BOLIVAR, Mo. -- The SBU Bearcats were tied with #8 Northwest Missouri at 14-14 in the third quarter before the visitors ran off 35 unanswered points to win 49-14.

Northwest (1-1) went on top in the first quarter on a four-yard touchdown pass from Blake Bolles to Jake Soy, the first of three times the pair would hook for scores during the game. SBU (0-2) tied the game early in the second quarter on an 18-yard strike from Steve Gachette to Johnnie King. NWMSU's Bolles and Soy would connect for their second score with five minutes left in the second quarter, giving the green Bearcats a 14-7 lead at the break.

Early in the third quarter, SBU's Tyrin Holt electrified the home fans with a 58-yard interception return to the NWMSU two-yard line. Gachette would score two plays later, tying the game at 14 apiece. Northwest would answer back quickly with a 28-yard touchdown pass from Bolles to John Hinchey.

SBU looked to tie the game again and drove to the the NWMSU six-yard line before Gachette was hit and was intercepted by defensive end Micah Wilson. Northwest quickly turned the turnover into points, with an 89-yard touchdown pass from Bolles to Soy. LaRon Council would add a 15-yard TD run late in the third and the visitors would tally two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter, making the final 49-14.

"The turning point was the takeaways," said SBU head coach Keith Allen. They got us 3 to 1 in turnovers. We challenged our team after the game. Did we take plays off? Northwest is used to being a championship team. They didn't panic and fought through. We minimized penalties but we were disappointed in the offensive line play. The real question for us is how we will respond to adversity on the road for the next two tough games."

Steve Gachette was 30 of 46 for 267 yards but was sacked five times and threw two interceptions. Gachette also led SBU with 40 net yards on the ground. King had nine catches for 116 yards for SBU. Jarred Schumpert recorded 17 tackles and one sack, while Anthony Wiggins and Shawn Kilduff had 11 stops each for SBU. Council rushed 20 times for 99 yards and two touchdowns for NWMSU while Bolles was 26 of 34 for 345 yards and four TD passes.

The SBU Bearcats head to Searcy, Ark., next Saturday, September 12, to take on the Harding Bisons in a 6 p.m. kickoff.