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Missouri State

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Family Weekend! Football Bears Host SDSU in Top-Five Showdown

September 19, 2022

#4 Missouri State Bears (2-1, 0-0 MVFC) vs. #2 South Dakota State Jackrabbits (2-1, 0-0 MVFC)
Date and Time Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022 | 2:02 p.m. (Central)
Location Robert W. Plaster Stadium (17,500) | Springfield, Mo.
Promotion Family Weekend | Shop BearWear | BearFest Village Tailgating Starts at 11:00 a.m.
Game Information Stadium Procedures | Tailgating & BearFest Village | Weather | FCS Top 25 Polls
Program Digital Program
Tickets MissouriStateBears.com | (417) 836-7678 | Stadium Box Office Opens at 10 a.m. on Game Day
Radio KWTO (101.3 FM) (Art Hains, Dennis Heim) | MSU Radio Network | Listen Live
Television ESPN3 (Scott Warmann, Jayice Pearson, Don Patterson) | Watch
Series South Dakota State leads 11-1 | Last Meeting: SDSU 35, MSU 14 (11/2/19) | Final Stats
Live Stats Live Stats
Game Notes Missouri State | South Dakota State | MVFC | MSU Media Guide
Follow Athletics Facebook | Athletics Twitter | Football Facebook | Football Twitter | Instagram | Petrino Weekly Presser | #MSUBears | #BearsUnite | #WakeTheBears | @MoStateFootball
Up Next Missouri State will travel to North Dakota on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 12:00 p.m. | Tickets

First and Ten
  • Coming off a near-upset at No. 10-ranked Arkansas last week, Missouri State returns to Robert W. Plaster Stadium on Saturday when the Bears begin MVFC play against No. 2-ranked South Dakota State (2 p.m., ESPN3). It is Family Weekend on campus with BearFest village festivities commencing at 11 a.m. on game day.
  • For the second straight week -- and fourth time in his career -- QB Jason Shelley (Sr., Frisco, Texas) is the Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Week after he threw for 357 yards last week at Arkansas. He was 24-for-43 through the air with no interceptions and a touchdown. He also added a 24-yard rushing touchdown that put the Bears up 17-0 at the time. The 2021 MVFC Offensive Player of the Year is also on the 2022 Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List, which recognizes the top offensive player in the FCS ranks. 
  • Bears head coach Bobby Petrino will be facing South Dakota State for the first time in his career. Now in his third season at Missouri State, Petrino is 12-3 in MVFC games (6-1 at home).
  • This week's game marks the first meeting between the Bears and Jackrabbits since Nov. 2, 2019. Only 5 current MSU players played in that game -- Landon Bebee (OL, Webb City, Mo.), Kevin Ellis (DL, Fort Worth, Texas), Anthony Payne (DL, Kansas City, Mo.), Jalen Williams (DL, Overland Park, Kan.) and Von Young (LB, Buckner, Mo.). 
  • MoState has not turned the ball over in either of its last two ball games (UT Martin and Arkansas). The last time the Bears went turnover-free in back-to-back games was Oct. 18-25, 2014 (vs. South Dakota and Illinois State).
  • Missouri State engineered four of its six longest scoring drives of the season in last week's upset bid at No. 10-ranked Arkansas. Behind QB Jason Shelley, the Bears had scoring drives of 75, 71, 69 and 64 yards in Fayetteville, with a 45-yard drive added for good measure.
  • Milestone Updates: Jason Shelley is 108 passing yards away from 6,000 for his career ... Shelley is also 8 rushing yards away from 500 for his Missouri State tenure ... Ty Scott is 69 receiving yards away from 1,500 at Missouri State (15g) ... Kevin Ellis is 18 tackles away from 200 for his career (45g) and 1.5 sacks away from 20.
  • Jason Shelley has thrown a touchdown pass in 8 straight games, just 2 shy of matching the program record (10), set by Jay Rodgers in 1999. Shelley has also thrown for 200 yards or more in all 15 career games at MSU.
  • Ty Scott (WR, Estill, S.C.) ranks 4th nationally in receiving TDs (4), 7th in receiving yards per game (107.0), 8th in receiving yards (321), 14th in total touchdowns (4) and 18th in receptions per game (6.3). He leads the Missouri Valley in receiving touchdowns and receptions per game.
  • Grant Burkett (P, Joplin, Mo.) leads the MVFC and ranks 14th nationally in punting average (44.1). His 64-yard punt at Arkansas last week was his longest since Sept. 11, 2021 vs. UCA.
  • The Bears defense ranks 13th nationally in 3rd down efficiency (.257) and 18th in turnover margin (+1.0).
  • Missouri State kicker Jose Pizano (Lehi, Utah) has made 18 of his last 19 FG attempts and converted 45 straight extra points. He ranks 22nd nationally in FG per game (1.33) and 24th in FG percentage (.800), which leads all MVFC kickers. A year ago, the All-American scored 109 points, the third-best single-season scoring total in program history and most points ever by a Bears kicker.
  • Missouri State's offense ranks 1st nationally in fewest interceptions (0); 10th in passing efficiency (166.37); 11th in passing offense (306.7); 11th in turnovers lost (2); 15th in yards per completion (15.08) and 18th in red zone efficiency (.909). The team's 306.7 yards per game through air leads the MVFC.
  • Ferrin Manuleleua (LB, Manteca, Calif.) is coming off a team-high 8 tackles at Arkansas last week, including 4 solo stops and a forced fumble. He and Montrae Braswell (CB, Avon Park, Fla.) lead the team with 20 total tackles apiece this season. 
  • South Dakota State (2/3) is the highest-ranked foe to visit Plaster Stadium since No. 1 NDSU appeared here on Nov. 10, 2018. The last time MSU was involved in a game between two Top 5 teams was Oct. 19, 1996 when No. 3 UNI defeated the No. 5 Bears, 38-31, in Cedar Falls.   
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 134-66 (.670) in his 17th season as a head coach and is 15-10 (.600) at Missouri State, including an 8-3 ledger at Plaster Stadium and 7-7 road record. As Bears head coach, Petrino is 12-3 in MVFC games (6-1 at home). Petrino has never coached against South Dakota State.  
  • 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
  • South Dakota State leads the all-time series between the teams, 11-1, with the Jackrabbits reeling off 6 straight wins in the rivalry. The teams first played in 2008 when SDSU joined the MVFC. 
  • MSU's only win in the series came on Oct. 19, 2013, with a 35-21 win at Plaster Stadium.
  • In the last meeting between the teams (Nov. 2, 2019), South Dakota State used a balanced offensive attack and a shutdown effort by its defense to make a 14-point first-half lead stand in an eventual 35-14 victory over the Bears in Springfield. The No. 4-ranked Jackrabbits scored the first 21 points of the afternoon and racked up 526 yards of total offense, while the SDSU defense forced three turnovers, held the Bears scoreless for three quarters and permitted just 249 yards in all. Jeremiah Wilson provided an offensive spark for the Bears, rushing for 87 yards on 12 carries, including a 57-yard scoring run early in the fourth period. Cade Johnson hauled in five catches for 164 yards, including a back-breaking 89-yard scoring catch to help seal the outcome, while Pierre Strong and C.J. Wilson combined for 196 yards on the ground to lead SDSU.
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