The Missouri Western Griffons have taken a 7-0 lead as quarterback Travis Partridge hit Michael Hill for an 8-yard touchdown.
The Griffons went 62 yards in five plays, the big play was Partridge's 43-yard pass to Hill.
The Hornets have had to punt twice and were stopped on fourth down on their first three possessions.
MWSU 7, ESU 0 7:19 first quarter
The Griffons have struck again. Partridge has thrown his second TD pass of the quarter — this time to tight end Reggie Jordan. MWSU drove 78 yards in eight plays after ESU punted.
The extra point missed.
MWSU 13, ESU 0 end of first quarter
Partridge's third touchdown pass of the half pushes MWSU's lead to 19-0 with 11:06 to play in the second quarter. The 2-point conversion failed.
ESU is on the board. After the punt, on the first play from scrimmage Partridge dropped back to pass and was hit while throwing the ball. A Griffon offensive lineman caught the ball in the end zone and was tackled for a safety.
MWSU 19, ESU 2 7:59 to play in the half.
Emporia State trails 19-2 at the half. ESU is just 2 of 9 on third downs while MWSU is 5 of 7.
Partridge is 11 of 14 passing with three touchdowns and has 40 yards rushing.
Tyler Eckenrode is 12 of 18 for 91 yards.
Greg Zuerlein has added a 39-yard field goal for the Griffons to up their lead to 22-2 at the end of the third quarter.
The Hornets forced the Griffons into a turnover on their first drive of the second half as Kevin Gaddis recovered a fumble. But ESU couldn't convert it into points and eventually had to punt.
ESU later drove deep into MWSU territory but Eckenrode's pass was tipped and intercepted. The Griffons went down and kicked a field goal.
MWSU 22, ESU 2 end of the third quarter
LaDarrian Page scores on a 50-yard touchdown pass from Eckenrode to cut the deficit to 22-9 with 11:16 to play.
Eckenrode's 3-yard touchdown pass to RayRay Davis makes it 22-16 MWSU with 1:08 to go. ESU went 80 yards in nine plays.
ESU has one timeout left and will attempt an onside kick.
ESU nearly recovers Zak King's onside kick, but the Griffons swallow it up and run out the clock.
MWSU 22, ESU 16 final