the second time with a two-yard run at the three-minute mark of the first quarter.
Hastings put its first points on the board early in the second quarter on an Anthony Cloyd 25-yard touchdown run, set up by a roughing the punter penalty against Northwestern that kept the drive alive. Both teams were forced to punt on their next possessions until the Broncos, with just 31 seconds to go in the first half, went on a three-play, 50 yard drive capped by a 10-yard touchdown pass from Livingston to Jordan Johnson to make the score 17-12 at the break.
The Raider D forced consecutive 3-and-outs to start the second half and Northwestern got its offense moving again with a nine-play, 68-yard drive finished off with a one-yard run by Kooima at the 5:16 mark of the third quarter for a 24-12 lead.
Following a Hastings' punt, its fifth of the second half, Northwestern scored for the final time with a two-yard run by Gabe Toki with 1:55 left in the game.
Northwestern totaled 4449 yards of offense, compared to 223 for the Broncos, and held a big time of possession advantage (35-25). The Raider D completely shut down the Broncos in the second half, giving up three first downs and forcing five punts.
Joey Novotny and Bennett registered 6.5 tackles each an linebackers Jacob Jenness and Tanner Machacek recorded six stops. Cody Bauman had a quarterback sack and both Bennett and Van Beek tallied a turnover.
Hastings was led by Cloyd with 91 yards of offense, 76 rushing and 15 yards through the air. Livingson completed 5-of-9 passes for 72 yards and a score and Ross Ostendorf accounted for 12.5 tackles.
Northwestern will find out its postseason fate on Sunday, Nov. 12 when the NAIA releases its FCS pairings at 4:00pm. Watch the selection show here:
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Other Notes:
Kalogonis's 264 yards today is fourth most all-time in a single game; trailing only Dave Perrigo (322 yards and 289 yards in 2000) and Steven King (274 in 1971)
Kalgonis has 1,426 rushing yards this season, second most all-time in a season at NW; Perrigo holds the record at 2,504 in 2000. Kalogonis started the day in ninth place all-time and passed Brandon Smith (1,166 in 2010), Keith Sietstra (1,237 in 2006), Theo Bartman (1,246 in 2012) Keith Sietstra (1,286 in 2005), Lance Baatz (1,297 in 1994) and Dave Perrgo (1,382 in 2001)
Northwestern has scored 20+ points in every game this season (10 games), the longest streak since the final five games of the 2005 and first five games of the 2006 season
