Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Missouri State

FB Game Week 3

Bears Set for Saturday Tussle at No. 10 Arkansas

September 12, 2022

#5 Missouri State Bears (2-0) at #10 (FBS) Arkansas Razorbacks (2-0)
Date and Time Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022 | 6:02 p.m. (Central)
Location Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium (76,000) | Fayetteville, Ark.
Game Information Weather | FCS Top 25 Polls
Tickets ArkansasRazorbacks.com | (479) 575-5151
Radio KWTO (101.3 FM) (Art Hains, Dennis Heim) | MSU Radio Network | Listen Live
Television ESPN+/SEC Network+ (Jay Alter, Brian Kinchen, Tera Talmadge) | Watch
Alumni Events Friday Event in Rogers, Ark., 6 p.m. | St. Louis Watch Party | KC Watch Party
Series Arkansas leads 7-0 | Last Meeting: Arkansas 51, MSU 7 (9/3/11) | Final Stats
Live Stats Live Stats
Game Notes Missouri State | Arkansas | MVFC | MSU Media Guide
Follow Athletics Facebook | Athletics Twitter | Football Facebook | Football Twitter | Instagram | Petrino Weekly Presser | Players Weekly Presser | #MSUBears | #BearsUnite | #WakeTheBears | @MoStateFootball
Up Next Missouri State will host South Dakota State on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 2:00 p.m. | Tickets

