Wayne State Edges Nebraska-Kearney 21-20 on Last-Second Field Goal
Source: KSNB Local4 Central Nebraska. Casualplayhub News adds summary, context, and editorial framing while linking back to the original report.
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KEARNEY, Neb. – In a thrilling season opener that came down to the final snap, Wayne State College edged Nebraska-Kearney 21-20 Thursday night at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium, avenging a 28-21 loss from a year ago. Senior kicker Boston Hensley delivered the decisive blow, drilling a 33-yard field goal as time expired to cap a frantic final drive.
With 1:10 left on the clock, UNK seemed to have seized control. Sophomore Kaden Kiernan, a Kansas City native, booted a 52-yard field goal—the longest by a Loper in a decade—to give his team a 20-18 lead. The kick came after a false start penalty on third-and-two just before the two-minute warning had stalled the UNK drive. The Lopers had a chance to extend the lead earlier, but a 32-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Wayne State linebacker Clyde Hinton late in the third quarter, and Kiernan missed a 50-yard try midway through the fourth.
But Wayne State, playing without injured starting quarterback Bennett Dannenbring, refused to fold. Backup Brady McGill, who had taken over the offense, engineered a masterful two-minute drill. He connected on contested passes of 21, seven, and 37 yards, with senior receiver Malaki Sik hauling in two of them. Two runs to the middle of the field then set up Hensley, who had opened the scoring with a 47-yard field goal early in the first quarter.
Wayne State's offense outgained UNK by a wide margin, 379 yards to 236, and ran three more plays. The Wildcats converted 5 of 12 third-down attempts, while the Lopers managed just 2 of 13. UNK head coach Ryan Held was blunt in his assessment: "We were 2 of 13 on third down and that just can't happen. We didn't finish, we were sloppy at times and didn't play well enough to win." He added, "On the last drive, they hit us with a couple of back shoulder fade balls. They just made plays."
Preseason All-American running back Dawson Forgy powered the Wayne State ground game with 18 carries for 122 yards and two touchdowns—a five-yard run and a seven-yard dash—including a long of 54 yards. McGill completed 13 of 21 passes for 185 yards, spreading the ball to eight different receivers, including preseason All-American tight end Dane Petersen. Defensive end Jackson Bos contributed 1.5 sacks as part of Wayne State's four-sack effort.
The game swung dramatically in the second quarter when UNK's North Platte redshirt junior defensive end Caleb Kinkaid intercepted a pass and returned it 88 yards for a touchdown, cutting the Lopers' deficit to 12-7. That score came after Wayne State had built a 12-0 lead, aided by a botched UNK punt snap. The Wildcats then returned the favor by muffing a kickoff following Kiernan's first field goal early in the second half, giving UNK possession at the 15-yard line. Three plays later, junior quarterback Devin Tate, from Oxnard, California, scrambled for a four-yard touchdown, putting the Lopers ahead 14-12.
Tate finished 10 of 17 for exactly 100 yards, with four different receivers catching two passes each, including sophomores Alex Parks (Overland Park, Kan.) and Ryker Evans (Elwood). Chadron State transfer Quincey Ryker (Sargent) found his rhythm in the second half, rushing for 61 yards on 15 carries. Marty Mormino (Omaha Westside) averaged 44.2 yards per punt. Defensively, tackle Cole Luedtke (Lincoln SW) and safety Kyler Lauridsen (Columbus) each recorded seven tackles.
Held reflected on the missed opportunities: "We were down and needed a momentum play (Kinkaid's pick-six). We got a tremendous kick to take the lead but had issues with other field goals. We left points on the table and the thing about it is, when it was 17-12, you got to get it to 20-12 to put pressure on them. We had the momentum but let them hang around."
UNK now heads to Chadron State next Thursday, September 3, after the Eagles fell to Northern State 42-17 on the same night. Wayne State will look to build on this dramatic victory as they continue their season.
Article commentary
The final-play field goal that gave Wayne State a 21-20 victory over Nebraska-Kearney encapsulates the razor-thin margins that define college football. For the Wildcats, this win was more than just a season opener—it was a measure of revenge against a Lopers team that had edged them 28-21 last year with a last-second interception. Yet the narrative of this game runs deeper than mere retribution. From a tactical standpoint, Wayne State's ability to survive the loss of starting quarterback Bennett Dannenbring and still orchestrate a game-winning drive speaks volumes about the depth coach Ryan Held has built. Backup Brady McGill, who completed 62% of his passes for 185 yards, showed poise under pressure, particularly on the contested catches that moved the chains. The Wildcats' offensive balance—122 rushing yards from Dawson Forgy and efficient passing—kept UNK's defense guessing. However, the Lopers' defensive front managed four sacks, indicating that Wayne State's offensive line has room for improvement. For Nebraska-Kearney, the loss stings because of what might have been. The Lopers dominated time of possession and had opportunities to build a larger lead. The blocked field goal and the missed 50-yarder are critical what-ifs. Coach Ryan Held's frustration with third-down inefficiency (2 of 13) is well-founded; converting just one more third down could have extended a drive and taken time off the clock, potentially denying Wayne State the final possession. The false start penalty before the two-minute warning was particularly costly, as it forced UNK to settle for a field goal instead of possibly running more time. Special teams played a pivotal role. Both teams had miscues—Wayne State's muffed kickoff and UNK's botched punt snap—but the Lopers' inability to score touchdowns from short fields was a glaring issue. Kaden Kiernan's 52-yard field goal was a bright spot, but the overall kicking game was inconsistent. Wayne State's Boston Hensley, meanwhile, delivered under pressure, making both his attempts, including the 47-yarder early and the game-winner. The comeback by UNK, sparked by Caleb Kinkaid's 88-yard pick-six, showed the Lopers' resilience. But the offense stalled in the second half, partly due to the absence of a consistent downfield threat. Quarterback Devin Tate managed just 100 yards through the air, and the receiving corps failed to generate explosive plays. The running game, led by Quincey Ryker, found some traction but lacked the breakthrough needed to put the game away. Looking ahead, both teams have areas to address. Wayne State must solidify its offensive line to protect McGill better, while UNK needs to improve its third-down execution and red-zone efficiency. The Lopers' schedule continues with a trip to Chadron State, which lost to Northern State, so a bounce-back is possible. But this loss, especially in such dramatic fashion, could linger if the team doesn't learn from its mistakes. For the Wildcats, the victory provides early momentum and a signature win against a conference rival. It also proves that the program can win in tight, high-pressure situations—a trait that could define their season.