Who was MicahJo Barnett? William Jewell football star dies after medical emergency during season openerA college football game in Missouri ended in tragedy Saturday after William Jewell College running back MicahJo Barnett suffered a medical emergency during the season opener against Fort Lewis College. Barnett collapsed on the sideline in the first quarter and was taken to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. He had scored a touchdown only minutes earlier, and video from the game shows him celebrating with his teammates after the play. The game was stopped and later called off as players, coaches and staff dealt with the sudden loss of the 20-year-old junior.MicahJo Barnett: Who was the William Jewell football star?MicahJo Barnett was a 20-year-old running back and business administration student at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri. He was born in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, and was the son of Michelle Barnett and Felix Lora. He had six siblings, according to his William Jewell athletics profile.Barnett attended Liberty North High School, where he helped the team win a state championship as a senior. He finished that season with 1,450 all-purpose yards and 20 touchdowns and earned All-Conference and All-State honors. At William Jewell, he played eight games as a freshman before starting five games in 2025. He led the Cardinals with 366 rushing yards and four touchdowns that season before a season-ending injury.His final game began with Barnett making an immediate impact. He scored William Jewell’s first touchdown on a 1-yard run, putting the Cardinals ahead 7-0. Play was then stopped with 4:32 remaining in the first quarter after Barnett suffered the medical emergency.MicahJo Barnett died after medical emergency during gameEmergency crews responded to the William Jewell sideline and took Barnett to a nearby hospital. The school later confirmed his death. The cause of the medical emergency has not been publicly confirmed.William Jewell College said: “William Jewell College and the Liberty, Missouri community mourn the passing of Micah Jo Barnett, a junior business administration and member of Jewell Cardinal football program and former Liberty North Eagle.”The college added: “Our thoughts and prayers are with Micah Jo’s family, our students, the Cardinal Football family, and the rest of our community during this time of loss.”Fort Lewis College also addressed the tragedy after the game was stopped. Its athletic director, Shawn Jakubowski, said: “Fort Lewis College Athletics extends its deepest condolences to the William Jewell College community following the tragic passing of a Cardinals football student-athlete, MicahJo Barnett.”Barnett’s former running backs coach Terrance Dennis also paid tribute to him, writing: “This has absolutely shattered me. I watched and cheered for your last play on the livestream today, doing what you LOVE, and fought so hard to come back to. The pleasure is forever mine, Uno.”William Jewell planned a campus vigil Saturday night for Barnett and his family. The school also said counseling services and its chaplain were available to students and staff following his death.