Fort Hays State hosts Central Missouri for its final home game of the 2012 season on Saturday (Nov. 3) at Lewis Field Stadium in Hays. It will be Senior Day, as 18 seniors will be recognized before the game. The Tigers are looking to push their win streak to four games as they enter the contest at 4-5 overall and 3-5 in the MIAA. Central Missouri enters at 5-4 overall and 5-4 in the MIAA.
The Tigers are coming off a 41-27 win at South Dakota Mines last week, pushing their current win streak to three games. Fort Hays State is looking to snap a six-game losing streak to Central Missouri on Saturday, as it has not defeated UCM since joining the MIAA in 2006. Fort Hays State lost to Central Missouri 35-7 last year in Hays.
Shaquille Cooper has emerged at running back for the Tigers over the last two games, rushing for over 100 yards in the both contests. He converted to running back from defensive back a couple weeks ago with the constant issue of injuries at running back this year. He has had a 63-yard touchdown run in each of the last two games.
FHSU scored a special teams touchdown for the second straight week with an 80-yard field goal block return by
Keke Paul against South Dakota Mines last week. The Tigers had two punt blocks returned for touchdowns, both by
Anthony Sheppard, in the 28-26 win over Lincoln two weeks ago in Hays. The Tigers have seven blocked kicks this year, the most since they had 10 in 1995. Five of those blocks occurred over the last two weeks.
Layton Hickel continues to lead the FHSU defense with 79 tackles for the season. He now has 272 in his career, which ranks fourth in NCAA Division II history at FHSU.
Basil Bandy is the team leader in sacks with 3.0 and
Keke Paul is the team leader in interceptions with three.
