ROLLA, Mo. – Missouri S&T seeks its first 2-0 start to a season since 2018 on Saturday, as it heads to the road to face Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Okla.  The Miners knocked off Central Methodist 51-10 to open the 2025 campaign last week, scoring their most points in a opener since 2016 in the process.

Northeastern State, who came into the 2025 season having won just nine games over the last eight full seasons, opened its schedule with an impressive comeback win at Saginaw Valley State as the RiverHawks took a 28-21 decision.  NSU finished last year with a 2-9 record in its first season as an NCAA Divison II independent.

Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

ABOUT THE MINERS: Missouri S&T opened up its by racking up 416 yards of total offense and holding Central Methodist to just 150 as it cruised to the win over the Eagles at Allgood-Bailey Stadium.

Quarterback Jake Farrell (Scottsdale, AZ/Notre Dame Prep) completed 20-of-37 passes in his Miner debut for 334 yards and four touchdowns, tying the record for scoring passes in his first game in an S&T uniform.  The 334 yards were also the most by a Miner quarterback in his debut in 11 seasons and his four scoring passes were among five thrown by S&T, which was also the most in a season opener in school history.

Tyler Gioia (Huntington Beach, CA/Edison) caught five of those passes for 124 yards and a touchdown, while also blocking a punt that led to a scoop and score by Kayden Uhlmeyer (Troy, MO/Troy Buchanan).  Sheldon Butler-Lawson (Junction City, KS/Junction City) also had five catches in his first game in an S&T uniform, while two of the three catches made by Reid Weber (St. Charles, MO/Francis Howell) were good for touchdowns.  Brennen Taranto (Weston, FL/Western), another newcomer to the roster and Isaac Pollard (Lindale, TX/Lindale) had the other two scoring catches for the Miners.

Kai Martin (Clearwater, FL/Calvary Christian) led S&T on the ground with 26 yards and AJ Harris (Wentzville, MO/Lutheran-St. Charles) added 23, as the Miners did most of their damage through the air with 356 yards passing among the 416 overall.

On the defensive side, Justin Gniedziejko (Chicago, IL/Taft) led the Miners with seven tackles, while fellow linebackers Cameron Sturgell (Lamar, MO/Lamar) and Seneca Bradley Jr. (Clarksville, TN/Rossview), had five apiece.  Besides holding the Eagles to the 150 yards, the Miners also recorded six quarterback sacks – two by Christian Kemp (Madison, AL/Bob Jones) – and forced Central Methodist into punting situations 14 times.

ABOUT NORTHEASTERN STATE: The RiverHawks, playing in their second season as an NCAA Division II independent after playing for several years in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, opened its season in victorious fashion with a come-from-behind 28-21 win at Saginaw Valley State last Thursday.

Quarterback Donnie Smith, who scored the game-tying touchdown during the fourth quarter rally, completed 24-of-35 throws for 284 yards in the victory.  His top target was La'Vontae Shenault, who caught 11 passes for 162 yards, while running back Ramon McKinney accounted for 43 of NSU's 66 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns; he scored the eventual game-winner on a three-yard run with 3:22 remaining.

The RiverHawk defense held Saginaw Valley State to 390 yards overall and made two key defensive stops late in the contest, making one on a fourth-and-one from the one-yard line prior to the game-winning scoring drive and the other on an interception by Sim Kilpatrick on the Cardinals' final possession.  Linebacker Khaden Walker led NSU with eight tackles and had one of the RiverHawks' two sacks in the contest.

Ball control was a huge factor in Northeastern State's win, as the RiverHawks held the ball for nearly 40 minutes of the contest and had four drives of 10 or more plays.  NSU's game-winning touchdown drive was a 14-play, 99-yard possession.