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Missouri State

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Home Opener! Bears Host Utah Tech Saturday at Plaster

September 19, 2023

Missouri State Bears (0-2) vs. Utah Tech Trailblazers (1-2)
Date and Time Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023 | 2:02 p.m. (Central)
Location Robert W. Plaster Stadium (17,500) | Springfield, Mo.
Promotions Black Out | Family Weekend | T-Shirt Giveaway (First 500 Students) 
Recognition of 2022-23 MVC Championship Teams
Tickets MissouriStateBears.com/tickets | (417) 836-7678 | Stadium Box Office Opens at 10 a.m  
Radio KWTO (101.3 FM) (Art Hains, Corey Riggs) | Bears Radio Network | Varsity App
Television MC-22 / ESPN+ (Don West, Tom Mast) | Watch
Tailgating / Pregame Tailgating & BearFest Village (Opens at 11:00 a.m.) 
Game Information Stadium Procedures | Shop BearWear | Weather | FCS Top 25 Polls
Program Digital Program
Series Missouri State leads 1-0  | MSU 55, UT 24 (11/20/21) | FInal Stats
Live Stats Live Stats
Game Notes Missouri State | Utah Tech | MVFC | MSU Media Guide
Follow Athletics Facebook | Athletics Twitter | Football Facebook | Football Twitter | Instagram | Beard Weekly Presser | #MSUBears | #BearsUnite | #OutHitOut Hustle | @MoStateFootball

First and Ten
  • Missouri State makes its long-awaited home debut this week when the Bears entertain Utah Tech on Saturday at 2 p.m. on Family Weekend at Robert W. Plaster Stadium. This will be the home debut of Bears head coach Ryan Beard who was named the program's head coach on Dec. 19, 2022.
  • The Bears are 70-37-4 all-time in home openers, including a 29-10-2 mark in such games as a Division I program (since 1982). During his time as defensive coordinator, Ryan Beard was 2-1 in home openers with the Bears.
  • Missouri State begins its 83rd season at Robert W. Plaster Stadium, holding an all-time home record of 225-181-12 (.553) since 1941. 
  • Long-time Bears broadcaster Art Hains will make his return to the radio booth on Saturday after fighting back from a life-threatening illness for the past year. Hains is in his second stint and 44th season overall behind the microphone. 
  • Missouri State enters the weekend with the No. 5 strength of schedule in FCS, according to MasseyRatings.com.
  • With a 44.0 career punting average (on 173 attempts), Grant Burkett (Jr., Joplin, Mo.) is the nation's active career leader in that category. He holds three of Missouri State's top four single-season punting averages, including a school-record 46.2 average in 2021. He is coming off a 45.5 average at UT Martin on 4 attempts.  
  • Jacob Clark's 332-yard passing effort at UT Martin in week 2 was the 22nd-best single-game passing effort in Missouri State history as he completed 23-of-42 attempts with 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. All-time, the Bears have had 11 QB's throw for 330 yards and 3 touchdowns in a game, most recently by Jason Shelley vs. Western Illinois (10/29/22). Clark (Rockwall, Texas) ranks 24th nationally in passing yards per game (237.5), which is 4th in the MVFC.
  • Last year's homecoming win over Western Illinois (10/29/22) was also the last time the Bears racked up 500 yards of total offense and at least 25 first downs in a game. MoState outgained UT Martin 513-512 in week 2 and turned in 26 first downs.  
  • MSU is a perfect 6-for-6 in the red zone this season which gives the Bears a share of the national lead in red zone efficiency. South Dakota State (11-for-11) and South Dakota (8-for-8) are the only other MVFC clubs to register perfect red zone efforts so far in the young season.
  • Missouri State also ranks in the top 20 nationally in four other offensive categories, including 16th in passing offense (272.5), 16th in fewest sacks allowed per game (1.0), 18th in fewest fumbles lost (1), and 20th in 4th down efficiency (.333).
  • Bears safety Todric McGee (So., Wichita Kan.) ranks 3rd nationally in solo tackles per game (9.0) and 4th nationally in total tackles per game (13.5), both of which lead the MVFC.
  • Raylen Sharpe (Jr., Allen, Texas) ranks 18th nationally (and 2nd in the MVFC) in receptions per game (6.0) and 25th in receiving yards per game (81.5). He is coming off a career-best game at UT Martin with 7 catches for 142 yards (20.3 ypc) and a touchdown.
  • Missouri State ranks 14th nationally in net punting (41.60) and 20th in punt return defense (2.00).
  • J'mariyae Robinson (RFr., Cocoa, Fla.) has scored 3 touchdowns already this season, which ranks 22nd nationally in scoring per game (9.0) and 4th in The Valley.
  • MoState is one of the least penalized teams in the country heading into this week's game. The Bears are 8th nationally in fewest penalties (8) and 7th nationally in fewest penalty yards (70).
  • A Preseason All-MVFC selection and 2022 MVFC All-Newcomer Team honoree, Jacardia Wright (RB, Decatur, Ill.) became MSU's first 700-yard rusher since 2014 (Calan Crowder) when he led the club in rushing a year ago with 156 carries for 711 yards and 9 touchdowns.
  • The Bears have 20 players on the roster this season with experience at the NCAA FBS level, including five wide receivers and 10 newcomers.
  • Utah Tech is a member of the United Athletic Conference, which also includes Abilene Christian, Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, North Alabama, Southern Utah, Stephen F. Austin, and Tarleton State.
       
