Kickoff
The 5th ranked Missouri Western football team makes its second road trip of the 2012 season on Saturday, October 6 taking on the Northeastern State University RiverHawks in Talequah, Okla. Kick off is set for 2:00 pm in Doc Wadley Stadium at Gable Field. 

Game Information Date / Time: October 6, 2012 / 2:00 p.m. CST Site: Talequah, Okla. - Doc Wadley Stadium (12,500) Radio: Griffon Sports Network (KFEQ 680 AM St. Joseph & KMRN 1360 AM Cameron)     Talent: Dave Riggert (pxp), Bob Orf (analyst),       Brett Esely (sideline) Twitter Updates: @gogriffons Series: MWSU leads 2-0     St. Joseph, Mo.: MWSU leads 1-0     Talequah, Okla.: MWSU leads 1-0     First Meeting: September 10, 1994 - at     MWSU; MWSU defeated NWSU 33-13     Last Meeting: September 9, 1995 - at NSU     MWSU won 44-7

Missouri Western Griffons (5-0, 4-0 MIAA) Football Page Roster Statistics (2012) Schedule Game Notes Athletic Website

Northeastern State (0-5, 0-5 MIAA) Football Page Roster Statistics Schedule Game Notes Athletic Website

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STORY LINES
• This marks just the third ever meeting between the RiverHawks and the Griffons.
• This marks the second meeting in Talequah with the last coming in 1995 when the Griffons won 44-7 on September 9.
• The Griffons are 1-0 on the road this season and 1-0 in MIAA on the road.
• This marks the 2nd time under Partridge that the Griffons have opened up the season 5-0 (2009 & 2012).
• The Griffons have never opend up a season 6-0 under Partridge.
• This marks the first time under Partridge that MWSU has went 4-0 in MIAA play to start the season.
• This marks the fourth time that MWSU has opened up home action going 4-0 under Partridge (2003-2006-2010-2012).
• The Griffons have went 5-0  or better to start the season 5 different times in school history. The best start in history was in 1981 when they opened up 7-0.
• MWSU and NSU played both of its contest as non-conference games when Northeastern State was part of the Lone Star Conference.  
• The RiverHawks are coming off a season in 2011 when they made it to the Mineral Water Bowl.
• Coach Partridge has never face the RiverHawks.
• Missouri Western broke the single game record for yards per rush against William Jewell with 8.8 yard per carry average. The old record was 7.8 which was set on October 22, 2005 vs. Southwest Baptist.
• MWSU leads the MIAA in rushing yards per game averaging 294.40 yards per game while senior running back Michael Hill is second in the the nation averaging 176.00 yards per game.
• Hill is fourth in the nation in All-Purpose yards per game averaging 193 per game.
• Western is coming off a season where they went 9-3 and made their third trip in school history to the NCAA Division II National Playoffs and hosted its first ever playoff game at Spratt Stadium.
• The nine victories tied a school record for most victories in a season. Missouri Western has done it six times (2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2011).

COACHES
MWSU head football coach Jerry Partridge. . .
• Named the sixth head coach of the Griffon football program in 1997
• Is 117-62 (.654) in his 16th season as the Griffon head coach.
• Is 88-48 (.647) against the MIAA.
• Has led the Griffons to three NCAA Playoff
appearances and six Mineral Water bowl appearance.
• Led the Griffons to the 2003 Co-MIAA regular season championship.
• Has recorded six winning seasons in last seven years
• Led the Griffons to a school record nine victories in six of his 15 seasons which included last season.
• Is Missouri Western's all-time winningest coach with 117 wins.
• Is third in all-time wins in the MIAA.
• This marks Coach P's first meeting with Northeastern State.
• Played four years at Missouri Western.
• Partridge id 68-22 at home in his career with three undefeated seasons at home (2003, 2006, 2010).
• Marks the first meeting against coach Evans.

Northeastern State head coach Kenny Evans. . .
• Is 0-5 in his fifth season as the RiverHawks head coach.
• Is 16-34 in his 5th season as being a head coach.
• Evans led NSU to its second-consecutive winning campaign in 2011 as the team posted a 7-5 mark as an independent, which included a six-game win streak and a trip to the Mineral Water Bowl against Minnesota State University. The 2011 team was one of the most successful in school history, as the RiverHawks recorded 30 team and individual school records. Evans has coached or recruited nine All-American, 11 conference players of the year, over a dozen who have made it into the National Football League, as well as numerous All-Conference players at seven different colleges.
• Before taking the NSU job, Evans coached linebackers at Louisiana Tech for Derek Dooley in 2008. In 2005, he was named the National Assistant Coach of the Year by the Football Foundation while coaching at the University of North Texas on the staff of Darrell Dickey.
• His coaching career took him on a 12-year run with the late Jon Lantz to Southeastern Oklahoma and later to Missouri Southern. As defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator, Evans helped rebuild both program to national prominence before joining Dickey at North Texas.

