Fort Hays State (3-2, 2-1 MIAA) at
Central Oklahoma (2-3, 1-2 MIAA)
Saturday, October 10 – 7 p.m.
Edmond, Okla. – Chad Richison Stadium

Fort Hays State continues MIAA play in Oklahoma on Saturday night (Oct. 10) when it takes on Central Oklahoma in Edmond. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Chad Richison Stadium. The Tigers enter at 3-2 overall and 2-1 in the MIAA, while the Bronchos are 2-3 overall and 1-2 in the MIAA.

HOW TO WATCH
All remaining games on Fort Hays State's regular season schedule will be available on The MIAA Network. Subscriptions to the network are as follows…
 
All-Access Pass: $140 (all sports, all events on The MIAA Network in 2026-27)
Monthly Pass: $35 (all events on the network within a calendar month from time of subscription)
Individual Broadcast Pass: $15
 
SERIES HISTORY
UCO leads 11-7
Last Meeting: UCO won 21-14 in Hays (10/11/25)
FHSU Record in Hays: 3-6
FHSU Record in Edmond: 4-5
 
Fort Hays State and Central Oklahoma meet for the 19th time on Saturday. The first meeting occurred back in 1955 in Edmond. UCO leads the series 11-7 overall, but FHSU holds a 6-5 advantage in MIAA play. UCO won the last 2 meetings between the teams overall. FHSU last defeated UCO in 2023. UCO has won the last two meetings in Edmond. 

WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCE
Head Coach Chris Brown talked about the upcoming game with Central Oklahoma. Linebacker Legend Robinson and wide receiver Walter Flounory also fielded questions. Watch video below courtesy of ECTV and Hays Post Sports.  



WEEKLY TIGER TALK
Head Coach Chris Brown and defensive lineman Parrish Terry join Voice of the Tigers Gerard Wellbrock on the October 5, 2026 edition of the show.
 


TIGERS IN THE AFCA POLL THIS YEAR
Fort Hays State opened the 2026 season receiving votes in the AFCA Top 25 Poll. After a win over Angelo State in the season opener, FHSU moved into the Top 25 at No. 25. However, after a loss to No. 5 ranked CSU Pueblo, the Tigers moved back into the receiving votes section, where they resided for for three-straight polls. The Tigers were not referenced in the last 2 polls after a loss to Missouri Western.

TIGERS IN THE D2FOOTBALL.COM TOP 25
After the season-opening win at Angelo State, Fort Hays State moved into the D2Football.com Top 25 at No. 23. However, a loss in the next game to a top-10 ranked CSU Pueblo squad pushed the Tigers back outside of the Top 25. After the win over Pittsburg State, the Tigers returned to the poll at No. 25, but then dropped out again after a loss to Missouri Western.
 
LAST YEAR'S MEETING WITH UCO IN HAYS
Central Oklahoma won last year's meeting between the teams 21-14 in Hays. The teams played to a 7-7 tie by halftime, then FHSU took a 14-7 lead in the 3rd quarter before UCO immediately answered with a touchdown to tie the game again. UCO moved into the lead at 10:54 remaining in the 4th quarter and the Tigers could not find an answer on their final three drives of the game.
 
LAST MEETING IN EDMOND
Central Oklahoma took the last meeting between the teams in Edmond by a score of 49-24 in Edmond. The Bronchos scored five first-half touchdowns and led 35-10 at halftime. The lead reached 49-10 before FHSU scored a pair of touchdowns in the 4th quarter to bring the final margin back to 25.
 
BROWN INCHING CLOSER TO 100
Fort Hays State head coach Chris Brown is only two wins shy of 100 for his career, now in his 15th season leading the Tigers. Brown's 98 wins are 16th most among active NCAA Division II football head coaches.
 
BROWN VS. THE BRONCHOS
FHSU Head Coach Chris Brown holds a record of 7-5 against Central Oklahoma. He guided the Tigers to a non-conference win over the Bronchos in 2011 and FHSU is 6-5 against UCO since the Bronchos joined the MIAA in 2012. Brown led the Tigers to four-straight wins in Edmond between 2011 and 2019, but UCO has won the last 2 meetings in Edmond (2022 and 2024). This will be the first head-to-head meeting between Brown and UCO interim head coach Cody Swanson.
 
BALANCED OFFENSE
FHSU is averaging 421.2 yards of total offense per game so far this season, which currently sits 3rd in the MIAA and 33rd in NCAA Division II. Fort Hays State is averaging 172.4 rushing yards through 5 games this season, which ranks 2nd in the MIAA. The Tigers add 248.8 passing yards per game, which is 6^th in the MIAA. Quarterback Major Cantrell is averaging 290.8 total yards of offense per game, which ranks 17^th nationally and 3^rd in the MIAA. Cantrell's season high in passing was 318 yards at Missouri Western as his season high in rushing was 95 yards against CSU Pueblo.
 
FLOYD HEADING THE RUSHING ATTACK
AG Floyd is off to a strong start this season at running back. He ranks 5th in the MIAA for rushing average at 74.8 yards per game, while ranking 2^nd in rushing touchdowns (7), scoring (8.4 ppg), total points (42), and total touchdowns (7). With a season-high 145 rushing yards against Pittsburg State, Floyd had the most rushing yards by a Tiger since Shane Watts ran for 175 yards against Nebraska-Kearney in the 2024 season finale. Last week, LaAngelo Bell produced his first 100-yard rushing game as a Tiger with 127 against Missouri Southern.
 
