#4 Midwestern State vs. #9 Texas A&M-Commerce
MSU Texas (5-0, 3-0 LSC), TAMUC (4-1, 2-0 LSC)
Saturday, Oct. 6, 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
- Midwestern State and Texas A&M-Commerce meet in a Family Day matchup Saturday night at Memorial Stadium. The Mustangs and Lions along with Tarleton State are the three remaining unbeaten squads in Lone Star Conference play.
- MSU Texas searches for its sixth 6-0 start in school history and fourth in row with a win over Texas A&M-Commerce. The Mustangs began the 2015 with seven straight wins before falling at Texas A&M-Commerce ending the season at 10-2. Midwestern rolled out to a 6-0 start in 2016 before losing at West Texas A&M on the way to an 8-3 mark before going 10-0 in 2017 falling in the second round of the NCAA D2 Playoffs at Minnesota State. Prior to the current run, MSU Texas rolled to its first unbeaten regular season in program history in 2011 at 10-0 before dropping in the second round of the NCAA D2 Playoffs to Northwest Missouri State. Midwestern began the 1949 season with six straight wins before suffering its lone setback of the campaign to Texas A&M-Commerce.
- Midwestern State has started eight of Bill Maskill's 16 seasons with at least five wins.
- Speaking of Maskill, Midwestern State's game against UT Permian Basin was his 200th as head ball coach. Maskill sports a 147-55 overall record (.728) including a 134-47 mark (.740) at MSU Texas. He was 13-8 in two seasons at Southeast Missouri State (1988-89).
- The Mustangs bumped up one spot to No. 4 in the latest 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 40 reporting periods and has been ranked in at least one poll in each season dating back to 2006.
- MSU Texas matched its best ranking since closing the 2011 season at No. 2 in the AFCA's final regular season Top 25. The Mustangs were ranked fourth at some point in each of the last two seasons and were No. 4 in the 2012 preseason rankings.
- The Mustangs are third in the D2Football.com Top 25.
- Midwestern State is one of 20 unbeaten teams remaining in NCAA Division II and one of two left in the Lone Star Conference. Tarleton State is the other.
- Midwestern State was won 22 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 148-55 (.729). The Mustangs are trailed by West Texas A&M (126-91, .581), Tarleton State (125-77, .619) and Texas A&M-Kingsville (104-95, .523). Texas A&M-Commerce is 101-102 (.498) since the start of the 2000 season.
- Bill Maskill is in his 17th season at the helm of Midwestern State football. As the program's all-time wins leader, his 134 victories account for 55.6 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 147-55 (.728) through 18 seasons which includes a two-year run at Southeast Missouri State (1988-89). Maskill boasts a 134-47 overall mark (.740) 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 goes for its 12th consecutive Lone Star Conference win Saturday against Texas A&M-Commerce. The Mustangs are 23-3 against league opponents since the start of the 2015 season.
- 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 improved to 14-2 against ranked opposition during the regular season since the start of the 2011 campaign. 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 improved to 8-1 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 home loss came against No. 25 West Texas A&M (19-12) in 2013.
- 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 20 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 over No. 9 Texas A&M-Commerce. The Mustangs completed its 18th consecutive winning ledger with a 10-1 mark in 2017. 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 season in 2017. UMHB can extend its start to 5-0 with a win over No. 6 Hardin-Simmons Saturday in Belton.
SERIES HISTORY
- Midwestern State and Texas A&M-Commerce meet for the 24th time on the gridiron Saturday night at Memorial Stadium. The Lions hold a slight 12-11 edge in the series which dates back to the 1947 season.
- The Mustangs, however, are 11-2 against Texas A&M-Commerce since the start of the 2001 season and are 10-2 since the start of the Bill Maskill era (2002).
- MSU Texas is 5-1 against the Lions since Colby Carthel took the reins of the program for the start of the 2013 season, but five of the six games have been to within six points with an average victory margin of 5.3 points.
