#5 Midwestern State vs. UT Permian Basin
MSU 6-0, 5-0 LSC; UTPB 2-6, 1-4 LSC
Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017 | 6 p.m.
Grande Stadium | Midland, Texas
Live Stats: UTPBFalcons.com |
Radio: ESPN 95.5 FM |
Audio: Mustangs Digital Network
HONORING ROBERT GRAYS
- Midwestern State will honor teammate Robert Grays with helmet decals with No. 24. The coaches have embroidered patches with Grays' No. 24, as well.
- Fans are encouraged to honor Robert Grays on each kickoff by holding up two fingers on the left hand and four on the right during each kickoff.
- Each of MSU athletic teams will honor Grays in a visual way throughout the 2017-18 academic year.
- The men's and women's soccer teams each intended to halt play in the 24th minute of games on Sept. 21nd and 22nd with a minute long cheer. In the first competition following the incident, MSU senior forward Scott Doney scored in the 24th minute against Rogers State after the crowd spontaneous cheered to halt the game between 24:59 and 24:00 (22nd minute) of the first half then repeated the cheer at the same time in the second half.
- The MSU volleyball squad honors Grays by holding up two fingers on the left hand and four on the right on every Mustangs set point.
- Texas State sophomore linebacker Clifton Lewis, Jr. wore No. 24 in honor of Grays against UTSA. Lewis and Grays were teammates at Hightower High in Missouri City.
- Grays suffered a severe neck injury with 3:24 to play in MSU's 31-13 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville on Sept. 16th and passed away on Sept. 19th.
HOOF MARKS
- Midwestern State takes on UT Permian Basin Saturday night at Grande Communications Stadium in Midland. The Falcons play one game a year in Midland. UTPB fell to Oklahoma Panhandle State 54-44 last season away from its home stadium of Ratliff Stadium – known for Friday Night Lights fame – shared with the Odessa and Permian high schools.
- Midwestern State opened at No. 4 in the NCAA Division II Super Region Four rankings released Monday afternoon. The Mustangs (7-0) are behind Winona State (Minn.) (8-0), Central Washington (8-0) and Minnesota State (8-0). Winona State travels to Mankato to take on Minnesota State Saturday at 1 p.m. Central Washington closes the season with three games against GNAC opponents – Azusa Pacific, Simon Fraser and Humboldt State. Minnesota State ends the season at Sioux Falls.
- The Mustangs are one of 12 remaining unbeaten teams in NCAA Division II.
- The SR4 rankings: No. 1 Winona State (Minn.), No. 2 Western Washington, No. 3 Minnesota State, No. 4 Midwestern State, No. 5 Humboldt State (Calif.), No. 6 Sioux Falls (S.D.), No. 7 Colorado Mesa, No. 8 Texas A&M-Commerce, No. 9 Eastern New Mexico and No. 10 Minnesota-Duluth. The top seven advance to the NCAA Division II Playoffs.
- Midwestern State has matched its third best start in program history and are 6-0 for the third consecutive year. The Mustangs were 10-0 in 2011, 7-0 in 2015 and 6-0 in 1949 and 2016.
- MSU improved to 101-33 (.754) against Lone Star Conference opponents since the start of the Bill Maskill era (2002) with last week's 45-3 win over West Texas A&M.
- MSU has started the season with at least five consecutive victories in six of the last 12 years dating back to the start of the 2006 season.
- Midwestern State is in sole possession of first place in the Lone Star Conference race. At 5-0, the Mustangs hold a one-game lead in the loss column over Eastern New Mexico (5-1) and Texas A&M-Commerce (4-1).
- The Mustangs are 5-0 in Lone Star Conference for just the third time since joining the league in 1997. MSU was a perfect 8-0 in 2011 and started 5-0 in LSC play last season.
- Midwestern State used its home field dominance at Memorial Stadium to roll off four straight wins to start this season before last week's road win at Angelo State. The Mustangs own a 69-15 mark (.821) on the home field since the start of the Bill Maskill era in 2002 and are 14-2 (.875) since start of 2015 season.
- The Mustangs capped off a 3-0 September with a 35-24 win over Western New Mexico on Sept. 30th. MSU is 49-9 (.845) during the month of September during the Bill Maskill era (since 2002) and sport records of 49-21 (.700) in October and 22-15 (.595) in November.
