Top Ten Battle for Emporia State Football at #10 Angelo State

Football | 9/3/2025 6:31:00 PM

Game #2
Emporia State Hornets (1-0, 0-0 MIAA)
at #10 Angelo State Rams (1-0, 0-0 LSC)
Saturday, September 6 • 6:00 p.m.
LeGrand Stadium • San Angelo, Texas
Series Record: ESU Leads 1-0 Last Meeting: at ESU 17, ASU 12 (Sept. 7, 2024)
Radio: KFFX-FM (104.9) Pregame 5:00 p.m. 
Internet (Audio): www.kvoe.com Internet (Video): FloCollege Television: None
Officials: Announced on Game Day
Live Stats | Ticket Info | Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: at Neb.-Kearney
Saturday, September 20 • 12:00 p.m.
Cope Stadium • Kearney, Neb.

IN THE AIR TONIGHT
Fresh off a season opening win, Emporia State hops on a charter flight to play at #10 Angelo State. It is the first true non-conference road game since the Hornets defeated Henderson State 29-3 in the second round of the 2015 NCAA Playoffs in Arkadelphia. Ark.

LAST TIME OUT
Emporia State rolled to a 27-0 lead early in the third quarter on their way to a 27-7 season opening win over Minot State in Welch Stadium. The Hornets raced out to a 27-0 lead midway through the third quarter. 
In his first start for the Hornets Ben Harris went 37 of 52 for 292 yards and connected with ten different receivers. Malik O'Atis was the top receiver with a career high 12 catches and 90 yards with a touchdown.  Kinglsey Bennett had five catches for 68 yards and a score. Diego Cearns had 71 rushing yards on 13 carries and a touchdown.

THE COACHES
Garin Higgins has a career record of 165-93 in his 22nd season as a head coach. He is 114-84 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 two wins 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 1-0 against Angelo State. 
Jeff Girsch is 50-15 in his seventh year at Angelo State. He is 0-1 against Emporia State.

SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 1-0 after a season opening 27-7 win over Minot State. They lead the nation in passing defense and pass efficiency defense after allowing just 13 yards on one of six passing to the Beavers. The offensive line did not allow a sack in 54 passing attempts and only allowed one tackle for loss.
Ben Harris is leading the nation in completions and is ranked 16th in passing yards. Malik O'Atis is third in the nation in receptions. 

SCOUTING THE RAMS
Angelo State is 1-0 after opening the season with a 28-7 win at Fort Hays State. Braeden Fuller was 12 of 19 for 177 yards and three touchdowns while Jayden Jones had 11 carries for 79 yards. Marquis Brown had 13 tackles, two for a loss and an interception. The Rams held the Tigers to just 268 yards of total offense. 

THE SERIES
Emporia State leads the all-time series 1-0 after winning last year's game 17-12 in Emporia.

LAST TIME AGAINST ANGELO STATE
Emporia State held #24 Angelo State without a touchdown on the way to a 17-12 victory at Welch Stadium. The Hornets held the Rams to one of 20 on third down and had two fourth down stops in the fourth quarter. 
Angelo State hit two first quarter field goals before Gunnar Gundy hit Tyler Kahmann with 9:49 left in the half to give Emporia State a 7-6 lead. The Rams hit a 20 yard field goal with 2:20 left to take a 9-7 lead to the half. The fourth Angelo State field goal made it 12-7 with 5:20 left in the third quarter. The Hornets responded with a 31 yard touchdown pass from Gundy to Kingsley Bennett with 3:35 left in the third. ESU added a 29 yard field goal by Caden Dodson to go up 17-12 with 48 seconds left.
Sage Sieperda had a game high 11 tackles while Lavon Jones had eight tackles, 1.5 TFL and pass break up for the Hornets.  Kahmann had eight catches for 110 yards and a touchdown as Gundy went 25 of 39 for 252 yards with two touchdowns.

UP NEXT
The Hornets will have a bye week on September 13 before opening MIAA play at Neb.-Kearney on Saturday, September 20 in Kearney, Neb. The game against the Lopers will kick off at 12 noon from Cope Stadium and will be televised on 38 The Spot in the Kansas City area.

Complete Notes available here

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