(Peru, Neb.) – A very efficient rushing game, blended with some key receptions, allowed the Peru State football team to topple a preseason top-ranked team on Saturday. The Bobcats went to Marshall, Mo., and handed the Missouri Valley Vikings their third defeat of the season by a score of 48-20.
 
Peru State improved to 3-1 on the year while Mo Valley fell to 1-3. The Vikings had started the year ranked in the Top 25.
 
First Quarter Action
 
Both teams had long drives in the first quarter which resulted in scores.

Peru State took the opening kickoff and rushed the ball 12 times on their way to a score. After two short gains by Colton Audsley (Prescott Valley, Ariz.), James Sluka (Milligan) went for 14 yards for a first down out to the Bobcats' 46-yard line. Audsley then went for seven more which was followed by a Viking penalty moving the ball down to Mo Valley's 42-yard line. Derren Pass (Naples, Fla.) gained 14 yards putting Peru State on the Viking 28-yard line. After two plays did not move the ball, Pass gained ten yards and the 'Cats were in the red zone at the 18-yard line. Tajh Eaddy (Spencerport, N.Y.) went eight yards which was followed by a quarterback keeper by Travis Carnahan (Wahoo) which was good for five yards down to the Vikings' five-yard line. A false start on the 'Cats moved the ball back to the ten-yard line. Eaddy went for eight yards before Justin Haystrand (New Port Richey, Fla.) went in from two yards out at the 8:04 mark in the quarter. John Brady (Hickman) hit the point after and Peru State led 7-0 after taking 6:56 off the clock.
 
Mo Valley then put together an even longer drive as they went 85 yards in 14 plays taking 7:30 off the clock to score to tie the game at 7-7.
 
Rather than run the clock out, Peru State went to the air for the first time with Carnahan finding A.J. Flodman (Hickman) for 36 yards. The Bobcats would start the second quarter in Viking territory at their 39-yard line.
Second Quarter Action
 
Carnahan would ten yards on a quarterback keeper for another first down. Ki'Jana Owens (North Platte) had a carry for 11 yards and the 'Cats were in the red zone again at the 18-yard line. Pass would go in from 18 yards out and the Bobcats were back on top – this time for good after Brady's kick made it 14-7. The four-play drive took just 1:37 off the clock with 13:23 left in the first half.
 
Peru State would force a three and out and took over on Mo Valley's 40-yard line. Stephen Bowers (Papillion) would have a key sack of the Viking quarterback on Mo Valley's possession.
 
On the Bobcats' first play, Jake Coughlin (Omaha) would take a reverse handoff and went the distance for the score. Brady's kick was good and Peru State led 21-7 with 11:03 left in the half.
 
The Bobcat defense again stepped up and forced Mo Valley to punt from their 31-yard line. A good punt of 48 yards was fielded by Flodman who brought it back 57 yards to the Viking 22-yard line.
 
Peru State had the Vikings reeling at that point as they stunned Missouri Valley when Eaddy went in from 22 yards out at the 9:04 mark. Brady again was good and the 'Cats led 28-7 at that point.
 
Mo Valley did come back to score on the next possession, but their point after attempt was blocked by Bowers. With 6:46 left in the second quarter, Peru State led 28-13.
 
That would be the end of the scoring in the half although the Bobcats did get to Mo Valley's 35-yard line before that drive stalled.
Third Quarter Action
 
Peru State kicked off to start the second half and the Vikings started on their 36-yard line. On their first play, Abdul Marei (Houston, Texas) forced a fumble which was recovered by Gunnar Orcutt (Omaha) on Peru State's 45-yard line.
 
After a short gain, Eaddy went 13 yards for a first down to Mo Valley's 41-yard line. On the next play, the Vikings were called for a pass interference and quickly the 'Cats were on their opponent's 26-yard line. After a one-yard gain, Carnahan found Coughlin for a 25-yard touchdown pass. Brady's kick was good and the Bobcats led 35-13 with 12:41 left in the third stanza.
 
The Vikings would score on their next possession on a six-play, 79-yard drive to pull within 15 at 35-20.
 
