EMPORIA, Kan. — Playing the role of the underdogs, Emporia State did exactly what it had to do on its first drive Thursday night.

The No. 24-ranked Hornets marched down the field to score first and take an early lead against the No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri State.

The defending national champions responded by scoring on the next three possessions on the way to a 41-14 victory in front of 6,500 fans at Francis G. Welch Stadium.

All told, Northwest scored 41 straight against the Hornets in a rematch of a Division II quarterfinal game last season.

Northwest’s defense, the best in the MIAA last year, adjusted after giving up 88 yards on 12 plays to the Hornets, who fell to 2-30 against Northwest following their 23rd straight loss in this series.

“I think you saw immediately on the second drive, we were getting guys to the quarterback and the pitch,” said Northwest coach Adam Dorrel. “That was the big key, guys listening and paying attention. Certainly very pleased with their effort.

“If we want to do the thing we want to do, the defense has to play good each and every week. We are very efficient on offense and try to be real try high-percentage and don’t put them in bad positions.”

The Bearcats held Emporia to minus-5 yards over the next four drives and the offense capitalized by scoring 20 unanswered points to close the first half and take a 20-7 lead at the break.

Emporia got a pair of big runs from Braxton Marstall on its first drive as the quarterback dashed for 14- and 19-yard gains and later hit Justin Brown for a 3-yard touchdown.

The deficit meant Northwest trailed for the first time in six-plus games, a span of 411 minutes and 28 seconds. Northwest’s Collin Bevins recorded a tackle for loss and Emporia threw two incomplete passes on the next drive, leading to a punt.

Momentum then swung back in the Bearcats’ favor.

Northwest took the lead on the ensuing drive, aided by a 48-yard completion from Kyle Zimmerman to Jordan Grove. Three plays into the second quarter, the first-year starting signal-caller scrambled for an 11-yard score to give the Bearcats the lead for good.

“I was really proud of Kyle. I didn’t feel like he was forcing stuff; that is what you want to see from a first-start quarterback,” Dorrel said.

A sack by Maryville native Caleb Mather highlighted the following defensive stand for Northwest, which also featured a Kevin Berg tackle for loss that saw Emporia run three plays and lose 10 yards.

An 11-yard punt followed and gave Northwest a short field. Ten plays later, Zimmerman hit Phil Jackson II for a 5-yard touchdown and a 17-7 lead.

Mathiesen hit a 40-yard field goal with 9 seconds left in the second quarter to extend the lead to 20-7.

The advantage grew to 34-7 after three quarters and the defense continued to impose its will against the Emporia offense. The Hornets combined for 102 yards over the second and third quarter and the remaining drives in the first quarter — 14 yards after the first drive.

The Hornets had 183 yards of total offense and the Bearcats defense racked up three sacks and six tackles for loss in the season debut.

“I thought after that first drive we came out and played a lot better and figured out how their flow of the offense and the game,” said Northwest defensive end Cass Weitl. “Our goal is to shut down the running game and make them one-dimensional and it will work out in our favors. Our DBs and linebackers shut the receivers down for the most part and gave us time to get there (the quarterback) and as long as we can have time to get there, we will try to hit him.”

Northwest got a pair of second-half touchdowns from running back Cameron Wilcox from 1 and 3 yards. Shawn Bane Jr. added a score on a fumble recovery which almost was a 27-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter.

The reigning MIAA freshman of the year caught the pass and shook free a few tackles on his way to the end zone. JP Lohrentz forced a fumble at the 1, but Bane recovered it for the score.

Northwest had 491 yards of total offense — 316 through the air. Zimmerman went 26-for-36 with 310 yards and two passing touchdowns. Eleven different Bearcats had a at least one catch, led by Grove’s five for 92 yards.