Home For Break: Emporia State Football Plays Host To MoSo on Fall Break

Football | 10/9/2025 5:00:00 PM

Game #6
Emporia State Hornets (2-3, 1-2 MIAA)
vs Missouri Southern Lions (2-3, 0-3 MIAA)
Saturday, October 11 • 1:00 p.m.
Jones Field at Welch Stadium • Emporia, Kan.
Series Record: ESU Leads 27-22 Last Meeting:  #18 ESU 49, at MSSU 30 (10/1221/24)
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 Central Oklahoma
Saturday, October 18 • 7:00 p.m.
Richeson Stadium • Edmond, Okla.

FALL BREAK 
Emporia State plays host to Missouri Southern at the midway point of the season.

LAST TIME OUT
Emporia State scored in all three phases against Missouri Western on Saturday night on their way to a 50-14 road win in Spratt Stadium. Nehemiah Figueroa intercepted just the third pass of the game, which set up Emporia State in Griffon territory and four plays later the Hornets took a 7-0 lead. Emporia State doubled their lead as a blocked punt and recovery in the end zone by Divante Herrig-Brittian made the score 14-0 in the first four minutes.The Griffons would never get closer than two scores the rest of the night.
Ben Harris passed for 254 yards and three touchdowns, as he has now passed for multiple touchdowns in all five games this season. Camden Crooks had 106 total yards of offense and a touchdown. Malik O'Atis had five catches for 62 yards and a touchdown, while Kingsley Bennett had four catches for 58 yards with two scores. Landon Boss and Elon McKenzie each had two sacks in the game. Aidan Hicks and Nehemiah Figueroa both had interceptions.

THE COACHES
Garin Higgins has a career record of 166-96 in his 22nd season as a head coach. He is 115-87 in his 18th season at his alma mater. He is the winningest active coach in the MIAA and has the fifth most wins among MIAA coaches in history. He needs one win to tie Fran Welch's school record of 116 wins from 1928-54. 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 12-3 against Missouri Southern.
Atiba Bradley is 15-33 in his fifth season at Missouri Southern. He is 0-4 against Emporia State.

SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 2-3, 1-2 in the MIAA. They are fourth in the nation in passing offense and 14th in total offense. They are 15th in passing yards allowed. ESU leads the nation with four blocked punts and are fifth in net punting Ben Harris is leading the nation in completions and is second in passing yards and total offense. Malik O'Atis is second in the nation in receptions per game while Dylan Davidson is second in punting.

SCOUTING THE LIONS
Missouri Southern is 2-3, 0-3 in the MIAA. They are ranked 24th in the nation in passing offense. Tillman MArtin is leading the MIAA in passing efficiency and yards per completion.
 
THE SERIES
This will be the 50th meeting in the series that dates back to 1970. The Hornets lead the series 21-10 in MIAA play and 27-22 overall. Emporia State has won 12 straight against the Lions.

LAST TIME AGAINST MO. SOUTHERN
In his first career start Chase Ricke threw for a career high 485 yards as #18 Emporia State picked up a 49-30 win at Missouri Southern. The Hornets scored on their opening drive and led 7-3 after the first quarter.  Two touchdown passes from Ricke gave ESU a 21-3 lead with 3:35 left in the half.  MSSU would not get closer than 12 points the rest of the game. After the Lions closed to within 28-16 with 6:36 left in the third quarter, the Hornets scored the next 14 points to take a 42-16 lead with 8:52 left in the game. Two more Southern touchdowns made it 42-30 with 3:06 remaining before Billy Ross Jr. iced the game with his third touchdown with 1:05 left.Ricke was 37 of 46 for 485 yards with three touchdowns while adding seven yards and a touchdown on the ground.  Tyler Kahmann had seven catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns while Trenden Collins had seven catches for a career high 156 yards and a touchdown.  

UP NEXT
The Hornets travel to Edmond, Okla. on Saturday to take on Central Oklahoma.. Kick-off from Richeson Stadium is at 7:00 p.m.

Complete Notes available here
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