Kats vs. UCA matchup huge early season tilt
9/20/2012 2:06:00 PM | Football
The Bearkats and the Bears both represented the Southland Conference in the NCAA Division I national playoffs in 2011. Sam Houston reached the national championship finals while Central Arkansas made it to the quarterfinals.
Both are ranked in the top 25 this year and were picked to finish among the top two in the league in several preseason polls.
"There's no doubt this is a big game for us," Sam Houston State head coach Willie Fritz said. "Central Arkansas went undefeated in Southland play last year after playing us. They made a great run in the playoffs. They have an outstanding quarterback who really presents us with a lot of challenges. We have to play without mistakes."
Both teams enter the opening of Southland Conference play with one loss, each coming to FBS programs from BCS leagues - the Bears at Ole Miss and the Bearkats at Baylor. Both also led their upper-division counterparts at halftime in those games before succumbing in the second half.
The teams finished in the top two spots in the Southland standings a year ago, both won games in the Division I playoffs. Each team returns much of its nucleus from 2011, with a combined 34 returning starters, 27 preseason All-Southland Conference players and seven 2011 All-Americans on the two rosters.
"This is one of the bigger games we've ever played in Estes Stadium, particularly this early in the year," said UCA head coach Clint Conque. " It's two Top 25 teams that advanced in the playoffs last season, teams that finished 1st and 2nd in our league, and there are some high-profile players in this game. Southland TV and ESPN3 picked up our game for a reason."
Central Arkansas improved to 2-1 overall with a 70-3 victory over Bacone College last Saturday in the home opener. The 70 points was the most scored by the Bears in the 13 years of the Clint Conque era and the most since they scored 79 against Central Methodist in 1976.
Wide receiver Dezmin Lewis earned the Southland special teams player of the week honors on Monday. He returned a blocked punt for a TD and a bad snap over the punter's head for another. Lewis also had a TD reception.
Quarterback Wynrick Smothers was the offensive player of the week and returner Jesse Grandy took the special teams award in week two against Murray State.
Smothers completed 31 of 41 passes for 358 yards (all career highs) and five touchdowns to five different receivers. Grandy returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown and finished with 238 all-purpose yards (73 receiving, 75 kick return, 90 punt return).
Smothers' passing totals this season now stand at 72 of 92 (78.3 percent) for 784 yards and 10 touchdowns this season.
Linebacker Rojae Jackson earned defensive honors three weeks ago against Ole Miss.
Steamrolling Bacone last week moved the Bears' all-time record on the purple and gray striped turf of First Security Field to 6-0.
"Our guys recognize we have not lost at home since we put down our new field," Conque said. "That's an intangible that promotes a sense of great pride within our locker room. They understand the formula for success in any season starts with being able to defend the home field."
Central Arkansas leads the Southland Conference in scoring offense, ranks second in the league in scoring defense and third in the conference in total offense.
"They are a very strong team both on both sides of the ball and have outstanding special teams," Fritz said. "Offensively, they test you both with their ground and passing games. Defensively, they are a lot like Baylor. They definitely will come after you. We know they're going to be fired up and have a great crowd there."
UCA drew a crowd of 9,079 on a rainy night in Conway. A larger audience is expected for Saturday's contest.
Along with the Southland TV Network telecast, the game also will be broadcast live locally on KSAM 101.7 FM and on the internet at www.gobearkats.com .
