Missouri State University

Missouri State (3-4, 2-2) at South Dakota State (4-4, 3-1)  

Saturday, November 1, 2008 -  Coughlin-Alumni Stadium (15,000), Brookings, S.D., 1 p.m.

Television -  BEARS LIVE!

Radio - KTXR (101.3 FM) and Missouri State Bears Football Radio Network (LISTEN LIVE)

Game Notes - MISSOURI STATE  -   SOUTH DAKOTA STATE  -   VALLEY FOOTBALL

Live Stats - CLICK HERE 

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Game Overview: Having won two of their last three games and three of five, the Bears return to the road this week for their first-ever game against league newcomer South Dakota State when they travel to Brookings, S.D. for a 1 p.m. kickoff against the Jackrabbits.

    Last week, the Bears fought back from a 17-7 fourth-quarter deficit to tie Southern Illinois with 19 seconds remaining, 17-17. However, SIU quarterback Chris Dieker escaped a pair of would-be tacklers on the game’s final play and found an open Marc Cheatham for a 51-yard catch-and-run touchdown as time expired in a 23-17 Salukis win. Cody Kirby (So., QB, Rogers, Ark.) had 253 yards passing in the game, includnig 133 in the fourth quarter, and nearly engineered a fourth-quarter victory for the second straight game. He also eclipsed the 3,000-yard career passing milestone in the contest, making him just the eighth Missouri State quarterback to do so. The Bears’ defense forced a season-high five turnovers in the contest, including four in the first half, but were unable to convert them into points. Tony Randolph (So., LB, Blue Springs, Mo.) and Sam Block (So., LB, Ozark, Mo.) paced the MSU defensive efforts with 10 tackles apiece, while holding the Salukis to just three points in the first 48 minutes of the game. Block had a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception in the game.

    The Jackrabbits are coming off a 49-9 win at Indiana State in their first meeting with the Sycamores. SDSU rolled up 498 total yards, including 145 on the ground by Kyle Minett, while quarterback Ryan Berry was 19-for-25 for 261 yards and four touchdowns. Glen Fox had seven catches for 83 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the contest that saw Coach John Stiegelmeier’s team score on four straight possessions to open the second half.

    This will be Missouri State’s first-ever meeting with South Dakota State and first game against a team from the Mount Rushmore State. Coughlin-Alumni Stadium in Brookings, S.D. has been the home of the Jackrabbits since 1962.

    The Bears are 429-429-40 (.500) in 97 seasons all-time, including a 193-137-11 (.582) record in 67 seasons at Plaster Field, 62-83-1 (.428) mark in MVFC play, and 144-145-3 (.498) record at the NCAA Division I FCS level (1982-present). The Bears are 2-2 in league play this season and last won three conference contests in 2004 (3-4). MSU is also 2-1 on the road this season.

The Coaches: Missouri State head coach Terry Allen (Northern Iowa, 1976) is 106-77 (.579) overall in 16 years as a head coach and 11-18 (.379) in three seasons at Missouri State. Allen is also 85-42 (.669) in Missouri Valley Football Conference (formerly Gateway) games, including his tenure at Northern Iowa (1989-96). Allen has never coached against South Dakota State.

    Coach Allen spent 10 years as an assistant coach at UNI (1979-88) before taking over the head coaching duties there in 1989 where he spent the next eight seasons (1989-96). He was 72-26 at UNI and five-time MVFC Coach of the Year, taking the Panthers to the NCAA FCS playoffs seven straight years. He took over the head coaching duties at Kansas in 1997 and was 20-33 in four years with the Big 12 Jayhawks (1997-2001). Prior to coming to MSU, he spent four seasons (2002-05) as associate head coach at Iowa State.

    South Dakota State Head Coach John Stiegelmeier (South Dakota State, 1979) is 72-55 (.567) in  his 12th season at SDSU and overall.  He is 3-1 in the MVFC and 45-36 (.556) all-time in conference games.  The Jackrabbits are 48-17 at home under Stiegelmeier, including a 2-2 mark this season.  He has never coached against the Bears, but is 2-0 against Missouri teams with previous wins over Missouri S&T and Northwest Missouri State.

The Series: The Bears and Jackrabbits have never met on the gridiron. Missouri State is also making its debut against teams from the Mount Rushmore State.

