2020 Central Arkansas Bears football team

American college football season

2020 Central Arkansas Bears football
ConferenceSouthland Conference
Record5–4 (0–0 Southland)
Head coach
  • Nathan Brown (3rd season)
Offensive coordinatorKen Collums (3rd season)
Defensive coordinatorChad Williams (2nd season)
Home stadiumEstes Stadium
Seasons
← 2019
2021 →
2020 Southland Conference football standings
  • v
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 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 1 Sam Houston State $^   6 – 0     10 – 0  
No. 20 Southeastern Louisiana   4 – 2     4 – 3  
No. 23 Nicholls   3 – 3     4 – 3  
Incarnate Word   3 – 3     3 – 3  
Lamar   2 – 4     2 – 4  
McNeese State*   2 – 4     3 – 4  
Northwestern State   1 – 5     1 – 5  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
  • * – Ineligible for FCS postseason play due to NCAA sanctions
    Note: Abilene Christian, Central Arkansas, Houston Baptist, and Stephen F. Austin played only in the fall and opted out of the spring season.
Rankings from STATS Poll
2020 NCAA Division I FCS independents football standings
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Stephen F. Austin   –     6 – 4  
Tarleton State†   –     5 – 3  
Central Arkansas   –     5 – 4  
Presbyterian†   –     4 – 3  
Eastern Kentucky   –     3 – 6  
Dixie State†   –     2 – 3  
Houston Baptist   –     1 – 3  
Abilene Christian   –     1 – 5  
Campbell   –     0 – 4  
North Alabama   –     0 – 4  
  • Note: † – Dixie State, Presbyterian, and Tarleton State played only in the spring. All other teams listed played only in the fall. Presbyterian was in a scheduling agreement with the Pioneer Football League, which it fully joined in July 2021.

The 2020 Central Arkansas Bears football team represented the University of Central Arkansas in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Southland Conference. The Bears were led by third-year head coach Nathan Brown and played their home games at Estes Stadium.

Preseason

Preseason poll

The Southland Conference released their original preseason poll in July 2020. The Bears were picked to finish first in the conference, prior to their schedule split from the rest of the league.[1] In addition, thirteen Bears were chosen to the Preseason All-Southland Team[2]

Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1 Central Arkansas* 190 (12)
2 Sam Houston State 170 (4)
3 Nicholls 169 (6)
4 Southeastern Louisiana 157
5 McNeese State 113
6 Incarnate Word 104
7 Abilene Christian* 101
8 Stephen F. Austin* 60
9 Houston Baptist* 59
10 Northwestern State 49
11 Lamar 38

(*) These teams opted out of playing in the revised spring 2021 Southland schedule, and instead played as Independent in the fall of 2020.

Preseason All–Southland Teams

Offense

1st Team

  • Breylin Smith – Quarterback, JR
  • Lujuan Winningham – Wide Receiver, JR
  • Jalen Hendrix – Offensive Lineman, JR
  • Toby Sanderson – Offensive Lineman, SR

2nd Team

  • Jack Short – Tight End/Halfback, SR
  • Tyler Hudson – Wide Receiver, SO
  • Hayden Ray – Kicker, JR

Defense

1st Team

  • Nathan Grant – Defensive Lineman, SR
  • TJ Campbell – Linebacker, JR
  • Robert Rochell – Defensive Back, SR
  • Cameron Myers – Kick Returner, RS-SO

2nd Team

  • A'Javious Brown – Defensive Lineman, SR
  • J. W. Jones – Defensive Lineman, SR

