#5/9 CSU Pueblo (1-0, 0-0 RMAC) at
#25/23 Fort Hays State (1-0, 0-0 MIAA)
Thursday, September 3 - 7 p.m.
Hays, Kan. – Lewis Field

Fort Hays State hosts its first home game of the season on Thursday evening (Sept. 3), when it takes on CSU Pueblo in the Vyve Kickoff Classic at Lewis Field in Hays. Both teams enter the game nationally ranked. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
 
HOW TO WATCH
The remaining 10 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
CSU Pueblo leads 9-8
Last Meeting: FHSU won 36-35 in Pueblo (9/4/25)
FHSU Record in Hays: 4-4
FHSU Record in Pueblo: 4-5
 
Fort Hays State and CSU Pueblo meet for the 18^th time in history on Thursday night (Sept. 3). FHSU won last year's meeting in Pueblo by a score of 36-35. The Thunderwolves were ranked No. 5 in the nation by the AFCA at the time, which is the same ranking they bring into this matchup. The win last year marked the highest AFCA ranked team the Tigers defeated in their NCAA Division II history.

WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCE
Head Coach Chris Brown talked about the upcoming home opener against CSU Pueblo. Quarterback Major Cantrell and linebacker Shadryon Blanka also fielded questions. Watch video below courtesy of ECTV and Hays Post Sports.



WEEKLY TIGER TALK
Head Coach Chris Brown and tight end Cade Evans join Voice of the Tigers Gerard Wellbrock on the August 31, 2026 edition of the show.



 
AFCA POLL
Fort Hays State is back among the AFCA Top 25 for the first time since 2024. The Tigers were No. 25 the last time they were in the Top 25 as well. The first regular season edition of the poll was released on Wednesday, September 2. FHSU was among the receiving votes list in the preseason poll for the third-straight year. CSU Pueblo, is ranked No. 5 in the first regular season poll. CSU Pueblo went 10-2 overall last year and one of its losses was to Fort Hays State when it was ranked No. 5 in the AFCA poll, the highest-ranked AFCA opponent the Tigers defeated in their NCAA Division II history.
 
STRONG TESTS EARLY
On paper, Fort Hays State is going through a strong test early. The first three Tiger opponents were all referenced in the AFCA Preseason Top 25 Poll. The two opponents sitting immediately in the path of the Tigers are both ranked in the Top 10 of the AFCA poll. CSU Pueblo is No. 5 and Pittsburg State is No. 10. The Tigers open MIAA play at home with Pittsburg State on September 19. Northwest Missouri State and Pittsburg State shared the MIAA title last year, both at 8-1 in conference play. Pittsburg State won one NCAA playoff game last year before getting knocked out by Harding. CSU Pueblo was also in the NCAA playoffs last year, but fell to Texas-Permian Basin in the first round.
 
MIAA PRESEASON POLLS
Fort Hays State was tabbed fourth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll and fifth in the MIAA Preseason Media Poll for the 2026 season. The Tigers were picked in the position they finished last year in the standings after tying for fourth with Central Missouri at 5-4 in conference play. The Tigers were 6-5 overall.
 
NON-CONFERENCE REGULAR SEASON UNDER BROWN
Fort Hays State is 9-2 in regular season non-conference play under head coach Chris Brown. The Tigers have won 2 non-conference regular season games in a row going back to last season.

 FIVE ALL-MIAA PERFORMERS RETURN FOR FHSU
Fort Hays State had 14 All-MIAA selections in 2025 and five return to the 2026 team. Four of the players are on the defensive side of the ball, while the other is a specialist. Defensive lineman Gaven Haselhorst headlines the group of five returning after earning All-MIAA First Team, All-Super Region First Team, and All-America honors from two organizations for the 2025 season. Parrish Terry, another defensive lineman for FHSU, now has two all-conference honors in his career. Michael Polley (S), Matthew McBride (CB), and Logan Russell (P) all received honorable mentions.
 
