The 24th-ranked Hornets will begin their 119th season of college football at home at 7p.m. on September 1st against the defending national champions and the top-ranked Northwest Missouri State Bearcats.

The last time these two teams met was Dec. 5 2015 in the NCAA Division II Super Region-3 Championship game. Northwest took the victory 38-17, advancing their all-time series record against Emporia State to 29-2.

“The coaches have prepared us very well,” said J.P. Lohrentz, senior defensive back.

“We’ve had all summer to prepare for this one game, and we’ve been looking forward to it for a while.”

Emporia is returning 14 starters, seven on offense and seven on defense, along with all their specialists. Among the returners are four players that totaled at least 100 receiving yards in a game last season, three players that have rushed for at least 100 yards in a game, and two that totaled over 100 tackles last season.

The Hornets went 6-0 on Jones Field last season, and finished with an 11-3 overall record.

Redshirt-sophomore quarterback, Braxton Marstall, is set to replace last year’s starting quarterback Brent Wilson, who finished fourth in the voting for the Harlon Hill Trophy as he led the Hornets to the ninth ranked passing attack in the nation.

“It is cool being from here and having the opportunity to play here at ESU,” said Marstall. “I definitely feel I have the support that I did in high school, and I know they’re behind me all the way.”

Marstall redshirted last year after injuries to the quarterbacking staff forced him into game action as a true freshman in 2014. He received his only start against Missouri Western and went 24 of 38 for 233 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Hornets to a 30-10 road win.

Marstall has a large support system behind him and his teammates and coaches believe in him to get the job done.

“I think he’s comfortable. Anyone would get nervous before a game regardless,” said head football coach Garin Higgins. “One of his strengths is that he is a very calm individual and has a really laid-back personality, which I think helps him. He was a true freshman who went on the road to Missouri Western and he played well, so if he was able to handle that, he can handle this.”

Emporia State has a 67-46-5 record all-time in season openers and has won 14 of their last 15. Higgins is 8-1 in season openers with the Hornets and 13-1 in his career.

Emporia State has gone 18-7 in MIAA openers since joining the conference in 1991.