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Missouri State

Football

Football Bears Ready for Showdown with Redbirds

Oct. 3, 2011

Missouri State Bears (0-5, 0-2) vs. Illinois State Redbirds (2-3, 1-2)
Oct. 8, 2011, 2:05 p.m. Kickoff
Plaster Field (16,300), Springfield, Mo. (Field Turf) I Game Notes (PDF)

Game Information

Series: ISU leads 16-14-1 (teams are 7-7-1 in Springfield)
Television: Mediacom (MC-22) and Bears All-Access (WATCH ON LINE)
Radio: KTXR (101.3 FM) and MSU Bears Radio Network (LISTEN LIVE)
Live Stats: www.MissouriStateBears.com ()
Tickets: www.MissouriStateTix.com or (417) 836-7678 (Kids 12 and under FREE!)
MSU Showcase Weekend Information I GameDay Gear I BearFest Village Tailgating


First and Ten

  • Since 2006, the Bears are averaging 32.2 points per game against Illinois State, but have gone 2-3 in those five meetings (1-1 at Plaster during that span).
  • Quarterback Trevor Wooden (So., High Springs, Fla.) rushed for his second career touchdown in last week's game against Northern Iowa. He completed 18-of-21 passes in that game (.857), and tallied 183 yards of total offense against the No. 2-ranked Panthers, his second straight 183-yard performance.
  • Missouri State's top two tacklers this season, Mike Crutcher (RFr., S, Wentzville, Mo.) and Andrew Beisel (RFr., ILB, Fenton, Mo.) have 37 stops apiece through five games, including a team-high 22 solo stops by Crutcher. The last time a freshman led the Bears in tackles was 1998 when P.J. Jones, an MVFC All-Newcomer pick that season, collected 132 total tackles for Coach Del Miller.
  • Through five games, the Missouri State defense has not been flagged for a penalty, despite 19 flags thrown against the MSU offense and four on its special teams. Likewise, the Bears are still looking for their first interception in 2011. Since 1961, the fewest interceptions logged by a Bears' secondary is five, achieved in 1994 and 2005. The 2011 squad has three take-aways, all fumble recoveries.
  • Last Saturday's attendance of 14,827 against UNI was the 13th-largest home crowd in MSU history and best since the last time UNI was in Springfield (15,038 on 9/26/09). Last week also marked the largest gathering for a Bears' home opener since 2000.
  • Jermaine Saffold (Sr., WR, Grandview, Mo.) is 6 pass receptions shy of 100 for his career, which would make him the ninth MSU player to do so. Saffold also needs just 384 receiving yards to catch Steve Newbold (1977-80) as the club's all-time leader in reception yardage. Likewise, his 12 career TD receptions is six shy of the MSU career record (18), held by Newbold and Jeff Hewitt (1998-2000).
  • Punter Jordan Chiles (Sr., Hillsboro, Ill.) needs 4 punts to reach 200 for his career, a feat achieved previously by just Warren Baker (1968-71) with 239 and Mike Atzen (1983-86) with 204. Chiles also ranks No. 3 all-time in punt yardage (7,684) and has three of the seven longest punts in school history (75-72-72). His 41.71 punting average ranks No. 2 in the MVFC and is 24th in the NCAA FCS ranks.
  • The Bears are 0-5 for the first time since 1994 when they started 0-6 under Coach Jesse Branch (finished 4-7). Likewise, no Terry Allen-coached team -- at UNI, Kansas or Missouri State -- has ever opened the season with more than two straight losses.
  • Since 1999, the Redbirds are 4-2 at Plaster Field where the Bears have won six of their last seven games. No. 2 Northern Iowa stopped MSU's six-game home winning streak last week, 42-7. Prior to that, the last team to beat MSU at home was Illinois State (10/31/09).
  • Senior Chris Douglas (RB, Lawrenceville, Ga.) notched a career-high four pass receptions (25 yards) last week against UNI and averaged 5.9 yards per carry (9 att. for 53 yds.). Over the last two games, Douglas has 23 carries for 138 yards (6.0 yards per carry) with a touchdown and 163 all-purpose yards.


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