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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State RiverHawks (0-3, 0-3 MIAA) will look to avoid an 0-4 start to the 2013 campaign when they travel north to face the No. 24-ranked Emporia State Hornets (3-0, 3-0 MIAA) . . . kickoff is set for 1 p.m. (CT) Sept. 28 at Francis G. Welch Stadium (7,000) in Emporia, Kan. . . . the game can be heard live on KTLQ 1350 AM in Tahlequah with Scott Pettus and Sean Rowley providing commentary . . . a free audio broadcast can be found at goriverhawksgo.com . . . the game will also be streamed live on America One (b2tv.com, subscription based).
 
THE MATCHUP  .  .  .  Northeastern State and Emporia State have met 10 times in the history of the two programs . . . the RiverHawks have simply dominated the series throughout the years, as the green and white owns a 7-2-1 all-time record against the Hornets . . . the two programs tied 0-0 in the first meeting in 1938, but the Redmen picked up a 25-0 win in 1939 and would go on to own ESU until the Hornets would finally clip NSU 15-6 in 1989 . . . Northeastern State exacted revenge in 1990, and ESU took last year's game 30-20, the first for the two as members of the MIAA.
 
Series History (NSU Leads 7-2-1)

Date	Winner	Score
2012	ESU	30-20
1990	NSU	34-22
1989	ESU	15-6
1957	NSU	25-6
1956	NSU	27-12
1955	NSU	30-12
1954	NSU	6-0
1952	NSU	14-7
1939	NSU	25-0
1938	Tie	0-0

 
THE HEAD COACHES  .  .  .  NSU's KENNY EVANS (Northeastern State, '82) is in his sixth season as the RiverHawks head coach . . . he was named head coach in 2008 after 28 years as an assistant coach at six other universities . . . during that span, Evans coached in six bowl games, two national playoffs and was part of a coaching staff that won eight conference championships . . . his ninth conference championship was added in 2010 as the RiverHawks posted their first winning season in 10 years. He owns a 17-18 record in his last four seasons after starting 3-19 in his first two campaigns . . . in 2012, Evans guided Northeastern State through its first season as members of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association . . . the RiverHawks started slow against the premier competition, but they finished strong by winning their last four games to end the year at 4-6 . . . the 2011 team was one of the most successful in school history, as the RiverHawks recorded 30 team and individual school records . . . Evans has coached or recruited nine All-Americans, 11 conference players of the year, more than a dozen who have made it into the National Football League, as well as numerous All-Conference players at seven different colleges.
            ESU's GARIN HIGGINS (Emporia State, '92) is in his seventh season with the Hornets . . . he has compiled a 32-38 record during his tenure . . . former Hornet Garin Higgins completed his sixth season at his alma mater by leading Emporia State to a 10-2 record and Kanza Bowl Championship . . . he has an 80-47 record in 11 years as a head coach after going 29-38 in his first six seasons at ESU . . . he was named the 21st head football coach at Emporia State on December 15, 2006 . . . the Hornets had one of the best turnarounds in the country in 2012 . . . they improved by five wins over last year's 5-6 record and finished in second place in the rugged MIAA . . . Higgins offense set several school records in 2012 as the Hornets racked up ten wins for the first time since 1989, when Higgins was suited up as quarterback . . . he led the Hornets to within one game of a postseason berth in both 2010 and 2011 before last year's break through season . . . he has helped establish a true home field advantage for Emporia State, with the Hornets winning at least four home games in three of the last four seasons . . . Higgins compiled a 51-9 record (.857) as the head coach at Northwestern Oklahoma State University before becoming the co-offensive coordinator at NCAA Division II member Minnesota State in 2005 . . . prior to returning to ESU he was the offensive coordinator at Northeastern State University of the Lone Star Conference in the 2006 season. NSU was 3-2 in the LSC, their first winning conference record since 2000 . . . a native of Blackwell, Okla. where he was an all-state quarterback, Higgins earned his undergraduate degree at Emporia State in 1992. He was a four-year letterman for the Hornets and helped lead the team to a national runner-up finish in 1989. He has been involved with four teams that have played for or won national championships as a player, coordinator or head coach.
 
A FIRST IN THE MODERN ERA .  .  . Northeastern State registered five interceptions against Washburn on Sept. 21 . . . the five picks were two shy of the school record set in 1980, and it was also the most by any NSU team in the modern era and the most by any NCAA team in a single game this season . . . the feat is so rare, there have been two NSU teams in the modern era (2004, '05) that recorded five interceptions all season . . . those that picked off Ichabod QB's were Kyler Harris (2), Chandler Barr, Carson Smallwood and Darrain Winston.
 
JONES PICKS UP FIRST WEEKLY HONOR .  .  . NSU's Langston Jones was named the MIAA Defensive Athlete of the Week on Sept. 16 . . . Northeastern State fell to Missouri Southern State 17-14, but Jones recorded a career-high 21 tackles and helped NSU's defense shut out the Lions in the entire second half . . . the senior linebacker from Whitesboro, Texas, Jones was all over the field, as the RiverHawks completely halted the Lions wishbone offense . . . MSSU punted on all six second-half possessions and finished with just 17 points, a week after posting 52 against Central Oklahoma . . . the number of tackles for Jones was five more than his previous career high, and it was also the first time a member of the RiverHawks hit the 20-tackle mark since the school joined the NCAA (1996) . . . the preseason All-American now leads the MIAA – just as he did a year ago – and is second in the nation at 16.5 tackles per game . . . this was the was the first time since the RiverHawks joined the MIAA in 2012 that a member of the team has earned a weekly honor.
 
