MSU Football Doesn't Move Up in Poll - KAUZ-TV: Newschannel 6 Now | Wichita Falls, TX

Midwestern State finished strong to defeat No. 18 West Alabama on the road last week, but that apparently did little impress the American Football Coaches' Association.

The Mustangs remained 13th in the latest version of the Division II Poll and were jumped by Henderson State (Ark.), a 71-0 winner over Arkansas-Monticello, who is 0-5 against NCAA competition this season.

Harlon Hill candidate Keidrick Jackson rushed for a career-high 193 yards and three touchdowns to lead a 28-3 second-half surge to lead MSU to victory over the UWA and its 7th-ranked defense.

Midwestern is one of nine teams in newly formed Super Region Four which now includes the Lone Star Conference, Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) to receive mention in the poll.

Colorado State-Pueblo leads way at No. 2 after surviving a scare to claim a 45-38 overtime win over Chadron State (Colo.) while Ashland (Ohio) moved up a spot to No. 8 after beating Ohio Dominican, 44-21.

Grand Valley State (Mich.) dropped 11 spots to 14th after suffering its first loss of the season by a 40-24 count to Ferris State (Mich.).

No. 17 Saginaw Valley State (Mich.), No. 18 Wayne State (Mich.) and No. 20 West Texas A&M round out the region's representatives in the poll while New Mexico Highlands and Hillsdale (Mich.) are receiving votes.

Midwestern State opened the season at No. 4 before falling 11 places to 15th with a season opening loss to Tarleton State. The Mustangs moved a spot following their next two wins before settling in at No. 13 last week.

MSU has received mention in 77 of the last 78 polls dating back to the 2006 season.

The Mustangs play host to Angelo State in a Homecoming battle Saturday night at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Jackson Named LSC Offensive Player of the Week

Midwestern State running back Keidrick Jackson's outstanding performance at West Alabama has once again made him the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week.
 
The LSC office made the announcement on Monday.
 
The 5-9, 210 pound junior from Arlington/Bowie, the leader in rushing and scoring in the Lone Star Conference, set a new personal high as he recorded the seventh best rushing game in Midwestern history with 193 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries to lead the Mustangs to a 42-27 win at then 18th ranked West Alabama in the LSC-Gulf South Conference First and Ten Challenge.
 
Jackson's 193 yards against the NCAA Division II's seventh ranked defense marked his third consecutive 150-plus rushing game.
 
Jackson, who now has 2,087 yards in his career, became the fifth 2,000-yard rusher in MSU history and ranks fifth all-time at Midwestern.
 
His three touchdown runs – all in the second half – keyed a 28-3 second half run by MSU.  His final score was a tackle-breaking bounce out on fourth-and-one that gave MSU an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter.
 
Jackson ranks second in NCAA Division II in scoring with 13.2 points a game and is 18th in rushing with 122.8 yards a game.
 
He's joined by West Texas A&M junior cornerback Curtis Slater, named the LSC Defensive Player of the Week, and Abilene Christian freshman return man Cade Stone, who was selected the LSC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Mens Golf: Oland, LeGuen Deliver Strong Rounds

The Midwestern State Mustangs had a pair of outstanding individual rounds on Monday in the Ryan Palmer Foundation Invitational hosted by West Texas A&M, but stand seventh as a team after the first day.
 
The Mustangs posted team scores of 295 and 285 for a 580 total in the opening 36 holes at the par 71, 6,492 Tascosa Golf Club in Amarillo.  MSU is tied with Cameron for seventh, 11 strokes behind Colorado State-Pueblo at 569 and a second place tie at 570 between St. Mary's and St. Edward's.
 
The Mustangs battled frigid conditions early and strong winds all day.
 
MSU's Jeremy LeGuen fired a 4-under-par 67 in the opening round, but missed some putts in the second round and fell to a 5-over 76 to place 15th after day one.
 
The best round of the day came in the afternoon, when sophomore Derek Oland ripped a 6-under 65.  However, Oland first round was a 6-over 77.  He leads the MSU contingent at even-par 142, tied for 11th.
 
"Derek's second round was impressive," said MSU Coach Jeff Ray.  "He played well on the first few holes, but the last 10-11 holes were really impressive.  It was really fun to watch.  He needed that."
 
"Jeremy had a great opening round.  He over powered the golf course. The par 5's are all two-shot holes for him plus he holed out for an eagle on No. 10 from 110 yards," said Ray.  "He missed a few putts in the second round or he's right there."
 
MSU Santiago Gomez turned in a pair of strong rounds, with an even-par 71 and a 2-over 73 for 144 and a top 20 spot after day one.
 
"Santiago had 17 greens in regulation in the first round and 14 in the second," Ray stated.  "He's just struggling a bit on the greens."
 
Ian Gallagher opened with an 82, but finished with a 1-over 72 for a 154, while Raine Copeland tallied and 80-75--155.
 
Playing as an individual for the Mustangs, Cody Rozalez sits at 6-over 146 after a 72 in the first round and a 76 in the second.
 
The Individual lead is in the hands of Jose Hernandez of St. Edward's who fired a 68-66 for an 8-under 134, two strokes better than CSU-Pueblo's Alex Tiong at 6-under 136.
 
The final round is Tuesday.