The Truman Bulldogs will host Fort Hays State on Saturday as the ‘Dogs look to bounce back following their week one loss to Northwest Missouri while the Tigers claimed a big win over in-state rival Emporia State at home. Kickoff is at 1:00 p.m. from Stokes Stadium.
A week after playing last year’s MIAA champion in Northwest Missouri,
Truman will turn their attention to last season’s last place team in the Tigers.
However, the Tigers took advantage of some late miscues by the Hornets and scored 13 points in the final quarter to win 27-17 last Thursday in Hays, Kan.
The Bulldogs ran into an emotional and determined Bearcat team in their opener.
Following all the offseason turmoil, Northwest took advantage of four straight turnovers in the second quarter en route to a 65-3 win over Truman in the Ol’ Hickory Stick game.
Last season, Hays scored three times late in the fourth quarter to break open just a 14-9 score with 10 minutes left in the game for a 34-9 final.
After the Bulldog defense recorded a safety with 11:52 remaining, the Tiger defense shutdown the Bulldogs on three straight plays forcing a punt.
On the ensuing drive, that started at their own 13-yard line, the Tigers marched down the field, converting on a fourth and 1 at the Bulldog 24-yardline for the insurance touchdown.
This will be just the sixth meeting between the ‘Dogs and Tigers and third in Kirksville.
The teams have split the two previous meetings in Kirksville.
The Tigers are 2-20 in games played on the road in the MIAA since joining the league in 2006.
Those wins both came in 2009 with one in Kirksville and the other against Missouri Southern in Joplin.
- This is the sixth meeting between Truman and Fort Hays State. The two teams first met in 2006 when the Tigers joined the MIAA.
- The Tigers have made two previous trips to Kirksville and are 1-1. Truman leads the overall series 3-2 but Fort Hays has won the last two outings.
- The Bulldogs have averaged 26.6 points per game against Fort Hays while the Tigers have averaged 21.6.
- James Walker (FHSU) has the most single-game rushing yards in the series with 200 in 2008 while Matt Ticich (TSU) has the most passing yards with 374 in 2007.
- Last season in Hays, the teams looked to be headed to half tied at seven but James Walker scampered 47-yards off a screen pass from Mike Garrison to put FHSU up 14-7.
- The Tigers would add an insurance touchdown with 7:27 left in the fourth quarter following a 24-yard pass from Garrison to O.J. Murdock that capped off a nine-play 87-yard drive to give the Tigers a 21-9 lead.
- Fort Hays would add two more touchdowns with under five minutes to play to increase the margin of victory.
- The Tigers accumulated 492 yards of total offense to just 217 for the Bulldogs.
- In the last two years, Fort Hays State is 2-7 on the road in the MIAA.
Courtesy Truman State University
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