Football | 9/19/2012 5:35:00 PM
ON A ROLL
Emporia State takes a 3-0 record on the road to Tahlequah, Okla. to take on Northeastern State. The last time the Hornets opened MIAA play 4-0 was in 1991.
LAST TIME OUT
Emporia State jumped out to a 21-0 lead and never looked back in a 42-14 win over Central Oklahoma. The Hornets have scored at least 40 points in six of their last seven games dating back to last season. The Hornets rolled up 538 yards of total offense with a season high 228 yards rushing. Tyler Eckenrode was 22 of 39 for 310 yards and four touchdowns through the air and added 57 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. Shjuan Richardson recorded his third straight 100 yard receiving game, finishing with seven catches for 100 yards and three touchdowns. Jordan Tice had 12 carries for 91 yards and a touchdown to lead the Hornets on the ground. Jordan Sanders had ten tackles and a fumble recovery for Emporia State while Ben Carlson had six tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery for the Hornets.
THE?COACHES
Garin Higgins has compiled a career record of 73-45 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 22-36 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. This is his first meeting with the Riverhawks. He was the offensive coordinator at NSU in 2006.
Kenny Evans is 16-32 in his fifth year at NSU. He is 0-1 against ESU.
SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Emporia State lead the MIAA and are ranked in the top ten nationally in scoring, total offense, and passing offense after their 42-14 win over UCO. It was the sixth time in the last seven games dating back to last season that the Hornets have scored at least 40 points. Since starting last season 1-4, ESU has gone 8-2 and averaged 40.2 points and 482.2 yards per game. The seven wins against MIAA teams are the second most against conference foes in regular season play behind Missouri Western, who is 8-0 in that time.
SCOUTING?THE RIVERHAWKS
Northeastern State is 0-3 overall and 0-3 in the MIAA after falling to Pittsburg State, Missouri Southern and Washburn to open the season. Joel Rockmore had 176 yards on 15 carries against Washburn after not playing the week before against Mo. Southern. Langston Jones is the leading tackler in the MIAA and ranked 6th nationally. The Riverhawks went 7-5 last year and advanced to the Mineral Water Bowl.
THE SERIES
This will be the seventh meeting between the two schools with NSU leading 5-1. This is the first meeting since 1990.
LAST TIME AGAINST NSU
Emporia State fell behind 14-0 after the first quarter and could not come back in a 34-22 loss to Northeastern State on Oct. 27, 1990. Quincy Tillmon ran for 191 yards and a touchdown for ESU, but NSU answered with 115 from Moli Brewer and 103 from Jackie Hood on the ground.
UP NEXT
Emporia State returns to Jones Field at Welch Stadium to take on Lincoln. Kick-off is set for 1 p.m.
