September hasn’t been good to Central Arkansas for the second time in three seasons.
Since beating Incarnate Word 58-7 in their season opener Aug. 29, the Bears have lost two in a row. The Bears fell 38-24 at Pacific-12 Conference member Colorado on Sept. 7 before losing a heartbreaker at Tennessee-Martin last Saturday 24-23 when Eddie Camara’s 42-yard field-goal attempt was blocked.
UCA lost three in a row in September 2011 at Louisiana Tech, Sam Houston State and Arkansas State, but rebounded to win its final seven regular-season games to reach the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
Today, the Bears (1-2) look to avoid another three-game September losing streak when they travel to Springfield, Mo., to face Missouri State (0-3) at Plaster Field.
The 2011 team was on Coach Clint Conque’s mind this week as his team tries to get a victory before an open week.
“That football team showed a tremendous amount of courage and resiliency,” Conque said. “This team needs to show the same resiliency. We won a couple of close games in our conference last year. As I look back, those teams handled the adversity the right way.
“I’ve challenged our team to show that same resiliency and passion to change our circumstances. We’re the only ones that can do it. The media can’t do it. The fanbase can’t do it. Our parents can’t do it. Coaches can’t play the game. We’re the only ones that can change these outcomes. We’re certainly talented enough to do it.”
Missouri State, which plays in the Missouri Valley Football Conference along with two time defending FCS champion North Dakota State, is led by Texarkana native Kierra Harris at quarterback. Harris, 6-0, 195 pounds, has completed 51 of 94 passes for 528 yards with 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions. He’s also ran for 153 yards and 5 touchdowns.
“He’s a playmaker for them,” Conque said. “We’re going to have to leverage him and tackle well. That’s something we didn’t do a good job of last week.”
UCA is looking for get off to a better start today after it has fallen behind 14-0 for two consecutive weeks. Senior quarterback Wynrick Smothers has thrown five interceptions the past two weeks after throwing nine all last season.But it’s been a combined effort as to why UCA, which was ranked No. 5 in the FCS coaches poll two weeks ago and is now No. 14, finds itself in its current position.
Smothers hopes that changes today.
“We have to be focused,” Smothers said. “When you’re focused and detailed, most of the time, everything falls into place. “When every single person does their job, you’ll see that we’re a better team.”
Conque said that senior cornerback Dominique Brown will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury. Brown has never redshirted, so Conque added that he may apply for a medical redshirt year. Also, sophomore defensive back Dillon Winfrey (leg) will be a game-time decision. This is the Bears’ final opportunity to earn a victory against a FCS nonconference opponent. Should UCA be considered for an at-large berth in the FCS playoffs, a nonconference victory over a team from one of the top FCS conferences could prove beneficial, which puts even more urgency on the Bears today.
“We control our circumstance,” Conque said. “The emphasis has been on us and doing the details and the little things right. They do matter and they do carry over.”Today’s game CENTRAL ARKANSAS AT MISSOURI STATE WHEN 6 p.m. Central WHERE Plaster Field (16,300), Springfield, Mo.
RECORDS UCA: 1-2, 0-0 Southland Conference; Missouri State: 0-3, 0-0 Missouri Valley Football Conference SERIES Tied 3-3 COACHES UCA: Clint Conque (99-56 in 14th year at UCA and overall); Missouri State: Terry Allen (123-111 in 21st year overall; 28-52 in eighth year at Missouri State) RANKINGS UCA is No. 13 in FCS Sports Network poll, No. 14 in FCS coaches poll.
Missouri State is unranked.
RADIO KHLR-FM, 106.7, in Benton/Little Rock; KUCA-FM, 91.3, in Conway INTERNET ucasports.com; missouristatebears.comTODAY’S GAMES All times Central NW (La.) St. at Ala.-Birmingham, 2 p.m.
SE Louisiana at Samford, 2 p.m.
Montana St. at Stephen F. Austin, 6 p.m.
Langston at Nicholls State, 6 p.m.
Cent. Arkansas at Missouri St., 7 p.m.
Weber State at McNeese State, 7 p.m.
Bacone College at Lamar, 7 p.m.
Sports, Pages 23 on 09/21/2013