# 2016 Northwest Missouri State Bearcats football team

The 2016 Northwest Missouri State Bearcats football team represented Northwest Missouri State University as a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) during the 2016 NCAA Division II football season. Led by sixth-year head coach Adam Dorrel, the Bearcats compiled an overall record of 15–0 with a mark of 11–0 in conference play, winning the MIAA title. They won the program's sixth NCAA Division II Football Championship with a win over North Alabama in the NCAA Division II Championship Game.
The Bearcats played their home games on the newly-renovated Bearcat Stadium in Maryville, Missouri. 2016 was the 100th season in school history.

## Preseason

The Bearcats entered the 2016 season as the defending NCAA Division II National Champions, after finishing the 2015 season with a 15–0 record overall and in conference play. On August 2, 2016 at the MIAA Football Media Day, the Bearcats were chosen to finish in 1st place in both the Coaches Poll and in the Media Poll.
Sporting News released their Top-25 on May 25, 2016, landing Northwest Missouri State at #1. On June 15, 2016, Lindy's NCAA Division II Preseason Top 25 released its poll ranking Northwest Missouri State at #1.
On August 15, the American Football Coaches Association released the Preseason Division II Poll, landing Northwest Missouri State at #1.
On August 22, D2football.com released its Top 25 poll, ranking Northwest Missouri State 1st.

## Personnel
### Coaching staff

Along with Dorrel, there are 12 assistants.
| Name | Position | Seasons at NWMSU | Alma Mater |
| Adam Dorrel | Head coach | 6 | Northwest Missouri State (1998) |
| Rich Wright | Assist. Head Coach – Defensive Coordinator | 6 | Dana College (1995) |
| Charlie Flohr | Assist. Head Coach – Offensive Coordinator | 11 | Dakota State (2002) |
| Joel Osborn | Assist. Head Coach – WR/Recruiting Coordinator | 6 | Northwest Missouri State (2009) |
| Chad Bostwick | Assist. Head Coach – Linebackers | 6 | Northwest Missouri State (2005) |
| Brandon Clayton | Assist. Head Coach – Defensive backs | 2 | Northwest Missouri State (2009) |
| Ryan Gent | Assist. Head Coach – Tight Ends/Running backs | 3 | Iowa State (2013) |
| Ross Sharp | Director of player personnel | 3 | Northwest Missouri State (2014) |
| Scott Reilly | Graduate Assistant – Offensive Line | 3 | Northwest Missouri State (2016) |
| Andrew Pitts | Graduate Assistant – Defensive Backs | 1 | Northwest Missouri State (2016) |
| Justin Mulloy | Graduate Assistant – Quarterbacks | 1 | Minnesota (2014) |
| Brock Sherman | Graduate Assistant – Defensive Line | 1 | Northwest Missouri State (2016) |
| Tucker Peve | Football Equipment Manager | 4 | Northwest Missouri State (2017) |
| Reference: ||||

### Roster
## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 1 | 7:00 p.m. | at No. 24 Emporia State | No. 1 | Francis G. Welch StadiumEmporia, KS | | W 41–14 | 6,821 |
| September 8 | 7:00 p.m. | Washburn | No. 1 | Bearcat StadiumMaryville, MO | | W 41–7 | 7,501 |
| September 17 | 1:30 p.m. | Nebraska–Kearney | No. 1 | Bearcat StadiumMaryville, MO | | W 52–14 | 8,550 |
| September 24 | 6:00 p.m. | at Missouri Southern | No. 1 | Fred G. Hughes StadiumJoplin, MO | | W 45–21 | 5,267 |
| October 1 | 5:00 p.m. | No. 22 Central Missouri | No. 1 | Arrowhead StadiumKansas City, MO | | W 42–17 | 15,349 |
| October 8 | 2:00 p.m. | at Central Oklahoma | No. 1 | Wantland StadiumEdmond, OK | | W 56–10 | 3,109 |
| October 15 | 1:30 p.m. | Northeastern State | No. 1 | Bearcat StadiumMaryville, MO | | W 74–29 | 7,296 |
| October 22 | 1:30 p.m. | at Lindenwood | No. 1 | Harlen C. Hunter StadiumSt. Charles, MO | | W 47–12 | 3,527 |
| October 29 | 2:30 p.m. | Pittsburg State | No. 1 | Bearcat StadiumMaryville, MO (rivalry) | ASN | W 69–10 | 10,283 |
| November 5 | 2:00 p.m. | at Fort Hays State | No. 1 | Lewis Field StadiumHays, KS | | W 28–7 | 3,325 |
| November 12 | 1:30 p.m. | Missouri Western | No. 1 | Bearcat StadiumMaryville, MO (rivalry) | | W 44–3 | 7,542 |
| November 26 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 9 Emporia State* | No. 1 | Bearcat StadiumMaryville, MO (NCAA Division II Second Round) | | W 44–13 | 5,119 |
| December 3 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 5 Harding* | No. 1 | Bearcat StadiumMaryville, MO (NCAA Division II Quarterfinal) | | W 35–0 | 5,473 |
| December 10 | 2:30 p.m. | No. 5 Ferris State* | No. 1 | Bearcat StadiumMaryville, MO (NCAA Division II Semifinal) | | W 35–20 | 5,264 |
| December 17 | 3:00 p.m. | No. 7 North Alabama* | No. 1 | Children's Mercy ParkKansas City, KS (NCAA Division II Championship) | ESPN2 | W 29–3 | 9,576 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from American Football Coaches Association Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time ||||||||

## Game summaries
### Regular season
#### Emporia State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • #1 Northwest Missouri State | 3 | 17 | 14 | 7 | 41 |
| #24 Emporia State | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |

#### Washburn

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Washburn | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| • #1 Northwest Missouri State | 17 | 0 | 14 | 10 | 41 |

#### Nebraska–Kearney

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Nebraska–Kearney | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| • #1 Northwest Missouri State | 10 | 28 | 7 | 7 | 52 |

#### Missouri Southern

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • #1 Northwest Missouri State | 0 | 28 | 7 | 10 | 45 |
| Missouri Southern | 13 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 21 |

#### Central Missouri

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #22 Central Missouri | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
| • #1 Northwest Missouri State | 7 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 42 |

#### Central Oklahoma

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • #1 Northwest Missouri State | 14 | 28 | 14 | 0 | 56 |
| Central Oklahoma | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 |

#### Northeastern State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Northeastern State | 6 | 9 | 14 | 0 | 29 |
| • #1 Northwest Missouri State | 21 | 25 | 21 | 7 | 74 |

#### Lindenwood

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • #1 Northwest Missouri State | 14 | 17 | 0 | 16 | 47 |
| Lindenwood | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 12 |

#### Pittsburg State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Pittsburg State | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| • #1 Northwest Missouri State | 14 | 27 | 14 | 14 | 69 |

#### Fort Hays State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • #1 Northwest Missouri State | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 28 |
| Fort Hays State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |

#### Missouri Western

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Missouri Western | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| • #1 Northwest Missouri State | 10 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 44 |
With their win over Missouri Western, the Bearcats clinched their fourth straight conference title.

### Postseason
#### Emporia State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #9 Emporia State | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| • #1 Northwest Missouri State | 17 | 14 | 3 | 10 | 44 |
Entering postseason as the No. 1 team, the Bearcats earn a bye during the first week of playoffs and will play the winner of the Emporia State and Minnesota–Duluth game.

#### Harding

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #5 Harding | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • #1 Northwest Missouri State | 10 | 12 | 3 | 10 | 35 |

#### Ferris State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #15 Ferris State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| #1 Northwest Missouri State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |