By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
Fort Hays State posted a perfect 6-0 regular season record at home by rolling to a 53-9 win over Missouri Southern on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 26) at Lewis Field Stadium. The Tigers improved to 6-3 overall on the season and 4-3 in the MIAA with the victory, while the Lions dropped to 1-8 overall and 0-7 in the MIAA. The 44-point win was the largest in history for FHSU over MSSU and FHSU posted its first undefeated season at home since 2018, when it also went 6-0.
Fort Hays State finished with a season-high 520 yards of total offense, while holding MSSU to 246. The Tigers ran the ball for a season-high 301 yards and threw for 219. The last time the Tigers rushed for over 300 yards in a game was in 2021 with 334 against Northeastern State.
Shane Watts had a huge day offensively, rushing for a career-high 201 yards and adding 58 receiving yards for 259 all-purpose yards on the day. He averaged 10.6 yards per rush, highlighted by a 79-yard touchdown run. He was the first Tiger to rush for 200 yards in a game since 2015 when Shaquille Cooper ran for 216 against Emporia State.
The Tigers took control of the game from the outset, taking their first drive 70 yards over nine plays capped on a 9-yard touchdown run by Watts. Later in the first quarter, Watts reached the endzone again on a 28-yard touchdown reception from Caleb Heavner. FHSU led 14-0 through one frame. The lead grew to 21-0 in the second quarter on an 8-yard pass from Heavner to Jayden Horace. Missouri Southern picked up its first points of the game on a 33-yard field goal in the waning seconds of the half, making the score 21-3 at the break.
The Tigers added 16 points to their lead in the third quarter. Watts broke free for his 79-yard touchdown run for the first points. A bad snap on a punt resulted in a safety for two more points. Horace nabbed his second touchdown catch on a 25-yard pass from Heavner.
The Lions scored their only touchdown of the game with 12:41 to go in the fourth quarter on a 15-yard pass. However, the Tigers’ John Johnson blocked the extra-point attempt and it flew perfectly into the arms of Trevion Mitchell, who scampered 83 yards for a defensive 2-point PAT, making it 39-9 Tigers. Later, Jack Dawson entered and quarterback and picked up touchdown runs of one and 21 yards to cap the scoring.
Watts, Heavner, Dawson, Hunter Trail, and Keyan Millerall contributed to the 300-plus yard rushing effort for the Tigers. Horace led the Tigers in receptions with five for 65 yards, while Jabari Lewis topped him by a yard with 66 receiving yards on three catches.
Defensively, Johnson led the Tigers with eight tackles and an interception to go with his blocked kick on the PAT try. Makel Williams had seven tackles and Mason Perez added six. Gaven Haselhorst and Jonah Smithshared a sack. Keiyon Turner also recorded an interception late in the game.
The Tigers will be on the road for their final two contests of the regular season. They head to Emporia State next Saturday (Nov. 2) for a 1 p.m. kickoff at Welch Stadium.