Hornet Football Announces 2025 Schedule

Football | 2/3/2025 2:00:00 PM

February 3, 2025-For the first time since the 2011 season, Emporia State will play two non-conference football games against teams not associated with the MIAA. The Hornets will play a total of five home games with six on the road during the fall of 2025.
 
Emporia State will open the season at home for the fourth straight season when they play host to Minot State on Thursday, August 28. This will be the first meeting with the Beavers and the first contest against an NSIC school for Emporia State since they defeated Minn.-Duluth 59-26 in the first round of the 2015 NCAA Division II Playoffs.  The Hornets have won four straight home openers and six straight season openers overall. Emporia State is 13-4 in home openers under Coach Garin Higgins with a 14-3 record overall in season openers.   
 
The Hornets will hit the road for a regular season non-conference game for the first time since November 5, 2011 when they take a return trip to Angelo State on September 6.  The two teams met for the first time last season as Emporia State came away with a 17-12 victory over the eventual Lone Star Conference Champions in Welch Stadium.
 
The MIAA opener will be on the road at Neb.-Kearney on September 13.  The Hornets will be making their second straight trip to Kearney, Neb. after pulling out a 42-35 victory in a game that saw All-American Tyler Kahmann pull in19 catches for 296 yards and five touchdowns. It is the third time in the last four meetings the two have met up in Nebraska.
 
After a bye week Emporia State will return to Jones Field at Welch Stadium on September 27 to take on Pittsburg State in the seventh most played rivalry in NCAA Division II. The Hornets are 6-1 all-time under Coach Higgins when having an extra week to prepare for an opponent. Emporia State defeated the Gorillas 24-21 last year in Pittsburg.  This will be just the second time the two have met in Emporia in the last seven years. At least one of these teams has advanced to the post season in 13 of the last 14 seasons with the Hornets going to the playoffs three times with five bowl games while the Gorillas have five playoff appearances and three bowls.
 
A trip to St. Joseph, Mo. is next for the Hornets as they travel to Missouri Western on October 4. Emporia State pulled out a dramatic 30-27 come from behind win in overtime against the Griffons last year in Welch Stadium.
 
Emporia State's lone October game will be on the 11th against Missouri Southern.  The Hornets have won 11 straight in the series with the Lions.
 
The Hornets will make their third trip in four years to Edmond, Okla. on October 18 to take on Central Oklahoma.  The home team has won five straight in this series since a 35-28 Emporia State victory in 2018.
 
It will be back to back road games on October 25 when Emporia State travels to Central Missouri. Over the last 11 years the two teams have combined to average nearly 77 points with each team scoring at least 27 points in every one of those 11 games. They have both been in the top three of the MIAA in passing offense in ten of the last 12 seasons.
 
November will start with the Hornets playing host to Northwest Missouri for just the fourth time in the last 12 meetings between the two teams on November 1. They have split their last two meetings with the Bearcats winning 14-9 last season after Emporia State posted a 33-13 win in Maryville in 2023.
 
The final road trip of the regular season will be to Topeka for the Turnpike Tussle on November 8.  The Hornets lead the series with the Ichabods 60-53-6 and have won four in a row and ten of the last 12 Turnpike Tussles, including last year's 30-14 victory at Welch Stadium.

Senior Day will be on November 15 against Fort Hays State in Welch Stadium. Emporia State has won four of the last six in the series and have a 56-39-2 advantage all-time against the Tigers.

The Hornets are 25-10 over the last three years and are one of just two MIAA teams to win at least seven games in each of the last three seasons.  Emporia State head coach Garin Higgins is just three wins to tie stadium namesake Fran Welch's school record of 116 victories with the Hornets.

Season ticket information will be available in March along with selected game day promotions. 
 
2025 Emporia State Football Schedule

Day	Date	Opponent	Location
Thursday	August 28	Minot State	Emporia, Kan.
Saturday	September 6	at Angelo State	San Angelo, Texas
Saturday	September 20	at Neb.-Kearney	Kearney, Neb.
Saturday	September 27	Pittsburg State	Emporia, Kan.
Saturday	October 4	at Missouri Western	St. Joseph, Mo.
Saturday	October 11	Missouri Southern	Emporia, Kan.
Saturday	October 18	at Central Oklahoma	Edmond, Okla.
Saturday	October 25	at Central Missouri	Warrensburg, Mo.
Saturday	November 1	Northwest Missouri	Emporia, Kan.
Saturday	November 8	at Washburn	Topeka, Kan.
Saturday	November 15	Fort Hays State	Emporia, Kan.