Bears Home Opener Features Battle of Ranked Teams

9/6/2021 | Football

First and Ten

• Missouri State will open its 2021 home slate Saturday when the No. 23-ranked Bears host Central Arkansas at 7 p.m. at Robert W. Plaster Stadium on “Hosting Heroes Night.” It will be the third meeting between the squads in less than 12 months and the first-ever clash between the squads as ranked opponents.
• Bears QB Jason Shelley (Sr., Frisco, Texas) was named MVFC Co-Newcomer of the Week in Week 1 after his efforts at Oklahoma State. In his MSU debut, he threw for 235 yards and a TD with no interceptions at No. 22 OSU. He helped engineer four red zone drives for the Bears, including three in the second half in the near upset in Stillwater. Shelley threw for 103 yards in the fourth quarter alone as he led the Bears with three scoring threats in the final seven minutes. His 8-yard touchdown strike to Tyrone Scott with 3:06 to play, brought MSU within 23-16.Montrae Braswell
• (Jr., Avon Park, Fla.) was named the MVFC Defensive Player of the Week by College Sports Madness for last week’s game at Oklahoma State. Braswell had a drive-stopping interception in the red zone with 6 tackles and 4 solo stops against the No. 22-ranked Cowboys.
• Missouri State moved up one spot to No. 23 in this week’s STATS Perform FCS Top 25. It marks the 7th straight weeks the Bears have been ranked, dating back to 3/30/21. UCA comes in ranked No. 19 in the same poll.
• Bears head coach Bobby Petrino earned MVFC Coach of the Year honors in 2020-21 and led MSU to a 5-1 ledger in the Missouri Valley in his debut season. After inheriting a 1-10 program, Petrino had an immediate impact, turning the Bears into conference co-champions and catapulting the team to the NCAA FCS playoffs.
• Damoriea Vick is tied for 8th on MSU’s career receptions list (116) and 12th in receiving yards (1,452). He has made 32 consecutive starts and last year ranked 2nd in the MVFC and 13th nationally in receiving yards (596).
• MSU returns 10 All-MVFC players from last season, including first-team selection Montrae Braswell (Jr., CB, Avon Park, Fla.) who shared the league lead with 3 interceptions and earned Hero Sports Sophomore All-America honors in his first campaign in Springfield. Last week in Stillwater, Braswell had 6 tackles and an interception.
• In the Sept. 26, 2020 meeting between the Bears and UCA in Conway, Kevon Latulas (Jr., Port Arthur, Texas) posted game highs in rushing yards (63), receiving yards (83) and all-purpose yards (187) in his first-ever start to earn MVFC Performer of the Week honors. Latulas also blocked a punt in the second quarter and returned it for a TD to give MSU a 10-0 lead at the time. It was MSU’s first blocked punt return for a touchdown since 2017.
• Kyriq McDonald (S, Madison, Ala.) registered 10 total stops to set the pace for the Missouri State defense n Week 1 at Oklahoma State, a game in which MSU allowed just 3 first downs and 120 total yards in the second half. McDonald had 6 solo stops, a tackle for loss, a pass break-up and a forced fumble. The Bears defense forced OSU into 6 punts in 8 second-half possessions — including 4 three-and-out series — plus a fumble turnover.
• Bears punter, Grant Burkett (So., Joplin, Mo.) averaged 49.0 yards on 6 attempts — the fourth-best single-game average in MSU history — to help the Bears win the field position battle at No. 22-ranked Oklahoma State in Week 1. Burkett pinned the Cowboys inside their own 20 three times and tallied 3 punts of 50 yards or better (long 53). Last year, he had a 43.0 average, which ranked 13th nationally and 3rd in the MVFC.
• MSU has 34 newcomers this season, including 4-year 12 transfers, 7 juco transfers, and 15 true freshmen
• A total of 15 Missouri State players have completed their undergraduate degrees and are currently pursuing post-graduate studies, including captains Kevin Ellis (DL, Fort Worth, Texas) and Titus Wall (S, Plano, Texas).
• Jason Shelley needs 140 passing yards for 2,000 in his career (23 games). He is also 178-for-322 (.553) with 9 TD in his career … Co-captain Titus Wall (S, Plano, Texas) is 7 tackles shy of 200 for his career (43 games) … Tyler Lovelace (LB, Lee’s Summit, Mo.) needs 1 tackle for 150 in his career (39 games) … Damoriea Vick (WR, Oklahoma City, Okla.) needs 48 receiving yards for 1,500 in his career (33 games).
• The Bears are 68-37-4 all-time in home openers, including a 27-10-2 mark in such games as a Division I program. During his career, Bobby Petrino is 12-3 in home openers as a head coach.

Coach Bobby Petrino

• Bobby Petrino is in his second season as Missouri State’s head football coach after joining the Bears program on January 16, 2020. He is currently 124-62 (.667) in his 16th season as a head coach and is 5-6 at Missouri State, including a 5-2 ledger in the spring of 2021. As Bears head coach, Petrino is 3-4 on the road, and 2-2 at Plaster Stadium. He is 0-2 all-time against Central Arkansas and 12-3 in his career in home openers.
• During the 2020-21 season, Petrino helped lead the Bears to a 5-1 mark in Missouri Valley Football Conference play to earn a share of the MVFC regular-season title. His efforts not only landed him the prestigious Bruce Craddock MVFC Coach of the Year Award, but also led the Bears to their first NCAA FCS playoff appearance in 30 years.
• ESPN recently named Petrino to its list of the top 100 college football coaches of the last 50 years, placing Petrino No. 77 on the list.
• Petrino previously served as head coach in two stints at Louisville as well as Arkansas and Western Kentucky. He spent 14 seasons at the FBS level and led his programs to 11 bowl appearances with seven teams ranked in the top 25 at season’s end.
• The Helena, Mont., native is in his 33rd year of collegiate coaching overall, having guided his programs to AP top-six final rankings three times (2004, 2006, 2011) and directing some of the nation’s top offensive programs along the way. His clubs have finished in the top five nationally in scoring offense three times, while his 2004 club at Louisville led the country in scoring (49.8 ppg). He has developed 34 NFL Draft selections during his illustrious career, including four in the first round, and Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson.
• Petrino and his wife Becky have four children: Kelsey, Nick, Bobby and Katie – and six grandchildren. Nick Petrino is Missouri State’s offensive coordinator, while sons-in-law Ryan Beard (defensive coordinator) and L.D. Scott (defensive line) are also on the MSU coaching staff this season.

Series History

• In a series that dates back to 1937, UCA leads Missouri State, 6-4. Missouri State is 3-3 at home in the series and 1-3 on the road.
• The teams met twice last season with No. 11-ranked UCA squeaking by the Bears, 27-20, in Conway on 9/26/20 before winning another close decision, 33-24, at Plaster Stadium on 10/17/20.
• In that second meeting, MSU running back Jeremiah Wilson made his season debut and became the first Bear since 9/15/18 to rush for 100 yards in a game (98 in first half). However, the maroon side committed six turnovers, including four interceptions, that led directly to 24 points by UCA. The Conway squad erased a 24-17 MSU lead in the third quarter with three field goals and a 42-yard TD pass from Breylin Smith to Tyler Hudson that ultimately led to MSU’s third straight homecoming setback. Missouri State outgained UCA, 330-268, in the contest. Stats