ROLLA, Mo. – For the second time in as many weeks, Missouri S&T will line up against a nationally-ranked team as it travels to St. Joseph, Mo., Saturday to face sixth-ranked Missouri Western in a 6 p.m. contest.

The Miners, who are facing the Griffons for the first time since leaving the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, are coming off a tough 40-34 double overtime loss last week to No. 20 Chadron State, as the Eagles' Lane Haller returned an interception 79 yards for a touchdown in the second extra period to win the game for the Eagles.

S&T got some big performances on the offensive side of the ball from some players who were making their first start in the season opener.  Quarterback Reed Brown (Rogers, Ark./Heritage HS) completed 27-of-40 passes for 365 yards – the third-most by a S&T quarterback in a season opener – and accumulated a season opener record of 414 yards of total offense in the contest.

Brown completed nine of those passes to newcomer Melvin Stovall (Los Angeles, Calif./Lancaster) for 150 yards and a touchdown; Stovall had 202 all-purpose yards in the game, while redshirt freshman Ben Matthews (Platte City, Mo./Platte County) also hauled in a touchdown pass.  Running back Zenel Hudson (Bayshore, N.Y./Milford Academy) ran for 96 yards and ended up with 126 all-purpose yards against the Eagles.

Missouri Western, the defending MIAA champion and NCAA Division II quarterfinalist a year ago, rallied for a 26-23 win at Central Missouri in its season opener last Thursday.  Getting the ball on its own 38 with 1:37 to go and no timeouts, quarterback Travis Partridge drove the Griffons down the field for the winning score which came on a five-yard pass to tight end Reggie Jordan with just 14 seconds remaining.

Partridge threw three touchdown passes in the opener, two of which covered more than 50 yards.

Saturday's game will also be a homecoming for two Miner coaches with recent ties to the Griffon program – head coach Tyler Fenwick, MWSU's offensive coordinator over the previous six years and wide receivers coach Michael Burton, a former quarterback at Western – as well as offensive guard Aaron Bubb (Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Southeast), who was on the Griffons' roster before transferring to S&T.

Game Notes: Miners vs. Missouri Western

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