DEJA VU .  .  . NSU has started the season 0-3 for the second-straight year, falling to all the same opponents in Pittsburg State (45-6), Missouri Southern State (17-14) and Washburn (48-3) . . . Northeastern State has now dropped its season opener in nine of the last 11 years . . . the RiverHawks were blown out by PSU a year and also lost a narrow 27-21 to MSSU last season.
 
THE TREACHEROUS SLATE CONTINUES .  .  . NSU once again is in the midst of one of the most difficult schedules of any team in the country . . . all of Northeastern State's first six opponents are currently 3-0, while the team's seventh MIAA game is against a 1-2 Central Missouri squad that has lost to No. 3 Northwest Missouri State and No. 6 Missouri Western State by a combined seven points . . . of the six opponents, five are currently ranked in the AFCA Coaches' Poll (NWMSU, MWSU, No. 12 Pittsburg State, No. 18 Washburn, No. 24 Emporia State), while Missouri Southern State is receiving votes in the polls . . . NSU is competing against the same 10 teams from a year ago.
 
DOWN AND OUT CAPTAINS .  .  .  Northeastern State lost two of its senior captains in the first game of the season . . . quarterback Johnny Deaton suffered a fractured fibula against Pittsburg State and will miss the rest of the season . . . he was injured in the second quarter and was 1-for-3 passing for 24 yards prior to his injury . . . sophomore Thor Long took over at QB . . . middle linebacker Jack Gray registered five tackles against the Gorillas, but he will miss at least three games due to a broken hand he suffered in the preseason . . . junior walk-on Eddie General is penciled in as the replacement for the time being.
 
LEADING A NATION .  .  .  Langston Jones has compiled 48 tackles through three games so far this season . . . the senior linebacker leads the entire NCAA in both total tackles and tackles per game (15.3) . . . he started off the year with a bang, stopping 12 Gorillas in the season opener . . . he recorded a career-high 21 stops against Missouri Southern State and followed that with a 13-tackle effort against Washburn . . . Jones exploded for 110 tackles a year ago, and he led the MIAA with 11.0 tackles per game and was also tied for 10th in the nation . . . he was named to the All-MIAA Second Team and the Don Hansen All-Super Region Three Third Team for his efforts . . . Jones was also named a 2013 USA College Football Division II Preseason All-American prior to the start of this season . . . he has registered 13 career double-digit tackle performances . . . his 292 career stops are good for third in NSU's modern era.
 
SHUTTING DOWN THE WISHBONE  .  .  .  A week after blitzing Central Oklahoma for 52 points in the season opener, Missouri Southern State was completely baffled by the RiverHawk defense . . . despite scoring 17 points in the first half, the Lions were forced to punt on all six second-half possessions (three three-and-outs, one failed fourth-down conversion) as NSU shutout the visitors from Joplin . . . MSSU mustered just 15 first downs and only 281 yards of offense against Northeastern State . . . the following week, the Lions threw 59 points on Lincoln.
 
SECOND-HALF SHUTOUTS  .  .  .  The RiverHawk defense held three opponents scoreless in the final 30 minutes of action last season . . . the first occurrence was Sept. 15 against Washburn, when NSU dropped a narrow 24-20 decision in Topeka, Kan. . . . Northeastern State blanked Central Missouri in the second half Oct. 20 in a 24-23 NSU victory, and the defense also held Lincoln scoreless in the second half on Nov. 3 . . . the Blue Tigers were able to record a touchdown in the fourth quarter, but it was an interception return for TD . . . NSU blanked Missouri Southern State in the second half on Sept. 14.
 
SEASON TICKETS ON SALE  .  .  . The NSU Athletics Department announced its season ticket packages for the six-game home portion of the upcoming football schedule . . . prices begin as low as $50 per person for an adult general admission ticket. Season chair back seats begin at $100 each, and additional seats after purchasing four are $90 each . . . season ticket holders receive the benefit of sitting in comfortable chair back seats. They also receive first option to purchase playoff tickets, premier seating for NSU's six home games (five MIAA games and one non-conference), excellent view of the playing surface and an optimal view of the halftime show featuring the NSU Band . . . new for 2013 is the $25 single-game Family 4-Pack, which includes two general admission adult tickets and two general admission student tickets (ages 4 through high school) . . . the Family 4-Pack may be purchased at any time and used at any regular season home game . . . all Northeastern State football home games are contested at Doc Wadley Stadium.
 
ID'S REQUIRED FOR ENTRY IN 2013 .  .  . All fans wishing to attend an NSU home football or basketball contest this season will be required to show a ticket prior to entering the facilities . . . NSU students and faculty/staff will still be allowed free admittance, but NSU ID's will no longer be accepted as a form of entry . . . tickets can be purchased at NSU's new ticketing Web site, goriverhawkstickets.com . . . NSU students and faculty/staff can access goriverhawkstickets.com and secure their free tickets (either printable or downloaded to your smart phone) through their goNSU accounts . . . for questions regarding ticket options, please contact Brynn Hamner at 918.444.3901.
 
GO RIVERHAWKS GEAR .  .  . Northeastern State University Athletics has partnered with Advanced-Online and has launced its new, one-of-a-kind online shopping site, goriverhawksgear.com . . . NSU fans have another avenue for acquiring Northeastern State apparel and accessories . . . the store is loaded with options for fans of all ages, ranging from T-shirts, polos and sweatshirts, to home office supplies, drinkware and kitchen essentials . . . every item is branded with official Northeastern State athletics and university logos, and select RiverHawks gear and accessories are customizable . . . the new online store can be accessed by simply visiting www.goriverhawksgear.com . . . the shop can also be viewed by clicking on the shopping cart at the top right of www.goriverhawksgo.com, the static graphic underneath the main picture or the rotating horizontal carousel just above the video player.
 
-GoRiverHawksGo.com-