The Headline: The RiverHawks will travel to Northwest Missouri State for their seventh meeting in program history. Northwest Missouri State is one of nine teams who have yet to suffer a loss this year and is the top-ranked team in the nation in this week's AFCA poll. Northeastern State will be looking to up-end NWMSU for the first time with the RiverHawks averaging 23.2 points per game and picking up 260.8 yards per game in the air. Sophomore
Dimonic McKinzy leads the NSU offense with 1440 passing yards and 12 touchdowns, his 240 passing yards per game is fifth best in the MIAA through the first six weeks of play. On the defensive end of the field, senior
Steffon Herd is also fifth best in the MIAA with 9.2 tackles per game, against Emporia State on Saturday he had a season high 11 solo tackles.
Series History (NWMSU Leads 6-0)
| Date |
Winner |
Score |
| 10/3/15 |
NWMSU |
59-7 |
| 10/4/14 |
NWMSU |
49-7 |
| 10/5/13 |
NWMSU |
40-12 |
| 9/29/12 |
NWMSU |
66-6 |
| 1940 |
NWMSU |
47-7 |
| 1939 |
NWMSU |
7-0 |
Last Time Out: Northeastern State trailed back by ten (30-20) in the third quarter to #18 Emporia State where they picked off a pass for a touchdown and carried the momentum to the final horn; the loss to the Hornets was NSU's fourth in a row. The RiverHawks had 69 more passing yards in the game with 390 overall in the air and from the red-zone they were perfect in both opportunities.
The Opponent: The Bearcats have won their last 21 games in a row dating back to their loss in the opening round of the 2014 NCAA Playoff to Duluth (25-21) heading into their meeting with the RiverHawks. At home, NWMSU has won their last 11 games dating back to Oct. 18, 2014 to Pitt State (35-17), which also their last MIAA loss. In the national rankings this week, NWMSU is third in the nation in scoring offense (46.2) and total defense (228.2); they are sixth in nation in average allowed points with 13.8.
The Head Coaches: NSU's
Rob Robinson (William Jewell, '00) is in his third season as the RiverHawks head coach...he was named the 19th head football coach in school history on Dec. 19, 2013...he owns a 4-24 all-time record...Robinson spent the previous 12 years under Craig Schurig as a member of the Washburn Ichabod coaching staff, serving as the offensive coordinator for the last four seasons...he also directed the running backs from 2007-13 and coached wide receivers from 2002-06...he served as the recruiting coordinator from 2002-10 and was the academic coordinator from 2010-13...Robinson was an integral member of the Washburn staff that completely turned around he Ichabod program... Washburn averaged 3.3 wins from 1989-03 and had just one winning season, but the Ichabods averaged 7.9 wins from 2004-13 and posted 10 straight winning campaigns...Robinson is the second former coordinator under Schruig's tutelage to become the head coach of another program, joining Fort Hays State's Chris Brown...Robinson spent the 2001 season at Pittsburg State as a graduate assistant, coaching the defensive backs with Ichabod head coach Craig Schurig...the Gorillas won the MIAA Championship that year.
NWMSU's Adam Dorrel (Northwest ' 97) is in his fifth year as the Bearcats head coach...owns an overall record of 67-8 and was the 2013/2015 AFCA and MIAA Coach of the Year...has led Northwest Missouri State to a NCAA Division II National Title in 2013 and 2015...in MIAA play Dorrel is 51-5 and has averaged over 12 wins per season as head coach.
