No.15 Northwestern College lost to No.4 Morningside 48-20 in a GPAC match-up between unbeaten teams that also was the NAIA Game of the Week. 

The Red Raiders fall to 2-1 in conference play, 4-1 overall while Morningside stays unbeaten, improving to 2-0 in the GPAC, 5-0 overall. 

Both teams gained over 400 yards of total offense but the Red Raiders committed five turnovers compared to just one by Morningside, leading to 27 Mustang points. 

Tyson Kooima accounted for 363 yards on offense and touchdowns to lead the Red Raiders. The freshman rushed 21 times for 95 yards and a score while also completing 20-of-47 passes for 268 yards and a touchdown. J.C. Koerselman caught seven passes for a game-high 140 yards and both Jared Nelson (56 yards) and Levi TeBrink (36 yards) caught four passes. 

Morningside scored touchdowns on its first four possessions of the first half for a 28-7 halftime lead. Mustangs' quarterback Trent Solsma, who threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns, capped a six-play, 64-yard drive with a 17-yard scoring toss to Connor Niles to put the visitors up 7-0 at the 9:48 mark of the first quarter. Following a Red Raider punt, Morningside began an impressive 21-play, 81-yard drive, converting on several third downs, that ended with a Solsma one-yard run to put the Mustangs up 14-0 early in the second quarter. 

Northwestern scored on its third possession as Kooima connected with Josh Fakkema for a four-yard touchdown pass, the first of his collegiate career, to make the score 14-7. Morningside, however, added a pair of short touchdown runs by Bubba Jenkins (1-yard) and Arnijae Ponder (5-yards) later in the quarter to put the Mustangs up 28-7 at the half. 

Morningside made it 35-7 when Solsma hooked up with Niles for a 40-yard touchdown pass, their second connection of the game, on its second drive of the second half, taking advantage of a Red Raider fumble. Northwestern came back with back-to-back scoring drives of its own as Kooima finished off a nine-play, 71-yard drive with an 11-yard run, and, after the Raider D forced a Morningside punt, Jacob Kalogonis scored on a one-yard run to make the score 35-20 at the end of the third quarter. 

The Raider D came up with another stop, forcing Morningside to punt, giving their offense another chance to get closer at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Northwestern, however, turned it over as Caden McDonald intercepted a Kooima pass at the Red Raiders 24-yard line, and three plays later, Jenkins scored on a nine-yard run to put Morningside in front 41-20. Morningside capped the game's scoring with another Jenkins run, this time from three-yards, that took advantage of a Northwestern interception.

Northwestern totaled 23 first downs and 406 yards of offense, 138 rushing and 268 passing. Kalogonis rushed 10 times for 38 yards and a score while also catching one pass for four yards. 

Defensively, Tanner Machacek recorded a team-high 10 tackles and one sack while Nate Bennett added 8.5 stops. Cody Bauman totaled three tackles and registered his team's other sack while Sean Powell nabbed an interception.

Jenkins rushed 36 times for 190 yards and three touchdowns and Niles caught seven passes for 122 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the Morningside offense. McDonald led the Mustangs' defense with 10 tackles, two sacks and one interception.