    There are no current Bears from South Dakota, although the Jackrabbits’ roster includes three Missouri players -- freshman Aaron Rollin (WR, Lee’s Summit), DB Rodkem Matthews (North Kansas City), and starting kicker Kyle Harris (Florissant).

    SDSU is 48-17 under “Coach Stig” at home and no team from Missouri has ever won a game at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium (0-5).

Radio: All Missouri State Bears games can be heard on KTXR, Springfield (101.3 FM), the flagship station of the Missouri State Bears Football Radio Network. Play-by-play man Art Hains will provide the game description along with second-year color commentator Scott Opfer. Hains first began calling Bears’ action in 1977 and is in his second stint and 29th season overall as the Voice of the Bears. He called Bears games from 1977-81 and returned to that post in 1985. The SDSU game is Art’s 306th MSU football broadcast.

    MSU football can also be heard on the 10-station, two-state Missouri State Bears Football Radio Network on the following affiliates:  Ava - KKOZ (92.1 FM/1430 AM); El Dorado Springs - KESM (105.5 FM); Jefferson City - KJMO (97.5); Kansas City - KCWJ (1030 AM); Monett - KKBL (95.9 FM); Poplar Bluff - KLID (1340 AM); St. Louis - KSLG (1380 AM); Sparta, Ill. - WHC) (1230 AM); Springfield - KTXR (101.3 FM) (flagship); Willow Springs - KUKU (100.3 FM).

On-Line: Today’s game will also be shown on Missouri State’s on-line video channel -- Bears Live! Bears Live! is a new, premium broadband video destination for exclusive live and on-demand Missouri State streaming video & audio. This broadband video channel is the ultimate place for Bears fans on the web and can be accessed through www.MissouriStateBears.com, the official web site of Missouri State Athletics.

    Links to live game stats the MSU Bears Football Radio Network free live audio stream can be found on the game notes page for this week’s game on the MSU Athletics Web page -- www.MissouriStateBears.com.

Last Week: A 51-yard touchdown pass from Chris Dieker to Marc Cheatham as time expired gave No. 13 Southern Illinois a 23-17 win over Missouri State last week, snapping a two-game win streak by the Bears.

    The Salukis avoided their third overtime game with the Bears since 1995 when Dieker scrambled left, eluded two would-be tacklers and hit a wide-open Cheatham for the game-winning catch-and-run touchdown. The three-play, 66-yard drive seemed improbable as the homestanding Bears tied the game, 17-17, with 18 seconds remaining in the fourth when Cody Kirby (So., QB, Rogers, Ark.) hit Brandon Oliver (So., WR, Arlington, Texas) for a 26-yard touchdown strike to cap a seven-play, 87-yard drive that brought the Plaster Field crowd to its feet.  Kirby passed for 63 yards and rushed for nine more on the drive and extended his streak to eight consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass.

    Prior to the game-tying drive for the Bears, Matt Hottelman (Jr., K, O’Fallon, Mo.) converted a 20-yard field goal to make it a 17-10 game with 4:11 to play as Cody Kirby passed for 40 yards on the 12-play, 76 yard drive for the Bears’ first offensive score of the day.

    The Salukis scored 20 points in the final period, first on a one-yard sneak by Dieker with 11:50 left in the quarter, and then on a 29-yard pass from Dieker to Cheatham with 9:03 left. The first Saluki scoring drive of the final period consumed 77 yards in 7:02 to build a 17-7 lead.

    The Bears got on the board for the first time with 3:59 left in the third period when Cory Harbor (Sr., DE, Dwight, Ill) blocked a Scott Ravanesi punt. Derek Miller (So., S, Olathe, Kan.) picked up the loose ball and scrambled 36 yards for a touchdown, and Hottelman’s extra point gave MSU a 7-3 lead.

    Larry Warner rushed 26 times for a career-high 167 yards for the Salukis, who rolled up 255 ground yards and 498 total yards.

    Missouri State was held to just 32 rushing yards on 24 carries their lowest rushing total since Nov. 6, 2004 against Western Kentucky while Kirby was 22-for-40 for 253 yards.  Chase Mejia (Fr., WR, Columbia, Mo.) was Kirby’s favorite target, grabbing 5 receptions for 47 total yards. The Bears finished with 285 yards total offense.

    Kirby’s 22 completions matched a career high as he finished with his fourth 200-yard passing game of the season and seventh of his career while becoming the eighth MSU quarterback to accumulate 3,000 career passing yards. 