Peru State would start their next drive after the touchback with 11:06 on the clock. After Carnahan went for eight yards, the Vikings were whistled for a person foul which moved the ball out to Peru State's 48-yard line. Carnahan would keep the ball again and this time went for 16 yards into MVC territory at the 36-yard line. Three short gains netted another first down at the Viking 26-yard line. A short gain by Owens, followed by two incomplete passes, made it fourth and seven at the MVC 23-yard line. Sluka would go nine yards and the Bobcats were in the red zone again, this time at the 14-yard line. After no gain on their first play, Eaddy went in from 14 yards out for the score. The PAT was not good, but Peru State led 41-20 with 6:06 left in the third. Their 11-play, 75-yard drive had taken five minutes off the clock.
 
Missouri Valley put together a drive that got down to Peru State's 18-yard line. After a timeout, the Vikings threw the ball, but it was intercepted by Darius Finley (Roanoke, Ala.) in the end zone for the touchback.
 
Two short rushing plays by Peru State ended the quarter with the Bobcats leading 41-20.

 
Fourth Quarter Action
 
The 'Cats started the fourth quarter with a Carnahan to Coughlin pass that was good for 23 yards moving the ball out to their 45-yard line. Sluka then went for 23 yards for another first down at MVC's 32-yard line. Owens would have carries of seven and 17 yards and the Bobcats were once again in Mo Valley's red zone at the eight-yard line. The Vikings would call a timeout only to be called for an offside on the next play. But, Peru State would then have a false start and the ball was back at the nine-yard line. A gain of five by Haystrand was followed by another four yard run for Haystrand for his second score of the game. Brady's kick was good and Peru State led 48-20 with 11:48 left in the contest.
 
Missouri Valley would only get into Peru State territory one more time, that being on their last possession of the contest before they were stopped at the 36-yard line. Peru State would run out the clock after that point on their way to their third win of the season.

MISSOURI VALLEY GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
The Bobcats' statistics looked very good with perhaps the conversions being most notable after their rushing efforts. Peru State converted six of ten third downs, one of one fourth downs, and were a perfect four for four in red zone conversions.
 
Peru State had 26 first downs compared to 20 for MVC. The 'Cats rolled up 369 yards on the ground and had 102 through the air for a total of 471 yards. Mo Valley had 164 yards on the ground and 187 in the air for 351 yards.
 
Mo Valley did have an advantage in the kicking game, but the Vikings did have two turnovers – one fumble and one interception.
 
Offensive Statistics
 
Nine different Bobcats carried the ball with five having more than forty net yards. Eaddy led the team with 92 yards on 13 carries with two touchdowns. Carnahan added 54 yards on eight carries while Sluka finished with 52 yards on four carries. Pass had 41 yards on four carries and one touchdown while Coughlin had 40 yards on one carry and a touchdown. Haystrand had the final two touchdowns and finished with 23 yards.
 
Carnahan was an efficient five of seven passing for 102 yards and one touchdown.
 
Coughlin caught two passes for 48 yards and one touchdown. Flodman had one catch for 36 yards and Owens added one for 20 yards.
 
Special Team Statistics
 
Alec McClendon (Pampa, Texas) punted three times for an average of 36.3 yards.
 
Flodman had two punt returns for a total of 57 yards.
 
Brady had eight kickoffs averaging 54.9 yards with one touchback.
 
Defensive Statistics
 
Warren Johnson, Jr., (Annapolis, Md.) led Peru State with six total tackles – four of which were unassisted while adding one tackle for a loss of one yard. Bowers had five unassisted tackles, one sack for an 11-yard loss, two tackles for a loss of 13 yards, one pass break-up, and one blocked kick.
 
Justin Barnes (Tallahassee, Fla.) added five tackles – two of which were unassisted while Robert Tillman (Detroit) had four total tackles – two unassisted.
 
Finley finished with three unassisted tackles, one tackle for a loss of two yards and one interception. Orcutt added three tackles – one unassisted, and recovered a fumble.
 
Andrew Shackelford (Parrish, Fla.) and Luis Constantino (Varzea Grande, Brazil) each had a tackle for a loss.
Upcoming Game
 
Peru State will host the MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) Pioneers this coming Saturday in its Hall of Fame game. The contest will begin at 1 p.m.
 
The Pioneers were stunned on Saturday by Benedictine (Kan.) 55-20. MidAmerica Nazarene had gone into the home game ranked 19^th while the Ravens were 16^th.