TAHLEQUAH -- Northeastern State finishes their regular season with a road meeting at West Alabama.

NORTHEASTERN STATE at
WEST ALABAMA
Saturday, Nov. 15 -- 1 p.m.
Terry Bunn Field at Tiger Stadium
First meeting in all-time series

TOP STORYLINES

1 | Northeastern State concludes the regular season with the opportunity to earn their 8th win of the year and their sixth in a row after last Saturday's 44-10 triumph over McKendree. A victory on Saturday would mark their first campaign with more than seven wins since 2000, a year that also marked their most recent playoff appearance inside the NCAA Division II ranks.

2 | Records may continue to fall during the regular season finale. A week removed from seeing Troy Nguyen set the single-season record in made PAT kicks (49), NSU has the chance to set the program's all-time scoring record, as well as the best scoring average in the modern era. The RiverHawks are 12 points away from breaking the scoring record of 405 from the 2011 team, while history's closest competitor in points per game at NSU is the 1969 team's average of 37, over two points behind the 2025 team's average of 39.4 per contest.

3 | Donnie Smith closes in on history at NSU, on pace for the program's most accurate season at quarterback. The junior holds a 71.5% completion rate, well ahead of the previous record of 65.0% from Dallas McCutcheon in 2011. Smith is also 13 completions away from breaking the single-season record (currrently at 193 from Kevin Pantastico in 2014) and 418 yards from breaking the single-season passing yardage mark, set by Dom McKinzy in 2016 (2,767).

4 | Currently at 1,560 all-purpose yards, Ramon McKinney Jr. is just 21 back from holding possession of third place (currently occupied by Carlton Booe's 1,580-yard season in 1998). The true sophomore is 286 yards away from the program record, currently held by Trey McVay (1,845 yards in 2011). Meanwhile, McKinney is just 30 yards away from giving the team their first 1,000-yard rushing season from an individual since Joel Rockmore in 2012.

5 | Marvelous Owens found his seventh interception of the season last Saturday against McKendree, giving him single-highest season total across NSU's NCAA era. It is the highest for any NSU player since Pat Stewart's eight-pick season in 1988.

NSU QUICK HITS

>> In year two under Darrin Chiaverini, the offense has seen gains in points per game (27.9 in 2024, 39.4 in 2025), passing offense (206.2 yards per game in 2024, 271.2 in 2025), total offense (337.7 yards per game in 2024, 423.8 in 2025) and yards per play (5.1 in 2024, 73 in 2025).

>> With one regular season game remaining, NSU's offense is on pace to set a program mark across their NCAA era (1997-present) in yards per play (7.3), well surpassing the previous record set by the 2011 team (6.1). Additionally, their touchdown total of 54 matches the 2011 team for the highest amount of the NCAA era. 

>> Donnie Smith continued his dominant second half of the season with a three-touchdown day last Saturday against McKendree. The junior has thrown at least three touchdowns in four games this year, all of which have occurred since the beginning of October.

>> Ramon McKinney Jr. reached paydirt two more times last Saturday behind a 109-yard day on the ground. The Waxahachie native has found the end zone nine times across his last three games. With 17 total scores on the year, McKinney is four away from setting the program record.

>> McKinney's scoring total of 102 points in 2025 is fourth in program history and also ranks near the top of the pile in Division II. McKinney is just 19 points away from breaking the team record, currently held by Carlton Booe (120 in 1999) and Eddie Akins (120 in 1994).

>> Cam Woods was impactful and consistent on Senior Day last week against McKendree. landing 100 yards for his second-highest total of the season. He also recorded a career-best nine receptions and a touchdown on a 22-yard grab. Woods has now surpassed his numbers from last year's All-American campaign, setting career bests in 2025 for receptions (38), yards (696) and touchdowns (eight). 

>> La'Vontae Shenault made six catches last week for 68 yards and a touchdown. Shenault has a score in four of his last five, while he holds sole possession of second across program history in catches (63) in a season.

