#10 Midwestern State vs. #8 Tarleton State
MSU Texas (6-1, 4-1 LSC), TSU (7-0, 6-0 LSC)
Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018 | 7 p.m.
Memorial Stadium | Wichita Falls, Texas
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com |
Radio: ESPN 95.5 FM |
Audio/Video: Mustangs Digital Network
HOOF MARKS
- No. 10 Midwestern State faces its third Top 10 matchup this season Saturday night against No. 8-ranked Tarleton State. The 10th-ranked Mustangs defeated No. 2 West Florida 38-17 on Sept. 8th, then at No. 4 fell to No. 9 Texas A&M-Commerce in a wild 20-19 loss on a missed field goal at the horn.
- It will be the eighth Top 10 meeting all time for Midwestern State which also includes 31-28 loss to No. 9 Abilene Christian (MSU at No. 8) on Oct. 9, 2010; a 38-31 loss in OT to No. 10 Northwest Missouri (MSU at No. 2) on Nov. 26, 2011; a 26-17 loss to No. 4 Colorado State-Pueblo (MSU at No. 9) on Nov. 28, 2015; a 26-25 win at No. 4 Texas A&M-Commerce (MSU at No. 7) on Oct. 8, 2016; and a 63-21 loss at No. 1 Minnesota State (MSU at No. 5) on Nov. 25, 2017.
- It's a Texas-Sized Homecoming for Midwestern State. The Mustangs are 20-10 on Homecoming since bringing back football in 1988. MSU Texas has won their last nine and are 14-2 on Homecoming during the Bill Maskill era (since 2002). The average margin of victory has been 19.6 points per game and includes wins over No. 9 Abilene Christian (70-28) in 2011, No. 8 West Alabama (45-21) in 2013 and No. 22 Texas A&M-Commerce (40-37/OT) in 2014.
- Midwestern State earned Bill Maskill his 200th win as head ball coach last month at UT Permian Basin. Maskill sports a 148-56 overall record (.725) including a 135-48 mark (.738) at MSU Texas. He was 13-8 in two seasons at Southeast Missouri State (1988-89).
- Midwestern State claimed wins in their first five games this season before taking a wild 20-19 loss to No. 9 Texas A&M-Commerce. It's the fourth straight year the Mustangs starting the season with a 5-0 run. MSU Texas began eight of Bill Maskill's 16 seasons with at least five wins.
- The Mustangs remained 10th for the second consecutive period in this week's American Football Coaches' Association Top 25. Midwestern received a first-place vote in the Sept. 10th edition of the AFCA Top 25 for the third time in program history. The other two occasions came in the final two weeks of the 2011 season.
- MSU Texas has carried a national ranking for the last 44 reporting periods and has been ranked in at least one poll in each season dating back to 2006.
- The Mustangs are ranked 11th in the D2Football.com Poll.
- Midwestern State was won 21 more games than any other LSC member since the start of the 2000 season. That's an average of 7.9 wins per season for an overall mark of 149-56 (.727). The Mustangs are trailed by Tarleton State (128-77, .624), West Texas A&M (128-92, .582) and Texas A&M-Kingsville (104-98, .515).
- Bill Maskill is in his 17th season at the helm of Midwestern State football. As the program's all-time wins leader, his 135 victories account for 55.8 percent of MSU's total wins as a four-year program. He earned Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2017. Maskill boasts a total career record of 148-56 (.725) through 18 seasons which includes a two-year run at Southeast Missouri State (1988-89). Maskill boasts a 135-48 overall mark (.738) at MSU Texas.
- The Mustangs have five graduate student-athletes on the roster including senior defensive end Alec DiValerio (Exercise Physiology), senior defensive end D.J. Doggett (Sport Administration), senior linebacker Jacob Sherrill (Respiratory Care), senior center A.J. Roland (General Business) and senior quarterback Layton Rabb (Accounting).
24 STRONG
- Midwestern State cornerback Robert Grays passed away one year ago on Sept. 19, 2016 days after suffering a neck injury in the fourth quarter of a win against Texas A&M-Kingsville.
