Central Oklahoma (3-3, 3-3 MIAA) at
Fort Hays State (3-3, 3-3 MIAA)
Saturday, October 16 - 7 pm
Hays, Kan. - Lewis Field Stadium
Radio: KJLS (103.3-FM)
LISTEN LIVE
Fort Hays State is set to host Central Oklahoma on Saturday night in Hays at 7 pm. Both teams enter the contest 3-3 on the season. The Tigers are looking to extend their win streak against the Bronchos, which currently sits at five in a row. A fireworks show will follow 10 minutes after the end of the game.
Game Sponsor: High Plains Farm Credit
Promotion: Postgame Fireworks Show (sponsored by Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau, Horizon Appliance and Electronics, and J Day Fireworks)
Fort Hays State is coming off a tough 23-20 overtime loss at Washburn last week in Topeka. The Tigers scored first in overtime with a field goal, only to see the Ichabods win the game with a touchdown on their overtime possession.
Central Oklahoma enters the game winners of its last two contests, downing Lincoln 69-28 and then Northeastern State 49-9. The Bronchos lost three straight games in Weeks 2-4, falling to Emporia State on the road, Missouri Southern at home, and then Northwest Missouri State on the road. UCO opened the year with a 24-20 win over Missouri Western in Edmond.
Fort Hays State won the 2019 meeting with Central Oklahoma by a score of 35-7 in Edmond. In that game, Chance Fuller tied the school record for passing touchdowns in a game with 5, completing 23-of-30 passes for 310 yards. Manny Ramsey had two of the receiving touchdowns in that game. Jordan Starks led the Tigers in tackles with 11.
The Tigers own the sixth-best offense in the nation, averaging 490 yards per game to lead the MIAA. The Tigers also have the top red-zone offense in the MIAA, scoring 92.9 percent of the time when they enter the area (26 out of 28 chances, which includes 23 touchdowns and 3 field goals).
Fuller ranks 10th nationally in passing yards entering Saturday with 1,829. He now has 56 passing touchdowns in his career, just four shy of the FHSU school record of 60 held by Jacob Mezera. Fuller set the single-season passing touchdowns record in 2019 at 35, and he has 14 so far this year.
Adrian Soto continues to be an all-around force for the Tigers. He ranks fifth nationally in rushing yards per carry (7.45) and seventh nationally in all-purpose yards per game (174.3). He has a total of 1,046 all-purpose yards this season (477 rushing, 275 receiving, 294 kick return).
On the defensive side of the ball, linebackers Myles Menges and John Johnson are coming off career-high performances in tackles. Both had 14 tackles in the game at Washburn last week. Jhimon Preston had 10 tackles in the game and has reached double figures in each of the last two contests.
The Tigers as a team had a season-high six sacks at Washburn last week, led by Javaris Sanders with two. Dalton Kuhn, Naszir Mallory, Sterling Swopes, and Menges all had one each. Kuhn and Sanders are tied for the team lead this season, each with three.
The Bronchos own the third-best rushing attack in the MIAA at 170 yards per game. However, they rank last in the conference in passing yards per game at 168.8. Though the Bronchos are 10th in the MIAA in total offense, they make up for it with the fifth-best total defense in the conference (366 yards per game).