By Chopper Cooper

10 8 2025

First and Ten Notes

• Prepgame Pep Rally at TailGate Brewery (210 Stones River Mall Blvd.), Murfreesboro | More Information
• Missouri State starts the month of October with its first-ever “Weekday CUSA” contest with a Wednesday evening (6:30 p.m.) trip to Middle Tennessee on ESPN2.
• The Bears have scored first and taken the early lead in all five games this season, including scores on their opening drive three times in five tries. Likewise, MoState has outscored its opponents in the first quarter by a 34-14 margin.
• Punter Stewart McDonald flipped the field five times with an incredible personal effort vs. WKU, averaging 49.6 yards on five punts, including three 50+ yarders. He also served as MSU’s holder on five special teams kicks, including the Bears’ only PAT kick and three made field goals.
• LB Jared “Bird” Lloyd reached 100 career tackles in last week’s game vs. WKU. The fourth-year squadman reached the century mark in 23 career games.
• WR Jmariyae Robinson needs 3 pass receptions to become the 17th Bear to eclipse 100 career catches. His 1,304 career receiving yards currently ranks 17th on MSU’s career list. He also has at least one pass reception in 28 consecutive games, dating back to 9/1/23.
• The Bears had 4 chunk rushes of 20+ yards vs. WKU (2 by Shomari Lawrence), matching the team’s total number from its first four games combined. The Bears had 34 rushes for a season-high 214 rushing yards (6.3 ypc) in the WKU game.
• Among the 136 FBS programs, the Bears rank 41st in passing yards per attempt (8.08), 42nd in passing offense per game (261.8), 42nd in average time of possession (31:31).
• The Bears rank No. 108 on the MasseyRatings.com FBS computer rankings (136 FBS teams), which is 4th in CUSA behind WKU (80), LA Tech (83) and Jax State (107). MSU is also No. 111 on ESPN’s SP+ Rankings, which is 5th in CUSA.
• LB Kanye Young became the first Bear to produce double-figure tackles this season by bringing down 10 WKU ball carriers last Saturday, including 8 solo stops. He also had an 8-yard sack, 2.0 tackles for loss (12 yds.) a pass breakup and 2 QB hurries. His 10 stops matched a career-high for MSU’s starting linebacker and marked the second 10-tackle effort of his career.
• WR Dash Luke is tied for 4th in CUSA in receptions per game (4.40), 6th in receiving yards per game (62.00), and 7th in all-purpose yards (86.60). He also ranks 95th nationally in receiving yards.
• Last week’s game against WKU saw Missouri State rack up 414 yards of total offense and 214 rushing yards. It marked the first time under coach Ryan Beard (3-1) MSU had lost a game with 200 rushing yards, and the second time (9-2) dropping a game with more than 400 yards of total offense.
• Jacob Clark has made 17 consecutive starts at QB for the Bears, MSU’s longest stretch by a signal caller since Jason Shelley (2021-22) started 23 consecutive ball games. Clark has earned honorable mention honors for the Earl Campbell Award Player of the Week twice this season and was the Manning Award National QB of the Week on Sept. 10.

Series History

• Middle Tennessee leads 1-0
• Last meeting: MTSU 42, MSU 19 (10/18/86)
• In the only previous meeting between the Bears and Blue Raiders, MSU freshman QB David Johnson completed 3-of-5 passes for 21 yards and had a 7-yard TD run, while the MSU offense carried 74 times for 310 yards (99 by Tony Gilbert) in a 42-19 home loss. MTSU QB Marvin Collier was 12-of-16 for 102 yards.

