Time: 7:00 p.m.
Date: Saturday, August 29, 2019
Place: Roy Stewart Stadium, Murray, Ky.
History: First meeting between UPIKE and Murray State
Â
WELCOME BACK: The Bears return a majority of its starters from last year's 6-5 squad, including All Mid-South honorees senior quarterback Bowen Smith and senior running back Xondre Willis. UPIKE also returns all three All-MSC offensive linemen from last year: Thomas Spears, Chase Richardson and Jalen Stone.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Bears return over 75 percent of its tackle production, including redshirt senior Taeron Brown who has garnered looks from NFL scouts on his road back from a season-ending injury in last year's season opener.
SCOUTING THE RACERS: Murray State is coming off one of its best seasons in recent history, finishing at 5-6 overall and 5-3 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Both of those marks are the best by a Murray State team since 2011.
On offense, MSU will turn to redshirt sophomore Preston Rice at quarterback. Rice saw the field for all 11 of the Racers' games last year, but only attempted 12 passes and completed six. Last year the Racers tried to air out the ball more often than most of the Bears' opponents last year, with a close to 45-55 split between pass and run plays.
In terms of pure yardage, the two top targets from last year return in seniors Malik Honeycutt and James Sappington, who combined for 916 total yards and six touchdowns through the air. MSU's leading returning rusher is a junior, Rodney Castille, that also handled punt return duties. Murray liked to spread the wealth on offense with 11 players having 15 or more receptions and three rushers with 80 or more.
MSU took the biggest offseason hit on defense, losing All-OVC linebacker Quincy Williams to the NFL and edge rusher Kenney Wooten to graduation. But the other two big-time linebackers are back in Kendrick Catis and Anthony Koclanakis who combined for 140 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions.
ALL-TIME vs D-I: Today marks the seventh time UPIKE faces an NCAA Division I opponent. In 2013, the Bears scored one of their most notable upsets in school history, defeating Morehead State 13-10 in Morehead. UPIKE came close to upsetting the Eagles again the next year, but fell 49-36. Pikeville last faced a D-I opponent when coach Al Holland took his squad to face his alma mater of Eastern Kentucky in 2016, also the Bears' last conference title.
RECORDS ON THE HORIZON: Multiple key players for Pikeville are looking to plant their names on the top of the record book as they near the end of their college careers. Most notably, Xondre Willis could become UPIKE's all-time leading rusher by season's end, needing just 759 yards on the season to surpass former Bear great Leonard Moore (2001-04). Quarterback Bowen Smith, wide receiver Arites Clark, and kicker William Chandler are all also nearing the top of the list in their respective categories as well.
20 YEARS OF BEARS FOOTBALL: With today's game, UPIKE begins its 20th year of football. Players will wear decals on their helmet all season to signify the anniversary. UPIKE holds an all-time record of 87-114, but head coach Al Holland is turning the program around with winning seasons two of the last three years.