TEAM NOTEBOOK
Quick Starts Key for Griffons
• Missouri Western was 5-1 when leading after the first quarter last season and are 5-0 this season...The Griffons were ahead 7-0 against UCO on Saturday.

September Success
• In the month of September under Partridge the Griffons are 38-24 overall and 19-12 in Spratt Stadium and 19-12 on the road.

Outstanding October
• In the month of October under Partridge the Griffons are 46-21 overall and 25-8 in Spratt Stadium and 21-13 on the road...this marks the first meeting against the RiverHawks in October.

Playing on October 6
• The Griffons are 4-2 all-time on October 6. The
Griffons are 2-0 at home and 2-2 on the road. MWSU is 2-0 on October 6 under Partridge going 1-0 at home and 1-0 on the road. The last time the Griffons played on October 6 was in 2007 when they beat Fort Hays State 37-9 in Hays, Kan.

In Spratt Stadium
• The Griffons are 121-63-3 since 1979 in Spratt Stadium...MWSU is 4-0 this season.

Red Zone Success
• In their first four games of the season Missouri Western is 18-19 with 15 touchdowns and three field goals when in the red zone.

• In 2011 the Griffons continued that trend scoring on 46 of 51 trips into the red zone with 29 touchdowns and 17 field goals. Opponents scored on 29 of 37 trips in the Griffons red zone collecting 21 touchdowns with eight field goals.

• In the 2009 and 2010 seasons the Griffons were outstanding in the red zone converting on a combined 95 of 115 trips into the red zone scoring 71 touchdowns with 24 field goals.

Missouri Western at home when ranked since 1989
• When the Griffons are ranked and play at home under coach Partridge they are 16-7.
• The Griffons are 25-17 when they are ranked.
• Missouri Western is 25-15 when ranked under Partridge.

Missouri Western against ranked opponents
Western is 20-36 against DII ranked opponents after defeating 3rd ranked NW Missouri State 31-28 on November 4, 2011 in Spratt Stadium. Under head coach Jerry Partridge the Griffons are 16-29 against ranked opponents as their previous victory came on September 10, 2011 by a score of 23-6 against the 12th ranked Central Missouri Mules.

Missouri Western against ranked opponents at home
The Griffons are 12-14 under Partridge at home against ranked opponents after their victory against Northwest last season. The previous victory at home against a ranked opponent was on September 10, 2011 when they beat #12 Central Missouri by a score of 23-6.

Missouri Western against ranked opponents on the road Under Partridge
Missouri Western is 4-15 under coach Partridge on the road against ranked opponents. Western's last victory on the road came last season in Washburn by a score of 36-33 on September 18, 2010. The Griffons first victory against a ranked opponent under Partridge on the road was on October 2, 2004 when they defeated 16th ranked Central Missouri 49-44.

Griffons in TV Games Under Partridge
Missouri Western is 5-4 under Partridge in television games after defeating Nebraska-Kearney 38-14 on Saturday evening. Missouri Western went 2-1 last season in televised games. Last season MWSU defeated UCM and NWMSU on the MIAA Television Network and lost to Washburn on CBS College Sports. In 2010 the Griffons went 1-1 in television games defeating Pittsburg State 42-24 on September 25 in St. Joseph and falling 42-0- against Northwest Missouri State on October 2. Western fell at 10th ranked Pittsburg State 21-14 back on November 6, 1997 and to #18 Emporia State on October 8, 1998 by a score of 42-34 in St. Joseph, Mo. Western is 0-1 in nationally televised games falling to Washburn last season.

When rushing for over 200 yards since 2011
Last season the Griffons were 10-0 when they rushed for over 200 yards as a team. This season they are 5-0 as the went for 243 in their 45-23 victory over Central Oklahoma. The Griffons went for 264 yards in a 21-3 victory over Fort Hays State. They rushed for 358 yards on the ground in a 38-14 victory over Nebraska-Kearney. Earlier this season they went for 216 yards in a 38-26 victory over the Central Missouri Mules and for 398 n a 56-0 victory over William Jewell.