- The MSU Texas community joined the team on Wednesday, Sept. 19th at the practice field for 24 seconds of silence followed by team's traditional 24 push-ups and the release of 24 balloons in remembrance of Grays.
- Each of Midwestern State Athletic teams committed to performing 24 acts of kindness to carry on Robert Grays' memory during an annual 24 Strong week.
- Junior cornerback Jaydon Cunigan was presented as the first recipient of the Robert T. Grays Memorial Scholarship during spring drills.
- Midwestern State officially retired Robert Grays' jersey (24) in a halftime ceremony on Nov. 4, 2017 against Tarleton State.
- Robert Grays competed in 13 games at cornerback and return specialist during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. He made 34 tackles, defended five passes and recovered a fumble at cornerback. He also averaged 22.7 yards on 15 kick returns with a long of 73 yards. He also averaged 8.6 yards on seven punt returns.
- Grays was a general business major and a 2016 graduate of Hightower High School in Houston.
THIS SEASON
- Midwestern State had its 11-game winning streak against Lone Star Conference competition snapped in a 20-19 loss to Texas A&M-Commerce last week in a game decided at UNT's Apogee Stadium (officially recorded as a home game). The Mustangs are 24-4 against league opponents since the start of the 2015 season.
- The Mustangs claimed their second largest win in terms of margin of victory in a 69-14 rout at Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday, Oct. 13th at Pepsi Field. It matched MSU's ninth largest margin of victory in program history and was the second 40-point win of the season – 55-12 over Humboldt State on Sept. 1. MSU claimed three wins over 40-or-more points last season and marked a program high with four 40-point victories in 2011.
- Midwestern State claimed a win in its fifth straight season opener with a 55-12 victory over Humboldt State. It was their 14th consecutive home opening win as the Mustangs improved to 15-2 in lid lifters during the Bill Maskill era (since 2002).
- Midwestern State took on the No. 2 team in the American Football Coaches' Association Top 25 for the fourth time in program history and came away with a 38-17 win over West Florida on Sept. 8th. The Mustangs also claimed a 47-42 win over second-ranked Texas A&M-Commerce last season. 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. The lost to No. 1 Minnesota State (63-21) in the second round of the 2018 NCAA II Playoffs in its only try against a top-ranked team.
- MSU Texas slipped to 14-3 against ranked opposition during the regular season since the start of the 2011 campaign after falling to No. 9 Texas A&M-Commerce, 20-19, last week. The Mustangs defeated then-No. 2 West Florida 38-17 earlier this season. It was the highest ranked opponent MSU ever took down. 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, No. 11 Texas A&M-Commerce (27-14) in 2015 and No. 2 Texas A&M-Commerce (47-42) in 2017.
- The Mustangs are 8-2 against ranked opponents at Memorial Stadium since the start of the 2011 season which includes victories over No. 16 Texas A&M-Kingsville (44-38), No. 9 Abilene Christian (70-28) and No. 20 West Texas A&M (35-21) in 2011; No. 8 West Alabama (45-21) in 2013; No. 22 Texas A&M-Commerce (40-37/OT) in 2014); No. 10 Humboldt State (35-10); No. 2 Texas A&M-Commerce (47-42) in 2017 and No. 2 West Florida (38-17) this season. The lone regular season true home loss came against No. 25 West Texas A&M (19-12) in 2013. The other loss came to No. 9 Texas A&M-Commerce on Oct. 6-7, 2018 in a game in which only half of it was played at Memorial Stadium before moving to UNT's Apogee Stadium the following day due to a lack of hotel rooms in the Wichita Falls vicinity following two lightning delays.
- Midwestern State boasts a 24-game winning streak against Division II non-conference opponents dating back to Bill Maskill's first year at the helm of the program in 2002. The Mustangs are 24-3 overall in non-conference tilts in the Maskill era with two of the three losses coming to FCS Sam Houston State – 26-23 in 2002 and 30-9 in 2003.MSU Texas' lone Division II non-conference regular season loss came at Nebraska-Omaha (45-23) in 2002.
