Football | 10/30/2025 4:00:00 PM
Game #9
Emporia State Hornets (4-4, 3-3 MIAA)
vs. #14 Northwest Missouri Bearcats (7-1, 6-0 MIAA)
Homecoming 2025
Saturday, November 1 • 2:00 p.m.
Jones Field at Welch Stadium • Emporia, Kan.
Series Record: NWMSU Leads 37-3
Last Meeting: at NWMSU 14, #11 ESU 9 (9/28/24)
Radio: KFFX-FM (104.9) Pregame 1:00 p.m.
Internet (Audio):
www.kvoe.com Internet (Video):
The MIAA Network Television: None
Live Stats |
Ticket Info |
Complete Notes in pdf
Officials: Announced on Game Day
Up Next: at Washburn
Saturday, November 8 • 1:00 p.m.
Yager Stadium at Moore Bowl • Topeka, Kan.
IT'S A CELEBRATION
Emporia State takes on #14 Northwest Missouri on Homecoming for the Hornets. ESU has won their last four homecoming contests.
LAST TIME OUT
True freshman quarterback
Jamison Sarver was seven of seven for 98 yards in the fourth quarter to rally the Hornets to a 31-27 comeback win as
Garin Higgins passed Fran Welch for the most wins in school history with 117 victories.
The Mules had leads of 10-0, 24-14 and 27-17 before the Hornets used a 14-0 fourth quarter to take the win. Sarver his
Max Middleton for an 11 yard touchdown with 14:28 left in the game to get within three. After the defense forced a three and out
Diego Cearns scored from two yards out with 9:09 left to put Emporia State up for the first time in the game.
In his first start as a true freshman Sarver went 25 of 41 for 288 yards and two touchdowns while adding ten yards on the ground. Bennett had five catches for 71 yards and a touchdown while
Malik O'Atis had eight catches for 69 yards.
Ondraye Beasley had a team high 74 yards on three receptions. Cearns had 87 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown.
Landon Boss had ten tackles while
Tyler Schultze added nine stops and two pass break ups.
THE COACHES
Garin Higgins has a career record of 168-97 in his 22nd season as a head coach. He is 117-88 in his 18th season at his alma mater. He has passed Fran Welch's school record of 116 wins from 1928-54. He is the winningest active coach in the MIAA and has the fifth most wins among MIAA coaches in history. He has led the Hornets to the post season in eight of the last 12 seasons with three NCAA Playoffs and a national semifinal appearance in 2015. He had a 51-9 career record 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 1-18 against Northwest Missouri.
John McMenamin is 7-1 in his first year at Northwest Missouri and 14-5 in this second year overall. This is his first meeting with the Hornets.
SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 4-4, 3-3 in the MIAA. They are fifth in the nation in passing offense. ESU leads the nation with five blocked punts and are fourth in net punting. Before his injury
Ben Harris was ranked fifth nationally in passing and sixth in total offense per game
Malik O'Atis is seventh in receptions per game.
Dylan Davidson is second in the nation in punting and
Caden Dodson is second in field goal percentage.
Landon Boss is 12th nationally in sacks and 16th in tackles for loss.
SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
Northwest Missouri is 7-1, 6-1 in the MIAA and ranked #14 in the AFCA National Poll. They are ranked ninth in the nation in total offense, tenth in rushing offense and 11th in total defense. They have four of the top 15 rushers in the MIAA.
THE SERIES
This is the 41st meeting in the series with the Bearcats leading 37-3. The last two Emporia State wins have been in Maryville, in 1994 and 2023. The last Hornet win in Emporia was on October 9, 1965.
LAST TIME AGAINST NORTHWEST MO.
The #11 Hornets forced seven turnovers but went just one for five in the redzone in a 14-9 loss at Northwest Missouri.
Gunnar Gundy found
Tyler Kahmann in the endzone for an 11 yard touchdown to give the Hornets a 7-0 lead with 13:18 left in the half. The Bearcats tied the game on a four yard run by Henry Martin with 8:33 left in the half. Tank Young was tackled in the endzone by
Cade Stephenson to give the Hornets a safety and a 9-7 lead with 1:50 left in the half. Northwest Missouri took a 14-9 lead with 11:05 left in the game on a 29 yard touchdown pass from Chris Ruhnke to Luke Matthews.
Jaaron Joseph had ten tackles while. Emporia State also got interceptions from
Kobe Holley,
Arich Ansley,
Peyton Taylor and
Danarius Hollywood.
UP NEXT
The Hornets travel to Topeka on November 8 to take on Washburn. Kick-off for the Turnpike Tussle is set for 1:00 p.m. in Yager Stadium at Moore Bowl.
Complete Notes available
here
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