- Midwestern will play a nine-game regular season slate in 2017 after its Sept. 9th matchup at West Florida was cancelled due to the threat of Hurricane Irma.
- MSU remained at No. 5 in this week's American Football Coaches' Association Division II Poll. It's the Mustangs' highest ranking since spending two weeks at No. 4 on Oct. 10 and 17, 2016.
- The Mustangs are ranked 6th D2Football.com rankings.
- MSU moved up six spots to 15th in the Massey Rankings.
- MSU improved to 12-2 during the regular season versus opponents ranked in the AFCA Top 25 since the start of the 2011 season with a 47-42 win over No. 2 Texas A&M-Commerce on Oct. 7th. Eight of MSU's 12 wins over teams rated in the AFCA Top 25 were higher ranked. Other top wins came against No. 9 Abilene Christian (70-28) in 2011, No. 8 West Alabama (45-21) in 2013, No. 6 Angelo State (29-20) in 2015 and No. 4 Texas A&M-Commerce (26-25) in 2016. The two losses came at the hands of No. 25 West Texas A&M (19-12) in 2013 and No. 11 Texas A&M-Commerce (27-14) in 2015.
- MSU's 47-42 win over No. 2 Texas A&M-Commerce came against the highest ranked opposition in program history. The Mustangs previously fell to No. 2 Northwest Missouri (27-0) in the 2006 NCAA playoffs and to No. 2 Abilene Christian (47-17) in 2008. Midwestern has never faced a team ranked No. 1.
- Midwestern State was picked to finish second in the Lone Star Conference heading into the 2017 season behind Texas A&M-Commerce. The Mustangs have finished second or better six of the last eight season including league titles in 2009, 2011 and 2012.
- Bill Maskill is in his 18th season as a head coach and 16th campaign at Midwestern State. Maskill has led the Mustangs to winning ledgers in each of his years at the helm of the program including the school's first Lone Star Conference championship in 2009 and first undefeated regular season in 2011. Under Maskill's guidance, MSU has advanced to the NCAA Division II postseason in the 2004, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2016 seasons while amassing a 125-46 record (.731). He was named LSC Coach of the Year in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2015, and was the AFCA Regional Coach of the Year in 2011. In all, Maskill has coached 23 All-Americans, 51 all-region selections and 61 All-Lone Star Conference first teamers in his 15 seasons in Wichita Falls.
- Maskill's 125 wins account for 53.9 percent of MSU's all-time victories on the gridiron.
- Midwestern State clinched its 18th consecutive winning season with a 41-27 win at Angelo State on Oct. 14th. In the State of Texas, the streak is matched only by defending NCAA Division III national champion Mary Hardin Baylor, which also clinched its 18th straight winning ledger. The top-ranked Cru is off to a 7-0 start this season.
- Midwestern State was won 16 more games than any other LSC member since the start of the 2000 season. That's an average of 7.8 wins per season for an overall mark of 139-54 (.720). The Mustangs are trailed by West Texas A&M (123-86, .589), Tarleton State (120-74, .619), Texas A&M-Kingsville (101-90, .529), Texas A&M-Commerce (89-101, .468), Angelo State (86-104, .453) and Eastern New Mexico (78-98, .443).
- Midwestern State boasts two alumni in the NFL as Amini Silatolu (taken by the Carolina Panthers in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft) and Marqui Christian (taken in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft) both made opening day rosters. Silatolu is a reserve lineman making his return with the Panthers this season. He was a consensus All-America pick for the Mustangs in 2011. Christian serves as a reserve safety for the Los Angeles Rams. He was a first-team All American claiming the Cliff Harris Award as the nation's top small college defender in 2015.
- The Mustangs' tradition of O-Line Pride has produced six of the last seven Lone Star Conference Offensive Linemen of the Year including Amini Silatolu (2010, 2011), Ken Van Heule (2012), Shadow Stokes (2014), Alfredo Moreno (2015) and D2 Rimington Award winner Akoakoa Paleka-Kennedy in 2016.
AGAINST THE FALCONS
- Midwestern State and UT Permian Basin meet for the second time on the gridiron Saturday night at Grande Communications Stadium in Midland.
