TAHLEQUAH -- Northeastern State closes the 2025 season with their first appearance in the postseason since 2011, taking the field in the First Americans Bowl in Tahlequah.

NORTHEASTERN STATE vs.
EAST CENTRAL
Saturday, Dec. 6 -- 1 p.m.
Gable Field at Doc Wadley Stadium
All-Time Series: NSU leads 46-43-2 -- Last meeting was Sep. 17, 2011 in Ada (L, 45-38)

TOP STORYLINES

1 | For the first time since 2011, Northeastern State plays postseason football with their participation in the inaugural First Americans Bowl. The event also marks NSU's first meeting with East Central in football since 2011. The RiverHawks seek their first postseason win since Nov. 27, 1999, when Northeastern knocked off UC-Davis (19-14) in an NCAA Division II playoff quarterfinal game. Additionally, a win would match the 2000 team's total of nine for the second-most in a season across NSU's NCAA era (1997-present).

2 | Northeastern State's offense continued their push into history in their regular season finale against West Alabama. The unit surpassed the 2011 team's total of 405 points for the single-season program record. The RiverHawks sit at 427 points after 11 games (38.8 points per game), placing their per-game scoring average almost two points ahead of the previous single-season record set by the 1969 team (37 PPG).

3 | Donnie Smith's first season at the NCAA Division II ranks sees him just 129 yards away from Northeastern State's passing record, currently occupied by Dom McKinzy (2,767 yards in 2016). Smith enters off of a 289-yard game against West Alabama in the team's regular season finale and has thrown for at least 200 yards in six of NSU's last seven.

4 | Ramon McKinney Jr. enters Saturday with 1,678 all-purpose yards (1,079 rushing, 340 receiving, 259 kick return), which is third across program history. It's positioned just 96 yards back from Carlton Booe (1,774 in 1999) in second and 167 yards from Trey McVay's record (1,845 in 2011). With 18 scores in 2025, McKinney is also two touchdowns away from tying and three away from breaking the single-season program record, currently held by Carlton Booe (20 in 1999) and Eddie Akins (20 in 1994).

5 | Defense has been a highlight of the team's six-game winning streak. The RiverHawks recorded 12 tackles for loss in their regular season finale at West Alabama, their most in a game since 2009. Their season total on tackles for loss is at 81, their most since 2009 (84). Ayden Guess has been a standout contributor of the defense, owning the program record in QB hurries (11) with the regular season in the books.

NSU QUICK HITS

>> In year two under Darrin Chiaverini, the offense has seen gains in points per game (27.9 in 2024, 38.8 in 2025), passing offense (206.2 yards per game in 2024, 272.8 in 2025), total offense (337.7 yards per game in 2024, 422.5 in 2025) and yards per play (5.1 in 2024, 7.1 in 2025).

>> With one game remaining, NSU's offense is on pace to set a program mark across their NCAA era (1997-present) in yards per play (7.1), well surpassing the previous record set by the 2011 team (6.1). Additionally, their touchdown total of 57 is the record across recorded program history.

>> In the November finale in Livingston, Donnie Smith tossed 31 completions, tying for second-most across a single game in NSU history. Smith also passed Kevin Pantastico's 2014 total of 193 for the season record in completions, entering Saturday with 212.

>> Smith remains in a prime spot to snag the program's season record in completion percentage. He enters the First Americans Bowl with a 70.4% success rate on passes, well ahead of the previous record of 65.0%, set by Dallas McCutcheon in 2011.

>> Ramon McKinney Jr. heads into Saturday's bowl game with consecutive 109-yard performances on the ground, while he has surpassed 100 yards rushing in each of the team's last four games that went the full time. He also has a rushing score in four straight overall and a touchdown in nine games this season.

>> La'Vontae Shenault is just 90 yards away from becoming the fourth 1,000-yard receiver in program history and the first since Gary McKnight in 2017. 

>> Cam Woods finished the regular season on his best two-game stretch at NSU, combining for 18 catches and 204 yards in wins against McKendree and West Alabama. Woods has surpassed his numbers from 2024's All-American campaign, setting career bests in 2025 for receptions (47), yards (800) and touchdowns (eight). 

>> Cam Jackson was another target who wrapped the regular season with a stellar performance, claiming season highs in receptions (seven) and yards (64). Jackson's 19 catches for 230 yards this year are the most for an NSU true freshman receiver since 2021.

>> Justus Gilliam, Cayson Badley, and Jayden Flores are made their 11th starts of the season on the offensive line against West Alabama, marking the first time since 2018 that three offensive linemen participated in every regular season game. They are projected to make their 12th starts on Saturday, making them the first offensive linemen to appear in 12 games since 1999. Notably, Justus's father, David, played on the defensive line of the 1999 squad, one that pushed to the NCAA Division II playoff semifinals.

>> With one game left in the season, the defense has seen progress in scoring (35.7 points allowed per game in 2024, 18.3 in 2025) and opposing rushing yardage (195.2 per game in 2024, 119.5 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 Spencer Arceneaux three times in their 33-20 triumph over West Alabama on Nov. 15, bringing their season total to 21. This matches the 2000 team's total for the most in a single season across NSU's NCAA era. 

>> Khaden Walker is in a prime position to earn the team's crown in tackles with 67 entering Saturday. Kale Charboneau is in second with 60, the most tackles for a true freshman since 2004.

>> Troy Nguyen became the first NSU kicker since 2006 to convert on four field goals during a single game in the win over the Tigers, while it also clinched the highest-scoring season for a kicker in program history. Nguyen has 79 points and also owns the season PAT record, knocking down all 52 kicks after NSU touchdowns.

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 and Tim McLane on the call for the inaugural First Americans Bowl. Coverage starts at 12 p.m. with the Countdown to Kickoff show.

ABOUT THE TIGERS

>> East Central is in its third season under head football coach John Litrenta. Litrenta served as the defensive coordinator at ECU from 2020-22 and was the outside linebackers coach from 2018-19. ECU's appearance in the First Americans Bowl is their first taste of postseason football in the Litrenta era, though they previously made the Heritage Bowl in 2022 with Litrenta on staff.

>> The Tigers finished with 12 All-Conference selections on the offensive side of the ball, the most in the Great American Conference (GAC). The 2025 season saw ECU increase their per-game scoring average by nearly ten points (17.6 to 27.5) from the previous year, while scoring 18 more touchdowns (19 to 37).

>> Sergio Kennedy is a multi-year starter at the quarterback position. He leads the Tiger passing game into the First Americans Bowl after finishing second in the GAC in passing yards (2,470) for the regular season, as well as third in passing touchdowns (17).

>> All-GAC Second Team selection Kaden Jones has been the top target of Kennedy's this year, logging 637 yards on 36 catches, both team highs. Jones enters off a nine-catch performance in the regular season finale against Southeastern Oklahoma on Nov. 15.

>> Cade Searcy earned All-GAC Second Team honors after pacing the ECU backfield with 595 yards on 108 carries (5.5 yards per carry). Searcy's yardage total on the ground is the most for any player in the Litrenta era, while his yards per carry total is the highest for a player with at least 100 rushing attempts at East Central since 2014.

>> The Tigers finished the regular season with their highest tackle for loss total (64) since 2021, while their sack total (20) is their highest since 2022. All-GAC Second Team selection Michael Onwuzurike paces the defense with six sacks and 9.5 TFL.