The Emporia State football team is getting ready to face the Missouri Western Griffons this Saturday afternoon in St. Joseph, Missouri.

The Griffons are 4-2 this season. They started off the season with a 10-9 win over Central Missouri, have won three of their last four games and have gone 2-1 at home and on the road.

The Hornets and Griffons have spent the last two seasons splitting wins. Western beat ESU two years ago in Emporia, while Emporia dominated the Griffons last season.

Jerry Partridge is the Griffons’ leading man. Partridge is in his eighteenth season at Western and has been the all-time wins leader since beating Truman State in Sept. 2006. Partridge holds a 132-67 record and 100-52 in the MIAA. He has led the Griffons to 10 postseason appearances and two MIAA titles.

In 2012, the Griffons had arguably their best season in school history, climbing to fourth in the Division II national rankings and making the Quarterfinals of the Division II national playoffs for the first time ever. They also won a school record 12 games that season.

Kick off is set for 2 p.m. in St. Joseph.