Game 2:
ANGELO STATE RAMS (0-1, 0-0 LSC) at EMPORIA STATE HORNETS (1-0, 1-0 MIAA)
Saturday, Sept. 7, 1 p.m. CT, Emporia, Kan. – Francis G. Welch Stadium
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The Angelo State football team returns to Kansas this weekend as the Rams take on Emporia State on Saturday, Sept. 7 with kickoff slated for 1 p.m.
 
Saturday will be the final nonconference game for the Rams before opening Lone Star Conference play at home next week against Eastern New Mexico.
 
LAST TIME OUT:
After heavy rain and lightning delayed the season opener a day, the Rams fell to Fort Hays State, 21-7, last Friday in Hays, Kan. Offense was hard to come by for the Rams, who finished with 203 total yards of offense. Quarterback Kaeden Smith scored the lone touchdown for the Rams, taking a designed run play 28-yards for his first career touchdown. The Tigers capitalized on a couple of broken tackles for big plays and scored on a short field after forcing a fumble.
 
Xavier Walton and Kenton Allen led the Rams in tackles with 11 and nine respectively. The Rams finished with two takeaways as Jordan McKinney recorded an interception and Walton forced a fumble.
 
SERIES HISTORY: Angelo State vs. Emporia State
All-Time Series: 0-0
Last Meeting: N/A
This will be the first meeting between the Rams and the Hornets.
 
SCOUTING THE HORNETS:

• The Hornets picked up a win in their first game of the season, defeating fellow conference opponent Washburn 30-14, finishing with 478 yards of offense including 292 through the air.
• Quarterback Gunner Gundy, the son of Oklahoma State Head Coach Mike Gundy, was named the MIAA Offensive Player of the Week after finishing with three passing touchdowns and adding 99 yards rushing with one interception.
• Trenden Collins was the top target for the Hornets in week one, recording seven catches for 88 yards and a touchdown.
• ESU's secondary finished with four interceptions against Washburn with defensive back Tyler Schultze collecting two picks.
• The Hornets were picked to finish fourth in the MIAA Coaches Poll and were receiving votes in the AFCA Top 25 poll which came out last week.
• The Hornets had two players listed on the D2Football.com Preseason Elite 100 Watch List in wide out Tyler Kahmann and offensive lineman Sherman Deaton.
• After finishing the 2021 season with a 6-6 record, the Hornets have finished 9-3 overall in each of the last two seasons.

 
BALL HAWKIN:
With McKinney's pick against Fort Hays State, the Rams have collected at least one interception in three of their last four games going back to week nine of last season.
 
PUNTER PROWESS:
Cade Fuller averaged 47.5 yards per punt last week, bringing his career average to 41 yards while recording three punts over 50 yards.
 
ACCURATE OFF THE TEE:
With one attempt last week, Bradley Larson is now 39-of-40 for his career in PATs, making his 18^th attempt in a row. He also holds a career field goal percentage of 93 percent, going 14-of-15 last season with a long of 48 yards.
 
THREE RAMS ON D2FOOTBALL.COM ELITE 100 WATCHLIST:
The Rams had three players named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Watchlist in cornerback Andrew Pitts, offensive lineman Noah Plsek, and place kicker Bradley Larson.
 
#2 IN LSC PRESEASON POLL:
With 260 total points and six first-place votes, the Rams were selected second overall in the LSC Preseason Coaches' Poll. Central Washington was picked first overall while UT Permian Basin came in at three.
 
HEAD COACH PROFILE – JEFF GIRSCH
Jeff Girsch enters his sixth season as head coach of the Rams, 11th overall at Angelo State. He has compiled a 40-12 overall record since taking over the program in 2018 after serving as the defensive coordinator. Girsch has led the Rams to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Championship in 2021 and 2022 while claiming the 2022 Lone Star Conference title.

NONCONFERENCE IN KANSAS:
The Rams play both of their nonconference games this season in Kansas against MIAA opponents in Fort Hays State and Emporia State.
 
AGAINST THE MIAA:
The Rams hold a 26-11-1 combined record against MIAA universities. The most recent win against a MIAA opponent came in the 2021 season when the Rams defeated Nebraska – Kearney 20-7 in the second round of the NCAA playoffs.
 
REGIONAL REALIGNMENT PREVIEW:
The NCAA announced a realignment of the football regions starting in 2025 which will move the MIAA into ASU's playoff region.
 
RAMS AT HOME IN 2024:
ASU is slated for five home games this season, hosting Eastern New Mexico in the home opener on Sept. 14. The Rams will also welcome in Texas A&M – Kingsville on Oct. 12, Sul Ross State on Oct. 26 for Homecoming, and Central Washington on Nov. 2, before closing out the regular season against West Texas A&M on Nov. 16.
 
QUICK HITS:

• Braeden Fuller and Smith threw for a combined 17-of-24 last week, earning a completion percentage of .708, ranking 12^th in Division II.
• Cade Fuller ranks second overall in Division II in yards per punt at 47.5.
• Walton is 8^th in Division II and second in the LSC in total tackles, earning 11 in week one.
• Kriovanni Johnson recorded the first sack of the season for the Rams against the Tigers.