STORY LINES
• The Griffons are in their 44th season of football as the first year was in 1970
• The Griffons have opened up the season 3-0 five times under Partridge (2006, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013).
• The Griffons have opened up the season 4-0 three times under Partridge (2009, 2010 and 2012).
• MWSU has went 2-0 in MIAA play five times under Partridge (1999, 2000, 2009, 2010 and 2012). MWSU has went 3-0 in MIAA play to start the season twice (2000 & 2012).
• The Griffons have went 3-0 to start the season 11 different times in school history. The best start in history was in 1981 when they opened up 7-0.
• This marks the 12th time that the Griffons have played the Tigers in St. Joseph. The Griffons hold a 6-3-1 lead in St. Joseph. The last time the two teams met in St. Joseph was on November 13, 2010 when MWSU won 48-21.
• The Griffons have an eight game winning streak against FHSU with four of those games coming in St. Joseph.
• MWSU and FHSU played 13 of its contests back in the CSIC (Central States Intercollegiate Conference) days.
• The first time the two teams met was on October 9, 1976 when the Tigers defeated the Griffons 14-9 in Hays.
• The Griffons first victory in the series came on October 1, 1977 by a score of 25-22 in St. Joseph.
• Coach Partridge is 8-1 against FHSU winning in the last eight games.
• The Griffon defense has been outstanding so far this season are third in scoring defense (15.0 ppg), total defense (360.7 ypg), second in rushing defense (119.0 ypg), third in pass defense efficiency (109.1), and lead the league in net punting (41.2 ypp).
• Individually punter
Scott Groner leads the way in with a 43.6 yards per punt average. He has punted 20 times for 872 yards with a long of 61.
Raphael Spencer is second in the league averaging 123 yards per game.
• Missouri Western is coming off their best season in school history where they posted a 12-2 record which was the most wins ever in a season. They also made their fourth trip in school history to the NCAA Division II National where they went to the quarterfinals. The Griffons hosted a home playoff game for the second consecutive season and won their first ever playoff game against Minnesota-Duluth by a score of 57-55 in triple overtime on November 17, 2012. They followed that up by winning their first ever road playoff game by a score of 45-21 against #6 Henderson State on November 24, 2012 in Arkadelphia, Ark.
• The 12 victories was the most in a season and was the seventh time in the last 10 years that they had at least victories in a season. (2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011 & 2012).
• The Griffons were voted 1st in the 2013 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll and 2nd in the MIAA Media Poll.
COACHES
• Named the sixth head coach of the Griffon football program in 1997
• Is 127-64 (.665) in his 17th season as the Griffon head coach.
• Is 95-49 (.660) against the MIAA.
• Has led the Griffons to four NCAA Playoff
appearances and six Mineral Water bowl appearance.
• Led the Griffons to the 2012 MIAA Championship and 2003 Co-MIAA regular season championship.
• Led the Griffons to a school record 12 victories this season and to nine victories or more in eight of his 16 seasons.
• Is Missouri Western's all-time winningest coach with 127 wins.
• Is third in all-time wins in the MIAA.
• This marks the 10th meeting with FHSU...Coach Partridge lost his first ever meeting with the Tigers but has won eight straight...he is 4-0 in St. Joseph.
• Played four years at Missouri Western (82-85).
• MIAA Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2012.
• Partridge is 71-23 at home in his career with three undefeated seasons at home (2003, 2006, 2010).
• This marks the third meeting between Partridge and Brown.
Fort Hays State head coach Chris Brown. . .
• Is 9-16 in his third season as the Tiger head coach.
• Is 7-15 in MIAA games in his three seasons.
• Came from Washburn University, where he served as the defensive coordinator and defensive secondary coach from 2002-2010 and assistant head coach in 2010.
• A 1996 graduate of Pittsburg State University where he recorded 470 tackles in 43 starts in his career at free safety. He is one of only three Gorillas to earn All-American honors three times. He was a unanimous All-American First Team selection his senior season and was named the CNN Division II National Player of the Year in 1995. He was also named to the NCAA Quarter Century Team for all players from 1975 to 1999 at free safety. He had a record 21 tackles in the NCAA Division II National Championship as a freshman against Jacksonville State. Brown was inducted into the Pittsburg State Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.
TEAM NOTEBOOK
Quick Starts Key for Griffons
• In the last two seasons the Griffons are 18-2 when leading after the first quarter. Last season the Griffons were 11-1 when leading after the first quarter...This season they are 1-0 when trailing and 2-0 when leading after the first quarter.