Roster

2020 Central Arkansas Bears football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB 3 Breylin Smith Jr
QB 7 Hunter Loyd Fr
QB 10 Luke Hales Jr
QB 17 Darius Bowers  So
QB XX Hunter Eskola  So
OL 60 Jordan Banks Fr
OL 61 Sanderson Hines Jr
OL 63 Toby Sanderson Sr
OL 64 Riley Dod Fr
OL 66 Jalan Henderson Fr
OL 67 Chandler Knandel  Fr
OL 69 Jesse Boshears  Fr
OL 70 William Mayo Fr
OL 71 Josh George So
OL 72 Bakarius Collier Fr
OL 73 Parker Ray So
OL 75 Will Burgess Jr
OL 76 Caleb Jones So
OL 77 Derek Haupt Fr
OL 78 Jaylin Hendrix Jr
OL 79 Justin Lairy Fr
RB 20 Marshun Douglas  Fr
RB 21 Kierre Crossley Sr
RB 23 Trysten Smith Fr
RB 27 Derrick Wise Fr
RB 28 Cameron Myers So
RB 35 Corbin Humphrey So
RB XX Michael George So
TE 19 Sam Camargo Sr
TE 32 Justin Morris Sr
TE 35 James Clayton Fr
TE 41 Joshua Nix Sr
TE 43 Garrett Thomas  Fr
TE 47 Austin Eldridge So
TE 83 Riyada Anada So
TE 85 Jack Short Sr
TE 89 Haze Denton Fr
WR 1 Tyler Hudson So
WR 2 Jarrod Barnes Jr
WR 5 LuJuan Winningham Jr
WR 6 Dwight Blakey Sr
WR 8 Tobias Enlow Sr
WR 13 Myles Kitt-Denton Fr
WR 80 Chris Howard  Fr
WR 81 Christian Richmond So
WR 82 Chris Hightower Fr
WR 84 Brandon Myers Jr
WR 86 Noah Bush So
WR 87 Mitchell Perkinson Jr
WR 88 Jared Long Fr
WR XX Paul Amick So
WR XX Robert Springer  Fr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DB 4 Cameron Godfrey So
DB 7 Nick Nakwaash  Fr
DB 9 Robert Rochell Sr
DB 11 Christian Cain Jr
DB 12 Steve Mackey Jr. Jr
DB 14 Leandre Rucks Sr
DB 16 Davis Harrison Sr
DB 22 Wesley Anusiem Jr
DB 25 Chris Kershner Sr
DB 26 Tamaurian Wilson Fr
DB 29 Justin Meadows Sr
DB 31 Kameryn Cuevas Jr
DB 33 Deandre Lamont Jr
DB 34 Laquez Embry Fr
DB 36 Jackie Harvell Jr
DB 37 Donte Jones  Fr
DB 38 Simeon Dorson So
DB XX Derrick Thompson So
DB XX Quin Tucker So
DE 50 J.W. Jones So
DE 92 Jamal Mull Fr
DE 93 Marquez Casey So
DE 94 Nathan Grant Sr
DL 42 Taurean Mays  Fr
DL 49 Azuka Mgbemena Sr
DL 55 Jalen Bedell Jr
DL 86 Austin Norris Sr
DL 90 A'Javius Brown Sr
DL 91 Logan Jessup So
DL 95 James Kitt  Fr
DL 97 Caden Brown Jr
DL 98 D'Mani Gibson Fr
DT 99 Alejandro Ramirez So
LB 15 TJ Campbell Jr
LB 18 Malik Wilson Jr
LB 24 Darin Davenport So
LB 39 Trenton Dunn Sr
LB 40 Kendarrius Moore Fr
LB 43 Jy'Kevious Hibbler Fr
LB 45 Dre Matthews Jr
LB 51 Nicholas Gonzales  Fr
LB 52 Dwain Hunt  Fr
LB 54 Colson Simpson  Fr
LB 56 Demetrius Charles  Fr
OLB 30 DJ Reed Sr
OLB 46 Victor Hill Sr
OLB 96 Jeremiah Gray So
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
DS 48 Justin Keijers So
DS 59 Will Siler Jr
P 44 Seren Hughes-Ford So
K 53 Hayden Ray Jr
K 57 Chandler Caughron  Fr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

[3]

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Roster

Schedule

Central Arkansas had a game scheduled against Missouri, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] Due to the Southland delaying conference play until Spring 2021, Central Arkansas is playing as an independent for the 2020 season. Since they are playing more than 3 games during the fall, Central Arkansas will not participate in conference play in the spring.

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
August 29[a]8:00 p.m.vs. No. 13 Austin Peay*No. 11ESPNW 24–172,000
September 37:00 p.m.at UAB*No. 11ESPN3L 35–4512,716
September 267:00 p.m.Missouri State*No. 11ESPN3W 27–202,000
October 32:30 p.m.at No. 1 North Dakota State*No. 11ESPN+L 28–39471
October 106:00 p.m.at Arkansas State*No. 11ESPN3L 27–504,561
October 177:00 p.m.at Missouri State*No. 11ESPN3W 33–245,489
October 242:00 p.m.at Eastern Kentucky*No. 11ESPN3L 28–312,932
October 313:00 p.m.Missouri Western*daggerNo. 11
  • Estes Stadium
  • Conway, AR
ESPN3W 52–102,452
November 143:00 p.m.Eastern Kentucky*No. 11
  • Estes Stadium
  • Conway, AR
ESPN3W 37–252,000
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

