LIVE AUDIO
LIVE VIDEO
LIVE STATS

CONWAY, Ark. _ For the first time since Sept. 1, the University of Central Arkansas Bears will be back on "The Stripes" on Saturday when they open ASUN Conference play by hosting the Austin Peay Governors at First Security Field at Estes Stadium.
    
    The Bears (1-3) wrapped up a three-game road swing last week at Southeast Missouri, following games at Idaho State and Ole Miss. The only home game so far for UCA was the season opener against Missouri State on Thursday, Sept. 1.

    "We're obviously excited to get back on The Stripes," said head coach Nathan Brown. "To get back on our home turf and to get back in a normal home work week, is a big deal for us. It's a chance to get in front of a familiar setting, obviously the fans and crowd and Conway, Ark. and the University of Central Arkansas, and Bruce Street and "The Stripes" never get old.

     "Getting back home is going to be big for this team, it's exciting.

    The No. 16/22 Governors (4-1) have won four consecutive games after opening the season with a 38-27 loss at FBS Western Kentucky on Aug. 27 in Bowling Green, Ky. Since then, APSU has beaten Presbyterian (63-0), Mississippi Valley State (41-0), Alabama A&M (28-3) and Eastern Kentucky (31-20) last week in its ASUN opener at home in Clarksville, Tenn.

    The Governors are ranked seventh in the FCS in scoring defense (12.2 points per game) and ninth in total defense (268 yards per game).  APSU has been just as good on the offensive side of the ball, averaging 449.8 yards of total offense per game and scoring 38.0 points per game. It will be UCA's third Top 25 FCS team to face so far this season, along with FBS Top 25 Ole Miss.

    "They have a very good program," said Brown. "They have 15 graduates or seniors in their two-deep, and that's a huge number. And that's probably why they're 4-1. And they also have 22 transfers in their two-deep. So they've changed their roster a lot and they're playing with a lot of new faces than what they've had the past couple of years.

    "Offensively, they're explosive, they've got a lot of playmakers. Their quarterback (graduate Mike DiLiello) is a very, very good football player. He's done a great job as a transfer from Middle Tennessee. On defense, a very similar style to what we played on Saturday at SEMO.  They play a three-man front with a lot of athletes on their second and third levels. Not a huge defense, but a very fast defense. And this is a compliment to any program, they play extremely hard."
   
    The Bears have won all three games in the series with the Governors, dating back to 1975. The two most recent meetings were both close, with UCA winning 24-16 in Clarksville, Tenn., in 2019, then taking the rematch 24-17 in the 2020 Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff in Montgomery, Ala., in 2020.

    The Bears got a late touchdown pass from Breylin Smith to Lujuan Winningham with 34 seconds remaining to win the last matchup. Freshman safety TaMuarion Wilson then sealed it with an interception as time expired. The 2019 game ended in much the same fashion as Winningham hauled in two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, and Robert Rochell ended it with an interception for the Bears.

    "We're a 0-0 football team in the ASU," said Brown. "We played a tough four-game stretch, and we knew going in it would be tough. You don't anticipate being a 1-3 football team, or want to be a 1-3 football team. But that is our reality. So we have to react and respond in a positive way.

    "And we've got good football players and we've had our chances. But when you play good football teams, the margin for error is very minimal. You're not able to make mistakes and beat good football teams. And that was the case with the first game of the year against Missouri State, and also Saturday with SEMO. Two great football teams.

    "I told our guys this Sunday night. I've been at UCA for a long time and I've been a part of two UCA football teams in the Division I era that started out 1-3 and were playoff teams, with one of those winning the conference championship. So 1-3 doesn't scare me. It is what it is. It's four non-conference games, and the way our ASUN Conference is set up, the majority of our games are non-conference games. But we have a chance to go on and control our own destiny within the ASUN.

    "And we have no choice but to keep pressing forward."

    The game, set for a 4 p.m. kickoff, will be carried live on The Bear 91.3, The Point 94.1 and ESPN+.