CONWAY — Since moving up to NCAA Division I in 2006, Central Arkansas has had its share of important games at Estes Stadium.
Entering today’s Southland Conference opener against defending league champion Sam Houston State at 3 p.m., this may be the biggest early season game of Bears Coach Clint Conque’s tenure in Conway.
The Bears (2-1) and Bearkats (1-1) are ranked in The Sports Network’s Top 25 Football Championship Subdivision poll this week, with Sam Houston State at No. 3 behind North Dakota State and Montana State and UCA at No. 25.
The game will be televised by the Southland TV Network and can be seen on KARZTV, Channel 42, in central Arkansas.
“It’s a huge challenge,” said Conque, who has been at UCA since 2000. “What I’ve encouraged our coaches and players to do this week is to embrace the challenge and the opportunity that we have. This is the highest-ranked team since we’ve moved to Division I to come to Conway. There’s national implications. You’ve got two top 25 teams. There will be a similar feel [between both teams]. There are high-quality athletes on both sides of the football.”
The season series between UCA and Sam Houston State is tied at 3-3, with the Bearkats winning the past three games, including a 31-10 rout of the Bears last September. Last season’s victory over UCA propelled the Bearkats to a Southlandregular-season championship and an appearance in the FCS national championship game, where they lost to North Dakota State.
UCA totaled a season-high 573 yards in a 70-3 victory over NAIA Bacone (Okla.) College last Saturday, but Sam Houston State should present a stiffer challenge.
“This is the equivalent of a Montana coming here to Conway,” Conque said. “If you look at the FBS [Football Bowl Subdivision] scenario, it would be like an Alabama or an LSU or an Oregon. We have great respect for Sam Houston and what they’ve done the last couple of years.”
Sam Houston State, which led Baylor 20-10 at halftime last Saturday before losing 48-23, is led by junior running back Tim Flanders, a Kansas State transfer. Flanders, who had 2,058 all-purpose yards, including 1,644 rushing, and 22 touchdowns in 2011, has ran for 201 yards and 2 touchdowns on 31 carries this season.
Junior quarterback Brian Bell threw 20 touchdown passes last season and has four this season for the Bearkats.
“I’m sure the nuts and bolts of their offense and the core concepts haven’t changed,” Conque said. “You can see that on film. They’ve added a few wrinkles in their passing game, so that presents an even more difficult challenge.”
In last year’s loss toSam Houston State, UCA junior quarterback Wynrick Smothers had to replace Nathan Dick, who was knocked out of the game with a concussion after being hit late by linebacker Mike Littleton. Smothers completed 7 of 17 passes for 99 yards against the Bearkats, who led 17-0 when he came into the game.
A year later, Smothers said he’s more confident going into this year’s matchup against Sam Houston State.
“I remember all the missed passes, the missed assignments I had in that game,” said Smothers, who has completed 56 of 73 passes for 605 yards and 7 touchdownsthis season. “I wasn’t ready like I should have been. But it’s a different story this year. I’ve been playing in more games. I’ll be more prepared this time.”
The Bears haven’t lost in six games on their purple and gray turf, which was installed before last season.
The last team to beat UCA at Estes Stadium? Sam Houston State on Nov. 13, 2010.
“We’re excited to be playing Sam Houston at home,” Conque said. “It’s one of the top games in the country at the Division I FCS level. We’re excited to be playing in Conway.”Sam Houston State at Central Arkansas, 3 p.m.
Miss. Valley State at Northwestern State, 6 p.m.
Stephen F. Austin at Texas State, 6 p.m. Evangel at Nicholls State, 6 p.m.
McNeese State at SE Louisiana, 7 p.m.
Langston at Lamar, 7 p.m.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 27 Sam Houston State at Texas Southern, 7 p.m.
At a glance
SAM HOUSTON STATE AT CENTRAL ARKANSAS
WHEN 3 p.m. today WHERE Estes Stadium, Conway RECORDS Central Arkansas 2-1, 0-0 Southland Conference; Sam Houston State 1-1, 0-0 COACHES Central Arkansas: Clint Conque (91-52 in 13 seasons); Sam Houston State: Willie Fritz (21-7 in three seasons at Sam Houston State; 157-59-1 overall in 16 seasons) SERIES Tied 3-3 TICKETS $15 general admission adults, $11 general admission children, seniors, visiting students TV KARZ-TV, Channel 42, in central Arkansas RADIO KHLR-FM, 106.7, in Benton/Little Rock; KUCA-FM, 91.3, in Conway; KCNYFM, 107.1, in Conway INTERNET ucasports.com; espn3.com
Sports, Pages 17 on 09/22/2012