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Missouri State

Game Week 7

Football Bears Continue Road Swing at UNI

March 16, 2021

By: MSU Athletics Communications
THIS WEEK - Missouri State Bears (2-1 MVFC) at  #10 Northern Iowa Panthers (2-2 MVFC)
Date and Time Saturday, March 20, 2021 | 4:00 p.m. (Central)
Location UNI-Dome (16,324 ) | Cedar Falls, Iowa
Tickets UNIPanthers.com | (319) 273-4849
Radio KWTO (101.3 FM) (Art Hains, Dennis Heim) | MSU Radio Network | Listen Live
Television ESPN+ (Brad Wells, Justin Surrency) | Watch
Series UNI leads 35-5 | Last Meeting: UNI 22, MSU 0 (10/26/19) | STATS
Live Stats Live Stats
Game Notes Missouri State | UNI | MVFC Notes | MSU Record Book  | MSU Weekly Presser
Follow Athletics Facebook | Athletics Twitter | Football Facebook | Football Twitter | Instagram |   #MSUBears | #BearsUnite | @MoStateFootball
Up Next The Bears travel host Southern Illinois on Saturday, March 27 (2:00 p.m.) | TICKETS

First and Ten
  • Missouri State squares off with No. 10-ranked Northern Iowa on Saturday (4 p.m.) at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. The Bears take a 2-1 Valley record into the contest with victories in both conference road games this spring, including a thrilling 27-24 win at No. 21 South Dakota last week. UNI is 2-2 in the MVFC after a one-point road loss to Southern Illinois a week ago in Carbondale. The Panthers are 1-1 at home this season.
  • Cornerback Montrae Braswell (So., Avon Park, Fla.) was named MVFC Defensive Player of the Week this week after he scored a pair of touchdowns in MSU's win at South Dakota. His 36-yard pick six was MSU's first interception return for a TD since 2016 (Robert Thomas), while his 100-yard kickoff return was the Bears longest since 2015 (Deion Holliman). Braswell had 6 solo tackles in the win and a pair of passes defended.
  • The Bears are not only looking to pick up a third conference road win for the first time since 2009, but also looking for their first win in Cedar Falls since 1998.
  • Kevin Ellis (Jr., Fort Worth, Texas) is 3 total tackles away from 100 in his career. The MVFC Defensive Player of the Week on March 1, Ellis has played in 27 career games and has 48 solo stops and 9.5 sacks to his credit.
  • Jordan Murray (Jr., Lee's Summit, Mo.) has recorded a pass reception in 26 consecutive games, the fifth-longest streak in program history. For his career, Murray has 66 catches for 757 yards and 9 TDs.
  • Offensive lineman Daniel Allen (Sr., Miami, Okla.) has started 17 straight games.
  • The Bears received 5 votes in this week's AFCA (coaches) Top 25 poll, which is the 37th highest total.
  • Damoriea Vick (Jr., Oklahoma City, Okla.) and Lorenzo Thomas (Sr., Jasper, Texas) rank 17th and 19th, respectively in career receiving yards for the Bears. Vick has 94 career receptions for 1,197 yards in 28 games (27 consecutive starts), while Thomas has 96 career catches for 1,169 yards in 37 games.
  • Vick is also 23 yards away from 1500 all-purpose yards in his career (rushing, receiving and returns). His 374 receiving yards this season ranks 13th nationally, while he leads The Valley in receiving yards per game (93.0) in league games and is fifth in receptions per game (5.3) against MVFC opponents.
  • The Bears lead the MVFC in third-down defense, holding opponents to just a 28.8 percent conversion rate in league games and 28.2 percent (12th nationally) overall. MSU also leads the league in red-zone defense (.667) and ranks 17th nationally in that category overall (.682).
  • Kicker Jose Pizano (So., Lehi, Utah) has converted 8-of-10 (.800) field goals this season and is a perfect 11-for-11 PATs. The transfer from Snow College (Utah) converted a season-long 47-yard field goal attempt at UCA in week 2 and ranks 6th nationally in total field goals (8), 21st in field goals per game (1.33) and 25th in FG accuracy. His 28-yard FG at South Dakota last week with 7:51 left proved to be the game-winner in a 27-24 win.
  • Bears quarterback Jaden Johnson (RFr., Memphis, Tenn.) is 71 yards away from 1,000 for his freshman season. His season passing total (929) ranks 7th among all FCS signal callers. He already has a pair of 200-yard passing games this season with a high of 278 yards at Western Illinois.
  • With 5 games remaining on the schedule, the Bears have already crushed last year's sack total. A year ago, Missouri State recorded just 9 sacks (for 78 yards), while this year, MSU has 20 sacks (for 120 yards) with 15 different players contributing to the Bears pass rush. MSU is 11th nationally in sacks per game (3.86) with Ellis (5.5) and Isaiah Sayles (3.5) leading the way. Since 2000, the most sacks in a season by the Bears is 25 (2010).
  • In his first year as the Bears primary punter, Grant Burkett (RFr., Joplin, Mo.) is averaging 42.4 yards per attempt, which ranks No.13 nationally. He had a 75-yard punt at UCA on Oct. 17 and has 10 punts inside the 20.
  • Missouri State ranks 27th nationally in rushing defense, allowing just 114.1 yards per game on the ground. In
  • The Bears are the only MVFC team perfect in conference play in the red zone (7-for-7). MSU's scoring percentage inside the 20 vs. conference teams leads the league, while its .824 season pct. overall ranks 48th nationally.
Coach Bobby Petrino
  •  MSU officially introduced Bobby Petrino as its new head football coach in a news conference at JQH Arena on the Springfield campus, January 16, 2020.
  • He is currently 121-60 (.669) in his 15th season as a head coach. He is 2-4 at Missouri State -- 2-2 on the road and 0-2 at Robert W. Plaster Stadium. He has never coached against UNI.
  • 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 32nd year of collegiate coaching in 2020. He has guided his programs to top-six final rankings in the Associated Press poll three times (2004, 2006, 2011), 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 at 49.8 points per game. 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
  • Northern Iowa leads the all-time series, 35-5, including an 18-2 lead in games played in Cedar Falls.
  • The Panthers have won the last 14 games in the series and the last 10 meetings at the UNI-Dome.
  • Last year in Springfield, UNI earned a 22-0 decision over the Bears (10/26/19) | STATS
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