Oct. 10, 2009 – The Truman Bulldogs scored two late touchdowns but it wasn’t enough as #16
Four consecutive plays set up Missouri Western’s first touchdown of the day.
Thomas Hodges gained 16 yards on a run to move the ball into Bulldog territory, then Drew Newhart completed two passes, one of 18 and one of 13 yards to Ferrell McGhee. Newhart then followed with a 13 yard run to the goal line.
Two plays later Michael Hill plunged from a yard out to put the Griffons up 7-0.
Dan Bryar picked off Newhart in the Griffons next possession but Truman couldn’t get things going offensively.
Truman’s first four drives in the game resulted in a negative two yards.
The Griffons took over on their own 15 yard line and were able to convert three long third downs on their way to a 14-0 lead.
Newhart found Adam Clausen for 24 yards on third and 12, then found Cedric Houston for 15 yards on third and 10 and finally Newhart completed a pass to Tyron Crockum for another 15 on third and five. Hodges capped off the 13 play, 85-yard drive with a 10-yard TD run.
Missouri Western used a short field to score just before half as Newhart found Clausen in the endzone for a nine-yard TD pass and a 21-0 lead.
The Bulldogs did not record a first down in the half and had a negative nine yards of total offense.
Hill scored in the third quarter to add to the Griffon lead before the Bulldogs finally were able to gain some momentum.
Luther Eta blocked a punt early in the fourth quarter at the Griffon two and Vanness Emokpae went in the endzone on the first play to cut the lead to 35-7. The touchdown by Emokpae broke a 173 minute touchdown drought by the Bulldogs.
Brad Beckwith hit a 24-yard field goal at the 4:20 mark of the fourth to put Missouri Western up 38-7.
Emokpae then carried the load in the next Truman possession as he ran for 37, 10, 15 and five yards on consecutive plays before Harnish Ayora scored from four yards out.
Caleb Roberts, who was third on the depth chart at the start of the season, made his first career start due to injuries suffered by the top two Bulldog signal callers. Roberts struggled as the redshirt freshman was just 1-of-9 and was sacked five times.
Sophomore Andy Mundwiller relieved Roberts late in the third quarter and was 4-of-8 for 90 yards including a 47-yard pass to Anthony Brown.
Mundwiller was just moved back to the offense as spending the first half of the season as a defensive player and special team’s player. He was the third quarterback on the depth chart last season.
Newhart finished 16-of-25 for 209 yards while Hodges led the rushing attack with 108 yards on 25 carries.
Game Notes: The loss was the first Homecoming defeat for the Bulldogs since 2005…Truman finished with 199 yards of total offense with 103 coming on the ground…Vanness Emokpae led the Bulldogs with 72 yards rushing on nine carries…in all six of the team’s losses, they have given up a score with less than three minutes before half…four of the six scores have come in the final minute before halftime…The Bulldogs first, first down came with under a minute to play in the third quarter…Truman had 171 yards of total offense in the fourth quarter…Eric Sternberg had two sacks for the defense…Michael Elliott had a career and season high 16 total tackles.