-Courtesy of WTAMU Sports Information

West Texas A&M kept their bowl record unblemished in defeating Nebraska-Omaha, 31-25, Saturday afternoon in the inaugural Lower Kanza Bowl, played at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka, Kansas.

The Buffs are now 5-0 in post-season bowl games, with this being their first-such appearance since 1967. The win, the Buffs' sixth-consecutive victory, gives WTAMU a 7-5 overall record, while UNO ends the season at 7-5 overall.

"I thought both teams played outstanding football," said WT head coach Don Carthel. "And the City of Topeka was an excellent host."

"This game was as close as we thought it would be," Carthel continued. "We had some people step forward when the game was on the line and make some plays. Brittan Golden was able to get behind UNO's defense a couple of times, Keithon Flemming turned what could have been a short pass play into a score and Broderick Marshall and Bryan Braman really had some key defensive efforts."

After holding the Mavericks on their first possession, the Buff offense showed its ability to move the ball on its initial possession. With a stiff southwesterly wind at their backs, Taylor Harris completed a 43-yard pass to Stephen Burton to moved WT inside the UNO five-yard line. However, four plays later, Keithon Flemming was stopped inside the one-yard line, giving UNO possession.

Defense continued to play a part. With the Mavs' facing fourth and inches from their own 36, WT defensive tackle Broderick Marshall stood Terrell Levi up in the backfield, giving the ball back to WT. On first down, Harris again hit Burton, this time for 35 yards to the one yard line.

On first down, Flemming went around right end for the score, putting the Buffs ahead, 7-0, with 4:35 to play in the first quarter.

That score stood into the second quarter, where, with the wind now at their backs, the Mavs began moving the football. An 18-yard completion from Greg Wunderlich to Adol Overstreete moved the ball to the WT 15. The Buff defense held, forcing UNO's Greg Zuerlein to kick a 33-yard field goal.

The Buffs gave UNO field position when a Tim Cowdrey punt netted just seven yards. However, WT again held, forcing Zuerlein to boot another field goal, this one from 52-yards to make the score 7-6 with 11:32 to play in the first half.

Curtis Slater halted the Mavs' next drive, stepping in front of a Wunderlich pass at the WT 43. The Buffs couldn't move the ball and Cowdrey again had to punt into the wind, this one travelling just 15 yards.

Again, the Mavs moved inside the WT red zone. And, again, the Buffs stood tall. An errant pitch on third down from Wunderlich to Duane Bowen resulted in a four-yard loss, resulting in Zuerlein again kicking a field goal, this one from 27 yards out. The score gave UNO its first lead, 9-7, with 1:55 to play in the half.

The Buffs struck back. With the ball at the WT 43, Harris hit Brittan Golden in stride, with Golden carrying the ball to the UNO 15 with 4.2 seconds remaining. Chandler's 32 yard field goal, with time expiring, sent the teams into the locker room with WT ahead, 10-7.

WT took possession to start the second half, facing into the stiff wind. On the first play from scrimmage, UNO's Kyle Moore stepped in front of a Harris pass and returned it 23 yards for a touchdown, putting the Mavs' back on top, 16-10, with just nine seconds elapsed in the half.

On the Buffs' next possession, Harris may have made the play of the game. Eluding an intense rush at the WT 31, Harris scrambled to his right, then cut left, pulled up and hit Golden racing down the left sideline to the UNO 42. A post-play facemask call against UNO moved the ball to the UNO 28 yard line. Two plays later, Tyson Williams took a reverse around left end for 15 yards and a TD, putting WT back on top, 17-16.

Two key plays led to the Buffs next score. A Zuerlein 54-yard field goal attempt was blocked by WT's Broderick Marshall. Curtis Jefferson returned the ball to the UNO 38. On first down, Harris hit Flemming with a screen that turned into a 38-yard TD to put WT up, 24-16.

Again the Buff defense stepped up. A Harry Small sack of Wunderlich led to another third-quarter UNO punt, but UNO turned the tables when Micah Fisher picked off a Harris pass to regain possession for the Mavs near midfield.

The Mavs took advantage. A Wunderlich pass was tipped by Buff corner Caleb Randolph, falling into the hands of receiver Tyler Oberembt for a first down to the WT 34. Again, the Buffs thwarted the drive as Aaron Wampler sacked Wunderlich to end the half.

The Buffs couldn't move the ball and were forced to punt from their own endzone. Cowdrey's punt carried to the 46, where UNO took possession. The Mavs moved to the WT 27, where on fourth-and-four, Wunderlich found TE Mike Higgins wide open on the right flat for a first down to the WT two yard line. Bowen rushed in over the middle for the TD, but Wunderlich's two-point conversion attempt was off the mark, leaving the scored 24-22, with 9:24 to play.

Jeremy Watson returned the kickoff to the UNO 42 yard line and four plays later, Harris hit Golden on a post pattern with a 38-yard TD strike to extend the Buffs' lead to 31-22 with 8:34 remaining.

A 40-yard Zuerlein field goal cut the gap to 31-25 with 2:58 to play.

UNO had one final chance, taking possession with 1:50 remaining, but the Buffs' again held strong. A last-ditch Wundrelich attempt fell incomplete with 37 seconds remaining to seal the WT win.

Harris finished the day with 282 passing yards and two TDs. Golden, who earned Most Outstanding Player honors, led all receivers with 119 yards on five receptions. Burton had 82 yards on three receptions, while Flemming gained 55 yards on three receptions. The Buffs sacked the UNO quarterback four times, while recording one interception.

UNO's Wunderlich passed for 252 yards, with Higgins his favorite target with seven catches for 78 yards. Terrell rushed for a game-high 84 yards.