- The recent series has featured stunning comebacks by Midwestern State. The Mustangs overcame a 17-point deficit on three occasions and were down 31-14 with 12:21 to go before beating the Lions 40-37 in overtime on Chauncey Harris' 4-yard run Oct. 25, 2014 in Wichita Falls. The Mustangs then overcame a 13-point second half deficit scoring a quick 30-yard TD strike from Hagen Hutchinson to Arsenio Phillips following a fumble recovery then Harold Wills intercepted a swing pass returning 4 yards for a score to give MSU a 37-33 win in the 2015 LSC Championship game on Nov. 14th in Commerce. The Mustangs used two Quade Coward-to-Breion Evans strikes in the final 3 ½ minutes to stun the Lions 26-25 on Oct. 8, 2016 in Commerce.
- This is third straight year Midwestern State and Texas A&M-Commerce meet in a Top 10 showdown. No. 7 MSU Texas beat No. 4 Texas A&M-Commerce 26-25 in 2016 at Commerce, then the 10th-ranked Mustangs took down No. 2 A&M-C 47-42 in 2017 at Memorial Stadium.
- Midwestern State is 5-3 all-time against Texas A&M-Commerce in games played in Wichita Falls, but has not lost this century. The Mustangs have won the last five meetings on their home turf with the Lions last victory coming on Oct. 3, 1998 (10-7).
OFFENSIVELY SPEAKING
- Midwestern State boasts the Lone Star Conference's top offensive attack ranking sixth in NCAA Division II rolling up 540.4 yards per game.
- The Mustangs also possess the nation's No. 2 passing offense at 359.2 yards per game trailing only Shepherd (W. Va.) which averages 397.3 passing yards per game.
- The Mustangs rank fourth nationally while leading the LSC in scoring offense putting up 44.8 points per game. Valdosta State (Ga.) leads the way scoring 54.6 points per game.
- 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 the active career passing efficiency leader in all of NCAA scholarship football at 169.48. That is just ahead of Georgia's Jake Fromm (166.28) and West Virginia's Will Grier (166.20). The nearest NCAA Division II competitors are UIndy's Jake Purichia (165.50) and Indiana (Pa.)'s Lenny Williams (163.01).
- Rabb leads the Lone Star Conference in pass efficiency (188.2 // second in NCAA D2), passing touchdowns (18 TD // third in NCAA D2), passing yards (1,675 // second in NCAA D2), passing yards per game (335.0 // third in NCAA D2) and total offense per game (339.6 yards // sixth in NCAA D2).
- Rabb became the fifth quarterback in MSU program history to throw for 4,000 career yards with his 291-yard, 3-touchdown performance at UT Permian Basin (9/15). Now with 4,969 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 624 yards to pass Boggs for second and 1,985 to pass Eskridge to become the school's all-time passing leader.
- 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 second best in NCAA D2 this season falling just shy of the 518 passing yards put up by Tyson Bagent of Shepherd (W. Va.) earlier this season against Notre Dame – of Ohio. Rabb's previous career-best game of 433 passing yards was set in last season's 45-42 overtime win over Tarleton State. BONUS POINT: Current MSU Texas President Dr. Suzanne Shipley served the same post at Shepherd (W. Va.) prior to her appointment in Wichita Falls.
- 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. The effort was only bested by Central Iowa's Blaine Hawkins (NCAA D3) who amassed a 392.1 rating completing 13-of-15 passes for 349 yards and five touchdowns against Luther on Sept. 15. Drake's Grant Kraemer (FCS) posted a 387.2 rating completing 14-of-16 passes for 359 yards with five touchdowns and an interception against Missouri S&T – also on Sept. 15.
- Rabb's 310-yard performance at Eastern New Mexico was his seventh 300-yard effort in 16 starts.
- 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 has gone 174 passing attempts with an interception dating back to a pick by Minnesota State's Jerry Nash III in third quarter of the NCAA D2 second round playoff game in Mankato. He has thrown 20 touchdown passes since his last interception.
RUNNING BACK RUNDOWN
- Senior running back Vincent Johnson ranks third in the LSC and 26th nationally averaging 102.0 rushing yards per game.
- Vincent Johnson ranks second in the LSC and third in NCAA D2 averaging 8.23 rushing yards per carry. He has carried the ball 62 times for 510 yards and seven touchdowns this season. Tarleton State's Daniel McCants is fractionally better while also averaging 8.23 yards per tote.