- Overall, Midwestern State has won 19 of its last 21 regular season home games dating back to the start of the 2015 season. The lone setback during the stretch came to Eastern New Mexico in the 2016 regular season finale. MSU Texas boasts a staunch 73-15 home record (.830) during the Bill Maskill era (since 2002). The Mustangs clinched their third unbeaten home season going 7-0 last season and have one or fewer losses at home in 14 out of 16 seasons under Maskill.
- For the third consecutive season, the Mustangs were picked to finish second in the Lone Star Conference behind Texas A&M-Commerce. Midwestern claimed its fourth LSC title last season rolling through the league with an unbeaten 8-0 mark. The title came on the heels of three consecutive runner-up showings in the LSC which includes a LSC Playoff title in 2015. MSU Texas boasted three LSC titles in four seasons taking the crown in 2009, 2011 and 2012.
- Midwestern State can clinch its 19th consecutive winning season with a win at Texas A&M-Kingsville. In the State of Texas, the streak is matched only by defending NCAA Division III national champion Mary Hardin Baylor has also clinched its 19th straight winning season. UMHB improved 7-0 with its third straight shutout in last week against Belhaven (Miss.) (49-0). The Cru takes on McMurry today in Belton.
SERIES HISTORY
- Midwestern State and Tarleton State meet for the 31st time on the gridiron Saturday night at Memorial Stadium. The Texans hold an 18-12 edge in the series which dates back to the 1946 season.
- The Mustangs are riding their longest winning streak of the series claiming victory in the last three meetings.
- Midwestern is 8-7 all-time against Tarleton State in games played in Wichita Falls with wins in four of the last five games at Memorial Stadium dating back to the 2010 campaign. Tarleton's lone win in Wichita Falls during the stretch came 44-41 in the 2014 LSC consolation playoffs.
OFFENSIVELY SPEAKING
- Midwestern State boasts the Lone Star Conference's No. 2 offensive attack ranking sixth in NCAA Division II rolling up 518.6 yards per game.
- The Mustangs possess the nation's top passing offense at 341.6 yards per game.
- Midwestern ranks fifth nationally while ranking second in the LSC in scoring offense putting up 44.6 points per game. The Mustangs trail Valdosta State (Ga.) (53.4 ppg), Tarleton State (47.3 ppg), Colorado School of Mines (46.4 ppg) and Minnesota State (45.0 ppg).
- MSU Texas put up huge numbers in a 57-36 win over Angelo State on Sept. 22nd. The 654 yards of total offense rank as the third most in a single game in 2018 in all of NCAA Division II, while the 470 passing yards were also the third most.
- Midwestern State's Layton Rabb and Zach Purcell combined to throw for a team record 470 yards on 25-of-40 passing against Angelo State to better the previous mark of 446 passing yards against West Texas A&M in 2002.
- Midwestern State's 654 yards of total offense matched the 10th most in a single game in program history and were the most since the Mustangs amassed 667 against UT Permian Basin in 2017.
LAYT GREAT
- Senior quarterback Layton Rabb is second in NCAA Division II in career passing efficiency at 163.98 just behind UIndy's Jake Purichia (164.07).
- Rabb leads the Lone Star Conference in passing touchdowns (23 TD // fourth in NCAA D2), passing yards (2,247 // 10th in NCAA D2), passing yards per game (321.0 // fourth in NCAA D2) and total offense per game (334.1 yards // third in NCAA D2).
- Rabb ranks second in the LSC in pass efficiency (168.0 // 10th in NCAA D2) trailing Tarleton State's Ben Holmes (185.2).
- Rabb became the third quarterback in MSU program history to throw for 5,000 career yards with his 234-yard performance against Texas A&M-Commerce (10/6). Now with 5,541 passing yards, he ranks third on MSU's all-time passing list behind Zack Eskridge (6,953 yards // 2008-10) and Phillip Boggs (5,592 yards // 1999-03). He needs 52 yards to pass Boggs for second and 1,413 to pass Eskridge to become the school's all-time passing leader.
