Midwestern State vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville
Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014 | 7 p.m.
Javelina Stadium | Kingsville, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (5-2, 4-2); Texas A&M-Kingsville (1-7, 0-6)
Video: TAMUK.tv  
Audio: MSUMustangs.com 
Live Stats: JavelinaAthletics.com  
 
ON THE FIELD
Midwestern State takes on Texas A&M-Kingsville Saturday afternoon at Javelina Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
 
SCOUTING THE HOGGIES
- Texas A&M-Kingsville has lost its last seven games with its last victory coming 17-14 over Colorado Mesa.
- The Javelinas will go into the Lone Star Conference Playoffs as the No. 8 seed and will face Eastern New Mexico next Saturday in Portales.
- Texas A&M-Kingsville ranked last in the LSC in total offense (334.6 yards per game) and in total defense allowing 462.8 yards per game.
- Junior quarterback Trey Mitchell ranks fifth in the LSC rushing for 78.2 yards per game, while junior running back Shawn Vasquez is 11th at 52.5 yards per game.
- Senior defensive back Trevor Pesek is eighth in the LSC with 9.5 tackles per game, while freshman defensive lineman Braedon Robinson is fourth with 1.44 tackles for loss per game.
 
LAST WEEK VS. WEST TEXAS A&M
- Texas A&M-Kingsville rolled up 458 yards of total offense including 301 on the ground in a 48-21 loss at West Texas A&M.
- Junior running back Shawn Vasquez churned out 107 yards on 11 carries with a touchdown, while junior quarterback Trey Mitchell ran for 78 yards on 19 totes.
- Senior defensive back Trevor Pesek led the defense with 12 tackles and an interception, while freshman linebacker Trevor Moses made 11 stops including two for loss.
- The TAMUK defense yielded 500 yards of total offense for the third straight week giving up 644 to Tarleton State, 615 to Angelo State and 502 against West Texas A&M.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES (MSU vs. TEXAS A&M-KINGSVILLE)
- Midwestern State meets Texas A&M-Kingsville for the 16th time on the gridiron Saturday night at Javelina Stadium.
- The Mustangs own a 9-6 advantage in the series which dates back to the 1997 season.
- Midwestern has won the last three meetings by an average of 18.7 points per game and has won eight of the last nine meetings between the programs.
- Texas A&M-Kingsville is 4-3 all time against the Mustangs at Javelina Stadium, but MSU has won in three of its last four trips to South Texas.
- Midwestern is 8-4 against Texas A&M-Kingsville with Bill Maskill at the helm (since 2002).
- MSU is the only team with more than 10 decisions against the Javelinas to hold the edge in the series.
 
ABOUT THE MUSTANGS OFFENSE
- Midwestern State rebounded from consecutive midseason losses to Angelo State and West Texas A&M to win its last two games -- McMurry (71-13) and Texas A&M-Commerce (40-37 in OT).
- The Mustangs have been nothing short of consistent on offense rolling up at least 426 yards in all seven games this season going over the 500-yard barrier three times.
- MSU ranks 18th in NCAA Division II in total offense (485.9 ypg)and is 10th in rushing offense (271.0 ypg).
- The ground attack has come over the last three weeks as the Mustangs averaged 338 rushing yards a game despite being without leading running back Dante Taylor (Plano, Texas / Plano East SH) for the last 2 1/2 games. Taylor led the conference rushing for 115.8 yards per game through the first five contests.
-  MSU produced a 100-yard rusher in each of its last five games with Taylor going for 105 yards against Tarleton State and 159 yards in consecutive weeks against Angelo State and West Texas A&M. Freshman quarterback Hagen Hutchinson (Stamford, Texas / Stamford HS) rushed for 106 yards against McMurry, while senior running back Chauncey Harris (San Antonio, Texas / Judson HS) ran for 169 yards and three touchdowns last week against Texas A&M-Commerce.
- Eight different players have rushed for at least 100 yards this season.
 
ABOUT THE MUSTANGS DEFENSE
- Midwestern State leads in scoring defense allowing 27.4 points per game and is second in total defense permitting 413.4 yards per game.
- MSU has stepped up the pressure and now leads the league in team sacks at 3.00 per game after registering five sacks last week against Texas A&M-Commerce.
- The Mustangs have recorded at least three sacks in six games this season and have at least three in each of the past three weeks.
- MSU has shown the ability to control the line of scrimmage boasting nine tackles for loss in each of the last two weeks.
- Junior safety Marqui Christian (Spring, Texas / Spring HS) ranks fourth in the Lone Star Conference with 11.7 tackles per game, while junior linebacker Daniel Laudermilk (Austin, Texas / Austin HS) is ninth at 8.6 stops a contest.
- Senior defensive lineman Travis Stephens (Houston, Texas / Jersey Village HS (Kansas)) rates fourth in the league with a team-high four sacks.
 
A LOOK BACK
- Midwestern State overcame a 17-point deficit with 10 minutes to play to take a 40-37 win in overtime last week against 22nd-ranked Texas A&M-Commerce.
- Senior running back Chauncey Harris (San Antonio, Texas / Judson HS) rushed for all but seven of his game-high 169 yards in the second half and scored three touchdowns after the start of the fourth quarter including the game winning 4-yard rush in overtime.
- Freshman running back Orlando Haymon (Vernon, Texas / Vernon HS) rushed for 70 yards in eight carries -- all in the third quarter -- before leaving the game due to injury.
- Sophomore Quade Coward (Cleburne, Texas / Cleburne HS) got his first collegiate start at quarterback connecting on 7-of-17 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown while running for 20 yards on five carries and another score.
- Senior quarterback Jake Glover (White Settlement, Texas / Brewer HS) led comeback efforts in the fourth quarter hitting on 3-of-4 passes for 46 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 11 yards on three carries including a key 5-yard gain on 4th-and-1 from the 16 in the overtime session.
- Senior defensive end Cameron Williams (Giddings, Texas / Giddings HS) forced and recovered a key fumble in the fourth quarter comeback.
- Junior linebacker Daniel Laudermilk (Austin, Texas / Austin HS) led the defense with 13 tackles including two for loss, on sack and a forced fumble.
 
THE PLAYOFF SCENARIO
- With a win, Midwestern State heads into the playoffs as either the No. 2 or No. 3 seed. If Tarleton State beats Angelo State, the Mustangs play host to Tarleton next Saturday at Memorial Stadium. If Angelo State beats Tarleton State, the Mustangs play the Rams next week in San Angelo as the No. 3 seed. This is assuming Texas A&M-Commerce defeats McMurry Saturday in Commerce.
- With a loss and if Tarleton State defeats Angelo State, the Mustangs head to Texas A&M-Commerce next week as the No. 4 seed. Once again, assuming A&M-C beats McMurry.
- With a loss and if Angelo State defeats Tarleton State, the Mustangs play the Rams Saturday in San Angelo as the No. 3 seed. Again, assuming A&M-C also beats McMurry.
- The Mustangs can claim the No. 1 seed with a win, an A&M-Commerce loss to McMurry and if Tarleton State defeats Angelo State. In that case, MSU hosts Angelo State Saturday at Memorial Stadium and no matter the result would play another home game the following week.
 
MUSTANGS NOTABLES
- Bill Maskill earned his 100th win at Midwestern State last weekend against Texas A&M-Commerce to run his mark to 100-39 (.719) in 12 seasons.
- With a win, Midwestern State clinches its 15th consecutive winning season.