TAHLEQUAH -- Northeastern State football hosts Lincoln (Ca.) in a first-time matchup for Homecoming this Saturday night at Gable Field at Doc Wadley Stadium.

NORTHEASTERN STATE vs.
LINCOLN (CA.)
Saturday, Oct. 26 -- 6 p.m.
Gable Field at Doc Wadley Stadium
First meeting in the all-time series

TOP STORYLINES

1 | The homestand concludes this weekend with the Homecoming Game, sponsored by TTCU Federal Credit Union. The game is part of festivities surrounding the 100th Homecoming Anniversary taking place all week at Northeastern State University. As part of Saturday's event, the south end zone will be open to the public throughout the game. QB Club and VIP Tailgaters will have their reserved tents in the south end zone, as well.

2 | This Saturday also marks Legends Day at Gable Field at Doc Wadley Stadium, as NSU honors the 30th anniversary of the 1994 National Championship football team. The program won their second NAIA national title on Dec. 10, 1994 in a 13-12 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The team battled back from an early 10-0 deficit and took the lead in the fourth quarter behind a one-yard Eddie Akins rushing score. Akins would go on to be named Offensive Player of the Game in the triumph.

3 | Northeastern State continued their run of stout offense last week against then-#11/8 Central Oklahoma. The RiverHawks scored 57 points against the Bronchos, their most in a single game since 2000. Meanwhile, the offense recorded their most yardage in a game since 2011 with 544. The RiverHawks must score at least 57 this weekend agaisnt the Oaklanders to pass the program's best three-game scoring stretch of 168 points from the 1970 season.

4 | Ramon McKinney Jr. had a record-setting day at Doc Wadley last week, becoming the first player in program history to throw, rush and catch a touchdown in a single game with Saturday's performance against UCO. McKinney had 235 yards of total offense, throwing for an 18-yard touchdown, adding a season-high 116 yards on the ground with a score and catching six passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. 

5 | True freshman kicker Troy Nguyen broke a 43-year program single-game scoring record, accounting for 15 points off of three field goals and six extra points. All three of Nguyen's field goal makes came from over 45 yards out, splitting the uprights from 46, 47 and 49 yards out. It also marked the first time since 2012 that an NSU kicker made three field goals in a game.

NSU QUICK HITS

>> The RiverHawks have seen an offensive boom in the first half over the last two weeks, scoring 81 points and at least 40 in the opening halves of recent contests against Lincoln (Mo.) on Oct. 12 and Central Oklahoma on Oct. 19. 

>> A week removed from becoming the first NSU quarterback since 2016 to throw for four touchdowns in a single game, Dereun Dortch tossed for 347 yards to become the first NSU arm since Grant Elerick in 2021 to log over 300 passing yards in a contest.

>> For a second straight week, the RiverHawks recorded four passing touchdowns. Four different targets were recipients of scoring throws, with Ramon McKinney Jr., Dedrek Taylor-Akins, Deuce Roberson and Dean Odom striking paydirt in the most productive offensive performance for the program in over a decade.

>> The ground game picked up its second consecutive week of over 100 yards with 122 rushing yards accumulated against the Bronchos last Saturday. After struggling to just 90.7 yards per game on the ground last year, NSU holds a much stronger 131.6 per-contest average through seven games. 

>> Cameron Woods continued his hot streak at Doc Wadley with a seven-catch, 120-yard day last Saturday against the Bronchos, highlighted by a long reception of 39 yards. In the team's three home games this season, Woods has caught 13 passes for 263 yards with four touchdowns.

>>  Tying for the team lead with seven catches in last weekend's matchup, Deuce Roberson is on pace to net the highest single-season reception total for an individual NSU player since 2011. Through seven games, Roberson has 37 catches for 386 yards with four touchdowns. 

>> For a second straight game, Clavon Caine recorded multiple tackles for loss, logging a season-best three against the Bronchos alongside a sack. Caine leads the defense in his first season with the program with 43 tackles and seven TFL. 

>> Hagen Foreman took the tackling crown in the President's Cup game with 11 takedowns against the Bronchos. After starting the season with just four tackles across the team's first three games, Foreman has worked his way up to second on the team in tackles for the season with 37 on the fall and 33 in the last four games.

>> The pass rush was stout, sacking UCO signal-caller Jett Huff three times while issuing six total stops behind the line. Jarveon Williams led the defensive front with five tackles (four solo), while Ayden Guess and Marquez Chatman each had a sack. 

>> The RiverHawks forced Huff to turn the ball over four times and throw a season-high three interceptions last weekend. The focus now shifts to causing similar problems for an Oaklanders offense that has had 20 turnovers this season, including 13 interceptions.

>> LaKedrick Holmes was involved in a touchdown for a second straight week last Saturday, blocking a Grayson Miller punt that was recovered in the end zone by Kaden Kelly in the first half of the President's Cup game.

ON THE AIR

>> Radio coverage of this weekend's contest is presented by the official radio partner of NSU football, Lakes Country 102.1 FM. Hear the "Voice of the RiverHawks" Orry Phillips on the call for the matchup alongside color analyst Lou Kelly. Radio coverage begins with Countdown to Kickoff, presented by Tahlequah Family Vision Clinic, at 5 p.m., while the MIAA Network video broadcast will begin streaming during the hour before kickoff.

ABOUT THE OAKLANDERS

>> The 2024 season is the fourth that Lincoln University in Oakland, Ca. has fielded a football team. Not affiliated with the NCAA or NAIA ranks, the Oaklanders own a 3-35 record across team history, including a win over NCAA Division II opponent Bluefield State in 2022. The program is led by head football coach and athletic director Desmond Gumbs.

>> Across the season, the 0-7 Oaklanders have met three NAIA opponents, three NCAA Division II opponents and one NCAA Division I foe. They share a common opponent in Lincoln (Mo.), a squad the RiverHawks previously beat 55-7 on Oct. 12. The Oaklanders took a 40-14 loss to the Blue Tigers the previous week on Oct. 5 in Jefferson City.

>> Splitting quarterback reps this season has been sophomore Jack Clavel and true freshman Gunner Cortez. Cortez saw the entirely of their most recent game at Savannah State, going 11-of-23 for 213 yards with one passing touchdown and one interception.

>> The rushing attack has struggled this season, with the Oaklanders limping to just 386 yards on the ground over seven games this season. The team averages just 1.7 yards a carry and have yet to surpass more than 88 rushing yards in a single game in 2024.

>> The Oaklanders defense has seen momentum swing their direction in their last two outings, holding Lincoln (Mo.) to just 185 yards of offense on Oct. 5 before limiting Savannah State to 264 yards on Oct. 12. The team forced the Tigers into three turnovers in the contest, matching a season high for the Oaklander defense. 

>> The Lincoln defense has come down with eight interceptions this season, a total that ranks higher than over 100 NCAA Division II teams. 

>> Return defense has been problematic for the Oaklanders, who have allowed three punt return touchdowns in 2024.