SUMMIT - Facing a four-point deficit with 38 seconds left, Northwest quarterback Zach Wilcke found M.J. Johnson in the back of the end zone on a 17-yard pass, allowing the Rangers to escape Southwest Mississippi with a 23-20 win on Thursday evening.

Northwest improved to 5-1 overall and avoided being the victim of an upset to the Bears, which dropped to 0-6 on the season. The Rangers stretched their all-time series lead to 24-13-1 against Southwest Mississippi, with the last loss coming in 2013.

As for the game itself, Northwest finished with 329 yards of total offense, with 223 of those coming in the passing game. Defense was a driving force for the Rangers throughout the contest, especially on the front line, which collected 10 sacks for a loss of 60 yards. Additionally, the Bears were held to -25 yards rushing on 25 attempts.

Southwest Mississippi kicked off to open the game and the Rangers promptly used a 40-yard return from Johnson to cross midfield. In just six plays, Northwest completed a 26-yard drive with a 36-yard field goal from Jackson Uselton, taking the early 3-0 lead.

After the Bears went three-and-out on their first possession, Fredd Adams used a 21-yard punt return to once again set up favorable field position for Northwest. In another six-play drive, freshman Hayden Wolfe delivered a 46-yard field goal to extend the Rangers' lead to 6-0.

Southwest Mississippi's next drive stalled out at midfield, but a fumble from Ja Keyes helped the Bears reset on the Rangers' 31-yard line. Although Quez Goss moved his team deep inside the red zone, Southwest Mississippi was unable to get past the five-yard line, as Caulen Dunn and Jaylon Johnson stuffed Chris Hunter on fourth and one, keeping the Bears out of the end zone.

With 2:48 left in the first quarter, Northwest carried over a 13-play possession into the second quarter, ending in a 29-yard touchdown pass from Wilcke to Rashard Daniels. Uselton followed with the point-after kick, pushing the lead to 13-0.

Although the Bears started the next drive with a quarterback change, Southwest Mississippi once again stalled out, as Henry Brewer had his deep third down pass intercepted by Jakwon Morris at the 29-yard line. It marked the first collegiate interception for Morris, as Northwest took over with 8:13 left in the first half.

Fortunes began to change for the Bears with 6:20 left, as Wolfe's punt was blocked at the Rangers' 28-yard line. Three plays later, Goss connected with Marcellus Jackson on a 27-yard touchdown pass, bringing Southwest Mississippi back within 13-7.

After both teams finished the first half with empty possessions, the Bears opened the second half with the ball, only to be forced into a 49-yard punt. Northwest went three-and-out on its first chance of the second half, but Southwest Mississippi also had its next drive stall out with a false start penalty and a sack from Dunn.

However, the Bears caught another break just one play later, as Wilcke's first down pass was intercepted by Kameron Carter, who returned it to the Rangers' 14-yard line. Three plays later, Hunter scored from two yards out, giving Southwest Mississippi the 14-13 lead with eight minutes left in the third quarter.

An electric 60-yard kickoff return from JaBrysten Abram seemed to swing the momentum back in the Rangers' direction, but a missed field goal left Northwest empty-handed. The defense forced the Bears to punt, but another interception by Danarius Hilliard helped Southwest Mississippi take over near midfield with 3:59 left in the third quarter.

Despite the gifted field position, a double sack from Dunn and D.J. Burgess forced the Bears to punt yet again. Unfortunately, Northwest was denied points yet again as the third quarter came to a close, keeping the score in favor of Southwest Mississippi.

After the Bears came up empty to start the fourth, Northwest began a 13-play, 72-yard drive that burned over seven minutes off the clock. Though penalties marred the Rangers' possession, Wolfe did make sure his team came away with something, converting a 25-yard field goal that put Northwest back ahead at 16-14 with 5:49 remaining.

Back-to-back sacks from T.J. Spann forced another empty possession for Southwest Mississippi, but Wolfe and the Rangers were forced to punt after an empty drive of their own with less than two minutes left in the fourth.

That's when disaster seemingly struck for the Rangers, as Goss hit Jackson on an open 80-yard touchdown with 1:38 left. Though the two-point conversion attempt failed, the Bears' crowd was electric and sensing victory with a 20-16 lead.

However, Northwest got a bit of a break as two unsportsmanlike penalties on the touchdown celebration forced the Bears into a short kickoff. A 13-yard return from Johnson set up the Rangers at Southwest Mississippi's 37-yard line, and Wilcke connected with Johnson on the first play for a 10-yard reception.

On the second play of the game, Northwest nearly lost the game as the Bears punched out the football from D'mariun Perteet. However, offensive lineman Stratton Smith quickly fell on the football, keeping hope alive for the Rangers.

After a short rush from Perteet on the next play, Wilcke lofted the game-winning touchdown pass to Johnson with 38 seconds left, and Uselton followed with the extra-point kick. The five-play, 56-second possession gave Northwest the narrow 23-20 lead.

Southwest Mississippi was left hoping for a miracle with 25 seconds left, but Jaylon Johnson delivered a sack on first down and Goss threw an incompletion on the next play. Brewer then checked in on third down and threw an incomplete pass, before Dre Riley picked off his fourth down attempt, officially ending the scare for Northwest.

Perteet logged his fourth 100-yard rushing effort of the season, finishing with 104 for the evening, accounting for all but two of the Rangers' net rushing yards. Wilcke completed 21 of his 36 pass attempts, with receivers Daniels, Johnson and K.D. Gibson finishing with four catches apiece. Daniels logged the most receiving yards (64) on the evening, followed by 40 from Johnson. 

Dunn led the Rangers with 12 tackles, including two sacks for a combined -13 yards. Jerry Wall III and Jaylon Johnson accounted for seven tackles each, with Johnson finishing with four tackles-for-loss and Wall earning 1.5 TFLs.

Northwest also finished with five pass breakups, including two from Keshawn Davila and two more from Fredd Adams. Riley was also credited with a pass breakup along with his interception.

Special teams return yardage also greatly helped the Rangers, as Abram finished with 80 yards on two kick returns. Johnson also accounted for 53 kick return yards on two attempts, while Adams returned three punts for 47 yards.

Wolfe punted five times for 201 yards, with his longest punt going 53 yards. Two of his punts also landed inside the 20-yard line.

For Southwest Mississippi, Goss finished 23-of-34 for 270 yards and a pair of touchdowns. His top target, Jackson, hauled in four passes for 138 yards, while Damarcco Blanton caught six passes for 53 yards. Jackson also returned three kickoffs for the Bears, finishing with 74 yards.

Koren Harris led the Bears' defense with nine tackles, followed by eight from Jeffery Polk, Jr. Kye Braddock punted nine times for Southwest Mississippi, tallying 318 yards with two punts landing inside the 20-yard line.

Next up for Northwest is a road matchup at Mississippi Delta, scheduled for Thursday, October 17. The Trojans (1-5, 0-3 MACCC) are coming off a brutal 52-21 loss against Holmes. Read Full Article