MIDWESTERN STATE (1-0)
at TARLETON STATE (3-2)
Saturday, March 20 -- 6 p.m.
Tarleton Memorial Stadium (Stephenville, Texas)
All-Time Series: Tarleton State leads 20-12
 
STEPHENVILLE, Texas -- Midwestern State battles longtime rival Tarleton State Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
 
The Texans are 3-2 in their first season in transition to NCAA Division I as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
 
ATTENDANCE POLICY: All tickets must be purchased in advance. Tarleton State encourages all fans to wear face coverings and social distance, as able. TSU's clear bag policy is also in effect and can be view at TarletonSports.com/clearbag.
 
FIVE STORY LINES
  
1 |  Midwestern State is playing an abbreviated spring football schedule after the Lone Star Conference unanimously voted postpone football operations in the fall. However, West Texas A&M and Angelo State switched course to play fall schedules, while Texas A&M-Commerce, Eastern New Mexico and Western New Mexico opted to bench football for the entire 2020-21 academic year. That leaves Texas A&M-Kingsville and UT Permian Basin as MSU's only Lone Star Conference for the spring along with today's game at Tarleton State.
 
2 |  Tarleton State enters the sixth week of its inaugural season in NCAA Division I after also have its regularly slated fall football slate postponed due to COVID-19. The Texans boast a win over FBS New Mexico State -- 43-17 -- on Feb. 21 at the Sun Bowl in El Paso and are riding a two-game winning streak with victories over D2 Mississippi College (39-14) and fellow transitioning WAC member Dixie State (37-15). Tarleton fell to McNeese State -- 40-37 in double overtime -- in its season opener and also lost to Dixie State in the first meeting of the programs -- 26-14 -- on Feb. 27 in Stephenville.
 
3 |  Midwestern State raced out to a 38-13 lead over Texas A&M-Kingsville through three quarters two weeks ago in Wichita Falls before holding off the Javelinas, 45-34. The Mustangs rolled up 398 yards of total offense including 329 yards through the air. Junior Kylan Harrison led the receiving corps making five catches for a career-high 130 yards with touchdown receptions of 65 and 28 yards. It was his third collegiate 100-yard receiving game. Redshirt-freshman Ja'Marzeyea Arvie snagged eight catches for 92 yards and scored a touchdown in his collegiate debut, while junior transfer K'Vonte Jackson paced the MSU ground attack with 52 yards on 16 carries with two touchdowns.
 
4 |  Senior quarterback Derrick Ponder threw for more yards of any quarterback making a debut for Midwestern State two weeks ago against Texas A&M-Kingsville. The transfer from Jackson State completed 24-of-37 passes for 329 yards and three touchdowns against the Javelinas. It was also a collegiate best for Ponder, who passed for 8,323 yards and 84 touchdowns during a stellar two-year prep career at Bells (Texas) High School from 2015-16 earning APSE and Collin Street Bakery/TSWA All-State honors. He competed for his father, Scott, at both Iowa Park and Bells High School and now follows him to MSU. Scott Ponder played on the offensive line for the then-Indians from 1992-94.
 
5 |  Midwestern State created havoc for the Texas A&M-Kingsville passing attack recording seven tackles for loss, four sacks and nine quarterback hurries. Sophomore defensive lineman Zed Asowata led the way with 2.5 sacks, while freshman Konner Jones-Searcy and Nathaniel Nicolas were also in on sacks. Seven Mustangs recorded quarterback hurries including two each by Nicolas and freshman Dallas Reid.
 
HEAD COACH BILL MASKILL is the dean of the Lone Star Conference football coaching fraternity and stands as the all-time winningest coach in program history boasting a 143-55 mark since taking over the reins of the Midwestern State program in 2002. During that time, Maskill coached the Mustangs to three Lone Star Conference titles (2011, 2012, 2017), eight playoff showings and one bowl appearance. Overall, Maskill sports a 156-63 career coaching record (.712) including a 13-8 run during two seasons at Southeast Missouri State in 1988 and 1989.
   
THE SERIES WITH THE TEXANS
  
Midwestern State and Tarleton State meet for the 33rd time on the gridiron Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium in Stephenville. The Texans own a 20-12 edge in the series which dates back to the 1946 season including wins in the last two meetings. Prior to the past two games, the Mustangs claimed victories in four of five matchups between 2014 and 2017. Seven of the last nine meetings between the programs were decided by five points or fewer including two overtime battles. Midwestern State is 4-11 all-time against the Texans in Stephenville with the wins coming in 1999, 2000, 2014 and 2016.