EMPORIA, Kans. -- Emporia State University was a few plays away from qualifying for the NCAA, Division II playoffs and are ranked No. 24 in the AFCA National Poll.
The Hornets return to Razorback Stadium for Saturday's noon kickoff to face Southeastern Oklahoma State University, which kicked a field goal with six seconds left in last year's bowl game to edge Emporia State, 37-34. ESU, with 19 seniors on its roster, is back with more than revenge on its mind.
The 9th annual Farmers Bank and Trust Live United Bowl features a rematch of last year's teams, but the Hornets are a different team with a different mindset from a season ago after completing an 8-3 season.
"As long as we've got the right guys, these extra practices can pay huge dividends for us because a lot of our players have been able to get more reps in the past two weeks than they have since training camp," Emporia State University head coach Garin Higgins said. "It takes having the right kind of guys, who care and want to get better, and then it could be a huge thing for us.
"I also think it's important for those guys to get used to practicing in November and practicing over Thanksgiving; if you're doing that then you're having a good season. We like our younger guys to get used to that thought process."
Emporia State is making its 19th overall postseason appearance and seventh in the past 10 seasons this weekend. The Hornets led the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association in total offense and was third in the MIAA in total defense.
ESU averaged 32.36 points and allowed just 21.18 points per game in 2022. The Hornets rushed for 1,616 yards (146.9 average) and passed for 3,205 yards (291.36) with 47 offensive touchdowns. The defense limited opponents to 1,427 yards rushing (129.7 average) and 2,167 passing yards (197.00 average) with 32 TDs.
Emporia put up 438.3 yards of total offense and gave up 326.7 yards on defense.
"Our defense has played maybe the best it's played since I've been here," Higgins said. "That was a big key to our success was how well our defense played. We've always been a team, offensively, for the most part that could score points, but we've been in a lot of shootouts before, where the team that had the ball last was going to win the game. That gets difficult. But our defense has been outstanding this year; we got turnovers when we needed to."
Dawson Hammes leads the defense with 92 tackles -- 7 1/2 for a loss -- with two sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery, Cade Harelson has contributed 73 tackles and an interception, Declan Haub has recovered two fumbles with 70 tackles -- six for a loss -- and 3 1/2 sacks, Jaedon Pool also has 70 tackles, Derrick Maxwell leads the team with three interceptions and 62 tackles, Jordan Maxwell adds 51 stops, and Chris Pope has 37 tackles.
"Offensively, we've secured the football very well and have a veteran group on that side of the ball," Higgins said. "A large core have played together and been together for quite a while. We returned four started on the offensive line, so they were a veteran unit, and they've played really well."
Braden Gleason connected on over 68 percent of his passes with 299-of-439 passing for 3,151 yards, 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed 67 times for 261 yards and seven TDs.
Billy Ross Jr. leads the ground game for the Hornets with 137 rushes for 665 yards and eight scores, and Canaan Brooks contributes 107 carries for 508 yards and four TDs.
Corey Thomas leads the Emporia State receivers with 45 catches for 661 yards and six TDs, Tyler Kahmann has 44 receptions for 470 yards and eight touchdowns, Jaylen Varner adds 41 for 463 and eight scores, and Cole Schumacher has 39 catches for 365 yards and three TDs. Ross Jr. has also made 36 catches for 307 yards and a TD, Dexton Swineheart adds 31 receptions for 364 yards, and Tommy Zimmerman has 24 grabs for 260 yards and two scores.
Nine of the Hornet football players are currently working on their masters degree and since the transfer portal was introduced, only three ESU players have entered into it.