CENTRAL ARKANSAS BEARS (0-0, 0-0 Southland Conference) @ WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS (0-0, 0-0 Conference USA) • GAME 1 INFORMATION • DATE: ............... Thursday, August 29 Final 2018 SLC STANDINGS TIME: ................. 6:30 p.m. SITE: ................. Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium SCHOOL ........................... SLC .....% .................ALL .....% .............. STR Bowling Green, Ky. Nicholls .............................. 7-2 ........778 .............9-4 ........692........... - COVERAGE: ..... KUCA 91.3 FM • The Point 94.1 • ESPN+ Incarnate Word .................. 6-2 ........750 .............6-5 ........545........... - SERIES: ........... UCA leads the series 1-0 Lamar ................................ 5-3 ........667 .............7-5 ........583........... - UCA ................................... 5-4 ........556 .............6-5 ........545........... - Abilene Christian ............... 5-4 ........556 .............6-5 ........545........... - THE SERIES: The Bears lead the series with the Hilltoppers 1-0. UCA beat WKU McNeese State .................. 5-4 ........556 .............6-5 ........545........... - 28-7 in 2009 in Bowling Green. The victory was UCA’s first FBS win since Sam Houston St. ............... 5-4 ........556 .............6-5 ........545........... - moving to NCAA Division I in 2006. Northwestern St. ................ 4-5 ........444 .............5-6 ........455........... - UCA is 3-3-1 overall against teams from Conference USA. SE Louisiana ..................... 4-5 ........444 .............4-7 ........364........... - LAST MEETING: Stephen F. Austin............... 2-7 ........222 .............2-8 ........200........... - The Bears grabbed a 14-7 halftime lead in the previous meeting in Houston Baptist ................. 0-9 ........000 .............1-10 ......091........... - 2009, then shut out the Hilltoppers in the second half to claim the 28-7 victory. UCA finished with 407 yards of total offense while holding WKU to 287. The Bears averaged 7.4 yards per play, aided by a 51-yard touch- • THURSDAY, AUG. 29 • down run by RB Leonard Ceaser and 73-yard touchdown pass from Rob- UCA @ Western Kentucky - 6:30 bie Park to Darrius McNeal. Ceasar finished with 91 yard on 10 carries, Northwestern State @ UT-Martin - 6:30 while Brent Grimes added 81 yards on 14 carries, with an 18-yard touch- Bethel University @ Lamar - 7:00 down run that sealed the game midway through the fourth quarter. Jacksonville State @ Southeastern Louisiana - 7:00 Park completed 18 of 21 passes (85.7%) for 177 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Preston Echols caught 8 passes for 87 yards, including a • SATURDAY, AUG. 31 • 6-yard touchdown, while McNeal caught 4 for 100 yards. Abilene Christian @ North Texas - 6:30 Incarnate Word @ UTSA - 5:00 UCA’s defense recorded 10 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, led by DE Sam Houston State @ New Mexico - 5:00 Markell Carter with 2.0 sacks for -15 yards. LB James Lancaster had 6 Southern University @ McNeese State - 6:00 tackles, 1.5 for loss and an interception. Stephen F. Austin @ Baylor - 6:00 Nicholls @ Kansas State - 6:00 LAST YEAR: Houston Baptist @ UTEP - 7:00 The Bears lost their starting quarterback Breylin Smith to a bro- ken ankle in the fourth game of the season at Sam Houston State • SATURDAY, SEPT. 7 • and finished the season 6-5 overall and 5-4 in Southland Confer- UCA @ Austin Peay - 2:00 ence play in Coach Nathan Brown’s first season as head coach. Arizona Christian @ Abilene Christian - TBA Smith went out late in the fourth quarter against the Bearkats, then Southeastern Louisiana @ Bethune-Cookman - 3:00 backup Kirk Baugh injured his shoulder as UCA took SHSU to overtime Texas Wesleyan @ Houston Baptist - 6:00 Tarleton State @ Stephen F. Austin - 6:00 before falling 34-31. Third-string quarterback Luke Hales, a redshirt fresh- Midwestern State @ Northwestern State - 6:00 man, was forced to finish out the season and led the Bears to a 4-3 record Texas Southern @ Incarnate Word - 6:00 down the stretch. Mississippi Valley State @ Lamar - 6:00 UCA finished in a four-way tie for fourth in the Southland after fin- Oklahoma Panhandle State @ Sam Houston State - 6:00 ishing no worse than third over the previous eight years, including SLC McNeese State @ Oklahoma State - 6:00 championships in 2017 (9-0) and 2012 (6-1) and runnerup finishes in 2011 (6-1), 2014 (5-3), 2015 (7-2) and 2016 (8-1). THIS IS UCA FOOTBALL 3 National championships 2008, 2012, 2017 SLC Champions 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017 NCAA FCS Playoffs 518 All-Conference selections 115 All-Americans 26 Conference Titles 21 posteason appearances1 64 NCAA All-Academic picks The Bears finished fourth in the SLC in scoring defense (26.1 points 304 yards and leading the Bears to an easy 66-35 win