FHSU Athletics
RV/- Nebraska-Kearney (2-0, 0-0 MIAA) at
RV/#22 Fort Hays State (1-1, 0-0 MIAA)
Saturday, September 13 ⦁ 7 p.m.
Hays, Kan. ⦁ Lewis Field Stadium
Game Sponsor: American Family Insurance – Brian Ruder Agency
Game Promotions: Fireworks after the game (about 10 minutes after completion of the game) / UTV Giveaway at halftime (A&A Coors/Eagle Media / Friends and Family Weekend
Radio: KJLS (103.3) CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
Video: MIAA Network: CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)
Fort Hays State opens MIAA play on Saturday night (Sept. 13) at home when it plays host to Nebraska-Kearney at Lewis Field Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. The Tigers, ranked No. 22 in the D2Football.com Top 25 Poll and receiving votes in the AFCA poll, enter the game 1-1 overall, while the Lopers are 2-0 overall and receiving votes in the AFCA poll as well.
Fort Hays State is coming off a big win over No. 5/6 ranked CSU Pueblo last week in Colorado. A blocked point-after-touchdown try by Taderian Partee with 27 seconds left preserved a one-point win for FHSU 36-35. It was the highest AFCA ranked opponent the Tigers ever defeated in their NCAA Division II history. It gave the Tigers a split of their non-conference games against nationally ranked teams.
Nebraska-Kearney is coming off a win over Chadron State this past week. The Lopers defeated the Eagles 41-21. UNK picked up both of its wins in non-conference play against Division II opponents in Nebraska, also clipping Wayne State 28-21 in the season opener.
This is the 71st meeting all-time between FHSU and UNK, but the series sits tied at 34-34-1. UNK recently had to vacate its win over FHSU in 2022, but FHSU still retains the loss. FHSU has won 11 of the last 12 meetings with UNK, dating back to the start of MIAA play for UNK in 2012. FHSU won nine in a row against UNK from 2012 to 2021. The Tigers enter Saturday with a two-game win streak against the Lopers. They won 31-17 in Hays in 2023 and then 27-20 last year in Kearney.
Fort Hays State has scored at least 20 points against Nebraska-Kearney in 17-straight meetings between the schools. FHSU has a record of 13-4 in that stretch, which dates back to the 2001 season when both schools were in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
Fort Hays State Chris Brown has an 11-1 record against Nebraska-Kearney in his coaching tenure at Fort Hays State. He has more wins over UNK than any other school he has faced leading the Tigers. Close behind are Missouri Southern, which he is 10-1 against and Northeastern State, which he is 10-0 against. Ryan Held is coaching against Fort Hays State for the 6th time in his career, but it will be just the third time leading UNK. He has yet to defeat FHSU, going 0-3 against the Tigers in his time as head coach at Oklahoma Panhandle State from 2002-2004 and now 0-2 so far at UNK.
Nebraska-Kearney and Missouri Southern are the only two teams in the MIAA that remain unbeaten overall, both at 2-0. FHSU is among five teams with a 1-1 record, and three teams are still winless for the season.
Fort Hays State enters the contest a winner of its last two openers in MIAA play. Last year FHSU defeated Missouri Western in Hays 30-16 and in 2023 the Tigers defeated Northeastern State 56-0 in Tahlequah. Nebraska-Kearney won its MIAA opener last year over Northwest Missouri State in Kearney by a score of 21-14. FHSU is 7-6 in MIAA openers under Chris Brown.
The Tiger offense is led by quarterback Caleb Heavner, who leads the team in rushing and passing. He has thrown for 401 yards and rushed for 102. Travis Dixon has FHSU's two rushing touchdowns on the season, both scored in the win at CSU Pueblo last week. Tariq Logan leads the Tigers in receiving yards with 101.
On the defensive side of the ball Gavin Meyers leads the Tigers with 18 tackles, while reigning MIAA Defensive Athlete of the Week John Johnson is next with 15 tackles. Gaven Haselhorst is tied for the MIAA lead in sacks with 3.0, while Michael Chavez has the team's lone interception.
Isaiah Harris leads the UNK rushing attack with 229 yards, while quarterback Abram Scholting has 185 passing yards for the season. Jaden Jude leads in receiving yards with 167. CJ Kuehl leads the Lopers defensively with 12 tackles, while Ife Current has a pair of interceptions for the season.