When controlling the time of possession
When the Griffons lead in time of possession they are 11-1 since last season. They were 8-1 in 2011 and 3-0 this season controlling the ball.

Defensive Success
This season the Griffons defense has been outstanding. MWSU is second in the MIAA and is eighth in the nation giving up just 13.60 points per contest. They are also T-18th in the nation and second in the MIAA sacking the quarterback 3.4 times per game. David Bass is tied for 21st in the nation and 2nd in the MIAA averaging 1.0 sacks per game.

Coach P against Oklahoma Schools
Partridge is 6-0 against teams from Oklahoma...he is 2-0 on the road and 4-0 at home. The last Oklahoma school the Griffons beat was before last weekend was Langton last season 47-0 on September 17, 2011.

About NSU:
• Northeastern State has dropped its first five contests of the 2012 campaign . . . the team has fallen to Pittsburg State (41-20), Missouri Southern State (27-21), Washburn (24-20), Emporia State (30-20), and Northwest Missouri State (66-6).
• Langston Jones is leading the MIAA in tackles per game (10.4), and he ranks 26th in the NCAA in that category.
• Senior wide receiver Jermaine Sherman is currently in the midst of a banner season he currently ranks third in the MIAA in receptions per game (6.4) and sixth in receiving yards per game (80.4).
• Junior defensive back Victor Williams had a career-high and team-leading 12 tackles against Northwest Missouri State Sept. 29
• The RiverHawks are in their first season as members of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Assocation

Griffon Football History
Western is 250-203-9 in their 43rd year of Griffon football.

A win for Missouri Western would
Lift the Griffons to 251-203-9 in their football history...lift the Griffons to 3-0 all-time against the NSU and 2-0 in Talequah...give Missouri Western its 1st 6-0 start under Partridge...lift Partridge to 1-0 against NSU...lift the Griffons to 1-0 in October against NSU...give Travis Partridge a 1-0 record against NSU as the starting quarterback...lift Partridge to 15-3 as a starter...lift coach P to 7-0 against Oklahoma schools...give Coach Partridge a 47-21 record in October...lift Partridge to 22-13 on the road in October.

A loss for Missouri Western would
Drop the Griffons to 250-204-9 in their football history...drop Partridge to 0-1 against the NSU...drop him to 6-1 against Oklahoma schools...drop Missouri Western to 2-1 against NSU...drop Missouri Western to 1-1 in Talequah...drop Partridge to 0-1 in October against NSU...drop Travis Partridge to 0-1 against NSU...Drop Partridge to a 46-22 record in October and 21-14 on the road.

Series Notes
This marks the 3rd meeting between the two schools. Missouri Western leads the series 2-0. The Griffons have controlled the series winning the only two meetings. The Griffons defeated NSU 33-13 on September 10, 1994 in St. Joseph in the school first ever meeting. MWSU won the last meeting on September 9, 1995 in Talequah iby a score of 44-7. The Griffons scored the first 44 points of the contest.  Stan McGarvey was the coach for the Griffons when they last played NSU.

Climbing The Record Books
Griffon senior running back Michael Hill keeps climbing the record book in the rushing category. Hill sits in 1st all-time with 3,681 yards in his career. He is also first all-time in carries with 731 which broke the career mark of Thomas Hodges (693). Defensively David broke the MWSU record for sacks in a career with 34. He broke the record the second week of the season against William Jewell.  In 2011, Bass sent a single season record with 20.0 tackles for a loss last season. He broke Eric McDowells mark of 18.5 which was set in 2003. He had 14.5 sacks which was .5 sack behind Eric McDowell's record of 15 set in 2003 and he has 33.0 sacks in his career broke Kinney Redding 30.5 which he set during the stretch of 1974-1977. He is 4.5 tackles for a loss away from tying Michael Cobbins 50 which was set between 2002-2006.

Griffons in the National Polls
The Missouri Western Griffons were tabbed No. 5 in the AFCA preseason top 25 poll. Missouri Western has been ranked in the top 25 in the last 13 polls and has received votes in 31 of the last 35 polls by the American Football Coaches Association. Missouri Western was listed at No. 4 in the d2football.com media poll. The #4 ranking is the highest ranking for the Griffons.

Up Next
The Griffons will return home against long time MIAA opponent Missouri Southern for homecoming on October 13, 2012. The Griffons have defeated the Lions five of the last seven meeting which included a 35-23 victory a season ago in Joplin. MWSU holds the lead 11-9 in St. Joseph but trail the all-time series 22-20. Kickoff is set for 1:30 pm from Spratt Stadium.