>> In his return to the field after a game away, Deuce Roberson made four catches for 54 yards and was involved in the team's second-longest offensive play in the passing game, catching a 31-yard pass against the Bearcats. 

>> Justus Gilliam, Cayson Badley, and Jayden Flores are all projected to make their 11th starts of the season on the offensive line this Saturday. It would mark the first time since 2018 that three offensive linemen have participated in every regular season game.

>> Junior Tanuvasa and Jeremy Atwell lead the defense as co-defensive coordinators. Both are in their second seasons with the program. With one game left in the regular season, the defense has seen progress in scoring (35.7 points allowed per game in 2024, 18.1 in 2025) and opposing rushing yardage (195.2 per game in 2024, 118.1 in 2025). Notably, the team's per-game average in points allowed is on pace to be their lowest since 2000, while their average yardage allowed on the ground is on pace for the fewest since 2008.

>> Northeastern State picked off a pair of Colt Michael passes last Saturday to earn their 17th and 18th interceptions of the year, respectively. They are just three back from matching the program's NCAA-era record of 21, set by the 2000 team.

>> Jordan Banks was a resident in the McKendree backfield last Saturday, grabbing 2.5 tackles for loss to bring his seasonal total to 12. It marks the most for an NSU individual since 2010, while the team's 69 tackles for loss is their most through ten games since 2015.

>> Troy Nguyen's 64 points scored in 2025 surpasses the total from his true freshman campaign (57) in 2024 and marks the highest-scoring season for an NSU kicker since Drew Patton in 2011 (74).

ON THE AIR

>> Catch live radio coverage of every Northeastern State football game this season on the radio home for NSU football, Lakes Country 102.1 FM. Hear the "Voice of the RiverHawks" Orry Phillips on the call every week. Gameday coverage begins one hour prior to kickoff.

WATCH PARTY

>> Northeastern State University Football invites you to join us for an official RiverHawks Football Watch Party on Saturday, Nov. 15 at Emery's Grill in Tahlequah (407-411 N Muskogee Ave). Come cheer on the RiverHawks as they face West Alabama. The event will feature a welcoming game-day atmosphere for alumni, fans, and community members to enjoy the action together. We look forward to seeing you as we come together to support RiverHawks Football!  

ABOUT THE TIGERS

>> West Alabama is led by former Alabama and Georgia assistant Scott Cochran in his first season in Livingston. After starting 5-0 and ranking as high as #8 in the AFCA Top 25 poll, the Tigers dropped three straight in GSC play. The losses have occurred by a combined 20 points.

>> As an offense, UWA ranks 23rd nationally in scoring average (35.8) and 26th in total offense (431 yards per game). The Tigers also rank well on third downs and in the red zone, sitting in 27th in third down percentage (45.7%) and fifth in red zone conversion rate (92.6%).

>> Spencer Arceneaux anchors the offense at quarterback. The team's leader in passing (1,795) and rushing (551) yards, the senior owns 23 total touchdowns in 2025. Late in his fourth season with the program, Arceneaux is set to make his 32nd career appearance on Saturday.

>> Dearrius Nelson leads the team in receptions (29), receiving yards (497) and touchdowns grabs (five) through eight games. Meanwhile, TD Parker is seventh nationally in yards per catch (23) and Houston Johnson is coming off of season highs two weeks ago in receptions (six) and yards (67).

>> Brayden Jenkins is another key piece in the Tiger ground game. The junior has received at least 11 carries and has scored a touchdown in all six appearances this season and ran for a season-high 127 yards against Valdosta State on Nov. 1.

>> The Tigers have struggled at defending the pass lately, surrendering 324 yards per game across their last four alongside 13 scores through the air. On the year, the TIgers have allowed 14 yards per completion, an average that sits in 130th nationally.

>> JT Hooten leads UWA in tackles (65) as a main weapon on a defense that has logged assists on 59.4% of tackles, compared to 42.5% for Northeastern and just 40.9% from last week's opponent in McKendree.