ALL-AMERICAN ON THE DEFENSIVE FRONT
Gaven Haselhorst is the lone All-America performer returning for FHSU in 2026. Last year, he was a unanimous All-MIAA First Team selection before garnering D2CCA All-Super Region 4 First Team honors and then All-America Honorable Mention selections by Don Hansen Football Committee and D2Football.com. Haselhorst has the most career tackles of any returner on the Tiger defense with 127, while also being the active career leader in tackles for loss (31.5) and sacks (14).
 
DOOLEY AND ROBINSON-WAYNE TOP RECEIVING THREATS
Keyshawn Dooley is the team leader in receiving yards this season with 379. He had a career-high 175 receiving yards at Missouri Western. Ayden Robinson-Wayne had 150 receiving yards the previous week against Pittsburg State and has 285 yards for the season. It was the first time FHSU had 100+ yard receivers in back-to-back games since the 2023 season when Trevor Watts had 113 yards against Central Missouri on November 4 and then 210 against Emporia State on November 11. Dooley currently ranks 44th in NCAA Division II and 7th in the MIAA for receiving yards per game (75.8), while Robinson-Wayne ranks 3rd in NCAA Division II and 1st in the MIAA in yards per reception (28.5).
 
TIGERS LEAD MIAA IN INTERCEPTIONS, RANK 3^RD NATIONALLY
Fort Hays State leads the MIAA in interceptions this season with 10. The Tigers had a season-high 4 interceptions in their win over Pittsburg State. FHSU ranks 3rd nationally in interceptions. UT-Permian Basin leads NCAA Division II with 13, followed by Minnesota State with 12.
 
MCBRIDE TIED FOR NATIONAL LEAD IN INTERCEPTIONS
Cornerback Matthew McBride is tied for the NCAA Division II lead in interceptions with 4 along with Zyking Patillo of Fayetteville State and Reggie Snowden of Shepherd. Teammate Eli Moulton is tied for 4th nationally with 3.
 
4^TH NATIONALLY IN TURNOVER MARGIN
Fort Hays State currently ranks 4th in NCAA Division II and 1st in the MIAA for turnover margin at +1.6. The Tigers have 13 takeaways compared to 5 turnovers committed for the season. UT-Permian Basin leads NCAA D2 at +2.2. FHSU leads the MIAA and ranks 7th nationally in turnovers gained (13).
 
BEST IN MIAA ON 4^TH DOWN
Fort Hays State is 7-of-8 on 4th down conversions this season, a conversion percentage of 87.5. The Tigers currently rank 5th in NCAA Division II and lead the MIAA in 4th down conversion percentage.
 
WHEN THE TIGERS SCORE 30 UNDER BROWN
Fort Hays State is 66-6 under head coach Chris Brown when reaching 30 points in a game. The Tigers went 2-0 last season and 3-0 so far this season when reaching 30 points in a game. They now have a streak of 11-straight wins when scoring 30.
 
REACHING 200 RUSHING YARDS UNDER BROWN
The Tigers have a record of 45-2 since the start of 2013 when rushing for over 200 yards in a game. They had 211 in the season opener at Angelo State, 207 against Pittsburg State, and a season-high 220 against Missouri Southern last week. The last time the Tigers rushed for over 300 yards in a game was November 2, 2024 with 331 at Emporia State on the way to a 36-7 win. The Hornets were ranked No. 11 in the nation by the AFCA in that meeting.
 
CHEWING UP CLOCK
Fort Hays State ranked 3rd in the MIAA in time of possession last season with an average of 30:32. FHSU was in possession of the ball for over 31 minutes in 6 of its 11 contests in 2025. So far this season, the Tigers have an average of 32:11 on time of possession, which ranks 2nd in the MIAA. FHSU has possessed the ball over 35 minutes in its 3 wins this season, but 28 or less in its 2 losses.
 
RUSSELL SOLID AT PUNTER
Logan Russell has enjoyed a good start to the 2026 season at punter. He is averaging 44.0 yards per punt so far this season on 23 punts, which ranks 14th in NCAA Division II and 3rd in the MIAA. Russell was an All-MIAA Honorable Mention selection last season.
 
LIGHT ON PENALTIES
Fort Hays State currently ranks 3rd in the MIAA for fewest penalties with 29 for the season. Northwest Missouri State has the fewest with 18. The Tigers rank 30th nationally in fewest penalties.
 
LEADING THE MIAA IN KICKOFF RETURNS
Fort Hays State leads the MIAA and ranks 23rd in NCAA Division II for kickoff returns, averaging 24.0 yards per return. Kolton Coleman leads the MIAA in kick return average at 26.2 yards per return.
 
BROWN HOLDS FHSU COACHING WINS AND TENURE RECORD
Chris Brown is in his 15th year guiding the Tigers and owns the FHSU Football coaching wins record with an overall mark of 98-65. He has 43 more wins than previous record holder Bob Cortese. Brown is also the longest tenured head coach in program history as he passed Wayne McConnell for the longest stint in history last year. Brown currently ranks 16^th among active NCAA Division II coaches in career wins.

ABOUT THE BRONCHOS:

• UCO fell last week to Central Missouri in Warrensburg by a score of 33-31.
• Central Oklahoma finished the 2025 season 6-5 overall and 6-3 (3^rd) in the MIAA.
• This will be the first game for interim head coach Cody Swanson after Adam Dorrel announced his resignation earlier in the week. Swanson formerly coached at Gannon University and played at Emporia State.
• Quarterback Jett Huff has thrown for 1,243 yards and 7 touchdown this season.
• UCO has a pair of 300+ yard receivers, which includes Tahkari Bethel (401) and Makel Paiva (380).
• Reese Roller is the top tackler for UCO with 47 for the season.