Bringing you news, notes, updates and stats from the MIAA college football as well as accomplishments inside the classroom

Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Football Athletes of the Week

CO-OFFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Zach Zebrowski, Central Missouri
Zach Zebrowski led the Mules to a convincing 37-13 victory over previously No. 5-ranked Pittsburg State on the road in Carnie Smith Stadium. The redshirt senior quarterback totaled 478 yards of total offense and was responsible for four scores in the game. In the air, Zebrwoski threw for 382 yards with two passing touchdowns. He also rushed for 96 yards on 13 carries and added a pair of touchdowns on the ground. Through nine games this season, Zebrowski has thrown for 3,490 yards and 31 touchdowns while completing 66 percent of his passes adding 332 yards on the ground and four scores. This is the quarterback’s third MIAA Offensive Athlete of the Week honor this season.

CO-OFFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Shane Watts, Fort Hays State
Shane Watts became the first player in Fort Hays State history to rush for at least 200 yards in consecutive games as he produced a career-high 250 rushing yards in the Tigers 36-7 win at No. 11-ranked Emporia State. The senior running back totaled 201 rushing yards the week before against Missouri Southern, which was his previous high. His performance against the Hornets pushed him past 1,000 yards for the season to mark the 20th time an FHSU player has reached 1,000 rushing yards in program history and the first time since 2017. It was the fifth-most rushing yards in a game for a player in FHSU history, the most since 2015 when Shaquille Cooper ran for 263 yards. Watts leads the MIAA in rushing through 10 games, averaging 112.8 per game. He now has five games with at least 100 yards rushing this season.

DEFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: David Williams, Central Oklahoma
David Williams led previously No. 13-ranked Central Oklahoma with 11 tackles and one forced fumble in a wild, 37-34, come-from-behind victory over Missouri Western on the road. On third and long with under two minutes to play in regulation, Missouri Western's quarterback scrambled 14 yards for what should have been a game-ending first down. Williams met him with a destructive hit at the first-down line and forced a fumble. The ball went out of bounds two yards back as the defense got a stop on fourth and two, allowing the Bronchos offense a chance to march down the field to tie the game and force overtime. Central Oklahoma ultimately won the game with a field goal in overtime.

SPECIAL TEAMS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Kobey Stephens, Central Oklahoma
Kobey Stephens was a key player in Central Oklahoma’s 37-34 overtime victory over Missouri Western. With 2:54 left to play in regulation, Stephens had a 92-yard punt return for a touchdown to bring the Bronchos within a score of Missouri Western at 34-27. The senior’s late-game heroics also included a pass breakup on fourth and two with 1:49 left in the game, which set up UCO's game-tying drive that forced overtime. He also had two kick returns for 57 yards – a long of 30 yards and one for 27. Stephens now has three special team touchdowns this season: a 98-yard kickoff return and a 90-yard punt return in Week One, and now a 92-yard punt return in Week Nine. His 92-yard return tied for the longest return in all of college football so far this season. This is Stephens second MIAA Specials Teams Athlete of the Week honor this season.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
DEFENSE
John Johnson, Fort Hays State
In a dominant defensive performance as a team, Johnson led Fort Hays State with a season-high 11 tackles in the 36-7 win on the road over previously No. 11-ranked Emporia State. Johnson spearheaded a defense that allowed only 138 yards of total offense. The Tigers allowed only five total rushing yards to the Hornets – the lowest allowed by the Tigers in an MIAA game since 2021 when they limited Lincoln to just three rushing yards. The Tigers defense was nearly perfect on third-down situations, holding the Hornets offense to just 1-of-13 on third-down conversions. The only third down conversion Emporia picked up was in the fourth quarter after starting the game 0-of-10. The Tigers forced the Hornet offense to a 3-and-out eight times.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Quillan Fleton, Nebraska Kearney
Quillan Felton blocked a first-quarter extra point attempt which turned out to be the difference in Nebraska Kearney’s 14-13 win over Washburn on the road in Topeka. The Lopers are now up to four blocked kicks on the season after having five total last year. Felton also tied to lead the Lopers defensive with five tackles and forced a fumble.