    The Bears forced five turnovers in the contest, their most this season, but were unable to come up with any points off of the three SIU lost fumbles and two interceptions. 

    An 18-yard field goal by Southern Illinois' Kyle Dougherty with 42 seconds left in the second quarter accounted for the only scoring in the first half, despite four turnovers forced by the Bears’ defense in the first half.

    Tony Randolph (So., LB, Blue Springs, Mo.) and Sam Block (So., LB, Ozark, Mo.) topped the Bears’ defense with 10 tackles apiece. Block also had a forced fumble, fumble recovery and an interception. Byron Hightower, Jr. (So., LB, Raytown, Mo.) and Roger Wright (Sr., LB, Grandview, Mo.) each contributed eight total stops for the Bears.

Honors and Accolades: Despite a roster that features 70-percent freshmen and sophomores, the Bears are loaded with well-documented individual talent. Below is a summary of league and national awards given to current Missouri State personnel:

    2008 MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week: Kevaughn Brown (Sr., Port Arthur, Texas) was named MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week on September 8 for his performance against Washburn in MSU’s season opener . . . Seth Reichert (Sr., Springfield, Mo.) was named MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week on October 20 after grading out at 88% in the team’s win over Illinois State on October 18.

    2008 MVFC Defensive Player of the Week: Roger Wright (Sr., S, Grandview, Mo.) was named as the league’s Defensive Player of the Week after his 12 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss in the Bears’ home win over Youngstown State on October 11.

    2008 MVFC Offensive Player of the Week: Cody Kirby (So., QB, Rogers, Ark.) was named as the league’s Offensive Player of the Week after accounting for four touchdowns and rolling up 313 yards total offense in MSU’ 34-28 come-from-behind win at Illinois State on October 18. He also rushed for a career-high 59 yards and threw a TD pass in his seventh straight game.

    2008 Preseason All-American: Clay Harbor (Jr., TE, Dwight, Ill.) was named second-team preseason All-American by the College Sporting News.

    2008 Preseason All-MVFC: Earning preseason All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors this fall were Clay Harbor (Jr., TE, Dwight, Ill.), Cody Kirby (So., QB, Rogers, Ark.), and David Arkin (So., OG, Wichita, Kan.).

    2007 All-America: Then-sophomore tight end Clay Harbor (Dwight, Ill.) was named Associated Press third-team All-America and Sports Network honorable mention All-American in 2007.

    2007 All-Conference: Returning players who earned postseason awards from the Missouri Valley Football Conference a year ago are: Clay Harbor (first-team tight end), David Arkin (second-team offensive lineman), Roger Wright (honorable mention safety).

    2007 MVFC Newcomer Team: Six current Bears were on the 23-member MVFC All-Newcomer Team a year ago: David Arkin (OG), Kevaughn Brown (OT), Cody Kirby (QB), Kingjack Washington (TB), Clayton Dickehut (DE), Derek Miller (CB).

    2007 MVFC Academic Team: Three current MSU players earned league academic honors in 2007: Chris Brehmer (DT, second team), Jared Emery (WR, second team), Chris Geisz (CB, honorable mention).

    2007 MVFC Players of the Week: Cody Kirby was named league Offensive Player of the Week twice in 2007 (9/22 and 10/6), while the team earned four Offensive Lineman of the Week honors a year ago with David Arkin earning the award twice (9/1 and 9/22), and Seth Reichert (9/22) and Kevaughn Brown (10/6) claiming the honor once.

In the Trenches: The Bears return four of their starting five offensive linemen from 2007 in addition to All-American tight end Clay Harbor.  Left tackle Kevaughn Brown (Sr., Port Arthur, Texas) and right guard David Arkin (So., Wichita, Kan.) were on the MVFC All-Newcomer team in 2007 with Arkin earning second-team all-league honors. Left guard Seth Reichert (Sr., Springfield, Mo.) and right tackle Mark Graf (Sr., St. Louis, Mo.) round out the O-Line returnees. All four players started in 11 games a year ago and combined to win the league Offensive Lineman of the Week award four times. The MSU starting O-Line averages 6-4, 293.

    On the defensive side, the Bears average 6-3, 250 pounds and return left tackle Chris Brehmer (Sr., Rock Hill, Mo.) and right end Clayton Dickehut (Sr., Derby, Kan.) to the starting lineup this season, while current reserves Mike Taylor (Sr., DT, Colton, Calif.) (9 games) and Connor McDonough (Jr., DE, Belton, Mo.) (7) were primary defensive starters for the Bears in 2007.

