KEARNEY, Neb. – Gary McKnight Jr. caught three touchdown receptions but Northeastern State couldn't recover from a slow first half and fell on Saturday afternoon 42-27 to Nebraska-Kearney.
 
The NSU senior matched a career mark and it was the most since his three touchdown afternoon last season at Northwest Missouri.  McKnight would catch seven passes from Cade Yeager for 154 yards, with his longest at 65-yards coming in the fourth quarter.
 
La'More Wise had a monster afternoon on the defensive side of the ball with 19 tackles and a forced fumble.   His 19 take downs matched a season high this season in the MIAA and Wise entered the contest with a nation matching high four forced fumbles. 
 
Northeastern State's defense was on the field for over 42-minutes against the Lopers with the RiverHawks' offense unable to convert a first down until the final two-minutes in the first half.    In their first seven drives, NSU was forced to punt six times, and their other drive resulted in an interception.  Nebraska-Kearney in the first half had 21 first downs and 328 yards of total offense with three touchdowns; the RiverHawks had 36 yards of offense on the other side of the ball.
 
The Lopers would go up 28-0 with a touchdown midway through the third-quarter before Yeager connected with McKnight on a short five-yard pass with 4:50 left. 
 
Yeager in the fourth quarter had 209 of his 275 passing yards with the RiverHawks getting caught up in a scoring shootout where they had a 21-14 edge.  Zac King had Northeastern State's other touchdown reception on a 22-yard pass on fourth down with 3:13 left in regulation.  Wise would force a fumble in the ensuing UNK drive to allow the RiverHawks go down the field for quick-six on a 43-yard pass to McKnight to get to the final 42-27 score.
 
UNK (3-5, 3-5 MIAA) would run the ball 69 times on the RiverHawks and picked up 299 of their 531 total offensive yards on the ground.   Northeastern State had 293 total yards and made 14 rushing attempts against the Lopers.
 
Yeager went 25-for-42 in the air and his four touchdown passes were tied for third-most by a quarterback this season in the MIAA.
 
With a strong wind in the first half, Blake Pearce kicked a MIAA high 73-yard punt, and besting the previous league mark by two yards.
 
Saturday's loss sends the RiverHawks to 0-8 overall and in MIAA play, Northeastern State will host Missouri Southern next who after a 63-33 loss to Central Oklahoma will head to Tahlequah with a 0-8 record.