Missouri State football big favorites heading into homecoming matchup vs. Murray State
Missouri State has an opportunity to secure its first winning streak of the season when it hosts its annual homecoming game this weekend at Plaster Stadium.
The Bears (2-4, 1-2) play Murray State (2-4, 1-2) on Saturday at 2 p.m. The Bears enter the game as 20.5-point favorites to win the game, according to 5Dimes' opening line.
It would be the Bears' first winning streak since the final two games of the 2022 season under former head coach Bobby Petrino.
The Bears are coming off a dominant 48-7 win over winless Western Illinois. The Racers have lost back-to-back games with their lone league winning coming in a 30-28 nailbiter vs. winless Indiana State. Their only other win came against Presbyterian. In each of their losses, the Racers have scored 14 points or fewer.
More: Yes, Western Illinois is awful. It didn't take away encouragement shown by Missouri State.
Missouri State will look to keep its ground game going after running back Jacardia Wright popped off for the best individual game he's played during his career. He rushed for 163 yards and two touchdowns in MSU's win at Western Illinois.
Quarterback Jordan Pachot will also look to stay hot after completing 17 of 24 passes for 217 yards and three scores in his first win as a Division I starting quarterback.
Murray State's defensive struggles should bode well for the continued success of the Bears' offense. The Racers have one of the worst rush defenses in the FCS but have been middle of the pack in their first year in the Missouri Valley Football Conference against the pass. The Racers haven't been good at getting after the passer and allow teams to convert on 41.9% of their third downs.
More: Basketball is near. Here's what Missouri State, Dana Ford said during MVC Media Day
Offensively, the Racers have fumbled too often and struggled to throw the ball. They have solid pass protection that only allows a sack per game but they've been one of the most penalized teams in the country. Missouri State's defense showed growth last week but needs to show more strides against the run when it's allowed 202 yards per game.
Missouri State will follow this game by hitting the road to No. 25 Youngstown State. The Bears follow with back-to-back home games against Illinois State and Northern Iowa.
MSU basketball teams to host intrasquad scrimmages on Saturday
Missouri State men's and women's basketball will host their annual homecoming preview at Great Southern Bank Arena on Saturday. The Lady Bears will tip off at 10 a.m. with the men playing at 11 a.m. Doors open at 9:45 a.m.
Murray State @ Missouri State
When: Saturday, 2 p.m.
Where: Plaster Stadium
Watch: MC-22 and ESPN+
Listen: KWTO 101.3 FM
Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or X at @WyattWheeler_NL. He's also the host of the weekly "Wyatt's World Podcast" on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other podcasting platforms
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri State football hosts Murray State for homecoming