Coors Player of the Week: The Missouri State Coors Player of the Week for the Southern Illinois game is sophomore linebacker Sam Block (Ozark, Mo.) who recorded 10 tackles, including two solo stops, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and snagged one of two Bears’ interceptions in the team’s narrow 23-17 home loss to No. 13 Southern Illinois. Block and the Bears’ defense held the Salukis to just three points in the game’s first 48 minutes and forced a season-high five turnovers.

Captains of Crunch: The five Missouri State co-captains for the 2008 season are: #13 Cody Kirby (So., QB, Rogers, Ark.), #43 Jeremy Dawson (Sr., LB, Grandview, Mo.), #44 Roger Wright (Sr., S, Grandview, Mo.), #76 Seth Reichert (Sr., OG, Springfield, Mo.), and #92 Chris Brehmer (Sr., DT, Rock Hill, Mo.). The quintet of four seniors and one sophomore were named to their posts by their teammates. Kirby is just the third sophomore since 1953 (Kevin Sears - 2005 and Corky Martin - 1999) to be named as Bears’ team captain. 

    Reichert (Offensive Lineman) and Kirby (Offensive Player) both earned league honors last on October 19 for their efforts in the team’s 34-28 win at Illinois State.

Migration Patterns: The 85-man Missouri State roster includes players from 11 different states. More than half of the squad (48) hails from the Show-Me State, while 7 players came to MSU from Arkansas and Oklahoma. Kansas is home to 6 Bears, followed by Texas and Florida with 4 apiece.  The remaining players are from California 3, Illinois 3, Georgia 1, Ohio 1, and Tennessee 1. There are no Bears from the state of South Dakota.

Teammates Again: A number of players on the 2008 roster were high school teammates as well.  Leading the way are the four Bears from Grandview (Mo.) High School -- Darius Blow (Fr.), Jeremy Dawson (Sr.), Jarrett Wright (Fr.) and Roger Wright (Sr.). Jeremy Dawson and Roger Wright are two of the team’s five co-captains.

    Likewise, local products Ian Starnes (Fr.) Nick Detelich (Fr.) and Seth Reichert (Sr.) all attended Glendale High School in Springfield, Mo. Fellow Springfield natives Austin Etter (Fr.) Skylar Smith (So.) and Andrew Watts (Jr.) all attended Kickapoo High School together.

    Three of the four Bears from Columbia, Mo., attended Rock Bridge High. Former Bruins Jake Morse (Fr.), Johnny Wacker (Fr.) and Chase Mejia (Fr.) all played for Coach A.J. Ofodile. 

Kirby Home Demonstration: Bears’ sophomore QB Cody Kirby (Rogers, Ark.) has enjoyed great success at Plaster Field during his time as the MSU signal caller. In 10 career home games, including nine starts, Kirby has thrown for 1998 yards (199.8) and 16 TD passes, as well as six 200-yard performances.  The Bears are 5-4 at home during Kirby starts. He has also tallied 236 rushing yards (23.6) and scored seven rushing TD’s at Plaster.

    In contrast, Kirby’s 254-yard outing at Illinois State (10/18/08) was his first career 200-yard game away from home. He has thrown for 1105 (138.1) yards on the road with six touchdown passes and 141 (17.6) rushing yards. Kirby is 2-4 in road starts, including a 2-1 mark this year.

    The preseason all-MVFC quarterback and 2007 league Newcomer of the Year now ranks 8th on MSU’s all-time list for passing yards (3,113), fifth in TD passes (22), 10th in passing attempts (445), seventh in completions (263) and ninth in total offense (3,490).

    He threw one interception in the Southern Illinois game (10/25/08), breaking a string of 71 consecutive passes without giving up a pick. He is 48th in the NCAA FCS in passing efficiency (128.96) and 45th in total offense (217.4).

King-jackpot: Missouri State sophomore Kingjack Washington (TB, Owasso, Okla.) eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for his career on October 11 against Youngstown State, his 16th game as a Bears player.  Only three other MSU rushers have achieved 1,000-yard career status during their sophomore season, and all joined the 1,000-yard club in their 16th game.  The other three players to reach the milestone were: Fred Tabron (1971), Greg Lawson (1974) and John Gianini (1977).