Coach Ryan Beard
  • Missouri State University officially presented Ryan Beard as its new head football coach on Dec. 19, 2022 during a news conference in Great Southern Bank Arena on the Springfield campus.
  • At 34, Beard is the program's youngest head coach on record and is the 22nd person to hold the football Bears' top coaching position. His elevation to head coach came on the heels of three seasons as MSU's defensive coordinator (2020-22) under former head coach Bobby Petrino.
  • Beard has played a significant role in Missouri State's resurgence on the gridiron, managing a defensive unit that has boasted 18 all-conference selections, four All-Americans and three professional players in his tenure at MoState.
  • In his first campaign in Springfield in 2020-21, Beard and his defensive unit broke the program record for sacks with 27, created 15 turnovers, and held every Missouri Valley Football Conference foe under 30 points for the first time since 1989. His inaugural season at MSU culminated in five all-conference selections, while the Bears captured a share of the MVFC championship and earned an NCAA playoff berth.
  • As an encore effort in 2021, Beard's second year with the program saw the Bears top the club sack record again (30) while racking up 25 takeaways and securing 15 interceptions. In addition to making a second straight NCAA playoff appearance in 2021, MSU finished in sole possession of second place in the rugged Missouri Valley Football Conference, ranked ninth nationally in turnovers gained and finished 14th in interceptions per game. The 2021 Bears also boasted five all-conference players on the defensive side of the ball while Bears' defensive lineman Eric Johnson was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
  • The 2022 Bears defense gave up just 15.8 points per game over their last four games with defensive end Kevin Ellis leading the nation in fumble recoveries, and four MSU defenders earning all-conference laurels. Five-time All-MVFC pick Montrae Braswell signed a free agent deal with the Seattle Seahawks.
  • Before coming to Missouri State, Beard spent the 2019 season at Central Michigan as the special teams and safeties coach for head coach Jim McElwain. He joined the Central Michigan staff in February of 2019 and helped lead the Chippewas to an 8-6 campaign on a defensive secondary that created 13 interceptions.
  • Beard served as an assistant at Louisville during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, starting as the defensive backs coach and in quality control before moving on to become the Cardinals' linebackers coach and their co-special teams coordinator. As the defensive backs coach at Western Kentucky in 2016, Beard helped lead the Hilltoppers to the Conference USA championship and a win in the Boca Raton Bowl.
  • Beard was a standout defensive back at Western Kentucky himself from 2007-11. He was a two-time All-Sun Belt Conference selection and was named to the league's All-Freshman squad and its All-Academic team. In 2011, he earned the Western Kentucky Iron Man Award.
  • A native of Bowling Green, Ky., Beard was a four-year letterwinner at Bowling Green High for coach Kevin Wallace, where his efforts helped the Purples advance to the state 3A championship contest each of his last two years.
  • Beard holds two degrees from Western Kentucky: a bachelor of science in Business Management (2012), and a master of science in Recreation and Sport Administration (2014).
  • He is married to the former Katie Petrino. The couple have four children with son Beau and daughter Lainey, in addition to twins Jacob and Kailey born in the spring of 2022.
Series History
  • In the only previous meeting between the Bears and Utah Tech (formerly Dixie State), Missouri State closed out the 2021 regular season by rolling up a season-high 574 yards in a 55-24 non-conference win (11/20/21) in St. George. The MVFC runners-up got 251 passing yards from quarterback Jason Shelley, who extended his club single-season passing total over 3,000 yards. He completed 13-of-24 passes with a TD and also rushed for a score. Kevon Latulas also stood out for MSU, rushing for 162 yards and two touchdowns on just eight carries, while Ty Scott caught eight passes for 174 yards, becoming Missouri State's single-season receiving yards record holder.
  • After leading 27-3 at the half, Missouri State scored four times in the second half, including a defensive touchdown, a special teams score and three offensive TD drives. Dixie State's Kobe Tracy was 24-for-49 for 307 yards, while Drew Kannely-Robles carries 22 times for a team-high 78 yards for the home side.
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