- UT Permian Basin is 4-15 bringing in a 2-6 mark this season under head coach Justin Carrigan. Carrigan served as a graduate assistant in 2005 and 2006 at MSU then moved into a strength and conditioning and assistant coaching role for the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
- The Mustangs claimed the only meeting between the programs by a 76-21 margin on Oct. 29, 2016 at Memorial Stadium. MSU scored 35 points in the opening quarter and jumped out to a 56-7 halftime lead. Midwestern rolled up 609 yards of total offense led by a career-high 121 rushing yards from Nicholas Gabriel. Layton Rabb completed 7-of-8 passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns in a reserve role.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
- Midwestern State bring the Lone Star Conference's No. 2 offense into Saturday's game against UT Permian Basin. MSU ranks 17th in NCAA Division II piling up 478.7 yards per game including 205.7 rushing yards (34th in NCAA D2/2nd in the LSC) and 273 passing yards (24th in NCAA D2/4th in the LSC).
- The Mustangs boast the top scoring offense in the Lone Star Conference averaging 42.7 points per game which rates ninth nationally.
- Midwestern State tops the nation in fewest turnovers with four through six games this season. The Mustangs have turned ball over once in the last four weeks – an interception by Angelo State's Fred Lawrence.
- Two-time Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week Layton Rabb continued his impressive run as a starting quarterback for the Mustangs connecting on 23-of-31 passes for 289 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-3 win over West Texas A&M on Oct. 21st.
- Rabb completed a career-high 32-of-45 passes for 306 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-27 win over Angelo State on Oct. 14th.
- Rabb had a career-best 332 yards of total offense in leading the Mustangs to a 47-42 win over No. 2 Texas A&M-Commerce on Oct. 7th. Rabb completed 16-of-28 passes for 265 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for a career-best 67 yards on nine carries.
- Rabb passed for a career-high 326 yards on 20-of-31 passing with two touchdowns in a 35-24 win over Western New Mexico on Sept. 30. It was Rabb's second consecutive game with at least 200 passing yards and it was the biggest passing day by an MSU quarterback since Zack Eskridge threw for 356 yards at Eastern New Mexico on Oct. 31, 2009.
- Rabb's 32 completions against Angelo State were tied for the third most in a season game in MSU program history and were the most since Zack Eskridge had 34 completions in a 38-33 loss at Central Oklahoma on Oct. 25, 2008.
- Rabb's 45 pass attempts versus Angelo State were the sixth most in program history and most since Eskridge threw the ball 47 times at Central Oklahoma in 2008.
- Rabb ranks second in the LSC and is 13th nationally with a pass efficiency rating of 162.9. He is fourth in the league and 59th nationally in passing yards per completion (13.07) and third in the LSC and 30th in NCAA D2 with 250.2 passing yards per game.
- Junior running back Adrian Seales ranks second in the LSC in both rushing yards per game (101.2/30th in NCAA D2) and rushing yards per carry (7.78/5th in NCAA D2). He is also second in the league and 91st nationally with 109.0 all-purpose yards per game.
- Seales notched the fourth best individual rushing game in school history finishing the night with 243 yards on 17 carries and one touchdown in the season opener against Quincy. Seales' performance stands as the fifth-best rushing day this season in NCAA II. The performance was his fourth 100-yard effort of his career. He followed with 83 yards on 13 carries against Texas A&M-Kingsville and 86 yards on 19 carries versus Western New Mexico.
- Former All-America quarterback Daniel Polk is the only player in program history to run for more yards in a game going for 290 against Abilene Christian in 2007, 259 versus Southeastern Oklahoma in 2006 and 244 at Eastern New Mexico in 2005. That means a runner wearing MSU's No. 5 jersey has accounted for the top four rushing efforts in program history as Polk also wore the number.
- Seales moved to 19th on MSU's all-time rushing list in MSU's win over Western New Mexico (9/20) and now has 1,163 rushing yards. He needs 86 yards to pass Stephon Brockington (1,290 yards/1994-95) to move into 18th.
- Junior running back Vincent Johnson ranks fifth in the LSC and 81st in NCAA D2 rushing for 75.7 rushing yards a game, but continues to find the end zone at a record setting clip. He scored three touchdowns in the season opener against Quincy, had two more in a win over Texas A&M-Kingsville then scored another against Western New Mexico before rushing for three in a win over No. 2 Texas A&M-Commerce and going for four more against Angelo State.
