Fort Hays State (3-6, 2-5 MIAA) at
Nebraska-Kearney (1-8, 1-6 MIAA)
Saturday, November 7 – 1 p.m.
Kearney, Neb. – Cope Stadium (Foster Field)
 
The Tigers play at Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 7). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Cope Stadium in Kearney. The Tigers enter at 3-6 overall and 2-5 in the MIAA, while the Lopers are 1-8 overall and 1-6 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
Tied leads 35-35-1
Last Meeting: FHSU won 26-7 in Hays (9/13/26)
FHSU Record in Hays: 21-16
FHSU Record in Kearney: 14-19-1
 
Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney meet for the 72nd time on Saturday. The series is split at 35-35-1. Fort Hays State closed a sizeable lead by UNK in the series history by winning 12 of the last 13 meetings between the teams.

WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCE
Head Coach Chris Brown talked about the upcoming game with Nebraska-Kearney. Defensive lineman Gaven Haselhorst and tight end Cade Evans also fielded questions. Watch video below courtesy of Hays Post Sports.  



WEEKLY TIGER TALK
Head Coach Chris Brown and offensive lineman Jacob Mattice join Voice of the Tigers Gerard Wellbrock on the November 3, 2026 edition of the show.



12 OF LAST 13 TO THE TIGERS
Fort Hays State has won 12 of the last 13 meetings with Nebraska-Kearney, which dates back to the start of MIAA play for UNK in 2012. FHSU had won nine in a row against UNK from 2012 to 2021 until UNK stopped the streak in 2022. FHSU has won the last 3 meetings, 31-17 in Hays in 2023, 27-20 in Kearney in 2024, and 26-7 in Hays in 2025.
 
LAST MEETING IN KEARNEY
Fort Hays State never trailed in a 27-20 win at Nebraska-Kearney in 2024, though the Lopers pulled within four points in the fourth quarter. The Tigers used a field goal with 59 seconds remaining to go up by seven and UNK made it to the FHSU 21-yard line before the Tigers stopped any chance of the Lopers tying the game.
 
LAST YEAR'S MEETING IN HAYS
Fort Hays State was shutting out Nebraska-Kearney all the way up until 1:54 remaining in the game last year. The Tigers scored the first 26 points of the game before the Lopers picked up a late touchdown. David Arriaga had four field goals in that game for FHSU.
 
18-GAME STREAK OF REACHING 20 vs. UNK
Fort Hays State has scored at least 20 points against Nebraska-Kearney in 18-straight meetings between the schools. FHSU has a record of 14-4 in that stretch, which dates back to the 2001 season when both schools were in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
 
COACHING MATCHUP
Fort Hays State Chris Brown has an 12-1 record against Nebraska-Kearney in his coaching tenure at Fort Hays State. He has more wins over UNK than any other school he has faced leading the Tigers. Close behind is Missouri Southern, which he is 11-1 against. Ryan Held is coaching against Fort Hays State for the 7th time in his career, but it will be just the fourth time leading UNK. He has yet to defeat FHSU, going 0-3 against the Tigers in his time as head coach at Oklahoma Panhandle State from 2002-2004 and now 0-3 so far at UNK.
 
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.
 
SIMILAR IN TOTAL DEFENSE
Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney are very similar in total defense this year. FHSU ranks 4th in the MIAA at 354.9 yards allowed per game, while UNK ranks 5th in the MIAA at 359.3 yards allowed per game.
 
TWO OF MIAA'S BEST RUSHING OFFENSES
Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney rank 2nd and 3rd in the MIAA in rushing offense. The Tigers average 161.7 yards per game, while the Lopers average 149.4 yards per game.
 
ESTABLISH THE RUN
Fort Hays State is averaging 161.7 rushing yards through 9 games this season, which ranks 2nd in the MIAA. AG Floyd leads FHSU and ranks 3rd in the MIAA for rushing average at 79.8 yards per game. LaAngelo Bell adds 48.8 per game, which ranks 12th in the MIAA.
 