Coach Ryan Beard

• Missouri State University officially presented Ryan Beard as its new head football coach on Dec. 19, 2022. At the time of his hire, Beard was the program’s youngest coach on record and was the 22nd person to hold the football Bears’ top coaching position.
• At 36 years old, coach Beard enters the 2025 season as the fifth-youngest head coach in the FBS ranks.
• Last season (2024), the Bears’ final campaign at the FCS level, Beard guided MoState to an 8-4 overall record and No. 23 national ranking with 12 all-conference standouts and three All-Americans in his camp. Quarterback Jacob Clark finished 14th in the Walter Payton FCS Player of the Year voting, while running back Jacardia Wright signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Seahawks after the season. The Bears reeled off eight straight wins from Sept. 14 to Nov. 9, the squad’s longest since a stretch from 1988-89.
• The 2024 Bears finished 6-2 in Valley play to tie for fourth place (one game behind tri-champions NDSU, SDSU and USD) and match the team record for conference victories (1978, 2021), including MSU’s first 6-0 start in conference play since 1978. Likewise, the Bears started 8-2 overall for the first time since 1990 and reached eight overall wins for the ninth time in program history — first since the 2021 NCAA playoff team. Likewise, MSU’s four-game road win streak was its first since a split-season stretch from 1996-97.
• Beard’s 2024 squad boasted one of the nation’s most efficient offensive attacks, racking up 306.2 yards per game through the air (5th), 424.8 total yards per game (17th) and 34.8 points per outing (13th), all of which ranked in the top 20 nationally.
• In his inaugural head coaching season (2023), Beard guided the Bears to a 4-7 overall record and a 3-5 ledger in the MVFC. The team’s strong November surge included and a 35-16 home win over No. 18-ranked Northern Iowa.
• The 2023 Bears finished No. 5 in the nation in passing offense (300.3), No. 7 in pass efficiency (158.77), 26th in total offense (400.8) and 31st in scoring (29.8).
• Missouri State was rewarded with seven All-MVFC selections in Beard’s first campaign as head coach, including first-teamers Grant Burkett (P) and Raylen Sharpe (WR). Sharpe finished fourth in the MVFC Offensive Player of the Year voting. Likewise, Burkett (second team) and Sharpe (third team) were named to the Associated Press FCS All-America Team, while the Bears also boasted three Phil Steele Freshman All-America honorees, including first-teamers Cash Hudson (OL) and Avery Powell (CB).
• At the end of the 2023 campaign, Beard was named to the American Football Coaches Association’s exclusive 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute.
• During his three seasons as MSU’s defensive coordinator (2020-22), Beard played a significant role in the team’s resurgence under coach Bobby Petrino, managing a defensive unit that boasted 18 all-conference selections, four All-Americans and three professional players in his tenure at MoState.
• Before coming to Missouri State, Beard spent the 2019 season at Central Michigan as the special teams and safeties coach for head coach Jim McElwain. He joined the Central Michigan staff in February of 2019 and helped lead the Chippewas to an 8-6 campaign on a defensive secondary that created 13 interceptions.
• Beard served as an assistant at Louisville during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, starting as the defensive backs coach and in quality control before moving on to become the Cardinals’ linebackers coach and their co-special teams coordinator. As the DB coach at WKU (2016), Beard was part of a CUSA championship Boca Raton Bowl win.
• He was a standout defensive back at Western Kentucky himself from 2007-11. He was a two-time All-Sun Belt Conference selection and was named to the league’s All-Freshman squad and its All-Academic team. A native of Bowling Green, Ky., Beard was a four-year letterman at Bowling Green High for coach Kevin Wallace, where his efforts helped the Purples advance to the state 3A championship contest each of his last two years.
• Beard holds two degrees from Western Kentucky: a bachelor of science in Business Management (2012), and a master of science in Recreation and Sport Administration (2014).
• He is married to the former Katie Petrino. The couple have four children with son Beau and daughter Lainey, in addition to twins Jacob and Kailey born in the spring of 2022.

COURTESY MISSOURI STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

MURFREESBORO – Middle Tennessee looks to break through for their first home and first Conference USA win Wednesday night, hosting Missouri State in a midweek marquee match-up on ESPN2. This marks just the second meeting all-time between the two schools but first as conference foes.

Kickoff is set for 6:36 p.m. CT at Johnny “Red” Floyd Stadium and Clay Matvick and Chase Daniel will call the action from the booth while Victoria Arlen will provide commentary from the sidelines.

MTSU enters with a 1–4 record (0–1 in CUSA), while the Bears are 2–3 (0–1). Both teams are still searching for consistency and a statement win early in conference play.

For the Blue Raiders, quarterback Nicholas Vattiato has been the offensive focal point. He has thrown for over 1,100 yards and six touchdowns, but has totaled 577 passing yards over his last two outings. Running back Jekail Middlebrook provides balance on the ground as he is coming off his first career 100-yard game and will double as a threat in the passing game. Receiver Nahzae Cox leads the receiving corps with four touchdowns through five games.

Defensively, MTSU must tighten in the red zone and limit big plays. The Blue Raider pass rush has shown flashes but a priority will be stopping the run and limiting mistakes. Linebacker Parker Hughes leads the way with 42 total tackles while Damonte Smith has been the disruptor inside with six TFLs and two sacks.

Missouri State counters with quarterback Jacob Clark, who has been steady (1,195 yards, 8 TDs) but also prone to mistakes (6 INTs). Their run game, led by Shomari Lawrence, offers a complementary balance. The Bears’ defense has found success creating turnovers, a weapon they’ll look to deploy inside Floyd Stadium.

With both squads winless so far in conference play, the stakes are high. For MTSU, a win would inject momentum into the season and get the October mid-week stretch off on a positive note.

Fans in Murfreesboro will be treated to national exposure as CUSA’s Weekday slate returns. Don’t miss Wednesday’s showdown on ESPN2 — a chance for the Blue Raiders to make a home statement.

GAME 6

» Wednesday, October 8 – 6:36 p.m. CT
» Floyd Stadium
» Murfreesboro, TN

SERIES HISTORY

» The Blue Raiders and the Bears will be meeting for just the second time in football but the first time as conference foes. The two teams last met on Oct. 18, 1986 in Springfield when the Bears were called Southwest Missouri State. MTSU won that game, 42-19, at Briggs Stadium.
BLUE RAIDER NOTES

» The Blue Raiders are 6-6 in Conference USA home openers.
» In his last two games, Jekail Middlebrook is averaging 99.0 yards rushing/game.
» MT entered the Marshall game with 7 explosive plays of 20 or more yards and had 6 alone against the Herd and added 5 at KSU to give them 18 for the season.
» LB Parker Hughes is 14th nationally in solo tackles with 5.0 per game.
» Consecutive Start Leaders: Nick Vattiato: 29; Mateo Guevara: 17
» The Blue Raiders will play in four different time zones this season which ranks tied for the second most nationally (Stanford – 5).
» Kickoff specialist Baylen Woodman has a touchback percentage of 84.2% (16 of 19 attempts) to rank tied for 23rd nationally and 1st among true freshmen.

BLUE RAIDERS AT FLOYD STADIUM