No. 24 Henderson State vs. Missouri Western
2019 Agent Barry Live United Bowl
Razorback Stadium | Texarkana, Arkansas | 12 p.m. CT
Live Video | Live Radio Broadcast | Live Stats | Game Notes
Live United Bowl Fan Information Guide
ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — No. 24 Henderson State (9-2) will make its first bowl game appearance since 1975 on Saturday when the Reddies face off with Missouri Western (8-3) in the seventh annual Agent Barry Live United Bowl at 12 p.m. in Texarkana, Arkansas.
TOP STORYLINES: SETTING THE SCENE
- The Reddies are in search of their seventh 10-win season in program history and fourth since 2012. Prior to 2012, HSU had won 10 or more games in a single season just three times and had not accomplished the feat since 1974. A victory for head coach Scott Maxfield can make him the only coach in school history to secure four 10-win seasons in a career.
- HSU's last appearance in a bowl game came in 1975 when the Reddies defeated fellow NAIA member East Central in the Bicentennial Bowl at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock 27-14. Henderson's first NCAA postseason appearance came in 2012 when they faced Missouri Western in the second round of the DII playoffs in the only prior meeting between the two programs. The Griffons won that contest in Arkadelphia 45-21.
REDDIES REPORT
- The Reddies are the sixth Great American Conference team to earn a bid to the Live United Bowl in Texarkana. In the previous six playings of the bowl, only one GAC team has ever come out victorious: Harding in 2013 when it defeated Texas A&M-Commerce 44-3.
- Henderson was one of the final teams left out of the 2019 NCAA DII Playoffs after falling in the final seconds of the season finale with No. 5 Ouachita Baptist, 24-21. The Reddies' two losses this season came to teams with a combined 21-1 record by a total of four points. As a team, Henderson was strong on both sides of the ball during the regular season and finished No. 3 in the GAC in both scoring offense (33.3 points per game) and scoring defense (18.4 points per game).
- HSU's top play-maker all season long has been junior wide receiver L'liott Curry. Curry led the GAC in receiving yards (1102) and touchdowns (13) and finished second in the league with 80 receptions. The native of Guthrie, Oklahoma, who transferred in from Central Oklahoma, was a unanimous First Team All-GAC selection and was one of 36 nominees nationally for the Harlon Hill Award. He is one of just six receivers nationally with 80 or more receptions and one of just 10 with 1100 or more receiving yards.
- Defensively, the leader in 2019 has been senior nickel Mercardo Anderson, who racked up 14.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and four interceptions in a year where he was named First Team All-GAC. Anderson, who was one of just two GAC players to pick up AFCA All-American recognition on Tuesday, is just the second player in conference history to earn three Defensive Player of the Week awards in a single season.
- Senior quarterback Richard Stammetti will end his career on Saturday among the program's all-time greats numbers-wise. In just two playing seasons and 22 total games, the Las Vegas native has thrown for 5204 yards and 42 touchdowns. With 51 passing yards and two touchdown passes on Saturday he would finish second all-time at Henderson State in both passing yards and passing touchdowns.
- Henderson finished atop the GAC in several important categories. The Reddies led the league in turnover margin (+9) and lost just one fumble all season, which led the conference. HSU also tied for the GAC-lead with 14 interceptions on the year despite not recording a turnover gained until week four against Harding. The Reddies forced 2.5 turnovers per game over the last eight games of the regular season.
- HSU was the fourth-least penalized team in the conference in 2019, but the Reddies were by far the least penalized team in the GAC over the final 10 weeks of the year. Henderson racked up 212 penalty yards in the season opener against Oklahoma Baptist, but then accumulated just 384 penalty yards total in its next 10 contests (38.4 yards per game).
- Strong starts to games have been a theme for the Reddies this season. Henderson has out-scored its opponents by 73 points in the first quarter this year and its defense has allowed just 23 total points in 11 first quarters. HSU has given up just one first quarter touchdown in its last seven games.
- Saturday will mark Henderson's fourth postseason appearance of the NCAA era and first since 2015. All four postseason berths have come in Maxfield's tenure and since 2012. The Reddies reached the DII Playoffs in 2012, 2013 and 2015. HSU is one of the winningest programs in the state of Arkansas since 2010 with four conference championships and three 10-win seasons.
- MWSU is just the third MIAA opponent the Reddies have faced in the NCAA era. Since 1993, HSU has faced an MIAA team just twice: Missouri Western in 2012 and Emporia State in 2015. Both contests came in the DII Playoffs.