Source:[9]

  1. ^ Both Austin Peay and Central Arkansas agreed to move their previously scheduled game from September 19 to August 29 after being selected to compete in the 2020 Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff game at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, AL. The game will be nationally televised and will be the only college football game played in their time slot.[5][6][7][8]

Game summaries

Vs. Austin Peay

Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff: Austin Peay vs. Central Arkansas
1 234Total
No. 13 Governors 7 307 17
• No. 11 Bears 0 6711 24
  • Date: August 29
  • Location: Crampton Bowl
    Montgomery, AL
  • Game start: 8:05 p.m. CDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:36
  • Game attendance: 2,000
  • Game weather: 81 °F (27 °C), Partly Cloudy, winds NE 3 mph
  • Referee: Bob Johnson • Umpire: Steve Coullias • Linesman: Ritchie Godfre • Line judge: D. LaFontaine • Back judge: Brian Kovach • Field judge: Pat Jordan • Side judge: Cedric Clark
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Matt Barrie, Mike Golic Jr., and Lauren Sisler
Sources:
    
Scoring summary
114:44APSUCJ Evans Jr. 75-yard run (Grant Paulette kick)APSU 7–0
211:38APSUGrant Paulette 28-yard field goalAPSU 10-0
7:37UCAHayden Ray 30-yard field goalAPSU 10-3
3:51UCAHayden Ray 27-yard field goalAPSU 10-6
314:00UCAKierre Crossley 34-yard run (Hayden Ray kick)UCA 13-10
47:44UCAHayden Ray 32-yard field goalUCA 16-10
1:34APSUJeremiah Oatsvall 1-yard run (Grant Paulette kick)APSU 17-16
0:34UCALuJuan Winningham 10-yard pass Breylin Smith (Sam Camargo pass from Breylin Smith)UCA 24-17

Uniform combination: white helmet, white jersey, white pants w/ purple accents

At UAB

Central Arkansas at UAB
1 234Total
Bears 7 14014 35
• Blazers 14 14314 45
  • Date: September 3
  • Location: Legion Field
    Birmingham, AL
  • Game start: 7:00 p.m. CDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:45
  • Game attendance: 12,716
  • Game weather: 86 °F (30 °C), Clear, winds SW 5 mph
  • Referee: Jonathan Noli • Umpire: John C. Mitchell • Linesman: Gary Calip • Line judge: Jonathan May • Back judge: Tom Healey • Field judge: Victor Sanchez • Side judge: Raymond Tate • Center judge: Chris Burnette
  • TV announcers (ESPN3): Curt Bloom and Chad Pilcher
Sources:
        
Scoring summary
17:03UABGerrit Young 6-yard pass from Tyler Johnston III (Matt Quinn kick)UAB 7–0
2:46UABSpencer Brown 5-yard run (Matt Quinn kick)UAB 14–0
0:03UCACameron Myers 5-yard run (Hayden Ray kick)UAB 14–7
210:50UABMyon Mitchell 18-yard pass from Bryson Lucero (Matt Quinn kick)UAB 21–7
5:31UABGerrit Prince 10-yard pass from Tyler Johnston III (Matt Quinn kick)UAB 28–7
2:33UCALuJuan Winningham 15-yard pass from Breylin Smith (Chandler Caughron kick)UAB 28–14
1:21UCARobert Rochell 35-yard fumble return (Chandler Caughron kick)UAB 28–21
33:07UABMatt Quinn 23-yard field goalUAB 31–21
412:41UABLucious Stanley 8-yard run (Matt Quinn kick)UAB 38–21
8:12UABJermaine Brown 30-yard run (Matt Quinn kick)UAB 45–21
5:43UCALuJuan Winningham 8-yard pass from Breylin Smith (Chandler Caughron kick)UAB 45–28
0:32UCASam Camargo 6-yard pass from Breylin Smith (Chandler Caughron kick)UAB 45–35

