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Missouri State

Football Game Week Graphic

Grid Bears Set for Conference Clash with NDSU

March 02, 2021

By: MSU Athletics Communications
GAME 5 - Missouri State Bears (1-3, 1-0 MVFC) vs. #6 North Dakota State (2-1, 1-1 MVFC)
Date and Time Saturday, March 6, 2021 | 2:00 p.m. (Central)
Key Information Fan Guide | Game Program | Weather | No BearFest Village for this game
Location Robert W. Plaster Stadium (17,500) | Springfield, Mo.
Tickets MissouriStateBears.com | (417) 836-7678
Radio KWTO (101.3 FM) (Art Hains, Dennis Heim) | MSU Radio Network | Listen Live
Television ESPN+ (NBC ND Feed) (Lee Timmerman, Kyle Emanuel) | Watch
Series NDSU leads 10-2 | NDSU 22, MSU 0 (10/26/19) at Fargo | Stats
Live Stats Live Stats
Game Notes Missouri State | NDSU | MVFC | MSU Record Book 
Follow Athletics Facebook | Athletics Twitter | Football Facebook | Football Twitter | Instagram |   MSU Weekly Presser | #MSUBears | #BearsUnite | @MoStateFootball
Up Next The Bears travel to South Dakota on Saturday, March 13 at 1:00 p.m. (Central)

First and Ten
  • Coming off a dramatic 30-24 win in its Missouri Valley Football Conference opener last week, Missouri State looks to maintain its recent momentum Saturday (2 p.m.) when the Bears host No. 6 North Dakota State at Robert W. Plaster Stadium in Springfield.
  • Kevin Ellis (Jr., Fort Worth, Texas) was named MVFC Defensive Player of the Week after he came up with big play and big play in the Bears win at Western Illinois. In the final five minutes of the game, Ellis was responsible for two turnovers on the Leathernecks' last two possessions, snagging a one-handed interception to halt a Western Illinois rally before forcing a fumble and turnover on WIU's final play of the game to secure MSU's victory. He also had a possession-ending sack and finished the contest with 6 total stops, 5 solo tackles and 2.0 sacks.
  • Jordan Murray (Jr., Lee's Summit, Mo.) has now recorded a pass reception in 24 consecutive games, the fifth-longest streak in program history. In 2018, Murray broke the Bears freshman receiving record with 33 catches for 378 yards while earning FCS Freshman All-America honors. Last season, he caught 24 passes for 280 yards last season with a team-high 5 touchdown catches.
  • Lorenzo Thomas (Sr., Jasper, Texas) ranks 18th on MSU's career receiving yards list (1,142) and needs 8 yards to catch Tyler Currie (2017-19) at the No. 17 spot. Thomas now has 92 receptions in 35 career games.
  • Missouri State head coach Bobby Petrino is shooting for his 70th career conference victory in Saturday's game. Against conference foes in his career, Petrino is 69-42, now in his 15th season.
  • Bears quarterback Jaden Johnson (RFr., Memphis, Tenn.) is coming off his second 200-yard passing game in three tries with a season-high 278-yard effort in the win at Western Illinois. In the win in Macomb, Johnson completed a season-high 7 passes of 20 yards or more, including his first career TD pass - a go-ahead 22-yard completion to Isaac Smith (Sr., Kansas City, Mo.) in the fourth quarter.
  • MSU has surrendered just 90.8 yards per game on the ground through its first four games this season, ranking No. 10 nationally (and No. 2 in the MVFC) in rushing defense. The Bears also rank No. 6 in the FCS ranks in turnovers forced with 7.
  • Kicker Jose Pizano (So., Lehi, Utah) has converted 6-of-7 (.857) field goals this season, including his last 6 in a row, while posting a perfect 8-for-8 extra points. The transfer from Snow College (Utah) converted a 47-yard field goal attempt at UCA in week 2 and ranks 31st nationally in scoring (6.5), 8th in field goals per game (1.5) and 13th in field goal accuracy (.857).
  • Newcomer Jeremy Webb (Sr., East Mims, Fla.), a transfer from Virginia Tech, ranks 13th nationally in passes defended with 6 (1.5 per game). He also has 2 interceptions on the young season.
  • Damoriea Vick (Jr., Oklahoma City, Okla.) is coming off a career-high 138 receiving yards on 6 receptions in last week's win at Western Illinois. Vick ranks 17th nationally in receiving yards (233), and 37th in receiving yards per game (58.2). He has started a team-best 25 consecutive games.
  • In his first year as the Bears primary punter, Grant Burkett (RFr., Joplin, Mo.) is averaging 40.8 yards per attempt, which ranks No. 13 nationally. He had a 75-yard punt at UCA on Oct. 17 and has 5 punts inside the 20.
  • Missouri State is seeking its first win over a ranked opponent since a 24-21 home victory over No. 9 Illinois State on Sept. 29, 2018. MSU clinched that win with a blocked field goal as time expired.
  • Missouri State signed a total of 22 players to National Letters of Intent during the December (18) and February (4) signing days. Though not all eligible for the spring semester, seven early commitments are already on campus, particularly players on the active two-deep Ryan Suliafu (OL), Nick Gallo (OL), Tobias Little (RB), Kyriq McDonald (DB), and Ron Tiavaasue (TE).
Coach Bobby Petrino
  • Missouri State University 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 120-59 (.670) in his 15th season as a head coach. He is 1-3 at Missouri State -- 0-1 at Robert W. Plaster Stadium and 1-2 on the road. He has never coached against North Dakota State.
  • 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
  • North Dakota State leads the all-time series, 10-2.
  • Missouri State is 1-5 at home and 1-5 in Fargo against the Bison.
  • The teams first met in 2008 when the Bison joined the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
  • Missouri State's last victory in the series was a 3-0 win at Plaster Stadium on 11/20/2010.
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