(Peru, Neb.) – A red zone stand by the Peru State defense preserved a 24-20 upset win over the visiting MidAmerica Nazarene (MNU) Pioneers on a beautiful day in the Oak Bowl on Saturday. The Bobcats stopped the Pioneers on Peru State's 11-yard line as MNU was forced to pass and had three incomplete passes.
 
The Bobcats had rallied from ten points down 20-10 with a touchdown in each of the third and fourth quarters.
 
With the win, the 25^th-ranked Bobcats improved to 4-1 against Heart of America Athletic Conference South Division foes. The Pioneers had come into the contest ranked 18^th and fell to 2-3 with the loss.
 
First Quarter Action
 
On the second play of the game, Jon Draeger (Dunbar) recovered an MNU fumble and Peru State took over on the Pioneers' 31-yard line.
Four carries by Aaron Smith (Houma, La.) moved the ball down to the Pioneer one-yard line. On the fifth play, Nate Tromblee (Lincoln) took the pitch and went into the end zone for the first score of the game. Greg Conry (Harlan, Iowa) hit the PAT and Peru State led 7-0 with 11:43 remaining in the first quarter.
 
After the Bobcats stopped the Pioneers on their next drive, Peru State's 11-play drive stalled at MNU's four-yard line as the 'Cats had gone on a fourth and two.
 
The quarter ended 7-0 Peru State with MNU in the midst of a drive.
Second Quarter Action
 
The Pioneers had started from their three-yard line and 13 plays later in the second quarter, MNU scored. With a successful PAT, the score was tied at 7-7 with 11 minutes left in the half.
 
After a 33-yard kickoff return by Travis Carnahan (Wahoo), Peru State started their next possession on their 38-yard line. MNU had trouble stopping the 'Cats on the ground as Peru State went with eight straight rushing plays, but had to settle for a 40-yard field goal by Conry to regain the lead at 10-7 at the 6:54 mark in the half.
 
On their next possession, the Pioneers would also get a field goal to tie it with 1:36 left in the half.
 
MNU would get the ball back as the Bobcats fumbled the ball on the first play of their drive giving the Pioneers good field position at Peru State's 25-yard line. Two plays later, MNU took their first lead of the game with a 14-yard rushing touchdown. Their PAT was good and the Pioneers led 17-10 with 50 seconds left in the first half.
 
Peru State moved the ball into the Pioneers' territory and was forced to try a 54-yard field goal which was short. At the end of the half, MNU led 17-10.
Third Quarter Action
 
The Bobcats had the ball first in the second half and went three and out. On MNU's first possession of the second half, the Pioneers converted on a 27-yard field goal to stretch their lead to 20-10 with 6:42 left in the third quarter.
 
James Sluka (Milligan) took the kickoff 17 yards and Peru State started on their 30-yard line.
 
Tyler Audsley (Prescott Valley, Ariz.) found Jon Frink (Hooper) for a 32-yard pass play to start the drive and move the ball into MNU's territory at the 38-yard line. Again, a heavy dose of running plays, along with two pass plays, eventually resulted in Smith carrying the ball into the end zone from five yards out. After Conry hit his PAT, the Bobcats were back within three at 20-17 with 17 seconds left in the quarter.
 
Fourth Quarter Action
 
After the Pioneers managed one first down, a chop block was called on MNU and moved them back to their 25-yard line. Consecutive tackles by Steven Bowers (LaVista), with the latter being a sack for a six-yard loss, the Pioneers were forced to punt.
 
Eventually, after penalties on both teams, Peru State took over in Pioneer territory at the 45-yard line. Eight rushing plays later, Audsley took the ball into the end zone from six yards out to put the 'Cats on top. Conry's PAT was good and Peru State led 24-20 with eight minutes left in the game.
 
MNU was twice in the Bobcat red zone with the Peru State defense stopping them both times without scoring. The first time, Gunnar Orcutt (Omaha) tackled the receiver who was two yards short of a first down on the Bobcats' eight-yard line.
 
Peru State did get the ball back, but could not move it and were forced to punt. With 2:34 left on the clock, the Pioneers got the ball back in Bobcat territory at the 37-yard line. MNU went for a 4^th and 1 and connected on it to keep the drive alive. The Pioneers eventually had a fourth and two on Peru State's 18-yard line and were successful again of converting on fourth down, but were stopped at the 15-yard line. One the next play, Logan Paben (Columbus) wrapped up the receiver for a short gain of four yards. As time was running out, the Pioneers were forced to continue to pass and all three passes were incomplete, which included a catch out-of-bounds in the end zone.
 
When the final pass was incomplete, the Oak Bowl erupted with a roar and the Bobcats stormed the field after the upset win.

MNU GAME BOOK
Team Statistics
 
MNU finished with 100 more yards of total offense than Peru State as they had 345 yards while the Bobcats managed 245. The Pioneers had 262 yards passing while the 'Cats held MNU to just 83 yards on the ground. Peru State finished with 170 yards on the ground and 75 efficient yards in the air.
 
The Pioneers had 20 first downs while Peru State finished with 14. Both teams had two fumbles and each team lost one.
 
It was a fairly clean game as Peru State only had two penalties while the Pioneers finished with six. MNU had a slight edge in time of possession.
 
Offensive Statistics
 
Smith and Audsley had 38 of the 47 carries on the ground for the Bobcats. Smith finished with 78 yards on 17 attempts while Audsley added 66 yards on 21 carries. Both finished with one touchdown as did Tromblee.
 
Audsley was 5 of 5 passing for 63 yards while Carnahan completed both of this passes for 12 yards.
 
Colton Audsley (Prescott Valley, Ariz.) caught two passes for 16 yards while Frink's lone catch was good for 32 yards.
 
Special Team Statistics
 
Conry punted just twice and averaged 36 yards. He made one field goal of 40 yards.
 
Paben had one punt return of 16 yards while Carnahan had three kick-off returns for a total of 58 yards. Colton Audsley had one kick-off return for 28 yards while Sluka had one kick-off return for 17 yards.
Defensive Statistics
 
Briar Burr (Wood River) had perhaps his best performance in a Bobcat uniform as he had a game-high 16 tackles – seven of which were solo. Burr added one pass break-up and also had a tackle for a loss of one yard.
 
Elijah Lavalais-Hawkins (Omaha) added nine tackles – three solo while Brandon Fletcher (Maxwell) and Orcutt each finished with eight tackles. Fletcher had three solo tackles while Orcutt had one.
 
Paben and Draeger each had seven tackles with Paben having three solo and Draeger one. Paben added one tackle for a loss of one yard while Draeger recovered a fumble.
 
Upcoming Game
 
Peru State will travel to Baldwin City, Kan., next Saturday to face Baker University in a game scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. The Wildcats were previously ranked third in the NAIA, but suffered a loss to Benedictine (Kan.) Saturday by a score of 35-31 as the Ravens scored with just over one minute left in the game.