Griffon football: An epic season

“Historic” and “record-breaking” are two words to describe the football team’s 2012 season, but “riveting,” “victorious” and “awesome” also quickly come to mind. It was an epic season that will be talked about for a long time.

The Griffons opened the season ranked third in both the MIAA preseason Coaches and Media Poll and No. 16 in the Beyond Sports College Network Preseason Division II Poll.

The team’s only loss in regular season came against the Missouri Southern Lions at Missouri Western’s Homecoming game, 21-20. They went on to trounce Pittsburg State (the 2011 national champions) in Pittsburg, 63-14, the Gorillas’ worst home loss in 98 years. The next week they beat the undefeated conference leader Emporia State at Emporia 57-28. They went on to rout the Washburn Ichabods 56-28.

Perhaps it was fitting that the Griffons’ last game of regular season was against its biggest rival, Northwest Missouri State University. Both teams entered the Nov. 10 game at Maryville with 9-1 records. After trailing 17-0 at halftime, the Griffons took their first lead with 1:07 to play, then held off the Bearcats for a 21-20 victory that gave Missouri Western its first outright MIAA conference championship.

The team ended its regular season 10-1, the most wins the Griffons had ever had. For the third year in a row, Missouri Western played in the Division II national playoffs, and for the second year in a row, they earned the right to host the first game.

They entered post-season as Super Region 3’s No. 3 seed and beat the University of Minnesota-Duluth 57-55 in a three-overtime nail biter. That earned them the right to advance to the second round and play Henderson State in Arkadelphia, Ark. Nov. 24. There, they held the nation’s No. 1 scoring offense to more than 30 points below its average in a 45-21 victory.

The Griffons’ historic season ended Dec. 1 in Mankato, Minn., in the Division II national quarterfinals playoff game with a 17-10 loss to the Minnesota State University – Mankato.

“Although the season ended two weeks early, we salute our student athletes and coaches on a job well done and give another big thank you to our 22 seniors who finish their careers as the winningest senior class in school history,” said Kurt McGuffin, director of athletics.