- Rabb enters the Tarleton State game with 57 career passing touchdowns and needs eight to move by Zack Eskridge (64 from 2008-10) at the top of MSU Texas' all-time list.
- Three-time Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week Layton Rabb earned his latest honor by upping his own school single game passing yards record to 467 and five touchdowns in a 57-36 win over Angelo State on Sept. 22. The 467-yard day is the fourth best in NCAA D2 this season trailing Shepherd's Tyson Bagent (518 yards vs. Notre Dame (Ohio)), Oklahoma Baptist's Preston Haire (476 yards vs. Southern Arkansas) and Adams State's Nick Rooney (468 yards vs. Fort Lewis).
- Rabb earned his second LSC Offensive Player of the Week honor after passing for 334 yards and three touchdowns – all in the second half – in a 38-17 win over No. 2 West Florida on Sept. 8th. He completed 17 of his last 19 passes going 27-for-43 for the game.
- Rabb snagged his first LSC Offensive Player of the Week honor by going 15-of-17 for 273 yards and five touchdowns leading MSU Texas to touchdowns on all six of his drives before exiting the team's 55-12 win over Humboldt State before halftime. His single-game passing rating of 320.2 against Humboldt State is a school record and stands as the best game NCAA Division II this season.
- Rabb's 310-yard performance at Eastern New Mexico was his seventh career 300-yard effort.
- Rabb completed 20-of-35 passes for 338 yards for his eighth career 300-yard performance in his 17th start on Oct. 13, 2018 at Texas A&M-Kingsville. His five touchdowns against the Javelinas marked his fifth career game passing for at least five TDs.
- Rabb owns three of the top five passing games in program history going for 467 yards against Angelo State (9/23/18), 433 yards against Tarleton State (11/4/17) and 393 yards at Eastern New Mexico (11/11/17).
- Rabb went 178 passing attempts without an interception between a pick by Minnesota State's Jerry Nash III in third quarter of the NCAA D2 second round playoff game in Mankato until Texas A&M-Commerce's Dominique Ramsey intercepted his fifth pass of the game on Oct. 6, 2018.
RUNNING BACK RUNDOWN
- Senior running back Vincent Johnson ranks second in the LSC and 33rd nationally averaging 99.3 rushing yards per game.
- Vincent Johnson tops the LSC and is fourth in NCAA D2 averaging 8.27 rushing yards per carry. He has carried the ball 84 times for 695 yards and 10 touchdowns this season.
- Vincent Johnson earned Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors following a career-best 195-yard effort in a 43-21 win at UT Permian Basin on Sept. 15th. Johnson burst for a career long 82-yard score during MSU Texas' 22-point third quarter explosion to take control of the game. Johnson ran for 102 yards on seven carries in the season opener against Humboldt State and needed 10 carries to run for 47 yards against West Florida.
- Johnson his fourth 100-yard rushing performance of the season going for 108 yards on 17 carries against Texas A&M-Commerce (10/6). It was ninth career 100-yard rushing effort.
- Johnson is third on MSU's all-time rushing list with 2,750 yards moving past Ross Harrison (6th // 2,418 yards // 2004-06), Marcus Mathis (5th // 2,433 yards // 2007-10) and Dominic Rhodes (4th // 2,541 yards // 1999-00) with his 159-yard effort against Angelo State. He trails only Keidrick Jackson (1st // 4,004 yards // 2010-13) and Daniel Polk (2nd // 3,590 yards // 2004-07) at the top of the list.
- Johnson jumped Daniel Polk (44 TD // 2004-07) into second on the all-time rushing TDs list with his three-TD performance against Angelo State and now has 51 career rushing scores. He trails only Keidrick Jackson (61 TD // 2010-13).
- Senior running back Adrian Seales ran for 96 yards on 18 carries in MSU's 38-17 win over No. 2 West Florida. Seales ranks 13th on the program's all-time rushing list with 1,693 yards and needs 98 yards to move past Dante Taylor (12th // 1766 yards // 2013-16), Derrick Waggoner (11th // 1781 yards // 1991-92) and Chauncey Harris (10th // 1790 yards // 2010, 12-14) to move into the Top 10.