SCOUTING MISSOURI WESTERN
- Missouri Western enters Saturday's Live United Bowl 8-3 on the season and in the MIAA. The Griffons finished third in the 12-team conference behind NCAA Playoff participants Northwest Missouri State and Central Missouri. MWSU is led by third year head coach Matt Williamson, former defensive coordinator for the University of Central Arkansas from 2010-2013.
- On offense, the Griffons have a balanced attack led by quarterback Wyatt Steigerwald and running back Markel Smith. Steigerwald has thrown for 2206 yards and 26 touchdowns with just six interceptions, while Smith has carried 135 times for 922 yards and 13 touchdowns. MWSU's top receiver is Devon Holmes, who has reeled in 45 passes for 649 yards and four scores. Missouri Western finished the regular season third in the MIAA and 10th in the nation in scoring offense (41.8 points per game) and scored 40 or more points in six different games.
- Defensively, Western's top tackler is Evan Chohon, who was seventh in the MIAA with 86 tackles this season. The Griffons' leader in tackles for loss is Arnold Crayton, who racked up 10.0 stops behind the line of scrimmage with four sacks. MWSU boasts 22 players on its roster who have registered a tackle for loss this year, including seven who have four or more. Missouri Western was sixth in the MIAA in scoring defense (28.1 points per game allowed) and ninth in total defense (456.3 yards per game allowed).
- On special teams, the Griffons have one of the most dangerous weapons in the country in freshman return man Trey Vaval. Vaval, who was named an AFCA All-American as a returner on Tuesday, broke a 27-year old MIAA record by averaging 35.2 yards per kick return this season. He led the nation with 1110 combined kick return yards and returned two kickoffs for scores in 2019.
- The Griffons are no strangers to the Live United Bowl and won the 2018 version of the game when they defeated Southern Arkansas 30-25 last season. MWSU is looking to become the first two-time Live United Bowl champions with a victory this year.
THE LAST MEETING
- Henderson State and Missouri Western's only prior meeting came in the second round of the NCAA DII Playoffs in 2012. The Griffons, who were the champions of the MIAA, defeated the Reddies, who were GAC champions that season, 45-21 at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium and Ruggles Field in Arkadelphia.
- Missouri Western's defense was opportunistic in the win as it picked off Reddie quarterback Kevin Rodgers four times and also had eight pass deflections at the line of scrimmage. Despite a tough outing, Rodgers became Henderson's all-time career passing leader in just the 18th game of his career that day, as he surpassed the 5254 yard mark set by Nick Hardesty.
- The Reddies scored with 8:50 remaining in the second quarter to cut the Griffons' lead down to 17-14, but MWSU answered with two touchdown passes before the half to take full control at the break.
- HSU out-gained Western 480 yards to 437 and passed for 412 yards in the game. The Griffons, however, rushed for 233 yards compared to just 68 for the Reddies.
TICKET INFORMATION
- Henderson State is selling advance tickets for the 2019 Agent Barry Live United Bowl against Missouri Western through Friday, Dec. 6.
- Tickets will be sold in the athletic offices in the Duke Wells Center between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. $10 adult tickets, as well as $4 student tickets, will be available for purchase through Henderson State and no phone orders will be taken. Cash, check and credit cards will be accepted. Checks must be made out to the Live United Bowl.
- Fans can also buy $10 adult tickets online HERE. Student tickets for $4 are not available for purchase online. Additionally, tickets will be sold on the day of the game at Razorback Stadium in Texarkana when the gates open at 10 a.m.
JEANS, BOOTS AND BBQ BOWL GAME BANQUET
- The team banquet for the 2019 Live United Bowl takes place Friday, Dec. 6 from 6:30-8 p.m. at Texas High School. The theme is "Jeans, Boots and BBQ" and will feature speaker Billy Dawson, Arkansas's Coach of the Decade from 2000-2009.
- The event is open to fans and families of players. Tickets for the banquet are $25 for ages six and up and can be purchased HERE.
TAILGATING AND STADIUM INFORMATION
- Gates to Razorback Stadium at Arkansas High School open at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning, but tailgaters can begin their festivities starting at 8 a.m.
- For information on locations of ticket booths, tailgating areas and Reddie fans seating sections, CLICK HERE.
TACOS 4 LIFE ALUMNI LUNCH
- The Henderson State Alumni Association will be serving a tailgate lunch for all Reddie fans from 10:45-11:45 a.m. on Saturday before kickoff.
- Cost, which includes a Tacos 4 Life meal, drink and alumni gift, is $7 if you preregister through the HSU Alumni Office before Friday, Dec. 6, which can be done HERE. The cost is $10 on the day of the game. Cash and check only will be accepted on gameday.
