Hayden completed 32-of-42 passes on Saturday and threw for 393 yards and 4 touchdowns as he led the Spartans to a 43-18 victory over Minnesota West. The win included 28 consecutive second half points to lead M State back from an 18-15 halftime deficit.
Hayden's first TD pass was a 13-yard strike to Rick Groce. He then hit Zion Dove for the two-point conversion which tied the game at 8-8 with 13:03 to play in the first half. On the next possession, following an interception by William Black, Hayden connected with Jallah Zeze on a 29-yard touchdown to give the Spartans their first lead of the day.
In the second half, Hayden hooked up with Frederick Brown on a 33-yard pass and then got together with Zeze again, this time on a 62-yard aerial.