- Freshman Justin Jones broke out of his redshirt to lead MSU Texas in rushing with 63 yards on six carries at Eastern New Mexico. The breakout performance included a 47-yard run then capped the drive with his first collegiate touchdown.
RECEIVER RABBLE
- Sophomore Juwan Johnson leads the Lone Star Conference in total receiving yards with 902 (fifth in NCAA D2) and receiving yards per game (128.9 // third in NCAA D2). He also leads the league making 7.1 catches per game to rate 11th nationally.
- Juwan Johnson earned Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors after becoming the second receiver in program history to top the 200-yard mark. Johnson made nine catches for 202 yards and matched a school record with four touchdowns (Kendrick Gibson also had 4 TDs at Southeastern Oklahoma on 10/20/01). It was his sixth consecutive game with at least 100 yards receiving.
- Juwan Johnson became the first MSU Texas receiver to go over 100 yards in four consecutive games capping it with eight reception, 166-yard performance last week at Eastern New Mexico. He extended the streak to five games with six catches for 106 yards against Texas A&M-Commerce (10/6).
- Juwan Johnson's current streak of 100-yard receiving performances includes games against West Florida (7-100-0), UT Permian Basin (8-132-0), Angelo State (6-106-1), Eastern New Mexico (8-166-1) and Texas A&M-Commerce (6-106-0). He caught six passes for 90 yards with a touchdown playing just the first half of the opener against Humboldt State.
- Junior receiver Xavier Land ranks fifth in the Lone Star Conference in receiving yards (534 // 79th in NCAA D2), fifth in receiving yards per game (76.3 // 57th in NCAA D2) and third in receptions per game (6.0 // 27th in NCAA D2).
- Land has made at least four catches in each of his six games this season. Land erupted for a career-best performance with 10 receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown in a win over No. 2 West Florida (9/8), then delivered his second collegiate 100 receiving yard performance with 108 yards on four catches at Eastern New Mexico (9/29). He matched his career best with 10 catches for 96 yards against Texas A&M-Commerce (10/6).
- Redshirt-freshman Anthony Tennison scored touchdowns in each of his first four collegiate games at wide receiver including a three-TD effort at UT Permian Basin.
- Redshirt-freshman Kylan Harrison became the second MSU receiver to go over 100 yards in a game finishing his breakout effort with 116 yards on five catches including a pair of touchdowns against Angelo State (9/22).
- Junior Tyrique Edwards had four catches for 21 yards in his return from suspension against Texas A&M-Commerce then had an 11-yard TD catch last time out at Texas A&M-Kingsville. He led MSU Texas' receiving corps with 48 receptions for 680 yards and six touchdowns as a sophomore in 2017.
O-LINE PRIDE
- Senior center A.J. Roland earned preseason All-America honors and leads an experienced group up front. Roland is a returning first-team All-LSC performer, while senior guard Kevin Fisher, Jr. was a second-team performer. Sophomore tackle Caleb Brown garnered All-LSC honorable mention last season.
- Career starts by offensive linemen: LG Kevin Fisher (30), C A.J. Roland (21), RT Caleb Brown (18), LT Austan Davis (11), RG D'Andre Despanie (6) and G/C Nicholas Gonzalez (1).
GETTING DEFENSIVE
- Midwestern State ranks fifth in the Lone Star Conference and 108th in NCAA Division II in total defense allowing 393.4 yards per game. The Mustangs permit 226.6 passing yards (111th in NCAA D2 // 8th in LSC) and 166.9 rushing yards (99th in NCAA D2 // 5th in LSC).