September Success
• In the month of September under Partridge the Griffons are 41-24 overall and 20-12 in Spratt Stadium and 21-12 on the road. Last season the Griffons were 4-0 in the month of September and are off to a good start this season going 3-0.
In Spratt Stadium
• The Griffons are 124-64-3 since 1979 in Spratt Stadium...MWSU was 6-1 last season...Partridge is 65-22 at home since 1997.
Red Zone Success
• In their 14 games last season Missouri Western was 61-68 with 53 touchdowns and eight field goals when in the red zone...In their first three games this season the Griffons are 10-of-11 in the redzone with nine touchdowns. They were 2-of-3 against Central Missouri and 3-for-3 against Missouri S&T in red zone opportunities. The Griffons were 5-for-5 against Nebraska-Kearney with four touchdowns and one field goal.
• 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.
Playing on September 28
• The Griffons have struggled in games played on September 28 going 0-5 all-time.
• The Griffons are 0-1 in the Partridge era falling to then #3 Pittsburg State in Pittsburg, Kan. by a score of 25-21 in 2002.
• The Griffons are 0-2 at home and 0-3 on the road on and are 0-1 against Fort Hays State. The fell 17-7 in Hays in 1985.
Rushing Attack
• The Griffon rushing attack picked up where it left off against Missouri S&T with rushing for 210 yards.
Raphael Spencer had a career day with 171 yards on 27 carries.
• The Griffons had two players rush for over 100 yards against the Miners of Missouri S&T.
Raphael Spencer rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns while
Tra Brown rushed for 109 and a touchdown.
• The last time two Griffons ran for over 100 yards was on November 12, 2011 when
Michael Hill ran for 182 yards and
Travis Partridge rushed for 105.
Griffons in Home Openers
The Griffons are now 30-14-1 in home openers since they started playing football in 1970. The Griffons are 13-4 under Partridge in home openers after defeating Missouri S&T last week by a score of 63-3.
Non-Conference Success Under Partridge
• Under Partridge the Griffons are 31-11 in non-conference games.
• Missouri Western is 4-2 in neutral site games with all six games coming in the Mineral Water Bowl.
• The Griffons are 17-3 in home games in non-conference games which includes a victory in the playoffs last season against Minnesota-Duluth and this years victory against Missouri S&T.
• Missouri Western is 10-6 in road non-conference games with three of the losses coming in the NCAA Playoffs against Midwestern State in 2006, Northwest Missouri State in 2010 and Minnesota State in 2012.
Success when going over 200 yards rushing
When the Griffons rush for over 200 yards in a game they are almost perfect. The Griffons are 2-0 this year when racking up over 200 yards on the ground. They had over 300 against Missouri S&T and 210 against Nebraska-Kearney. Last season the Griffons were 11-1 when rushing for over 200 yards as a team with their lone loss coming against Missouri Southern. In 2011 the Griffons were a perfect 8-0 when going over 200 yards on the ground.
Missouri Western when ranked since 1989
• When the Griffons are ranked and play at home under coach Partridge they are 19-7 and 15-10.
• The Griffons are 36-19 when they are ranked since 1989.
• Missouri Western is 35-17 when ranked under Partridge.
Missouri Western against ranked opponents
MWSU is 26-37 against DII ranked opponents after going 6-1 last season against ranked opponents. The Griffons only loss against a ranked opponents was against #5 Minnesota State. The Griffons defeated #7 Pittsburg State, #15 Emporia State, #25 Washburn, #4 Northwest Missouri State, #7 Minnesota-Duluth and #6 Henderson State. All those games were consecutive.
Missouri Western against ranked opponents at home
The Griffons are 14-14 under Partridge at home against ranked opponents. Last season the Griffons defeated #25 Washburn and #7 Minnesota-Duluth at home.
Missouri Western against ranked opponents on the road Under Partridge
Missouri Western is 8-16 under coach Partridge on the road against ranked opponents after going 4-1 last year. The Griffons defeated #7 Pittsburg State and #15 Emporia State in back to back weeks on the road and then won the MIAA Title in Maryville against #4 NW Missouri State before defeating #6 Henderson State on the road in the NCAA II Playoffs.
Griffons in TV Games Under Partridge
Western is 7-4 under Partridge after their victory over Central Missouri last Thursday which was aired on the MIAA Broadcasting Network. Last season the Griffons went 3-0 in televised games. The Griffons defeated Nebraska-Kearney, Emporia State and NW Missouri State in televised games. Missouri Western went 2-1 in 2011 in televised games beating UCM and NWMSU and losing to Washburn. 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. MWSU 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. Missouri Western is 0-1 in nationally televised games falling to Washburn in 2011.