    Washington is averaging 73.0 yards per game on the ground this season, and at that pace would end his sophomore year with a career total of 1,496 yards. Just 20 Bears have gone over the 1,500 yard mark in career rushing, most recently Cody Pratt (2,339) in 2004.  He currently stands at 1,204 career rushing yards on 204 carries with 7 touchdowns.

Clay Paves the Way: All-American tight end Clay Harbor (Jr., Dwight, Ill.) eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving mark for his career on 10/25/08 against Southern Illinois. He is the 15th Bears receiver to reach this milestone.

    He currently ranks sixth in the Missouri Valley Football Conference in receptions per game (3.71) and in receiving yards per game (44.0).

    Harbor has caught a pass in 18 consecutive games, one of the Bears’ top five streaks all-time. The top receiving streaks in Missouri State history belong to Jason Cannon (1995-97) 33; Steve Newbold (1978-80) 22; Eric Davis (2007-08) 22; Tom Hamilton (1975-77) 20; Sean Adams (1999-2000) 18, and Clay Harbor (2007-08) 18.

    Harbor’s 77 career catches ranks 15th on Missouri State’s all-time list, while his 1,028 receiving yards ranks 13th. His next touchdown reception will push him into the top 16 all-time as well. He currently has six career TD catches.

No Sack for You: The Bears lead the MVFC in sacks allowed in league games, giving up just five sacks in their four conference contests to date. The Bears are also second in the league in sacks allowed overall (10 in 7 games). Prior to allowing three sacks against the notorious Southern Illinois defense on October 25, the Bears had not allowed a sack since October 4, going more than two games and 187 consecutive offensive plays without surrendering a sack.

Leading the League: MSU currently ranks second in the Missouri Valley Football Conference in sacks allowed (1.43) and is third in passing offense (194.14), turnover margin (0.86), and punt returns (15.57). The Bears are also in the league’s upper division in scoring offense (28.43), net punting (33.77) and pass defense (177.29), ranking fourth in all three categories. 

    In the other key categories, the Bears rank seventh in rushing (152.0) and total offense (346.14), eighth in scoring defense (33.14) and ninth in rushing defense (291.86) and total defense (469.14).

    Last season, Missouri State’s offense averaged 36.3 points and 414.3 yards, ranking second and third, respectively, in the Missouri Valley Football Conference in those categories. The Bears were also third in the league in passing offense (211.4) and fourth in rushing offense (202.9) a year ago. The team also averaged 20.7 yards per kickoff return to rank fourth in 2007.

    Individually, Cody Kirby (So., QB, Rogers, Ark.) is second in the MVFC in total offense (217.14) and fifth in passing efficiency (128.96), while Kingjack Washington (So., TB, Owasso, Okla.) is seventh in rushing yards (73.0) and eighth in all-purpose yards (88.71). Clay Harbor (So., TE, Dwight, Ill.) is sixth in the MVFC in receptions per game (3.71) and in receiving yards per game (44.0). Brandon Oliver (So., WR, Arlington, Texas) is third in the league in kickoff returns (23.64), while defensive leaders Roger Wright (Sr., S, Grandview, Mo.) is fifth in tackles (8.86). Bears’ linebackers Tony Randolph (So., LB, Blue Springs, Mo.) and Jeremy Dawson (Sr., LB, Grandview, Mo.) also rank high in tackles. Both are tied for ninth in the league with 8.0 tackles per game. Chris Farrar (Sr., S, St. Louis, Mo.) is sixth in the conference in interceptions (0.29).

NCAA Leaders: The Bears rank 11th nationally in punt returns (15.53), 19th in turnover margin (0.86) and 33rd in passing defense (177.29). Missouri State is also 38th in sacks allowed (1.43), 40th in pass efficiency defense (119.20) and 40th in net punting (33.77). MSU is also among the nation’s top 50 teams in scoring (41st - 28.43) and rushing (49th - 152.0).

    Kingjack Washington (So., TB, Owasso, Okla.) is now 54th in rushing (73.0). Cody Kirby (So., QB, Rogers, Ark.) is 48th in passing efficiency (128.96) and 45th in total offense (217.14). Averaging 8.86 tackles per game, Roger Wright (Sr., S, Grandview, Mo.) ranks in a tie for 52nd in the nation in tackles, while Brandon Oliver (So., WR, Arlington, Texas) is 41st in kickoff returns (23.64). Matt Hottelman (Jr., K, O’Fallon, Mo.), who ranked as high as second earlier in the season, returned to the national rankings at 44th in field goals per game (0.86).

