Football | 9/12/2012 1:16:00 PM
BACK HOME
Emporia State returns to Jones Field at Welch Stadium to take on Central Oklahoma for the first time as MIAA foes. The Hornets are 2-0 and averaging 49.5 points per game on the season.
LAST TIME OUT
Emporia State jumped out to a 24-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back in a 58-35 win at Neb.-Kearney on Saturday. Tyler Eckenrode ended the day 30 of 43 for 367 yards and four touchdowns and added a team high 51 yards rushing on eight carries. Shjuan Richardson hauled in 15 passes for a career high 204 yards and three touchdowns. Austin Willis added four receptions for 70 yards for the Hornets while Ray Ray Davis had two catches for 17 yards and a touchdown. ESU got defensive scores on a 35 yard fumble return by Josh Taylor and a 32 yard interception return by Tyrone Weaver. Ben Carlson had a team high 13 tackles including a sack. Chris Poston joined Weaver with an interception returned 47 yards. Derek Jonas hit two field goals while Eli Kuhns hit his second 40+ yarder of the season.
THE?COACHES
Garin Higgins has compiled a career record of 72-45 as he begins his 11th season as a head coach. He has led the Hornets to within just one game of a post season berth each of the last two seasons. He is 21-36 in his sixth season at his alma mater. 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. He is 1-0 against UCO.
Nick Bobeck is 0-2 in his first year at UCO after going 42-5 in four years at Navarro (Texas) CC.
SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Emporia State lead the MIAA and are ranked in the top ten nationally in scoring and passing offense after their 58-35 win at Neb.-Kearney. It was the fifth time in the last six games dating back to last season that the Hornets have scored at least 40 points. Since starting last season 1-4, ESU has gone 6-2 and averaged 40.0 points and 476 yards per game. The six wins against MIAA teams are the second most against conference foes in regular season play behind Missouri Western, who is 7-0 in that time.
SCOUTING?THE BRONCHOS
Central Oklahoma is 0-2 overall and 0-2 in the MIAA after falling to Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State to open the season. Joshua Birmingham is second in the MIAA in rushing at 102.5 yards per game and gained 122 yards against Pitt State.
THE SERIES
This will be the 14th meeting between the two schools with UCO leading 9-3-1. After meeting eight straight years between 1956 and 1963 the two have met just twice, in Welch Stadium in 1999 and in Edmond in 2007.
LAST TIME AGAINST UCO
Emporia State used a pair of interception returns for touchdowns in a 17-7 win at Central Oklahoma on Sept. 8, 2007. Emmanuel Howard had a 40 yard return and Travis Lee tied the NCAA record with a 100 yard return to give ESU a 14-0 lead at the half. Johnny Torres hit a 35 yard field goal for the final points for the Hornets.
UP NEXT
Emporia State travels to Tahlequah, Okla. to take on Northeastern State. Kick-off from Doc Wadley Stadium is set for 6 p.m..