ALSO NOMINATED
OFFENSE: Terrill Davis (Central Oklahoma), Isaiah Harris (Nebraska Kearney), Tyler Kahmann (Emporia State)
DEFENSE: Jake Fisher (Northwest Missouri), Caleb Mondi (Emporia State), Cameron Powell (Missouri Western)
SPECIAL TEAMS: Dominic Myers (Northwest Missouri), Cody Watson (Missouri Western), Carson Arndt (Fort Hays State)

The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Conference continues to be the most represented NCAA Division II conference in the National Football League with seven former student-athletes named to an initial 53-man roster for the 2024 season.

The 2024 NFL season kicks off this week with 46 former NCAA Division II student-athletes listed on the official 53-man rosters, as of September 5. Missouri Western, Pittsburg State and Washburn are three of six Division II football programs with two alums on NFL rosters.

Of the seven former MIAA football players in the league, only one is entering his rookie season. Recent Pitt State grad Rico Payton signed with the New Orleans Saints for his first NFL contract. The St. Louis native collected First Team All-MIAA honors his senior season with 35 tackles (23 solo), 16 passes defended and four interceptions. He is listed as a third-string cornerback for the Saints and one of two former MIAA stars in New Orleans.

Dallas Flowers another First Team All-MIAA alum out of Pitt State, is entering his third season in the league with the Indianapolis Colts – a team with the most former Division II football players on their roster. Flowers started and played four games at cornerback for the Colts last season collecting 15 tackles and three pass breakups.

Washburn alum Kyle Hinton is also entering his third season in the NLF and his second with the Atlanta Falcons. The former four-time All-MIAA offensive lineman played 16 games for the Falcons last season and is listed as the second-string right guard on Atlanta’s 53-man roster.

Former Missouri Western Griffon Jonathan Owens begins his sixth season in the NLF and his first season playing for the Chicago Bears. Now listed as a second-string safety on the Bears 53-man roster, Owens played in all 17 games with 11 starts as a defensive back for the Green Bay Packers last season. With the Packers, Owens totaled 74 tackles (51 solo), three passes defended, a sack, two tackles for a loss, a quarterback hit, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Owens is also married to 11-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles.

Also entering his sixth year in the league is former All-MIAA First Team DB, Corey Ballentine. The Washburn alum will begin his third season with the Green Bay Packers this Friday in Brazil – the NFL’s first international game of the 2024 season. Ballentine played 14 games with six starts for the Packers last season totaling 43 tackles (28 solo), seven passes defending and one interception. He’s listed as the third-string cornerback on the Packers depth chart.

Fort Hays State alum Nathan Shepherd begins his seventh season in the NLF and his second season with the Saints in New Orleans. A veteran defensive tackle, Shepherd started all 17 games for the Saints in the 2023 season tailing 50 tackles (19 solo) and three quarterback sacks.

Entering his 13th season, Greg Zuerlein The former MIAA Special Teams PLayer of the Year from Misouri Western enter his third season with the New York Jets, kast season Zuerlein connected on 35 of his 38 FG tries (92.1%) and was 15 of 16 on PAT tries a 93.8% rate of success.

Additionally, five former MIAA student-athletes are listed on NFL practice squads. The list includes Central Missouri’s Zach Davidson (TE, Buffalo Bills) and David Olajiga (DL, Los Angeles Rams), Missouri Western’s CJ Ravenell (DL, Baltimore Ravens) and Sam Webb (DB, Las Vegas Raiders), and Northwest Missouri’s Sam Roberts (DL, Chicago Bears).

The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Scripps Media and their independent television station KMCI, serving the Kansas City metropolitan area, to broadcast an MIAA Football Game of the Week during the 2024 NCAA Division II season.

KMCI, 38 The Spot will broadcast ten MIAA football games of the week to local television audiences in the greater Kansas City area. The schedule has been designed to provide one broadcast during the season from each MIAA football campus. The game of the week will feature one of the conference's best match-ups each Saturday. All MIAA football contests will continue to be streamed live on the MIAA Network.

"We are excited to offer this television opportunity in the great metropolitan area to connect with the 120,000 MIAA alumni in Kansas City, and to spread awareness of the quality and competitiveness of MIAA football to college sports fans throughout this region. We believe that this television platform and the exposure for MIAA schools will help drive many new subscribers to the MIAA Network," said MIAA Commissioner Mike Racy. "This is a one-year trial that might develop into a longer-term partnership with Scripps, and perhaps even include broadcasting other MIAA sports," Racy added.

