Fort Hays State (5-2, 5-2 MIAA) vs.
Nebraska-Kearney (5-2, 5-2 MIAA)
Saturday, October 26, 2019 – 2 pm
Lewis Field Stadium – Hays, Kan.
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Fort Hays State Football hosts Nebraska-Kearney in a matchup of 5-2 teams in Hays on Saturday. The Tigers and Lopers sit in a tie for third place in the MIAA entering this contest. Kickoff is set for 2 pm at Lewis Field Stadium in the annual Tiger Sports Hall of Fame Game.
Game Sponsor: Ozone Roofing
Game Promotions: Ozone Roofing with have a tent with free giveaways near the east entrance of Lewis Field Stadium. There will also be a chance to win a 40″ television.
Fort Hays State enters on a five-game winning streak after an 0-2 start to the season. The Tigers knocked off a then No. 19 ranked Pittsburg State squad last week in Pittsburg by a score of 42-41. That win pulled Pittsburg State back into a tie in the MIAA standings with Fort Hays State, Nebraska-Kearney, and Missouri Western. Northwest Missouri State is second in the conference at 6-1, while Central Missouri leads the MIAA at 7-0.
Fort Hays State has won seven straight games against Nebraska-Kearney, dating back to the 2012 season. The last time the Lopers defeated the Tigers was in 2005 when UNK won 54-20 in Hays. Both teams were members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference at that time.
The meeting between the teams in Kearney last year was a nail biter with FHSU winning 29-26 in two overtimes. FHSU took a three-point lead on a field goal with less than a minute left in regulation, but UNK marched into field goal territory quickly and tied the game as time expired. Both teams hit field goals in the first overtime before UNK missed in the second overtime. Dante Brown capped a 5-for-5 day kicking field goals by winning the game for FHSU on a 26-yard attempt.
Fort Hays State enters the game ranked 15th nationally in passing offense, averaging 297 yards per game. Nebraska-Kearney’s strength offensively is its run game, averaging 321.7 yards on the ground per game, which ranks third in the nation. Nebraska-Kearney currently owns the top scoring defense in the MIAA, allowing 20 points per game. FHSU is right behind allowing 22 per game. FHSU is the only team in the MIAA this year to hold opponents to seven points or less more than one time, accomplishing the feat three times so far.
Chance Fuller continues to rank high nationally in several passing categories. He is ninth in the nation in passing yards (2,017), third in passing touchdowns (22), and sixth in completions per game (22.6). Harley Hazlett has been Fuller’s top target, who averages 6.9 receptions per game to rank 11th in the nation. Hazlett has 158 career receptions, just 10 shy of the FHSU all-time record of 168 held by Eric Busenbark. Hazlett (592), Layne Bieberle (462), and Manny Ramsey (427) all have over 400 yards receiving this year. Charles Tigner ran for over 100 yards each of the last two weeks and leads the team in rushing yards with 601.
Defensively, Drew Harvey leads the Tigers with 62 tackles, followed by Tanner Hoekman and Jordan Starks each with 56. The three combined have six of Fort Hays State’s 10 interceptions on the season. Sheldon Schmidt leads the team in sacks with three.