Keiser (Fla.) claims program’s first NAIA championship in rematch with Northwestern (Iowa)
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Jaden Meizinger rushed for 261 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown on the first offensive play, Louis Lubin II returned a kickoff for a fourth-quarter touchdown, and No. 3 Keiser University (Fla.) beat No. 1 Northwestern College (Iowa) 31-21 on Monday to claim the program’s first NAIA championship.
Keiser (12-2), which started the season 1-2 before ending on an 11-game winning streak to set a program record for victories, avenged a 35-25 loss to Northwestern in last year’s title game. Northwestern (14-1), making its third trip to the championship in four seasons, had a 27-game win streak snapped — with its last loss coming on Sept. 3, 2022.
Keiser was without starting quarterback Bryce Veasley due to a sore hand. Backup Justin Wake went 10 of 15 for 117 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown to freshman Maurico Porcha for a 24-7 lead with 5:16 left in the third quarter.
Northwestern scored on a 53-yard catch-and-run by Konner McQuillan and the Red Raiders recovered an onside kick with 10:50 left in the fourth. McQuillan added a 2-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 24-21.
Lubin picked up a bouncing ball on the kickoff and returned it for a 77-yard touchdown with 7:06 left. It was Lubin’s second straight game with a key play after he broke up a pass attempt in the endzone to seal a semifinal victory on Dec. 9.
Meizinger, named the outstanding offensive player of the game, carried it 22 times and Andrew Burnette added 65 yards and a touchdown for Keiser. The Seahawks held an opponent under 100 yards rushing for the 10th time this season.
Jalyn Gramstad, the NAIA national player of the year, was 15-of-34 passing for 287 yards and two touchdowns for Northwestern. Michael Storey made six catches for 121 yards and McQuillan finished with 86 yards. Gramstad had a team-high 47 yards rushing.
Keiser scored the opening 17 points until Northwestern got two big plays by freshmen in the final two minutes of the half to get within 17-7.
Northwestern was stopped on a fake punt near midfield with 2:14 remaining before halftime. But Kylar Fritz made an interception two plays later and Austyn Gerard capped the drive with a 6-yard catch in the middle of the end zone with 29 seconds left.
Keiser returned the ensuing kickoff to midfield and went down the field to set up Nico Cavanillas’ 37-yard field goal attempt, but it went wide left as time expired.
___ Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here ___ AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football