- The Mustangs are second in the Lone Star Conference and 39th in NCAA D2 averaging 2.71 sacks per game. MSU Texas has amassed 19 sacks for a loss of 109 yards with no single player more than three. Junior Jaylon Abdul-Karim leads the way with three sacks after recording a pair against Texas A&M-Commerce (10/6). Senior Paul Manus, freshman A'quan Randolph, sophomore Michael Nash and junior Anthony Fields have 2.0 sacks each, while senior Alec Divalerio and junior Zach Edwards are at 1.5 sacks. Senior Sir'Vell Ford, redshirt-freshman Mason Montoya and junior Rigoberto Carrillo have 1.0 sack each, while senior Wensley Jacinthe and freshman Melik Owens have a half-sack apiece.
- The Mustangs have been superb in the red zone allowing 10 touchdowns in 23 opponent excursions inside the 20-yard line. MSU Texas has allowed six field goals to lead the Lone Star Conference and 27th in NCAA D2 in allowing scores at a 70-percent clip.
- MSU Texas ranks second in the Lone Star Conference and 19th in NCAA D2 with 11 interceptions this season including three by Paul Manus, two by Sir'Vell Ford and Jaydon Cunigan and one each by Josh Wydermyer, DaMarcus Wilson, Khalil Finley and Chris Hawkins.
- Midwestern State made six sacks in a game at UT Permian Basin for the first time since the 2010 regular season finale – a 38-9 win over Northeastern State.
- Senior defensive back Paul Manus earned LSC Defensive Player of the Week after making two interceptions returning one for 59-yard touchdown in MSU's 38-17 win over No. 2 West Florida. He finished the game with seven tackles including a key stop on a fake punt attempt in the fourth quarter.
- Manus leads MSU Texas with three interceptions and is third on the team with 36 tackles including seven stops for loss and two sacks. His six passes defensed (two breakups, three interceptions) also leads the team. Manus had a career-best 12-tackle effort Eastern New Mexico (9/29).
- Senior safety Sir'Vell Ford suffered a season-ending injury at Texas A&M-Kingsville. His 257 tackles were just 38 behind the program's all-time leader Marqui Christian (295 tackles // 2011-15). Christian is a reserve safety for the Los Angeles Rams.
- Ford led the team with 55 tackles with two interceptions and five pass defenses at the time of his injury. He ranked eighth in the LSC and 116th in NCAA Division II averaging 7.8 tackles per game.
- Senior defensive Alec DiValerio has accounted for a sack in each of MSU's first two games this season and now at 12.0 career sacks. He needs three to match Stephen Turner (15.0 sacks // 2006-09) for the most by a Mustang during the NCAA Division II era.
- Junior linebacker Troy Burnett made double-digit tackles in his last two outing against Eastern New Mexico (10) and Texas A&M-Commerce (11). He ranks second on the team with 40 stops including three for loss.
ON SPECIAL TEAMS
- Junior Jaron Imbriani is 38-for-39 on point-after attempts through the first seven weeks of the season and is 3-for-7 on field goals including a career long of 46 yards against Eastern New Mexico (9/29). He is averaging 55.3 yards on his 45 kickoffs with 23 touchbacks.
- Imbriani was successful on 38 consecutive point-after attempts until he had a kick blocked at Texas A&M-Kingsville on Oct. 13, 2018. His previous last miss came against Sioux Falls on Nov. 18, 2017.
- Sophomore Jacob Rowland averaged 52.2 yards on his five kickoff efforts with a touchback while connecting on one of his two point-after attempts.
- Freshman Dylan Spears averages 35.7 yards per punt placing nine of his 25 attempts inside the 20-yard line. He launched his season long punt of 57 yards for a touchback at Eastern New Mexico.
- Midwestern State leads the Lone Star Conference and ranks second nationally allowing 0.40 yards per punt return.
- Sophomore Juwan Johnson ranks fourth in the Lone Star Conference and 30th in NCAA Division II averaging 12.0 yards on nine punt returns this season. He posted a season-best 39-yard return against Angelo State, then had a 24-yard return against Texas A&M-Commerce.
- Special Teams Tackle Leaders: Justin Jones 5 (5 KO); Kylan Harrison 3 (3 KO); Jaylon Abdul-Karim 3 (1 KO, 2 Punt), Deven Smith 2 (2 KO).
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