FHSU Athletics
Fort Hays State (6-3, 4-3 MIAA) at
#11/13 Emporia State (7-1, 5-1 MIAA)
Saturday, November 2 - 1 p.m.
Emporia, Kan. - Welch Stadium
Radio: KJLS (103.3) CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
Video: MIAA Network: CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)
Fort Hays State Football will play its third-straight road game against a Top 25 ranked team on Saturday when it travels to Emporia, Kan. Kickoff between Fort Hays State and Emporia State is set for 1 p.m. at Welch Stadium. FHSU enters at 6-3 overall, 4-3 in the MIAA, while ESU is ranked No. 11/13 nationally and enters at 7-1 overall and 5-1 in the MIAA.
This will be the 97th meeting all-time between Fort Hays State and Emporia State in football. The Hornets have a 20-game advantage in the all-time series and there have been two ties between the teams.
Fort Hays State is looking to snap a three-game losing string to the Hornets, which started in 2021. FHSU's last win over ESU was in 2019 by a score of 19-3 in Hays. Last year the teams met in Hays and Emporia State pulled out a 45-42 win in an offensive shootout. The Tigers have lost the last three meetings with the Hornets in Emporia. They are looking for their first win at Welch Stadium since the 2014 season.
Fort Hays State is also seeking its first road win this season. The Tigers went 6-0 at home in the regular season, but currently sit at 0-3 on the road. All three losses have been to teams that spent time in the Top 25 of the AFCA Poll this season, which includes Northwest Missouri State, Central Oklahoma, and Pittsburg State. This will be the fourth team the Tigers play in a road game this season that has spent time in the Top 25.Emporia State's only loss this season was a 14-9 setback at Northwest Missouri State. The Hornets have won three games straight since after a 4-0 start to the season.
The Tigers and Hornets are two of the best teams in the nation at moving the first-down chains. Emporia State ranks fourth nationally in NCAA Division II with 199 first downs, while FHSU is sixth with 196.The Tigers are coming off a 53-9 win over Missouri Southern. It marked the largest margin of victory for FHSU over MSSU all-time and it was the most points scored by the Tigers in a game this season.
Fort Hays State owns the best scoring defense in the MIAA at 17.7 points per game. The Tigers have held five opponents to 16 or less points this year, which includes one shutout. FHSU allows just 355.9 yards of total offense per game, third-best in the MIAA. Makel Williams leads FHSU and the MIAA in tackles with 77, averaging 8.6 per game.
Offensively, Shane Watts is coming off one of the biggest performances of his career. He had a career-high 201 rushing yards against Missouri Southern last week and added 58 receiving yards for 259 all-purpose yards. He had three touchdowns in the game and is tied for the MIAA lead in total touchdowns (14) with Emporia State receiver Tyler Kahmann. Watts produced the first 200-yard rushing game by a Tiger since the 2015 season. The Tigers rushed for over 300 yards as a team, which was a first since 2021.With two touchdown receptions against Missouri Southern, Jayden Horace now has 26 receiving touchdowns in his career at the NCAA Division II level, which is tied for third-most in Division II among active players. He has seven so far this season and leads the team with 555 receiving yards.