- Johnson has accounted for multiple rushing touchdowns in 13 games in his career turning the task two times as a freshman in 2015, seven times in 2016 and four times this season.
- Johnson moved past former All-America Brandon Kelsey on MSU's all-time rushing touchdowns list with his touchdown against Western New Mexico and now has 38. He trails Keidrick Jackson (61 TD/2010-13) and Daniel Polk (44 TD/2004-07). With 228 points, Johnson stands fifth on MSU's all-time scoring list behind Keidrick Jackson (372/2010-13), Jose Martinez (291/2007-10), Daniel Polk (266/2004-07) and Greg Saladino (245/2010-13).
- Johnson is 10th on MSU's all-time rushing list with 1,787 career rushing yards. He needs 4 yards to pass Chauncey Harris (1,790 yards/2010, 12-14) to jump to ninth, 33 to jump Jerrold Fuqua (1,822 yards/2002-03) to go to eighth and 171 to pass Henry Anders (1,957 yards/1991-92) into seventh.
- Johnson has accounted for two 100-yard rushing games this season going for 136 yards on seven carries with three TDs in the season opener against Quincy. He ran for 133 yards and three more scores in a 47-42 victory over No. 2 Texas A&M-Commerce. Johnson has five career 100-yard rushing efforts.
- Senior D.J. Myers set career highs with eight receptions for 149 yards including a 72-yard touchdown in a 45-3 win over West Texas A&M on Oct. 21st. It was his second 100-yard receiving performance of the season.
- Myers exploded for four catches for 130 yards including a 54-yard TD reception against Western New Mexico then had six catches for 70 yards and a TD against Angelo State.
- Myers' 149 receiving yards versus West Texas A&M were the 13th most in a single game in school history and most since David Little caught 14 passes for 181 yards against Incarnate Word on Oct. 2, 2010.
- Myers leads the Mustangs with 23 receptions for 400 yards and a team-best four touchdowns. Myers averages 17.4 yards per catch and ranks 8th in the LSC with 66.7 receiving yards per game.
- Sophomore wide receiver Tyrique Edwards enjoyed a breakout performance catching a career-high seven passes for 94 yards including a 23-yard touchdown against Texas A&M-Commerce then had six catches for 55 yards and another score at Angelo State.
- Edwards, who has touchdown receptions in each of his last three games, is second on the MSU receiving corps with 22 catches for 318 yards ranking 13th in the LSC at 53.0 receiving yards per game.
- Sophomore wide receiver Xavier Land snagged his first collegiate touchdown on a 22-yard corner route against Texas A&M-Commerce and added another on a 14-yard crossing route against West Texas A&M. Land has made 14 catches for 119 yards this season.
- Senior DeAndre Black boasts consecutive 70-yard performance making five catches for 72 yards against Angelo State before going for four catches for 70 yards versus West Texas A&M. Black is third on the team with 17 receptions for 247 yards and a touchdown.
- Senior wide receiver Brandon Sampson caught a season-best eight balls for 64 yards against Angelo State.
- Five different Midwestern State receivers have at least 14 receptions this season and six different receivers have scored touchdowns.
- The Mustangs have been great in the Red Zone scoring on 24 of their 25 excursions with 22 touchdowns.
- Behind the starting offensive line of John Rowell (LT), Islam Sbeih (LG), A.J. Roland (C), Kevin Fisher (RG) and Caleb Brown (RT), MSU have permitted a tops in the nation 2.5 tackles for loss through six games this season. The group is ninth nationally and tops in the LSC allowing 0.67 quarterback sacks per game.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
- Midwestern State boasts the LSC's No. 2 scoring defense while ranking 28th in NCAA Division II allowing 19.2 points per game.
- The Mustangs rate seventh in the LSC in total defense allowing 401.8 yards per game including 124.2 rushing yards (4th in LSC/43rd in D2) and 277.7 passing yards (9th in LSC/159th in D2).
- MSU tops the LSC and sixth in NCAA D2 in the Red Zone allowing 10 touchdowns and 14 total scores in 23 opponent opportunities inside the 20 (61 percent).