Against the Tigers in September
The Griffons are 3-4 all-time against the Tigers when playing them in September. The Griffons are 1-1 at home and 2-3 on the road. In the Partridge era the Griffons are 3-1 in September against the Tigers with all three of the four games being on the road in Hays.
About FHSU:
• The Tigers have struggled this season falling in three MIAA games. They fell in the season opener against Emporia State 43-14 and in their home season opener 54-17 against Washburn. Last week they fell 49-14 against #3 Northwest Missouri State.
• The Tigers are averaging just 14.7 points per game and 314 yards of total offense per game. They are giving up 48.7 points per game and 543.3 yards per game.
• The Lopers have turned the ball over 10 times to its opponents two.
• MWSU Director of Media Relations played football at Minnesota-Crookston with Fort Hays State offensive coordinator Justin Schrieber from 2000-2002.
• Andre Smith leads the Tigers on the ground rushing for 186 yards on 38 carries. He has rushed for 4.9 yards per carry and 62 yards per game. Treveon Albert leads the way passing connecting on 44-of-82 passes for 538 yards (179.3 ypg) and three touchdowns while Edin Kovac has completed 11-of-16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown. Albert has tossed six interceptions while Kovac has thrown none. Edwards Smith leads the team with 12 receptions while Tanner Hageman has caught eight passes for 132 yards. Keaton Callins has caught three of the four touchdown passes.
• Defensively Justin McPhail and Shane Smith lead the way with 26 tackles. McPhail has three tackles for aloss and two sacks. Daniel Lindsey has one interception.
Griffon Football History
Missouri Western is 260-205-9 in their 44th year of Griffon football.
A win for Missouri Western would
Lift the Griffons to 261-205-9 in their football history....lift the Griffons to 12-10-1 all-time against the Tigers and 7-3-1 in St. Joseph...give Missouri Western its 4th 4-0 start under Partridge (2009, 2010 & 2012)...lift Partridge to 9-1 against FHSU and 5-0 in St. Joseph...lift the Griffons to 4-4 in September against Hays and to 2-1 in St. Joseph in September...lift Partridge to 2-0 in St. Joseph in September and to 4-1 against FHSU in September...give
Travis Partridge a 3-0 record against Fort Hays State as the starting quarterback.
A loss for Missouri Western would
Drop the Griffons to 260-206-9 in their football history...drop Partridge to 8-2 against the Tigers...snap his eight game winning streak against Hays...drop Missouri Western to 11-11-1 against FHSU...drop Missouri Western to 6-4-1 in St. Joseph all-time..drop Partridge to 4-2 in September against FHSU...drop
Travis Partridge to 2-1 against Hays.
Series Notes
This marks the 23rd meeting between the two schools. MWSU leads the series 11-10-1 after MWSU has won the last eight.The Griffons have dominated the series since 2000 winning eight of the nine games with four of them being in St. Joseph. Missouri Western won the last meeting 21-3 on September 22, 2012 in Hays. The Griffons have won the last eight match ups. The Tigers dominated from 1976-2000 winning 10 of the 14 meetings. The Tigers won the first ever meeting 14-9 on October 9, 1976 in Hays, Kan. The Griffons are 5-7 in games played in Hays. Missouri Western leads the series 6-3-1 in St. Joseph. Coach Partridge is 8-1 all time against the Tigers. Coach Partridge is 4-0 in St. Joseph and 4-1 in Hays. The last victory for the Tigers came on September 9, 2000 by a score of 23-15 in Hays. The last victory for the Tigers in St. Joseph was on October 24, 1987 by a score of 23-17.
Griffons in the National Polls
The Missouri Western Griffons were tabbed No. 6 in the AFCA preseason top 25 poll. Missouri Western has been ranked in the top 25 in the last 23 polls and has received votes in 43 of the last 44 polls by the American Football Coaches Association. Missouri Western was listed 6th in the latest 2013 d2football.com poll and were No. 4 in the d2football.com final 2012 media poll. The #3 ranking the Griffons last season is the highest ranking for the Griffons. The #4 ranking was the highest by the AFCA.
Hall of Fame Games Since 2000
Since 2000 the Griffons are 8-5 in Wendy's Hall of Fame Games. They have won the last four Hall of Fame games which included last seasons 45-23 victory over the University of Central Oklahoma. This marks the first time in school history that the Griffons will take on the Fort Hays State Tigers in a Hall of Fame game.
Up Next
The Griffons hit the road for an MIAA evening contest against the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos in Edmond, Okla. Game time is set for 6:00 pm in Wantland Stadium. The Griffons beat UCO 45-23 last season on September 29, 2012 in St. Joseph. MWSU leads the series 3-0.
