Pittsburg State (7-3, 7-3 MIAA) at
Fort Hays State (5-5, 5-5 MIAA)
Saturday, November 13 – 1 pm
Hays, Kan. – Lewis Field Stadium
 
Game Sponsor: American Family Insurance - Brian Ruder Agency

Promotions
Military Appreciation Day - All military on active duty, veterans, first responders, and scouts get into the game for FREE.
Senior Day - 11 student-athletes will be recognized about 25 minutes prior to kickoff, playing in their final home game at Lewis Field Stadium.
Motorcycle Lap - Various local motorcycle clubs will be doing a lap around the track just prior to kickoff.
Military Mounted Color Guard - A military mounted color guard will present the colors during pregame.
National Anthem Singer - Sgt. Katelyn Lindsey of the 312 Army Band in Lawrence, KS will sing the National Anthem.
Free Basketball - Get into Men's Basketball's season opener at 5:30 pm for FREE by showing your ticket from the football game at Gross Memorial Coliseum.

Fort Hays State closes out the 2021 season on Saturday (Nov. 13) when it hosts Pittsburg State at Lewis Field Stadium in Hays. The Tigers enter at 5-5 overall, while the Gorillas are 7-3. Fort Hays State will be looking for its fifth-straight win over Pittsburg State, dating back to the 2016 season.
 
With a win, the Tigers can secure an eighth-straight winning season. The current seven-year streak is the longest in program history, which dates back to the 2013 season all under head coach Chris Brown. The Tigers had a sub-.500 record in his first two seasons before beginning their current streak.
 
Fort Hays State will recognize 11 student-athletes prior to the game competing in their final home game at Lewis Field Stadium on Saturday. The list includes Jhimon Preston, Monterio Burchfield, Jordan Starks, Trey McJunkin, Voshon Waiters, Layke Heimerman, Sterling Swopes, Amari Angram-Boldin, Kyon Clark, Irick McDonald, and Javaris Sanders.
 
This is the 78th meeting between Fort Hays State and Pittsburg State. The Gorillas lead the all-time series 46-22-9. The gap widened significantly when FHSU went winless against Pittsburg State for 20 straight games (0-19-1) from 1979 to 2011, but have since won five of the last seven meetings between the teams (including the last four). Pittsburg State's last win in the series occurred in 2015 by a score of 31-24 in Hays.
 
Fort Hays State is averaging 41.8 points per game during its current four-game win streak over Pittsburg State. The Tigers have scored at least 42 points in three of the last four meetings, and scored 50 or more against the Gorillas in two of those meetings. Pittsburg State has not been a slouch in that stretch either, averaging 30 points per game. In two of the last four meetings Pittsburg State scored 41 points and lost both games (42-41 in 2019, 54-41 in 2016 - both occurring in Pittsburg).
 
Though the last four games have seen plenty of points scored, Fort Hays State and Pittsburg State rank near the top of the MIAA in points allowed per game and total yards allowed per game. Pittsburg State ranks second in both categories, allowing just 19 points per game and 334.8 yards per game. FHSU is third in the MIAA in scoring defense at 19.4 points allowed per game, and ranks fourth in total defense at 349.3 yards per game. Both are scoring between 31 and 33 points per game to rank in the middle of the pack among MIAA teams, but the Tigers produce more yards per game at 465.8 per contest (second in MIAA) compared to 410.9 per game for the Gorillas (eighth in MIAA).
 
Chance Fuller moved to first on the all-time passing touchdowns list at FHSU, now with 63 in his career after throwing for four last Saturday. He passed Jacob Mezera's record of 60, set recently in 2018. Adrian Soto ranks seventh nationally in all-purpose yards per game (157.8).
 
Fort Hays State leads NCAA Division II in red-zone offense, currently with a success rate of scoring 95.1 percent of the time when entering the area. FHSU jumped from third to first in the rankings this week. FHSU has scored 39 of 41 times when reaching the red-zone this season, which includes 34 touchdowns and 5 field goals.