First and Ten
  • Missouri State returns to the road this week when the No. 5-ranked team in FCS travels to Fayetteville, Ark., to take on the No. 10 (FBS) Arkansas Razorbacks at 6 p.m. (ESPN+/SEC Network+). It will mark the first meeting between the clubs since 2011, while Arkansas represents the second-highest ranked FBS team the Bears have ever played (No. 6 Oklahoma in 2020).
  • The Bears are off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2016 and for just the ninth time in the program's Division I era (since 1982) -- 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2002, 2004, 2007 and 2016. Only the 1983, 1989 and 2004 Bears were able to start the season 3-0.
  • QB Jason Shelley (Sr., Frisco, Texas) is the Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Week after he completed 19-of-24 passes for 297 yards and a career-high 5 touchdowns in last week's home win over No. 14 UT Martin. The 2021 MVFC Offensive Player of the Year is one of 35 players on the 2022 Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List, which recognizes the top offensive player in the FCS ranks. 
  • This week's game marks the 200th career game as a head coach for MSU's Bobby Petrino who brings a 134-65 (.673) ledger in his 17th season as a head coach. Petrino was 34-17 in four seasons as head coach at Arkansas (2008-11), including wins over Missouri State in 2009 and 2011.
  • RB Jacardia Wright (So., Decatur, Ill.), a transfer from Kansas State, was named MVFC Newcomer of the Week for his efforts in Week Two. Wright logged his first career 100-yard rushing game in MSU's win, carrying 23 times for 120 yards (5.2 yards per carry) in a breakout effort. He also scored on a 19-yard pass from Shelley with 35 seconds left in the first half, helping him rack up 162 all-purpose yards for the game. He ranks 35th nationally in rushing yards per game (79.0).
  • This week's game at Arkansas is Missouri State's only game on grass this season and its first contest on a natural surface since the 2020 season opener at Oklahoma (9/12/20).
  • Jason Shelley's 5-touchdown passing effort last week vs. UT Martin was Missouri State's first since 10/15/16 (Brodie Lambert vs. Western Illinois). Three of the other four players ever to throw 5 TD passes at Plaster Stadium ultimately became NFL quarterbacks -- Sean Payton (1986), Carson Wentz (2014) and Easton Stick (2018).
  • Milestone Updates: Montrae Braswell (CB, Avon Park, Fla.) is 3 tackles away from 100 (21g) at MSU ... Jason Shelley is 90 passing yards away from 4,000 (14g) for his MSU career and would be the 7th Bears QB to do so.  
  • MSU's defense is among the FCS national leaders in 3rd-Down Efficiency (3rd); team sacks (12th); tackles for loss (20th). The Bears .182 third-down efficiency also leads the MVFC.
  • Braswell leads the nation (FCS) in kickoff return average (55.0). His career average (31 attempts) is up to 31.8.
  • Led by Shelley's exemplary start to the 2022 campaign, the Bears rank 4th nationally in passing efficiency (192.8), 13th in completion percentage (.685) and 17th in passing offense. Individually, Shelley ranks 3rd in passing efficiency, 6th in passing TDs (6) and 8th in points responsible for (42), all of which lead the MVFC. His 281.5 passing yards per game ranks 12th among all FCS players.
  • Ty Scott (WR, Estill, S.C.) continues to set the standard for MSU receivers, ranking 3rd nationally in receiving TDs (3), 6th in receptions per game (8.0), 6th in receiving yards per game (128.0), 8th in receiving yards (256), and 31st in all-purpose yardage (129.0). He leads the Missouri Valley in receptions and receiving yards per game.
  • Grant Burkett (P, Joplin, Mo.) boasts a 40.3 punting average so far this season, but is just shy of the minimum number of attempts for the NCAA leaders (has 3.5 attempts per game - minimum is 3.6). He would rank 31st nationally with that average. Last season, Burkett ranked second in the nation with a school-record punting average of 46.2 per attempt, while helping the Bears rank second nationally in team net punting (42.81). He had 16 punts of 50 yards or better with 15 attempts downed inside the opponents' 20-yard line.
Coach Bobby Petrino
  • Bobby Petrino is in his third season as Missouri State's head football coach after joining the Bears program on January 16, 2020. He is currently 134-65 (.673) in his 17th season as a head coach and is 15-9 (.625) at Missouri State, including an 8-3 ledger at Plaster Stadium and 7-6 road record. As Bears head coach, Petrino is 12-3 in MVFC games (6-1 at home). Petrino has never coached against Arkansas. 
  • He picked up his 75th career conference victory on Oct. 2, 2021 at Illinois State and his 130th all-time win on Nov. 6, 2021 at Southern Illinois.
  • Petrino's second season in Springfield in the fall of 2021 was even more impressive than his debut campaign. The Bears finished 14th in both the AFCA and Stats Perform final polls, while rolling to a 6-2 league record and runner-up finish in the MVFC. In addition, the Bears made a second straight appearance in the NCAA FCS Playoffs, while Petrino tied for 11th in the final voting for the Eddie Robinson Award for FCS National Coach of the Year.
  • The Bears boasted a dozen all-conference players in 2021 with QB Jason Shelley earning MVFC Offensive Player of the Year and MVFC Newcomer of the Year laurels. Five other MoState players earned All-America distinction in 2021.
  • During his debut in 2020-21, Petrino helped lead the Bears to a 5-1 mark in Valley 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.
  • In August 2021, ESPN ranked Petrino No. 77 on its Top 100 college football coaches of the last 50 years.
  • 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 34th 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 eight 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 1911, Arkansas leads the regional rivalry, 7-0, with the teams playing three times from 1911 to 1924 and four times since 2000.
  • Missouri State is 0-5 all-time in Fayetteville and 0-2 in Little Rock against the Razorbacks.
  • In the most-recent matchup between the squads (9/3/11 in Fayetteville), Missouri State was out-gained 466-163 in a 51-7 season-opening loss. The Bears collected 145 of their yards in the second half and produced their only points on a 33-yard touchdown pass from true freshman starter Kierra Harris to All-America wide receiver Jermaine Saffold in the third quarter. The one-play drive started at the Arkansas 33 after a forced fumble was recovered by Nick Canavan there to set up the Bears' only points. Chris Douglas led MSU with 18 carries for 72 yards, while Harris finished 8-for-14 with an interception and 70 yards. Mike Crutcher led the MSU defense with 10 total tackles, while Ryan Callender added 8.
  • Arkansas was led by Tyler Wilson's 260 passing yards (18-for-24) with a pair of touchdowns -- both to Jarius Wright -- who led all receivers with 6 catches for 108 yards.  | Final Stats
Print Friendly Version

Sponsors