Uniform combination: white helmet, white jersey, white pants w/ purple accents

Missouri State

Missouri State at Central Arkansas
1 234Total
MOST Bears 0 1730 20
• UCA Bears 0 7614 27
  • Date: September 26
  • Location: Estes Stadium
    Conway, AR
  • Game start: 7:05 p.m. CDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:20
  • Game attendance: 2,000
  • Game weather: 68 °F (20 °C), Winds SSE 2 mph; Mostly Clear
  • Referee: Ed Bourgeois • Umpire: David Williams • Linesman: Tony Wright • Line judge: Todd Allen • Back judge: Brendon Barnes • Field judge: Keith Claiborne • Side judge: Trey Castleberry
  • TV announcers (ESPN3): John Liddle, Shea Walker, and Taylor Verrico
Sources:
     
Scoring summary
212:04MOSTJose Pizano 47-yard field goalMOST 3–0
10:45MOSTKevin Latulas returns blocked Seren Hughes-Ford punt 16-yards (Jose Pizano kick)MOST 10-0
7:38UCAKierre Crossley 4-yard run (Hayden Ray kick)MOST 10-7
4:02MOSTKeshun Parker 3-yard run (Jose Pizano kick)MOST 17-7
38:49MOSTJose Pizano 31-yard field goalUAB 20–7
1:24UCATyler Hudson 7-yard pass from Breylin Smith (kick failed)UAB 20-13
414:48UCADre Matthews 30-yard fumble return (Hayden Ray kick)TIED 20–20
14:11UCATyler Hudson 57-yard punt return (Hayden Ray kick)UCA 27–20

Uniform combination: white helmet, purple jersey, purple pants w/ white and gray accents

At North Dakota State

Central Arkansas at North Dakota State
1 234Total
Bears 3 3148 28
• Bison 0 10821 39
  • Date: October 3
  • Location: Fargodome
    Fargo, ND
  • Game start: 2:34 p.m. CDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:31
  • Game attendance: 471
  • Game weather: 70 °F (21 °C), Indoors
  • Referee: Matt Gallagher • Umpire: Tony Day • Linesman: Calvin Diggs • Line judge: Ivan Cardona • Back judge: Justin Staehr • Field judge: Stacy Jameson • Side judge: Phil Ayeni • Center judge: Jason Nickleby
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Brian Shawn, Lee Timmerman, and Ryan Gellner
Sources:
       
Scoring summary
18:26UCAHayden Ray 33-yard field goalUCA 3–0
211:53UCAHayden Ray 41-yard field goalUCA 6–0
9:00NDSJosh Babicz 13-yard pass from Trey Lance (Jake Reinholz kick)NDS 7–6
2:32NDSJake Reinholz 27-yard field goalNDS 10–6
314:13NDSTrey Lance 54-yard run (James Kaczor run)NDS 18–6
12:47UCATyler Hudson 22-yard pass from Breylin Smith (Hayden Ray kick)NDS 18–13
9:44UCALuJuan Winningham 3-yard pass from Breylin Smith (Hayden Ray kick)UCA 20–18
413:21NDSTrey Lance 14-yard run (Jake Reinholz kick)NDS 25–20
10:35UCALuJuan Winningham 11-yard pass from Breylin Smith (Breylin Smith run)UCA 28–25
7:35NDSHunter Luepke 23-yard pass from Trey Lance (Jake Reinholz kick)NDS 32–28
1:52NDSHunter Luepke 13-yard run (Jake Reinholz kick)NDS 39–28

Uniform combination: white helmet, white jersey, white pants w/ purple accents

At Arkansas State

Central Arkansas at Arkansas State
1 234Total
Bears 3 10014 27
• Red Wolves 2 21207 50
  • Date: October 10
  • Location: Centennial Bank Stadium
    Jonesboro, AR
  • Game start: 2:35 p.m. CDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:45
  • Game attendance: 4,561
  • Game weather: 68 °F (20 °C), Winds NE 13 mph; Cloudy and Rainy
  • Referee: Trennis Livingston • Umpire: Jason Yates • Linesman: Jim Kelley • Line judge: Carl Gioia • Back judge: Wayne Johnson • Field judge: Charles Green • Side judge: Brett Toney
  • TV announcers (ESPN3): Roger Twibell, Pete Cordelli, and Cori Keller
Sources:
         
