Joplin, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern football team will head back on the road this week as the Lions will take on Cental Oklahoma. Kickoff from Wantland Stadium is slated for 2 pm.
Game Information
Team Records: MSSU - 1-6, 1-6 MIAA | UCO 1-6, 1-6 MIAA
Date: Saturday, October 22, 2016
Kick-Off: 2 pm, CT
Location: Edmond, Okla.
Site: Wantland Stadium (10,000)
Series Record: The series is tied at 2-2.
Coaches:
Denver Johnson (2-16 at MSSU, 71-82 overall) | Nick Bobeck (20-31 overall/at UCO)
Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: ESPN Joplin 101.3, 103.5 FM and AM 1560; 88.7 FM KXMS - Mike McClure, Play-by-Play, Scott Boudreaux, Color
Video Webcast: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/mssu/
Live Stats: http://sidearmstats.com/uco/football
Lions on Facebook: Facebook.com/mososports
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @mosofootball
The Series: This is just the fifth meeting all-time between the two schools. The Lions defeated Central Oklahoma 25-20 in 2012 in Edmond in the season-opener and also won 52-38 in 2014. UCO picked up a triple overtime win in 2014 in a thriller in Edmond and evened the series (2-2) last year with a 55-21 win in Joplin.
The Dish On The Bronchos: The Bronchos are 1-6 on the season with the team's lone win coming four weeks ago against Missouri Western. They fell on the road last weekend at Nebraska-Kearney. The Bronchos get the bulk of their scoring in the rushing game, however, they have thrown for more passing yards (1,892) than rushing yards (1,119) The Bronchos picked up four receiving touchdowns last weekend, but had only gotten two passing touchdowns all season. Jake Gandara leads a two-headed rushing attack along with Clay McKenzie. Gandara has 436 yards and five scores on the season, while McKenzie has 380 yards and eight rushing touchdowns. TJ Eckert had been the starting quarterback the bulk of the season but the Bronchos have utilized Chas Stallard in the previous three weeks, as well. Eckert has 1,524 yards and one touchdown on the season passing, while Stallard has 368 yards and five scores, four of which came last week. Rodriguez Coleman has 35 receptions for 407 yards, but Connor Pulley leads the team with 547 yards on 30 carries and four scores. Josh Crockett has 28 catches and 531 yards for a team-high 19.0 per catch. Defensively, Riley Galyon has 57 tackles on the season with an interception, while Hank Humphers has 45 stops and a sack. Collis Walker leads the team with 2.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for a loss. The Bronchos will be back in action next weekend when the team goes to Central Missouri.
A Victory vs. Central Oklahoma Would: stop a two-game winning streak for the Bronchos and give the Lions a 3-2 advantage in the all-time series.
NFL Representation: The Lions will have two different starters on NFL rosters to start the season. Brandon Williams is a starter on the defensive line for the Baltimore Ravens, while Allen Barbre will start on the offensive line for the Philadelphia Eagles.
NFL Leaders: Brandon Williams has become a leader on the defense for the Baltimore Ravens, shoring their defensive line. Last year, the third-year pro had a career-high 52 tackles and two sacks. He was listed by many as a notable snub for the NFL Pro Bowl in 2015. Allen Barbre will be in his second year as a starter on the offensive line for the Eagles and head coach Doug Pedersen is very high on Barbre, naming him the starter prior to training camp. Barbre started all 16 games for the Eagles in 2015.
NFL Executive: Former Lion and former NFL wide receiver James Thrash is in his second season serving as the NFL and NFLPA's Appeals Officer. He hears all appeals for the NFL regarding on-field player discipline. Thrash played 12 seasons in the NFL for the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles.
Lions On Radio: The Lions will partner with ESPN Joplin this year as Southern can now be heard on three separate FM stations, as well as an AM station. ESPN Joplin will air the Lions' games on 101.3 and 103.5 FM, as well as AM 1560. MSSU's KXMS 88.7 will also simulcast the games giving the Lions a larger reach in the four-states than they've ever had.
Tough League/Region: The MIAA has two teams in the coaches top 25 this week. Northwest Missouri is 1st, while Emporia State is 12th. The Super Region Three, which the Lions are a part of, has eight teams in the top 25. There are ten teams total that are either ranked or receiving votes in the poll from the region.
Lions On TV: Missouri Southern's KGCS will air every Lions home game live this year during the season. They will also re-broadcast the games on Sunday evenings at 7 pm.
Lions On The Web: All of MSSU's football games are carried live online as part of the MIAA's streaming contract with Stretch Internet. Fans can view games live by clicking on the link on www.mssulions.com.
New Coaches: Bill Bleil (offensive line) and Darius Hart (defensive line) will join the Lions this year on coach Denver Johnson's staff. Bleil comes to Southern from the University of Rhode Island, while Hart previously coached at Trinity Valley Community College.
Team Stats Rankings: The Lions, as a team lead Division II in fewest blocked punts allowed, while ranking 32nd in blocked kicks and 33rd in blocked punts.
Individual Stats Rankings: Individually, Josiah Bennett ranks fourth nationally (third in the MIAA) in yards per reception. Chris Williams ranks tenth in fumble recoveries, while Ricky Green ranks 33rd in passes defended. Scott Lathrop ranks 36th in punt returns and 38th in receptions per game, while Justin Legier ranks 48th in solo tackles.
Magnetic Personality: Senior wide receiver Scott Lathrop became just the fifth Lion to catch at least 12 passes in a game. Lathrop was one catch off of Rod Smith's school record and joins Colin Bado, Landon Zerkel and Dave Evans as others to catch 12 in a game. Bado did it three times.
Safety First: The Lions forced a safety against Missouri Western after blocking a punt out of the end zone. It was the first time since 2012 the Lions have had a safety.
Call Me A Hall Of Famer: Allen Barbre was inducted into the Missouri Southern Athletics Hall of Fame on September 24. Barbre was a multiple All-American offensive lineman in his four-year career for the Lions and is now a starter with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Expanded Roster: Last season, the Lions carried between 80-90 players on their roster and that provided depth issues for the team. This year, Southern has between 130-140 players, much more to the liking of head coach Denver Johnson.
Record Setter: TJ Fleeton tied his own school record this year as he completed 36 passes against Fort Hays. He tied the record he had previously set last season, ironically against FHSU.
Welcome Back: Southern has welcomed back a pair of former starters to the lineup after both had sat out last year with an injury. Lars Lindquist and Scott Lathrop are both back, but both are playing different positions. Lindquist has moved to the offensive line after serving as a starter on the other side, while Lathrop will move from quarterback to receiver.
Weather Report: The weather report for the Edmond area on Saturday calls for sunny conditions and a high of 79 degrees with a zero percent chance of precipitation.
Up Next: The Lions will come back home and play host to Northeastern State on October 29. Kickoff from Hughes Stadium is slated for 2 pm.
