NORTHEASTERN STATE (0-0, 0-0 MIAA)
vs FORT HAYS STATE (0-0, 0-0 MIAA)
Thursday, August 31 -- 6 p.m.
Gable Field at Doc Wadley Stadium (Tahlequah, Okla.)
All-Time Series: Northeastern State trails 8-2 -- Last meeting was Nov. 5, 2022 at Hays, Kan. (27-14 L)

TOP STORYLINES

1 | This will be the first Thursday night home opener for the RiverHawks since 2019, and their first Thursday night season opener played at Doc Wadley Stadium since 2018.

2 | Thursday will be the 59th home opener for the RiverHawks on the current site of Gable Field and the first of three evening games to be played at home this season.

3 | Northeastern State's last Thursday evening home win came on Sept. 8, 2016, when they defeated then-MIAA foe Lindenwood in a 35-31 nailbiter. The RiverHawks scored 14 unanswered points in the last six minutes of the game, highlighted by a 17-yard Dimonic McKinzy touchdown pass to Gary McKnight with 33 seconds left to secure the victory.

4 | Fort Hays enters on a four-game road losing streak, with all four losses coming by double digits. Their last road victory came on Sept. 17, 2022 against Lincoln by a score of 51-14.

5 | The RiverHawks enter this matchup looking to snap a three-game home losing streak, though two of those losses were decided by a touchdown or less. Their most recent home victory came on Sept. 24, 2022 in a 38-10 winning effort over Lincoln.

NSU QUICK HITS

>> After having just 14 upperclassmen on the roster in 2022, the RiverHawks will take the field with 35 juniors and seniors in 2023, well over double the previous season's total. 

>> The RiverHawks 2023 roster holds 60 student-athletes who are from Oklahoma.

>> Northeastern State will play six games at home this season. Three of the six teams scheduled to face the RiverHawks at Doc Wadley Stadium this season enter the campaign ranked, with Pittsburg State (#4), Northwest Missouri (#6), and Emporia State (#19) all being included in the first AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll of the season. Notably, Central Oklahoma will also be coming to Tahlequah this season and is currently receiving votes for the AFCA Top 25.

>> Jack Meservy enters his first season as the offensive coordinator for Northeastern State. Meservy has been on the football coaching staff at NSU since the start of the Eckert era in 2019. Other roles Meservy has previously held on the Northeastern State coaching staff include running backs coach, equipment manager, and assisting with the program's external communications. Meservy will still serve as wide receivers coach in 2023, marking his third season in the role. 

>> Northeastern State enters its second season with defensive coordinator Mike Lucas. Lucas took over the RiverHawks' defense in August 2022, and despite being hired right before the start of the season, he guided them to their best season in years on that side of the ball. The defensive unit surrendered their fewest points per game (33.6) and rushing yards per game (206.7) since 2012 and finished in the top half of the league in passing defense (206.3 passing yards allowed per game). Prior to coming to Tahlequah, Lucas was the defensive coordinator at Northwestern State. Lucas possesses over three decades of coaching experience at the NCAA Division I college level, and was the head football coach at Southeastern Louisiana from 2007-12. 

>> All-MIAA Honorable Mention selections Johnny Jean and Chris Lee serve as highlighting members of the returning group on defense. Jean finished second on the team in tackles (58) last year and added two interceptions, while Lee led RiverHawk defensive linemen in tackles (34) and tackles for loss (5). Antonio Johnson joins Lee on the defensive line again this season after making 30 tackles in 2022. 

>> The RiverHawks bring back All-MIAA Honorable Mention selection Tyler Crawford to anchor the special teams unit again in 2023. Last season, Crawford established himself as one of the MIAA's top punters, booting the longest punt in the conference in 2022 at 77 yards against Northwest Missouri, while finishing fifth in the conference with 41.9 yards per punt. Crawford also handled field goals, where he was the lone kicker in MIAA play with three made field goals from 50+ yards.

>> The opening week starting lineup for the RiverHawks consists of four newcomers. Blake May will lead the running game as NSU's top tailback after two seasons at Southern Arkansas, where May averaged over five yards per carry. Meanwhile, Makarios Brown will help in anchoring the linebacking corps in his first season with the program after playing for Northwestern State, where he appeared in nine games. Alexander Green will also start on defense after playing for Harding in 2022. Freshman Jackson Delassus will handle kickoffs for the special teams unit.

ON THE AIR

Northeastern State's football games return to the air on Billy Country 96.3 FM in Tahlequah this season with Bill Huddleston on the call as "the Voice of the RiverHawks", handling play-by-play. Orry Phillips will serve as the color commentator for all home games, while Shawn Tiemann will serve as the primary road color commentator. Audio streaming is provided on GoRiverHawksGo.com under the Live tab on the homepage.

ABOUT THE TIGERS

>> Fort Hays State is coming off its first consecutive losing seasons in a decade, with its three wins in 2022 marking the fewest of the Chris Brown era. 

>> The Tigers were picked to finish eighth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll and tenth in the MIAA Preseason Media Poll. Fort Hays State will open Sept. with a pair of home matchups against the top two teams in both preseason polls, Pittsburg State (Sept. 7) and Northwest Missouri (Sept. 16). 

>> Fort Hays battled injuries throughout the 2022 season, with only four players starting all 11 games. Key players impacted by injuries last season included the team's all-time passing leader in Chance Fuller and 2021 All-American tight end Hunter Budke. 

>> The Tigers have just three regular starters returning on offense, led by quarterback Jack Dawson, who made nine starts in 2022. Fort Hays finished eighth in the MIAA in scoring (22.9 points per game) and in total offense (360.8 yards per game) last season, though the Tigers finished fourth in passing (240.2 passing yards per game). 

>> They bring back six regular starters on the defensive side. In 2022, the Tigers ranked tenth in the conference in points allowed per game (30) and ninth in total defense (377.8 yards allowed per game). Key returners include All-MIAA selections in Makel Williams, Mason Perez, and Myles Menges. 

>> The Tigers are led by two-time MIAA Coach of the Year Chris Brown. Brown enters his 12th season as the head coach of the Tigers, and his 21st season of coaching in the MIAA, and is the program's all-time wins leader with 74 entering 2023.

>> Fort Hays State has six players on its roster from Oklahoma