Plaster Sports Complex: Home of the Missouri State Bears since 1941, the 2008 campaign marks football Bears’ 67th season in the facility (the school did not field teams two years during World War II (1943-44).      

    MSU has a 194-137-11 (.583) record for 342 games in Plaster, including five undefeated and untied home seasons -- 1948, 1963, 1974, 1989 and 1992. 

    The Bears were 5-1 at home in 2007, 1-3 at home this year, and are 8-8 at Plaster under Terry Allen.

    Originally named SMS Stadium (1941-70), the facility was renamed Briggs Stadium (1970-1991) in honor of former head coach and long-time athletic director Arthur Briggs. A four-phase expansion project that began in 1987 saw the addition of artificial turf (1987), an all-weather track (1988), additional student seating (1990), and second grandstand level and press box (1991) added. The facility was renamed Robert W. Plaster Sports Complex in 1991 at the conclusion of the expansion initiative.

    The new Bancorp South video scoreboard was added over the summer of 2008. The multi-million dollar system features a high-quality video system, enhanced graphics package, and live scoring and timing capabilities. The Football ProStar LED Video Display has a 4.4 trillion color-capable display; 23mm pixel spacing and 153,600 total red/green/blue LED's. The top of the scoreboard will be more than three stories from the surface and extend 40 feet in width.

    One of the top FCS facilities in the nation, Plaster Field seats 16,300 spectators and features 24 skyboxes and a 40-seat University box. The complex includes 12 racquetball courts and locker rooms, as well as the Plaster Strength Center -- a 7,200-square foot weight room which is one of the largest in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

    Plaster is also home to the Missouri State men’s soccer, women’s soccer, field hockey, and women’s track & field squads.

Starting Lineups: The Bears return 15 regular starters from 2007, including six offensive returnees and nine defensive regulars.

    On the offensive side, linemen Kevaughn Brown (LT), Seth Reichert (LG), David Arkin (RG) and Mark Graf (RT) each started 11 times in 2007, while All-American tight end Clay Harbor (TE) saw 10 starts and quarterback Cody Kirby saw eight.

    Defensive starters Connor McDonough (LE), Chris Brehmer (LT), Mike Taylor (RT), Clayton Dickethut (RE), Tony Randolph (LB), Jeremy Dawson (LB), Chris Farrar (CB), Roger Wright (SS), and Derek Miller (FS) also return. All told, the Bears have 12 offensive players and 13 defensive players who combined to start 208 career games going into this season. Senior Chris Farrar (CB) is the Bears’ active leaders in games started with 23. . . Seven Bears have started every game in 2007 and 2008 (18 games in a row).

Flag 4-1-1: The Bears have been called for 51 penalties in their first seven games (7.3 per game). The offense has been called for 31 penalties (61 percent), while the defense has been penalized just 15 times this season (29 percent), and special teams has been flagged five times (10 percent). The most common penalty this season is false start which has been called on the offense 14 times (2 per game) during the 2008 campaign. 

    The Bears were flagged just twice last week against Southern Illinois (30 yards), a season low.

Poll Position: The Bears are 0-2 against teams in the FCS Top 25 this season. MSU lost 33-21 to then No. 21 Western Illinois at Plaster Field on October 4, before losing a heart-breaker on the final play of the game against No. 13 Southern Illinois at home on October 25. The Salukis prevailed 23-17.

    Last season, MSU was 3-4 against ranked FCS opponents, and was tied 17-17 at the half with then No. 1-ranked Northern Iowa before ultimately falling short, 38-17, to the Panthers. The Bears best win over a ranked opponent in 2007 was a road victory over 16th ranked UT-Martin.

Up Next: The Bears continue a two-game road swing through Valley Football Conference play next week when they travel to Northern Iowa for a 4:05 p.m. kickoff against the nationally-ranked Panthers. UNI leads the all-time series, 23-5, including two in a row and eight of nine. The Bears’ last win in the series came in 2005 at Plaster with a 24-21 upset of UNI. MSU was tied with the Panthers at the half in 2007 before falling 38-17.

    The Bears then return home on November 15 to play league newcomer North Dakota State at Plaster Field at 1 p.m. in their final home game of the 2008 campaign. Missouri State concludes its season on November 22 at Indiana State for an 11 a.m. kickoff.