“We are thrilled to have the MIAA game of the week join our great lineup on 38 The Spot for 2024,” said Kathleen Choal, Regional Vice-President and General Manager of KSHB and KMCI. “With so many great teams, combined with their passionate fan base, it’s exciting to bring the action from the gridiron to our Kansas City audience live on KMCI 38 The Spot. We continue to look for ways to bolster our live sports offerings on KMCI and the MIAA is a perfect addition,” added Choal.

The broadcast schedule for the league's ten NCAA Division II football contests to be aired on live television is listed below. To view the complete 2024 MIAA football schedule, visit TheMIAA.com/Football.

MIAA GAME OF THE WEEK BROADCAST SCHEDULE:
August 31 at 7:00 p.m.— [3] Ferris St. (Michigan) @ [6] Pittsburg State
September 7 at 1:00 p.m. — [24] Angelo St. (Texas) @ Emporia State
September 14 at 1:00 p.m. — [5] Colorado Mines @ Washburn
September 21 at 2:00 p.m. — [22] Northwest Missouri @ Missouri Southern
September 28 at 1:30 p.m. — Emporia State @ [22] Northwest Missouri
October 12 at 1:00 p.m. — Missouri Western @ [2] Central Missouri
October 19 at 2:00 p.m. — Nebraska Kearney @ Missouri Western
October 26 at 2:00 p.m. — [6] Pittsburg State @ Central Oklahoma
November 2 at 2:00 p.m. — [2] Central Missouri @ [6] Pittsburg State
November 16 at 12:00 p.m. — Fort Hays State @ Nebraska Kearney
[2024 NCAA Division II Football Preseason Ranking]

MIAA GAME OF THE WEEK BROADCAST STATION GUIDE:

Cable/Satellite Provider for KMCI 38 The Spot Standard Tier Channel Digital Tier Channel

Spectrum (Kansas City Metro) Channel No. 8Channel No. 1230

Comcast (Independence, MO)Channel No. 5Channel No. 807

Comcast (Olathe, KS)Channel No. 5Channel No. 807

Dish Network (Kansas City DMA)Channel No. 38 N/A

Direct TV (Kansas City DMA)Channel No. 38 N/A

AT&T U-Verse (Kansas City DMA)Channel No. 38 N/A

Midco (Lawrence, KS)Channel No. 15Channel No. 615

Optimum (St. Joseph, MO)Channel No. 17 N/A

Optimum (Maryville, MO)Channel No. 19 N/A

Optimum (Warrensburg, MO)Channel No. 13 N/A

Over-The-AirChannel No. 38.1N/A

Central Missouri Mules were tabbed the season’s favorite by MIAA head coaches and media representatives in the 2024 football preseason polls.

Central Missouri claimed the top spot on both the 2024 preseason coaches poll and preseason media poll. The defending MIAA co-champions collected eight first-place votes from MIAA head coaches and totaled 20 first-place selections in the media poll. Central Missouri finished 11-2 overall and 9-1 in the MIAA last season. The Mules ended last season in a 35-34 loss to Harding in the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs – Harding went on to win the 2023 national championship.

Pittsburg State, the league’s other defending MIAA co-champion, was picked second in both polls with two first-place nods from MIAA coaches and six from media representatives.

The 2024 MIAA football season officially kicks off Thursday, August 29. With Lincoln University’s departure from the league and Northeastern State University competing as an independent, the MIAA will feature a 10-team conference schedule for the first time since 2011.


2024 MIAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Central Missouri [8] - 80 points
2. Pittsburg State [2] - 73 points
3. Northwest Missouri - 58 points
4. Emporia State - 56 points
5. Fort Hays State - 55 points
6. Missouri Western - 42 points
7. Central Oklahoma - 31 points
8. Missouri Southern - 24 points
9. Washburn - 16 points
10. Nebraska Kearney - 15 points
[#] - Number of First-Place Votes

2024 MIAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
1. Central Missouri [20] - 254 points
2. Pittsburg State [6] - 231 points
3. Northwest Missouri - 199 points
4. Missouri Western - 158 points
5. Fort Hays State - 155 points
6. Emporia State - 145 points
7. Central Oklahoma - 94 points
8. Missouri Southern - 81 points
9. Washburn - 60 points
10. Nebraska Kearney - 53 points
[#] - Number of First-Place Votes