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 145, while also being the active career leader in tackles for loss (32) and sacks (14).
 
CANTRELL LEADING THE OFFENSE
Major Cantrell is currently averaging 256.5 total yards of offense per game, which ranks 28th nationally and 4th in the MIAA. He is averaging 228.6 passing yards per game and 27.9 rushing yards per game. He has thrown for at least 200 yards in 5 of 8 games (142 is his season low) and rushed for at least 50 yards in 2 contests this season. His season high for passing was 318 yards at Missouri Western and his season high for rushing was 95 yards against CSU Pueblo.
 
DOOLEY AND ROBINSON-WAYNE TOP RECEIVING THREATS
Keyshawn Dooley is the team leader in receptions this season with 42 and leads the team in receiving yards with 492. He had a career-high 175 receiving yards at Missouri Western. Ayden Robinson-Wayne is 2nd on the team with 464 yards and he has two 100+ yard receiving games this season. Robinson-Wayne ranks 3rd in the MIAA in receiving yards per game (77.3) and leads the MIAA in yards per reception (22.1).
 
CHEWING UP CLOCK
The Tigers have an average of 34:07 on time of possession this season, which leads the MIAA and ranks 2nd in NCAA Division II. South Dakota Mines is the national leader at 34:17. FHSU has possessed the ball over 35 minutes 6 contests this season, but 28 or less in 2 of its 6 losses.
 
TIGERS RANK 2ND IN MIAA FOR INTERCEPTIONS
Fort Hays State ranks 2nd in the MIAA for interceptions this season with 11. The Tigers had a season-high 4 interceptions in their win over Pittsburg State. FHSU ranks 25th nationally in interceptions. UT-Permian Basin leads NCAA Division II with 17.
 
MCBRIDE RANKED SECOND NATIONALLY IN INTERCEPTIONS
Cornerback Matthew McBride's 5 interceptions ranks 2nd nationally along with five other players. Teammate Eli Moulton has 3 for the season. Zyking Patillo of Fayetteville State is the national leader with 6. McBride's 5 interceptions are the most by a Tiger since Doyin Jibowu had 5 in 2017. The most by a Tiger under Chris Brown was 6 by Raheeme Dumas in 2016.
 
SECOND IN MIAA ON 4^TH DOWN
Fort Hays State is 11-of-18 on 4th down conversions this season, a conversion percentage of 61.1. The Tigers currently rank 36th in NCAA Division II and 2nd in the MIAA in 4th down conversion percentage.
 
FLOYD STRONG IN SEVERAL OFFENSIVE CATEGORIES
AG Floyd is putting together a strong season at running back. He currently ranks 3rd in the MIAA and 40th nationally in rushing yards per game (79.8), but ranks high nationally in several other categories...
Rushing Touchdowns - 11 (13th NCAA D2 / 3rd MIAA)
Scoring - 7.3 ppg (48th NCAA D2 / 3rd MIAA)
Total Points - 66 (38th NCAA D2 / 3rd MIAA)
Total Touchdowns - 11 (25th NCAA D2 / 3rd MIAA)
 
LIGHT ON PENALTIES
Fort Hays State currently ranks 2nd in the MIAA and 10th in NCAA Division II for fewest penalties with 43 for the season. Missouri Southern has the fewest at 4.44 per game each with 40 total. The Tigers average 4.78 per game.
 
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 IN A GAME 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. 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.
 
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 98-69. 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 LOPERS:

• Last week the Lopers fell by a score of 31-6 at Central Oklahoma.
• Nebraska-Kearney's lone win this season was over Missouri Southern 16-13.
• Head coach Ryan Held is in his 4th year leading the Lopers. He has a record of 14-27 at UNK.
• Six of UNK's games this year have been decided by 10 points or less.
• Calin Arndt leads UNK's rushing attack with 358 yards. The Lopers have three players with at least 285 rushing yards this season.
• Gunnar Lym leads the UNK defense with 57 tackles, followed closely by Parker Wise with 56.