CLEVELAND, Miss.  --  The Miners are traveling to Mississippi to take on the #18 team in the country, Delta State.

Series History

Delta State won the only previous matchup in this series' history, defeating S&T 48-20 in Rolla last season. Despite the loss, the Miners rushed for 238 yards, the third-most of any game last season.

About the Statesmen

Delta State went 9-1 in the regular season last year, only dropping a game against West Florida. They made the NCAA Division II Football Championship Playoff, defeating West Florida in the first round before falling to Valdosta State 31-38 in the second.
The Statesmen's 2023 starting Quarterback, Patrick Shegog graduated last season, leaving Redshirt-Senior Cole Kirk to take the reins. Kirk went 17-31 for 287 yards with 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in the season opener against Mars Hill last week.
The team's leading rusher from last season is back, with Kelvin Smith gaining 65 yards on 8 attempts and a touchdown against Mars Hill. Smith was a one-time Conference Offensive Player of the Week last season after gaining 181 yards on 23 attempts against Valdosta State in October.

About the Miners

Coming off a loss to the Wayne State Wildcats, the Miners are looking to rebound with a strong performance against the Statesmen. Injuries have already started affecting the team though, with Gideon Niboh (St. Charles, MO/Francis Howell) taking over the slot receiver position this game with Reid Weber (St. Charles, MO/Francis Howell) out.

What's Next

The Miners will have their home opener on Sep. 14 against Lincoln (Calif.) at AllGood-Bailey Stadium at 6 p.m. Tickets for the 2024 season can be found here.

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