Football 11/4/2011 11:52:00 PM

Game Day: No. 5 Mustangs look for first outright LSC Title against No. 20 West Texas A&M

Setting the Stage

The No. 5 Midwestern State Mustangs put their 8-0 overall record and 7-0 Lone Star Conference mark on the line against the No. 20 West Texas A&M Buffaloes (6-2, 5-1).

Where to Find the Game

100.9 BOB FM - The broadcast features the play-by-play voice of two-time Lone Star Conference Broadcaster of the Year Bill Powers. He is joined by KAUZ TV-6 anchorman Chris Horgen, who serves as color analyst.
On the Web - BOB-FM's audio broadcast is simulcasted on BOBradio.fm. Link
Live Stats - Live stats are available courtesy of the MSU sports information office. Link
Mobile Live Stats - Live stats viewable on all mobile devices courtesy of the MSU sports information office. Link

For the Record

The Mustangs are 8-0, 7-0 in the Lone Star Conference after beating Eastern New Mexico 57-34 last Saturday at Blackwater Draw. The Mustangs are ranked fifth this week in the AFCA Division II Football Poll, their highest ranking ever.

West Texas A&M sports a 6-2 season record, 5-1 in Lone Star Conference play. They beat Central Washington in non-conference play 49-35 last Saturday in Canyon. The Buffs are ranked 20th in the AFCA Division II Poll this week.

Who's Hot

Midwestern State scored on its first five possessions on the way to a 57-34 triumph at Eastern New Mexico.

MSU continued it powerful ground game as the "New Pony Express" and rolled up 339 yards against the Greyhounds, marking the sixth consecutive game the Mustangs collected 290 or more rushing yards. MSU chalked up 492 yard of total offense.

The Mustangs average 566.1 yards of total offense a game, leading NCAA Division II and second only to Division I FBS Houston (612.4 ypg) in total offense in all of college football.

Junior quarterback Brandon Kelsey, a Harlon Hill Trophy Candidate, directed the thundering machine. He completed 12-of-13 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns to record his third game of a 200-or better pass efficiency rating as he tallied a 235.48 mark. He also rushed for 84 yards on nine carries with a 19-yard touchdown.For the season Kelsey has hit 108-of-149 passes for 1507 yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions and leads NCAA Division II with a 187.51 pass efficiency rating. He's also second on the team and in the LSC in rushing, averaging 83.8 yards a contest.

Redshirt freshman Jimmy Pipkin carried the ball six times for 66 yards against ENMU. He leads the Lone Star Conference and is 43rd nationally with his 85.9 yard average per game. He's got 601 yards on 46 carries on the season. He had 155 yards against Tarleton State and was named Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week after that game and he led all rushers at the Lone Star Football Festival with 106 yards and broke an 87-yard touchdown run in the waneing seconds of the contest for MSU against Texas A&M-Commerce.

Sophomore Keidrick Jackson is working on two-straight 100-plus games with his 128 yards on 11 carries against the Hounds. He also had 129 yards against Abilene Christian. He was the D2Football.com National Offensive Player of the Week and the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week for his 160 yards on 18 carries (8.9 per carry) with three touchdowns to go with his team-leading four receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown against Texas A&M-Kingsville. He's third in the Lone Star Conference and is 57th nationally in rushing with 81.0 yards a game, and leads the LSC and is sixth nationally in scoring averaging 11.3 points a contest.

Senior Lester Bush picked up only 37 yards at Eastern New Mexico, but he crossed the goal line three times. He's fourth on the team and 10th in the LSC with an average of 57.8 yards a game on the ground.

Bush and Jackson are tied for fourth on the career rushing touchdowns list with 21 TDs.

Senior David Little 40 catches for 587 yards on the season (14.7 yards per reception). He's second in career receptions, yardage and touchdowns with 151 grabs for 2,063 yards and 19 touchdowns. He needs six receptions to pass former NFL receiver Bryan Gilmore (1996-99) with 155 catches for the school career receptions record.

Senior linebacker Ty Duncan, the Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week after the Missouri S&T game, continues to lead the tackle chart with 59 stops and is fifth in the LSC with 7.4 tackles a game.

Sophomore Neiko Conway has three pass interceptions to lead the team this season, with a total of six in his 15 career games at MSU to tie for seventh on the all-time list.

The MSU defense is second in the LSC by allowing only 20.5 points a game (37th nationally), and leads the LSC in pass efficiency defense with a 116.50 rating.

West Texas A&M leads the LSC and is second nationally in passing offense averaging 362.9 yards an outing, led by quarterback Dustin Vaughan who is averagin 316.6 yards a game with a pass efficiency rating of 160.31 (second in the LSC and eighth in the nation).

WTAMU is averaging 37.5 points and 476.4 total yards a contest.

Defensively, the Buffaloes are second in the LSC and ranked 14th nationally in rushing defense allowing just 103.6 yards a game. Overally, WT gives up 343.4 yards and 19.8 points a game.

About the Series

Midwestern State and West Texas A&M are meeting for the 25th time with MSU sporting a 10-14 series record.

Quick Hits

The Mustangs are on a 15-game regular season winning streak at Memorial Stadium. The Mustangs last regular season loss was to Tarleton State 37-16 on Oct. 11, 2008. Since that time MSU has lost only one other game, an NCAA playoff affair to ACU 24-21 on Nov. 14, 2009.
MSU is on an eight-game winning streak, tying the longest single-season mark in school history. The longest win streak in MSU history is nine games over two seasons (2005-06).
The Mustangs moved up to their highest-ever spot in the AFCA Top 25 this week at No. 5. MSU was eighth last week. The D2Football.com media poll has the Mustangs at No. 6.
Midwestern State has scored on all 43 of it's appearances in the red zone this season, scoring 40 touchdowns and three field goals.

-- MSUMustangs.com --

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Players Mentioned

#8 Lester Bush: RB; 5' 9"; Senior; 3L

#22 Neiko Conway: DB; 5' 10"; Sophomore; 1L

#7 Ty Duncan: LB; 6' 2"; Senior; 3L

#32 Keidrick Jackson: RB; 5' 9"; Sophomore; 1L

#6 Brandon Kelsey: QB; 6' 2"; Junior; 2L

#4 David Little: WR; 6' 3"; Senior; 3L

#11 Jimmy Pipkin: RB; 6' 0"; Freshman; RS

Players Mentioned

#8 Lester Bush
: 5' 9"; Senior; 3L
: RB

#22 Neiko Conway
: 5' 10"; Sophomore; 1L
: DB

#7 Ty Duncan
: 6' 2"; Senior; 3L
: LB

#32 Keidrick Jackson
: 5' 9"; Sophomore; 1L
: RB

#6 Brandon Kelsey
: 6' 2"; Junior; 2L
: QB

#4 David Little
: 6' 3"; Senior; 3L
: WR

#11 Jimmy Pipkin
: 6' 0"; Freshman; RS
: RB