Football | 11/22/2012 4:56:00 AM
LET'S GO BOWLING
The #24 Hornets make their first appearance in the postseason since 2003 when they take on Texas A&M-Kingsville in the fourth annual Kanza Bowl in Topeka. This is the 11th postseason game in Hornet football history and the fifth bowl game.
LAST TIME OUT
Senior Harlon Hill candidate Tyler Eckenrode completed his first 13 passes as #25 Emporia State defeated Washburn 55-23 on Saturday at Yager Stadium in Moore Bowl. The win snapped an eight game losing streak to the Ichabods and gives the Hornets a 9-2 record on the season. Eckenrode finished the game 26 of 30 for 364 yards and four touchdowns while gaining 39 yards on 13 carries. He connected with seven different receivers and had at least a 12 yard completion to each of them. Adam Schiltz had a career high 150 yards on eight catches Ben Carlson had a game high 13 tackles and was joined in double figures by Jordan Sanders with ten stops. Gaddis had two interceptions and five solo tackles.
THE?COACHES
Garin Higgins has compiled a career record of 79-47 as he begins his 11th season as a head coach. He has led the Hornets to the postseason for the first time in ten years after just missing out in each of the last two seasons. He is 28-38 in his sixth season at his alma mater and is 19-14 over the last three seasons. He had a 51-9 career record as the head coach at Northwestern Oklahoma, including two trips to the national championship game. Higgins was a quarterback for Emporia State from 1987-90 and was on the 1989 national runners-up team.
Bo Atterberry is 41-27 in his sixth year at Texas A&M-Kingsville.
SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Emporia State leads the MIAA and is ranked tenth in the nation in passing offense. The Hornets are lead the MIAA and seventh in the nation in pass defense efficiency. Harlon Hill Trophy candidate Tyler Eckenrode leads the MIAA and is seventh in the nation in total offense. Shjuan Richardson leads the MIAA in receiving yards and is second in receptions. He is ranked eighth in the nation in receiving and 17th in catches.
SCOUTING?THE JAVELINAS
Texas A&M-Kingsville is 6-5 overall and went 5-3 in the Lone Star Conference. The Javelinas lead the LSC in pass defense efficiency and were ranked third in total defense and scoring defense. Jonathon Woodson leads the LSC in kick returns at 26.2 yards per return including a 93 yard return for touchdown at Tarleton State.
THE SERIES
This is the first meeting between Texas A&M-Kingsville and Emporia State. The Hornets are 0-3 all-time against teams from Texas but have not played a team from the Lone Star State since a 40-7 loss to Sul Ross State in 1967.
BOWL HISTORY
Emporia State has played in four bowl games in its history and are 2-2 in those games. The Hornets defeated Missouri State 34-20 in the 1948 Missouri-Kansas Bowl. They lost to Lincoln 21-0 in the 1958 Mineral Water Bowl and William Penn 17-14 in the Boot Hill Bowl in 1972. In their only NCAA bowl game, the Hornets defeated Winona State 34-27 in overtime at the 2002 Mineral Water Bowl.
UP NEXT
The Hornets are scheduled to open the 2013 season on Thursday, September 15 at Ft. Hays State.
