FHSU Sports Information Department
Fort Hays State looks to knock off a nationally-ranked opponent for the second consecutive week when they take on No. 3 ranked Northwest Missouri State in Maryville, Mo., on Saturday (Oct. 24). The Tigers are looking to snap an 11-game losing streak to the Bearcats. FHSU enters at 5-2 while NWMSU is still unbeaten at 7-0. Game time is set for 2 pm.
The Tigers look to knock off an undefeated team for the second straight week, coming off a 27-24 win over previously unbeaten Emporia State. The Hornets were ranked No. 13 in the nation, but fell to No. 19 after the loss to FHSU. The Tigers continue to hover right outside the top 25 of the AFCA Poll, as they have received votes in all but one regular season poll this year.
A Tiger win would pull the Tigers within one game of the Bearcats in the MIAA standings. FHSU is currently tied for third with Central Missouri while Emporia State sits between FHSU and NWMSU at 6-1. The Tigers pulled within a game of the Hornets last week and look to do the same this week with the Bearcats.
The Tigers are looking for their first win over Northwest Missouri State since 1978, although a long period of time passed without a meeting between 1980 and 2006. NWMSU has won all nine meetings with FHSU since the Tigers joined the MIAA in 2006.
The game will be a matchup of strength-on-strength, Fort Hays State’s potent rushing attack against the conference’s top defense. Fort Hays State averages 283 rushing yards per game while the NWMSU defense is allowing just 67.4 yards per game on the ground. The Tigers look to solve a Bearcat defense that surrenders just 209.7 yards of total offense per game.
Shaquille Cooper and Treveon Albert continue to lead the MIAA in rushing. Cooper averages 144.1 rushing yards per game while Albert averages 119.6 per game. Cooper ranks fourth nationally in rushing yards with 1,009 while Albert ranks 13th nationally in yards per carry (7.2).
Brock Long ranks second nationally in tackles with 110 for the Tigers. He is also second in the conference, as Lindenwood’s Connor Harris leads the nation with 125. Long averages 15.7 tackles per game and leads the team in sacks (6.0) and tackles for loss (13.5) as well. He produced a career-high 22 tackles, along with the game-sealing interception against Emporia State last week.
With nine points in the game last week, Drew O’Brien matched the all-time scoring record at FHSU, now at 220 points in his career. With one more point, he will pass Bob Johnson, who set the record from 1963-66. O’Brien also broke the kicking points record at FHSU last week, passing the 218 produced by Wes Simoneau from 1997-2001.
Fort Hays State continues to lead the nation in blocked kicks with seven. Daniel Lindsey is tied for the national lead as an individual with four.