- The Mustangs held to of their six opponents to fewer than 300 yards limiting Quincy (Ill.) to 246 yards in the opener on Aug. 31st and West Texas A&M to 228 yards on Oct. 21st.
- The 228 yards by West Texas A&M were the fewest allowed by an MSU defense since Truman State managed 171 yards on Sept. 5, 2015.
- Junior linebacker Drew Bolin earned LSC Defensive Player of the Week honors making four tackles and a sack while playing 13 snaps in 45-3 win over West Texas A&M on Oct. 21st.
- Sophomore Kevin Hayes claimed Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors after making two interceptions, breaking up two more passes, forcing and recovering a fumble and had a season-high seven tackles in a 41-27 win at Angelo State on Oct. 14th. Hayes is second in the LSC and 92nd in NCAA D2 with 0.3 interceptions per game.
- Sophomore Marcus Wilkerson ripped the ball away from Carandal Hale in the third quarter and returned it 54 yards for a touchdown in a 47-42 win over Texas A&M-Commerce on Oct. 7th. It was his second defensive score of the season to go along with a 49-yard interception return in the season opener against Quincy (Ill.).
- Sophomore DaMarcus Wilson made a season-high seven tackles with an interception and a pass breakup against Texas A&M-Commerce. Wilson leads the Lone Star Conference and is 19th in NCAA D2 with 1.5 pass defenses a game.
- Junior safety Josh Wydermyer matched a career high with 13 tackles at Angelo State. He ranks ninth in the LSC and 166th in NCAA D2 with 7.2 tackles per game.
- Up front, the Mustangs rank second in the LSC and 16th in NCAA D2 in quarterback sacks at 3.17 per game getting 4.0 from junior Alec DiValerio, 3.5 from seniors Deandra Stevenson and Semaj Robinson and 2.0 from senior Jacob Sherrill. Freshman A.J. Gulley, sophomore Travon Ransom, junior Paul Manus and junior Drew Bolin have one each. Sophomores Tristan Shearman and Zach Edwards have also combined on a sack.
- Through six games, 11 different defenders have recorded at least 20 tackles for MSU led by junior safety Josh Wydermyer with 41. Wydermyer amassed a career-high 13 tackles at Angelo State after making eight stops three times this season – Quincy, Western New Mexico and Texas A&M-Commerce.
- Other players with at least 20 tackles include sophomore Tristan Shearman (38), junior Sir'Vell Ford (28), senior Steven Rogers (26), sophomore Kevin Hayes (26), sophomore Zack McMahan (24), junior Alec DiValerio (24), senior Jacob Sherrill (23), sophomore DaMarcus Wilson (23), sophomore J.P. Cognasi (21) and sophomore Marcus Wilkerson (20).
- The MSU defense ranks seventh in the LSC and 86th nationally with 6.3 tackles for loss a game led by senior Sejam Robinson (6.0/28yards) and junior Alec DiValerio (5.5/36 yards).
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
- Senior Mitchell Henton ranks third in the Lone Star Conference and 24th in NCAA Division II averaging 41.0 yards on 22 punts this season. He boasts five punts of 50-or-more yards including a career-best 64-yard effort against Western New Mexico. Henton has placed seven punts inside the 20 and forced six fair catches.
- Behind Henton's efforts, the Mustangs rate second in the Lone Star Conference and 17th in NCAA Division II in net punting at 37.68 yards per attempt.
- Henton was 15-for-17 on point-after tries over the last two games since taking over for the injured Jaron Imbriani.
- Sophomore kicker Jaron Imbriani missed three games due to injury. He has connected on 13-of-15 point-after tries and is a perfect 2-for-2 on field goal tries this season including a 30-yarder against Quincy (Ill.) in the season opener and a 21-yarders against West Texas A&M on Oct. 21st.
- Imbriani is averaging 49.0 yards on 15 kickoffs with two touchbacks over two games this season.
- Top return man DeAndre Black, an All-America last season, averages 8.4 yards on seven punt returns with a long of 24 yards. The senior also averages 22.5 yards on 11 kick returns with a long of 39 yards.
- Black is fourth in the Lone Star Conference and 106th in NCAA D2 in combined kick return yardage (307) and fourth in the LSC and 82nd nationally in kick return average (22.5).
-- MSUMustangs.com --
