The sixth Fall Classic at Arrowhead, slated for this Saturday (Oct. 6) in Kansas City, Mo., will again feature a pair of squads ranked in the American Football Coaches Association Division II Top 25.

The ninth-ranked Northwest Missouri State Bearcats (3-1, 3-0 MIAA) will be shooting to remain in sole possession of first place in the MIAA when they take on the No. 16 Pittsburg State Gorillas (4-1, 2-1 MIAA).

The game, which has drawn at least 20,000 fans to the home of the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs during each of the previous five seasons, will be one of the four featured games on streaming video as part of the CSTV/NCAA Division II football package. It’s available free of charge by going to http://www.cstv.com/ncaa/divii .

All other MIAA games this week are available in streaming video on www.themiaa.tv for $5.95 each.

Northwest has won three in a row after having their opener with Arkansas Tech lost to lightning and falling at now-No. 6 Nebraska-Omaha in the next scheduled game.

Pittsburg State bounced back from a loss to Missouri Western (3-2, 1-2 MIAA) by claiming a hard-fought double-overtime win over Central Missouri (3-2, 2-1 MIAA) last weekend.

Northwest has won three of the five games with PSU at Arrowhead, snapping a 2-2 tie in the series with a 41-14 win last season.

A pair of teams among the four tied for second in the MIAA after three games will hook up in Topeka as Washburn (3-2, 2-1 MIAA) and Missouri Southern (4-1, 2-1 MIAA) hook up in Yager Stadium at Moore Bowl.

The Lions are seeking their first win over the Ichabods since 2002 after last season’s 14-13 heartbreaker when the snap on the potential winning field goal in the game’s final minute went awry.

Central Missouri will aim to bounce back from their tough loss to PSU when the Mules travel to face Emporia State (3-2, 1-2 MIAA) on Jones Field at Welch Stadium.

UCM has not lost to the Hornets since 1999, the 48-21 win last season extending the Mules win streak to seven games.

Homecoming season also starts on Saturday with Fort Hays State (3-2, 1-2 MIAA) and Southwest Baptist (0-5, 0-3 MIAA) hosting returning alumni.

The FHSU Tigers host Western for homecoming. It is the Griffons first trip to Lewis Field Stadium since 2000, when Fort Hays State handed them a 23-15 non-conference setback — the Tigers’ last win in the series.

The SBU Bearcats are out to snap a 10-game losing streak dating back to last season when Truman (3-2, 1-2 MIAA) come to Plaster Stadium.

The Bulldogs have won seven of the last eight meetings, but SBU won the last game in Bolivar, 38-36, in 2005, also on Homecoming.

TRUMAN FINALLY GETS PICKED: After throwing 169 passes without getting intercepted in 2007, the Truman Bulldogs suffered their first pick at the hands of Fort Hays State last Saturday (Sept. 29).

Junior QB Matt Ticich had a string of 188 pass attempts without a pick dating back to last season snapped as well when Tiger junior DB Jason Carr intercepted his attempt at the FHSU 23 early in the second quarter.

Carr snatched another Ticich pass in the third quarter.

The NCAA-II record for lowest interception percentage in a season is 0.7 percent — New Haven (Conn.) tossed just two picks in 296 pass attempts in the 1993 season. Truman now has two in 210 throws (0.95%).

OMON WATCH: Northwest Missouri State senior RB Xavier Omon enters this week fifth on the MIAA’s career rushing list with 5,204 yards.

He needs 573 yards to pass Pittsburg State’s Ronald Moore (1989-92 — 5,776) for fourth place on the conference list.

After three TDs vs. Southwest Baptist last week, Omon remains fifth in MIAA career scoring with 432 points — 14 from passing Truman’s Jarrett Anderson (1993-96 — 446) for fourth place.

THE 80-WIN CLUB: Two men have a chance to close in on the 80-win plateau as a head coach in the MIAA.

Willie Fritz of Central Missouri needs two wins to be the eighth MIAA coach with 80 and one to pass Terry Noland (1983-96) as the most victorious coach in UCM history and for eighth place on the league list.

With 74 wins, Missouri Western’s Jerry Partridge needs wins in the Griffons’ last six games to make 80 this regular season.