FHSU Sports Information Department
Fort Hays State Football looks to gain ground on the leaders in the MIAA standings Saturday when it hosts No. 13 ranked Emporia State. Kickoff is set for 2 pm at Lewis Field Stadium. FHSU is currently tied for third in the MIAA at 4-2 while Emporia State is tied for first with Northwest Missouri State at 6-0.
The Tigers will be looking for their second straight win over the Hornets after winning the meeting in Emporia last year by a score of 24-21. ESU claimed the last meeting between the teams in Hays by a score of 43-13 in 2013. The Tigers are coming off a 26-21 loss at Missouri Western last week while Emporia State is coming off a 46-42 win over Pittsburg State at home. ESU jumped from No. 18 to No. 13 in the national poll this week with the win over a No. 13 ranked PSU team. The Gorillas are now ranked No. 22 in the nation and in a tie for third with FHSU, Missouri Western, and Central Missouri.
Fort Hays State fell short of 200 yards rushing as a team for the first time this season last week. It snapped an eight-game streak of FHSU rushing for at least 200 yards in a game. However, the Tigers still lead the MIAA in rushing yards per game (267.7) and rank 12th nationally in the category. Shaquille Cooper and Treveon Albert are still the top two rushers in the conference, Cooper at 132.2 yards per game and Albert at 114.3 yards per game. Cooper ranks eighth in NCAA Division II in total rushing yards (793).
The Tiger defense will be looking for a way to contain Emporia State senior quarterback Brent Wilson, who ranks second in NCAA Division II in completion percentage (70.5) and fourth in passing yards (2,099) and passing yards per game (349.8). Brock Long leads the Tigers in tackles with 88, averaging 14.7 per game, and also leads in sacks with 4.5 for the season. The Tigers have six interceptions as a team so far as Raheeme Dumas leads individually with two.
Daniel Lindsey has been a beast on special teams so far this season to go with his solid play on defense. Lindsey is tied for the lead in NCAA Division II in blocked kicks with four, which also helps Fort Hays State lead the nation in blocked kicks with seven as a team. Lindsey has 51 tackles, which includes nine for loss, and a forced fumble. He is just one blocked kick shy of tying the single-season record at FHSU held by Jose Salcido, set in 1995.
Drew O’Brien is also nearing a pair of school records. The senior kicker now has 211 career points, just seven shy of the career kicking points record of 218 held by Wes Simoneau. He is also just nine points shy of the career scoring record of 220, set by Bob Johnson from 1963-66.