- 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 is third on MSU's all-time rushing list with 2,565 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 48 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 last week's win over No. 2 West Florida. Seales ranks 13th on the program's all-time rushing list but needs 157 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 594 (seventh in NCAA D2) and receiving yards per game (118.8 // eighth in NCAA D2). He also leads the league making 7.0 catches per game to rate 13th nationally.
- 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.
- Juwan Johnson's current streak of 100-yard receiving performances also includes games against West Florida (7-100-0), UT Permian Basin (8-132-0) and Angelo State (6-106-1). He caught six passes for 90 yards with a touchdown playing just the first half of the opener against Humboldt State.
- Midwestern State boasts four of the top 12 receivers in the Lone Star Conference in terms of receiving yards per game. Juwan Johnson leads the way followed by junior Xavier Land (75.4 ypg // 6th in LSC // 69th in NCAA D2), redshirt freshman Kylan Harrison (45.2 ypg // 11th in LSC) and redshirt-freshman Anthony Tennison (45.0 ypg // 12th in LSC).
- Land has made at least four catches in each of his five 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), the delivered his second collegiate 100 receiving yard performance with 108 yards on four catches at Eastern New Mexico (9/29).
- Tennison has scored touchdowns in each of his first four collegiate games at wide receiver including a three-TD effort at UT Permian Basin.
- 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 makes his return from suspension this week. He led MSU Texas' receiving corps with 48 receptions for 680 yards and six touchdowns as a sophomore in 2017.
O-LINE PRIDE
GETTING DEFENSIVE
- Midwestern State ranks sixth in the Lone Star Conference and 113th in NCAA Division II in total defense allowing 407.6 yards per game. The Mustangs permit 230.2 passing yards (100th in NCAA D2 // 6th in LSC) and 177.4 rushing yards (115th in NCAA D2 // 8th in LSC).
- The Mustangs rank second in the Lone Star Conference and 25th in NCAA D2 averaging 3.00 sacks per game. MSU Texas has amassed 16 sacks for a loss of 104 yards with no single play more than two. Senior Paul Manus, freshman A'quan Randolph, sophomore Michael Nash and junior Anthony Fields lead the way with 2.0 sacks each, while senior Alec Divalerio is at 1.5 sacks. Senior Sir'Vell Ford, junior Jaylon Abdul-Karim, 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 eight touchdowns in 17 opponent excursions inside the 20-yard line. MSU Texas has allowed four field goals to rank second in the Lone Star Conference and 48th in NCAA D2 in allowing scores at a 70.6-percent clip.
- MSU Texas ranks fourth in the Lone Star Conference and 40th in NCAA D2 with six interceptions this season including three by Paul Manus and one each by Jaydon Cunigan, Josh Wydermyer and Sir'Vell Ford.
- 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 second on the team with 33 tackles including seven stops for loss and two sacks. His five passes defensed (two breakups, three interceptions) also lead the Mustangs. Manus is coming off of a career-best 12-tackle effort last week at Eastern New Mexico.
- Senior safety Sir'Vell Ford is ninth in the Lone Star Conference and 126th in NCAA Division II at 7.8 tackles per game. He had a season-high 15-tackle performance against West Florida.
- Ford's 241 tackles are just 54 behind the program's all-time leader Marqui Christian (295 tackles // 2011-15). Christian is a reserve safety for the Los Angeles Rams.
- 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.
ON SPECIAL TEAMS
- Junior Jaron Imbriani is a perfect 27-for-27 on point-after attempts through the first five weeks of the season and is 2-for-3 on field goals including a career long of 46 yards against Eastern New Mexico (9/29). He is averaging 54.1 yards on his 31 kickoffs with 18 touchbacks.
- Imbriani has made 31 consecutive point-after attempts dating back to his last miss 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 36.3 yards per punt placing six 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 fifth nationally allowing 0.67 yards per punt return.
- Sophomore Juwan Johnson ranks third in the Lone Star Conference and 39th in NCAA Division II averaging 11.4 yards on eight punt returns this season. He posted a season-best 39-yard return against Angelo State.
