TAHLEQUAH -- Northeastern State faces Mississippi College for the first time in football when the RiverHawks travel to Clinton, Miss. this week for a Saturday afternoon game.

NORTHEASTERN STATE at
MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE
Saturday, Nov. 9 -- 12 p.m.
Robinson-Hale Stadium
First meeting in all-time series

TOP STORYLINES

1 | Northeastern State encounters their third and final non-MIAA opponent of the 2024 season when they face Mississippi College. It marks the first time in program history that NSU has traveled to Mississippi for football, in addition to the first meeting in program history against the Choctaws. It is the program's first game against an opponent from the Gulf South Conference (GSC) since 2009.

2 | Dereun Dortch tossed three touchdown passes last week against Northwest Missouri and enters this Saturday's bout with ten throwing scores and 13 total touchdowns in his last four games. Meanwhile, Ramon McKinney Jr. caught two of Dortch's passes to paydirt and brought his tally on trips to the end zone up to ten over the last four weeks. 

3 | With 54 points scored, McKinney Jr. leads the team and has accounted for the highest scoring total from a skill position player since 2017. Kicker Troy Nguyen sits closely behind with 52, the most for an NSU kicker in a single season since 2012.

4 | This week's game is the only matchup of the season to not be available to view live on The MIAA Network. Football contests hosted by GSC football schools, including Mississippi College, can be watched on FloFootball.com with an active membership. The game will be carried on radio in Tahlequah and the surrounding area on Lakes Country 102.1 FM, featuring the "Voice of the RiverHawks" Orry Phillips and "Captain" William Morgan on the call.

5 | The RiverHawks aim for a rebound defensively after allowing 365 yards of offense to Northwest Missouri last week, including 188 rushing yards. The Choctaws enter off of a 400-yard performance on the ground in their most recent effort against Erskine on Oct. 26, though the team has only scored above ten points in two of eight games this year.

NSU QUICK HITS

>> Dereun Dortch has been the leader of NSU's most successful passing attack in years, as he's seen eight appearances and has tossed for 14 touchdowns with an additional four on the ground. Northeastern State averages 212.8 passing yards per game, their most since 2017. 

>> After being held to just one catch in the Homecoming game against Lincoln (Ca.), Deuce Roberson received a heavy workload last Saturday against Northwest Missouri, receiving 15 targets and catching a season-high six passes for 109 yards. Roberson has 44 catches on the year for 540 yards, both team highs. 

>> Cameron Woods recorded four receptions for 38 yards last week, marking the fourth straight game that the tight end has recorded at least three catches. Woods ranks second on the team in receptions (28) and receiving yards (432), while he leads all NSU individuals in receiving touchdowns (five).

>> Dortch accounted for the longest offensive play of the season so far for NSU last Saturday against the Bearcats, scampering for a 62-yard run in the opening quarter. However, the rushing offense was bottled up by the Northwest Missouri defense outside of that, holding -12 yards on the ground aside from the sophomore quarterback's big run.

>> NSU went a perfect four-of-four inside of the red zone last week. Northeastern State has scored touchdowns on 17 of their last 18 trips to the red zone and are 26-of-29 (89.7%) in securing scores that deep into enemy territory this season, the fifth-best mark in Super Region 3 and inside the top 15 nationally in NCAA DII football.

>> Clavon Caine had 2.5 tackles for loss and was involved in a takedown behind the line for the fourth straight week. At ten TFL on the campaign, he owns the highest individual mark for a single season since 2018.

>> Ousmane Doumbia received another start and served as a regular contributor last weekend on defense with seven tackles to finish only behind Clavon Caine (nine) over the matchup. Doumbia has 19 tackles across the last three games alongside two interceptions. 

>> Tyler Crawford recorded eight punts for 338 yards, both season highs, during last weekend's bout at Bearcat Stadium. During the contest, Crawford legged out a kick of 63 yards, matching a season high and marking the fourth time in the span of five weeks that the senior has had at least one boot of 50 of more yards. 

>> Troy Nguyen has knocked down five straight field goals entering this weekend. After starting the season two-of-six, he takes a seven-of-11 mark into the final two weeks of the campaign and is a single PAT away from having the highest-scoring season for an NSU kicker since 2011.

ON THE AIR

>> Radio coverage of this weekend's contest is presented by the official radio home 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 William Morgan. Radio coverage begins with Countdown to Kickoff, presented by Tahlequah Family Vision Clinic, at 11 a.m.

ABOUT THE CHOCTAWS

>> Mississippi College is led by Mike Kershaw in his first season. Kershaw previously played at fellow Gulf South Conference (GSC) school Delta State (1997-98) and spent seven years on the coaching staff (1999-2006) at DSU. He served on the coaching staff at Rice from 2018-23.

>> MC was idle last week after earning their first win of the Kershaw era over Erskine College on Oct. 26. In a 42-7 triumph, the Choctaws earned 400 rushing yards (most since 2022).

>>After throwing 12 interceptions against just two touchdowns through their first five games, the Choctaws have transitioned into a more ground-based offense. The team has just thrown six passes in their last three games combined and only one in the Erskine win, with Preston Godfrey handling the attempts.

>> Third down success has been limited this season, with the Choctaws converting on just 30-of-115 (26.1%), ranking in the bottom 15 nationally across NCAA Division II football.

>> Under first-year defensive coordinator Will Paruta, the Choctaws are fifth in the GSC in scoring defense (26.4 points per game) and pass defense (149.0 yards per game). They are third in defending the run (171.0 YPG), recently holding Erskine to 42 yards on 18 rushing attempts (2.3 yards per carry).

>> Defensive end Brennan Blake has had a standout year, ranking second in the GSC in tackles for loss (11.5), the most for an individual player at MC since 2011. 

>> A trio of defensive backs in Braxton Hall, Stefan Cameron and Chris Butler have been factors in coverage this season, with each inside the GSC's top ten in passes defended. Meanwhile, David Brown is one of nine players in the conference to record multiple interceptions so far, with two picks through eight games.

>> The Choctaws are the most-penalized team in the GSC, holding 60 penalties (7.5 per game) this year for 58.9 yards per game.