FHSU Athletics
Emporia State (7-3, 6-3 MIAA) at
Fort Hays State (7-3, 6-3 MIAA)
Saturday, November 11 - 1 p.m.
Hays, Kan. - Lewis Field
Radio: KJLS (103.3) CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
Video: The MIAA Network CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)
Fort Hays State Football hosts Emporia State for the final game of the 2023 regular season on Saturday. Kickoff from Lewis Field Stadium in Hays is set for 1 p.m. Both teams enter the game at 7-3 overall and 6-3 in the MIAA, currently tied for fourth in the MIAA standings. Both are receiving votes in the latest AFCA national poll.
Fort Hays State has already secured its eighth winning season under head coach Chris Brown, who owns an overall record of 81-54 in his 12th season guiding the Tigers. FHSU has won at least seven games under Brown seven times and are looking to reach eight for the sixth time under his guidance. Eight wins used to be the program record for a season until Brown put together five consecutive teams from 2015 to 2019 that either reached or topped that mark.
The Tigers will be looking to snap a two-game skid to the Hornets. Emporia State won both the 2021 and 2022 meetings between the teams. This is the 96th meeting between the teams in a series that goes all the way back to 1923. FHSU has played Emporia State more than any other team in program history. FHSU has 37 wins in the all-time series.
The Tigers are coming off a loss to then No. 11 ranked Central Missouri last week in Warrensburg. The result gave UCM at least a share of the MIAA title when Pittsburg State lost at Missouri Western. UCM is now the highest nationally ranked MIAA team at No. 7, while Pittsburg State sits at No. 8 and Missouri Western is now No. 21. The Hornets posted a win at home over Missouri Southern last week.
Despite coming up short against the nation's top offense last week, Fort Hays State still owns the best defense in the MIAA at just 281.7 yards per game. FHSU has held seven of its 10 opponents to less than 300 yards of total offense this season, which includes four opponents to less than 200 yards. The Tigers will have a strong challenge on their hands once again this week with an Emporia State team that averages 493.1 yards of total offense per game.
For the Tiger defense, John Johnson leads the team in tackles with 76 after a career-high 15 last week at Central Missouri. Makel Williams ranks second with 64 tackles and is tied with Kobe Rome for the team lead in interceptions, each with three. Myles Menges is the team leader in sacks with 6.5 after producing 6.0 over the past four games. Parrish Terry leads in tackles for loss with 10.0.
On offense, Jack Dawson has thrown for 2,470 yards this season with 24 touchdowns. Trevor Watts has been his top target, hauling in 64 passes for 675 yards. Jayden Horace has been the top scoring target of the receivers with 10 touchdowns to go with 509 receiving yards. Bryson Smith (367) and Cale Cormaney (358) give the Tigers four receiving targets with at least 350 receiving yards this season. In the ground game, Shane Watts leads the Tigers with 667 yards followed by Travis Dixon with 403. The Watts brothers have combined for 1,589 all-purpose yards this season.