over the Huskies. per game), second in rushing defense (111.5 yards per game) and fourth Hales threw five TDs again vs. Northwestern State in his third game in total defense (402.0 yards per game). Hales was named the Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Offensively, UCA was fourth in scoring offense (30.5), fifth in rushing Week and the STATS FCS Freshman Player of the Week for his efforts offense (145.5), seventh in passing offense (261.7) and seventh in total against HBU. offense (407.2). The Bears had a similar situation in 2013 when starting QB Wynrick UCA led the league in penalties with just 60 for 522 yars (47.5 per Smothers broke his ankle in the sixth game against Nebraska-Kearney game). The Bears were also first in turnover margin (+10). Junior Carlos and missed the remainder of his senior season. Ryan Howard, UCA’s Blackman led the Bears in rushing and was fifth in the SLC at 71.5 yards current receivers and special teams coach, replaced him and threw for per game (163 for 786). Senior Lester Wells led the Bears in recriving 1,848 yards and 14 touchdowns the rest of the season. with 55 catches for 652 yards (8th in the SLC). Sophomore Robert Ro- UCA now has four quarterbacks that have seen action in the Purple chell was second in the league in interceptions with 4 and senior Cedric & Gray, including redshirt freshman BeSean McCray. Smith was limited Battle was third in kick returns at 22.3 yards per return. UCA’s leading tackler was junior safety Juan Jackson with 91 tack- throughout spring practice but returned full speed in the summer and les (67 solo). Jackson also had a team-high 5 forces fumbles. Sopho- resumed the starting quarterback duties this fall. more Jackie Harvell was next with 69 tackles (54). Junior Chris Terrell had a team-high 16 TFLs and 8.5 sacks. TWO-HEADED MONSTER: UCA’s running back duo of Carlos Blackman and Kierre Crossley is THE RETURNEES: as good as any on the FCS level. They took turns leading the Bears in rushing the past two seasons, with Blackman leading last year with 786 The Bears return numerous starters from last year’s team, including yards (9 TDs) and Crossley in 2017 with 780 yards (4 TDs). seven on offense, six on defense and three on special teams. The duo combined for 1,386 yards and 11 touchdowns a year ago, The most experienced positions are offensive line (four of five starters and 1,550 yards and 13 TDs the previous season. returning) and secondary (four of five starters returning). UCA’s offensive line returnees include C Toby Sanderson, G Adrian CAREER RUSHING 1. 4,549 - Hosea Knowlton 7. 2,589 - Nathaniel Daniel Harris, G Jaylen Hendrix and T Hunter Watts. The secondary returns S 2. 3,620 - Vaughn Edwards 8. 2,583 - Cedric Holt Juan Jackson, CB Trai Mosley, CB Robert Rochell and CB Duke Upshaw. 3. 3,343 - Phil Caldwell 9. 2,568 - Erron Bobo 10. 2,299 - Shaun Mitchell UCA’s running backs room is also highly experienced, led by SR 4. 3,060 - Brent Grimes 5. 3,044 - Kentrel Rogers 11. 2,200 - Andre King Carlos Blackman and JR Kierre Crossley. Add to the mix SR D’erek 6. 2,895 - Shawn McGehee 12. 2,172 - Carlos Blackman Fernandez and redshirt freshman Cameron Myers, along with freshman Marshun Douglas and you have one of the top backfields in the SLC. UCA lost four of its top five receivers in Lester Wells (55 catches), HANDFUL OF TDS: Jakari Dillard (36), Dwayne Smith (18) and Cedric Battle (17). JR Brandon Redshirt freshman QB Luke Hales threw five touchdown passes twice Myers (21-484, 5 TDs), the most experienced returnee, injured his knee last season (HBU, NSU). He is just the sixth UCA quarterback to throw at in fall camp and will miss the 2019 season. That leaves JR Joe Hampton least five TDs in a game, and only the fourth to do it multiple times. One (4-102) with the most experience among the receivers. of those is current head coach Nathan Brown, the only other one in the FCS era. SINGLE-GAME TD PASSES QUARTERBACK DEPTH: 7 - Brown,Nathan; Texas State; Oct 11, 2007 UCA starting quarterback Breylin Smith broke his right ankle late in 6 - Andy Rogers; at Nicholls State; Aug 31, 2000 6 - Nathan Brown; at Presbyterian College; Nov 19, 2005 the Sam Houston State on Sept. 29. Smith, a redshirt sophomore from 5 - Luke Hales; vs. HBU; Oct. 6, 2018 Conway, was leading the SLC in pass efficiency (160.3), completing 77 5 - Luke Hales; vs. Northwestern State; Oct. 20, 2018 5 - Brian Stallworth; Southern Arkansas; Nov 03, 2001 of 112 (68.7%) of his passes for 1,009 yards, with 6 touchdowns and 1 5 - Brian Stallworth; at Southeastern Oklahoma; Sep 08, 2001 interception, and also had 39 rushing yards and two TDs. 5 - Dick, Nathan; Southeastern LA; Oct 29, 2011 5 - Zak Clark; at UA-Monticello; Oct 30, 2004 The next man up was junior Kirk Baugh (White Hall, Ark.), who had 5 - Zak Clark; at Henderson State; Sep 21, 2002 appeared in 19 games over the past three seasons.