Week 8: Northeastern State (0-7) at Nebraska-Kearney (2-5) | 2 p.m.
Kearney, Neb.  | Cope Stadium
 

Live Stats	sidearmstats.com/unk/football/
Live Stats for Media	sidearmstats.com/unk/football/media
Live Audio	Billy Country 96.3 FM, KTLQ 1350 AM
Live Streaming Audio	portal.stretchinternet.com/nsu/
Play-by-Play	Scott Pettus
Commentary	Don Vieth
Live Streaming Video	TheMIAANetwork.com ($)
	Northeastern State Game Notes

All-Time Series
Head Coach Rob Robinson is 2-1 when facing the Lopers and picked up his first coaching win in 2015 in Kearney.  The RiverHawks lead the overall series 4-3 and have won the last two meetings with the Lopers.  In 1980, both teams met in Tahelquah in the NAIA postseason where Northeastern State would shutout the Lopers 14-0 at Doc Wadley Stadium.  Saturday's meeting will be the fourth year in a row that both teams have met.

On this Date
Northeastern State has been on the road four out of their six games on Oct. 21 with one-half of their home appearances resulting in a win.  The last time NSU played on this date was 2006 at Southwestern Oklahoma in Weatherford.  Northeastern State's first game on Oct. 21 was in 1938 which oddly was against Southwestern Oklahoma in Weatherford

Coaching Matchup
Rob Robinson (5-35) is in his fourth season as head coach at Northeastern State.  In three seasons at NSU, Robinson has 25 student-athletes who have been named All-MIAA, and 46 who were named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll.  Robinson was named the 19th head football coach in school history on Dec. 19, 2013 and spending previous 12 years under Craig Schurig as a member of the Washburn Ichabod coaching staff, serving as the offensive coordinator for his last four seasons at WU. 

Josh Lynn (29-30) was named the 18th head football coach in Nebraska-Kearney history on Jan. 4th, 2017.  He is a native of Eunice, N.M., and an Eastern New Mexico graduate.  Over the past five seasons, Lynn helped turn his alma mater around with two C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl appearances, and a share of the 2013 Lone Star Conference (LSC) title.  In 2016, ENMU went 7-5 and battled MIAA-member Fort Hays State in the Heart of Texas Bowl. Tying for third place in the LSC, the 'Hounds led the league in total offense (473.4 yards per game) and rushing offense (344.6 ypg) while ranking second in passing efficiency (160.5) and rushing defense (105.3 ypg).

Road Trip
At just over 530 miles, this Saturday's trip will is the longest trip the RiverHawks will make this year and is the longest trip this season for Northeastern State.  Following this week, Northeastern State has racked up over 1,600 miles on the road; a trip from Tahlequah to Los Angeles is just under 1,500 miles.

Strength of Schedule
Through the first seven weeks of the season no other team in NCAA Division II football has had a tougher schedule than the RiverHawks in 2017 according to Massey Ratings.  Northeastern State has faced two teams that are inside the top-10 in this week's AFCA Coaches Poll with Fort Hays State coming in at No. 8 and Northwest Missouri at No. 1. 

Good Knight
NSU senior Gary McKnight Jr. is eighth in the MIAA in average yardage per game with 70.9 and fifth in total reception yardage with 498.  In the NCAA Division II era, McKnight is the sixth receiver to catch for over 1,000 yards and he is fourth in the NSU record books with 1,313 yards in the air.

McKnight paces the MIAA in yards per reception at 22.55 and is ninth nationally.  The NSU senior has three catches for over 60-yards, with his longest being a 75 catch on Sept. 16 against Pittsburg State.

McKnight caught seven passes for 200 yards on Saturday, Sept. 16 at home against Pittsburg State.  McKnight's performance was the fourth highest for a receiver in NCAA Division II football in week three and the most since 2011 for the RiverHawks.  Additionally, he caught two touchdown passes, and 258 all-purpose yards which was the second most this season in the MIAA.

A Wise Man
La'More Wise is tied for the nation's lead with four forced fumbles through the first seven weeks of the season.  Mike Jones of Dixie State is tied with Wise for the nation's lead.  In solo tackles per game, he is averaging 6.9 per game which is a MIAA high and eight best in the nation.

True Freshman QB
True freshman Cade Yeager started for the RiverHawks in week five and has been named Northeastern State's new starting quarterback.  In his first outing against Missouri Western on Sept. 30, Yeager completed 12-of-28 passes while having 197 yards in the air.  With Yeager under center, the RiverHawks won in time of possession for the first time in their last seven contests.  In his third start, Yeager threw for 238 yards which was the second most this season against the Bearcats

At Broken Arrow HS, Yeager threw for over 3,700 yards in his final two seasons where he was second in All-Time passing yards. 

2020 Vision
The Class of 2020 and 2021 is littered throughout the Northeastern State is projected starting lineup in week eight with 11 who are either at freshman or sophomore classification against the Lopers.  On both sides of the ball, RiverHawks are projected to start only five seniors, with four coming on the offensive end.

Season 20 
The 2017 season is Northeastern State's 20th as a member of NCAA Division II and the 104th season overall.  Northeastern State is in their sixth season of MIAA membership with one year as an independent, and 13 as a member of the Lone Star Conference.