STRONG DEFENSE
Fort Hays State has ranked among the top three of the MIAA in total defense seven of the last nine seasons (2nd four times, 3rd three times). The Tigers have an 11-year streak of allowing less than 400 yards per game on defense. Fort Hays State allowed 384.3 yards per game in 2025, which ranked 5th in the MIAA. FHSU had to face four of the top-20 offenses in the nation in 2025. The Tigers limited Angelo State to just 227 yards of total offense in the season opener.
 
TOUGH IN SCORING DEFENSE
FHSU has also ranked among the top three in the MIAA for scoring defense in seven of the last nine seasons (1st once, 2nd four times, 3rd two times). Last year FHSU allowed 23.9 points per game, which ranked 4th in the conference. In 10 of the last 11 seasons, the Tigers have limited the opposition to 24 or less points per game. The Tigers have allowed less than 20 per game for a season under head coach Chris Brown three times, including a 15.3 average in 2017, 18.8 average in 2018, and 16.9 average in 2024. The 2017 and 2018 seasons were when the Tigers made the NCAA playoffs under Brown. FHSU limited Angelo State to just 14 points in the season opener.
 
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 107, while also being the active career leader in tackles for loss (27.5) and sacks (11).
 
WHEN THE TIGERS SCORE 30
Fort Hays State is 64-6 under head coach Chris Brown when reaching 30 points in a game. The Tigers went 2-0 last season and 1-0 so far this season when reaching 30 points in a game. They now have a streak of 9-straight wins when scoring 30.
 
28 ALL-AMERICANS UNDER CHRIS BROWN
Fort Hays State has seen 28 individuals earn All-America honors under head coach Chris Brown, who is in his 15^th season leading the team. John Johnson (LB), Gaven Haselhorst (DE), and Josh Shaw (OL) all received All-America status in 2025. Johnson and Haselhorst were both Honorable Mention selections by both Don Hansen Football Committee and D2Football.com, while Shaw was also an honorable mention pick by D2Football.com.
 
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 96-63. He has 41 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.
 
NEW FACES ON OFFENSE
Fort Hays State returned only two of its regular starters from the 2025 season to this year's squad. Neville Brown and David Sjoberg both started eight games on the offensive line last year. There is a handful of offensive returners who made spot starts for the Tigers in 2025, which includes Cade Evans (TE), Dylan Rock (OL), Curtis Douglas (RB), Mason Hogan (OL), Avery Coleman (OL), Ziah Matos (OL), Tristen Davidson (TE) and Keyshawn Dooley (WR). Sjoberg, Evans, and Coleman all started the season opener.
 
RETURNERS ACCOUNT FOR HALF OF SACK TOTAL IN 2025
Fort Hays State has four players returning in 2025 who combined for 11.5 of the team's 22 sacks for the season. Gaven Haselhorst led the returners with 6 last year, followed by Parrish Terry with 2.5, Kayson Dietz with 2, and Koa McIntyre with 1. Koa McIntyre has the only sack so far this season.
 
ABOUT THE THUNDERWOLVES:

• CSU Pueblo is coming off a 10-2 overall record and 9-0 mark in RMAC play in 2025. The Thunderwolves lost their opening game of the NCAA playoffs to Texas-Permian Basin.
• CSU Pueblo is led by head coach Phil Vigil, now in his 4^th season leading the Thunderwolves. He has an overall record of 29-7 at CSU Pueblo.
• The Thunderwolves went 1-1 in non-conference play against MIAA teams last year (FHSU and Central Missouri) before going undefeated in RMAC play. CSU Pueblo defeated Central Missouri for the second-straight season to open the 2026 campaign.
• CSU Pueblo averaged 443.3 yards of total offense per game last year. The Thunderwolves allowed 323.3 per game on defense. In the first game this year, CSU Pueblo produced 445 total yards and yielded 485.