Scoring summary
18:07UCAHayden Ray 36-yard field goalUCA 3–0
6:04ASUTeam SafetyUCA 3–2
210:44UCAHayden Ray 42-yard field goalUCA 6–2
5:22ASUJonathan Adams 4-yard pass from Layne Hatcher (Blake Grupe kick)ASU 9–6
3:14ASUSamy Johnson 60-yard interception return (Blake Grupe kick)ASU 16–6
1:31UCALuJuan Winningham 23-yard pass from Breylin Smith (Hayden Ray kick)ASU 16–13
0:29ASUBrandon Bowling 15-yard pass from Layne Hatcher (Blake Grupe kick)ASU 23–13
313:40ASUDahu Green 3-yard pass from Logan Bonner (Blake Grupe kick)ASU 30–13
8:19ASUJonathan Adams 22-yard pass from Layne Hatcher (Blake Grupe kick)ASU 37–13
0:29ASUDahu Green 20-yard pass from Logan Bonner (kick failed)ASU 43–13
413:32UCALuJuan Winningham 2-yard pass from Breylin Smith (Hayden Ray kick)ASU 43–20
11:32UCALuJuan Winningham 31-yard pass from Breylin Smith (Hayden Ray kick)ASU 43–27
5:14ASUCorey Rucker 56=yard pass from Logan Bonner (Blake Grupe kick)ASU 50–27

Uniform combination: grey helmet, white jersey, white pants w/ purple accents

At Missouri State

Central Arkansas at Missouri State
1 234Total
UCA Bears - --- 0
MOST Bears - --- 0
  • Date: October 17
  • Location: Robert W. Plaster Stadium
    Springfield, MO
  • Referee: • Umpire: • Linesman: • Line judge: • Back judge: • Field judge: • Side judge: • Center judge:
  • Television network: ESPN3
Sources:
 
Scoring summary

Uniform combination:

At Eastern Kentucky

Central Arkansas at Eastern Kentucky
1 234Total
Bears - --- 0
Blazers - --- 0
  • Date: October 24
  • Location: Roy Kidd Stadium
    Richmond, KY
  • Referee: • Umpire: • Linesman: • Line judge: • Back judge: • Field judge: • Side judge: • Center judge:
Sources:
 
Scoring summary

Uniform combination:

Missouri Western

Missouri Western at Central Arkansas
1 234Total
Griffons - --- 0
Bears - --- 0
  • Date: October 31
  • Location: Estes Stadium
    Conway, AR
  • Referee: • Umpire: • Linesman: • Line judge: • Back judge: • Field judge: • Side judge: • Center judge:
  • Television network: ESPN3
Sources:
 
Scoring summary

Uniform combination:

Eastern Kentucky

Eastern Kentucky at Central Arkansas
1 234Total
Colonels - --- 0
Bears - --- 0
  • Date: November 14
  • Location: Estes Stadium
    Conway, AR
  • Referee: • Umpire: • Linesman: • Line judge: • Back judge: • Field judge: • Side judge: • Center judge:
  • Television network: ESPN3
Sources:
 
Scoring summary

Uniform combination:

At Louisiana

Central Arkansas at Louisiana
1 234Total
Bears - --- 0
Ragin' Cajuns - --- 0
  • Date: November 21
  • Location: Cajun Field
    Lafayette, LA
  • Referee: • Umpire: • Linesman: • Line judge: • Back judge: • Field judge: • Side judge: • Center judge:
Sources:
 
Scoring summary

Uniform combination:

Players drafted into the NFL

Round Pick Player Position NFL Club
4 130 Robert Rochell CB Los Angeles Rams

References

  1. ^ "Nicholls Favored to Win Southland Football Spring Season". www.southland.org. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  2. ^ "Southland Announces 2020 Preseason All-Conference Football Teams". www.southland.org. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  3. ^ "UCA Men's Football Staff". UCA Athletics.
  4. ^ Talty, John. "SEC moves to conference-only 2020 schedule, pushes back start of season". AL.com. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  5. ^ Craig Haley (January 29, 2020). "It's another fumble with the FCS Kickoff". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  6. ^ "Teams Announced for 2020 FCS Kickoff in Montgomery". Alabama News Network. January 29, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  7. ^ "Austin Peay, Central Arkansas to Meet In Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff". ESPN Internet Ventures. January 29, 2020. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  8. ^ Kevin Kelley (January 29, 2020). "Austin Peay, Central Arkansas to play in 2020 FCS Kickoff". FBSchedules.com Partner of USATODAY College Sports. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  9. ^ "Bears Build Formidable Schedule". UCA Athletics. 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
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