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.
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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]
More information Predicted finish, Team ...
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 |
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(*) 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
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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
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Roster
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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.
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Source:[9]
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]
Vs. Austin Peay
More information Total, Scoring summary ...
Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff: Austin Peay vs. Central Arkansas
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
No. 13 Governors |
7 |
3 | 0 | 7 |
17 |
• No. 11 Bears |
0 |
6 | 7 | 11 |
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
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | 14:44 | APSU | CJ Evans Jr. 75-yard run (Grant Paulette kick) | APSU 7–0 |
| 2 | 11:38 | APSU | Grant Paulette 28-yard field goal | APSU 10-0 |
7:37 | UCA | Hayden Ray 30-yard field goal | APSU 10-3 |
3:51 | UCA | Hayden Ray 27-yard field goal | APSU 10-6 |
| 3 | 14:00 | UCA | Kierre Crossley 34-yard run (Hayden Ray kick) | UCA 13-10 |
| 4 | 7:44 | UCA | Hayden Ray 32-yard field goal | UCA 16-10 |
1:34 | APSU | Jeremiah Oatsvall 1-yard run (Grant Paulette kick) | APSU 17-16 |
0:34 | UCA | LuJuan Winningham 10-yard pass Breylin Smith (Sam Camargo pass from Breylin Smith) | UCA 24-17 |
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Uniform combination: white helmet, white jersey, white pants w/ purple accents
At UAB
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Central Arkansas at UAB
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Bears |
7 |
14 | 0 | 14 |
35 |
• Blazers |
14 |
14 | 3 | 14 |
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
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | 7:03 | UAB | Gerrit Young 6-yard pass from Tyler Johnston III (Matt Quinn kick) | UAB 7–0 |
2:46 | UAB | Spencer Brown 5-yard run (Matt Quinn kick) | UAB 14–0 |
0:03 | UCA | Cameron Myers 5-yard run (Hayden Ray kick) | UAB 14–7 |
| 2 | 10:50 | UAB | Myon Mitchell 18-yard pass from Bryson Lucero (Matt Quinn kick) | UAB 21–7 |
5:31 | UAB | Gerrit Prince 10-yard pass from Tyler Johnston III (Matt Quinn kick) | UAB 28–7 |
2:33 | UCA | LuJuan Winningham 15-yard pass from Breylin Smith (Chandler Caughron kick) | UAB 28–14 |
1:21 | UCA | Robert Rochell 35-yard fumble return (Chandler Caughron kick) | UAB 28–21 |
| 3 | 3:07 | UAB | Matt Quinn 23-yard field goal | UAB 31–21 |
| 4 | 12:41 | UAB | Lucious Stanley 8-yard run (Matt Quinn kick) | UAB 38–21 |
8:12 | UAB | Jermaine Brown 30-yard run (Matt Quinn kick) | UAB 45–21 |
5:43 | UCA | LuJuan Winningham 8-yard pass from Breylin Smith (Chandler Caughron kick) | UAB 45–28 |
0:32 | UCA | Sam Camargo 6-yard pass from Breylin Smith (Chandler Caughron kick) | UAB 45–35 |
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Uniform combination: white helmet, white jersey, white pants w/ purple accents
Missouri State
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Missouri State at Central Arkansas
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
MOST Bears |
0 |
17 | 3 | 0 |
20 |
• UCA Bears |
0 |
7 | 6 | 14 |
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
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Scoring summary |
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| 2 | 12:04 | MOST | Jose Pizano 47-yard field goal | MOST 3–0 |
10:45 | MOST | Kevin Latulas returns blocked Seren Hughes-Ford punt 16-yards (Jose Pizano kick) | MOST 10-0 |
7:38 | UCA | Kierre Crossley 4-yard run (Hayden Ray kick) | MOST 10-7 |
4:02 | MOST | Keshun Parker 3-yard run (Jose Pizano kick) | MOST 17-7 |
| 3 | 8:49 | MOST | Jose Pizano 31-yard field goal | UAB 20–7 |
1:24 | UCA | Tyler Hudson 7-yard pass from Breylin Smith (kick failed) | UAB 20-13 |
| 4 | 14:48 | UCA | Dre Matthews 30-yard fumble return (Hayden Ray kick) | TIED 20–20 |
14:11 | UCA | Tyler Hudson 57-yard punt return (Hayden Ray kick) | UCA 27–20 |
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Uniform combination: white helmet, purple jersey, purple pants w/ white and gray accents
At North Dakota State
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Central Arkansas at North Dakota State
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Bears |
3 |
3 | 14 | 8 |
28 |
• Bison |
0 |
10 | 8 | 21 |
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:
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | 8:26 | UCA | Hayden Ray 33-yard field goal | UCA 3–0 |
| 2 | 11:53 | UCA | Hayden Ray 41-yard field goal | UCA 6–0 |
9:00 | NDS | Josh Babicz 13-yard pass from Trey Lance (Jake Reinholz kick) | NDS 7–6 |
2:32 | NDS | Jake Reinholz 27-yard field goal | NDS 10–6 |
| 3 | 14:13 | NDS | Trey Lance 54-yard run (James Kaczor run) | NDS 18–6 |
12:47 | UCA | Tyler Hudson 22-yard pass from Breylin Smith (Hayden Ray kick) | NDS 18–13 |
9:44 | UCA | LuJuan Winningham 3-yard pass from Breylin Smith (Hayden Ray kick) | UCA 20–18 |
| 4 | 13:21 | NDS | Trey Lance 14-yard run (Jake Reinholz kick) | NDS 25–20 |
10:35 | UCA | LuJuan Winningham 11-yard pass from Breylin Smith (Breylin Smith run) | UCA 28–25 |
7:35 | NDS | Hunter Luepke 23-yard pass from Trey Lance (Jake Reinholz kick) | NDS 32–28 |
1:52 | NDS | Hunter Luepke 13-yard run (Jake Reinholz kick) | NDS 39–28 |
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Uniform combination: white helmet, white jersey, white pants w/ purple accents
At Arkansas State
More information Total, Scoring summary ...
Central Arkansas at Arkansas State
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Bears |
3 |
10 | 0 | 14 |
27 |
• Red Wolves |
2 |
21 | 20 | 7 |
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:
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Scoring summary |
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| 1 | 8:07 | UCA | Hayden Ray 36-yard field goal | UCA 3–0 |
6:04 | ASU | Team Safety | UCA 3–2 |
| 2 | 10:44 | UCA | Hayden Ray 42-yard field goal | UCA 6–2 |
5:22 | ASU | Jonathan Adams 4-yard pass from Layne Hatcher (Blake Grupe kick) | ASU 9–6 |
3:14 | ASU | Samy Johnson 60-yard interception return (Blake Grupe kick) | ASU 16–6 |
1:31 | UCA | LuJuan Winningham 23-yard pass from Breylin Smith (Hayden Ray kick) | ASU 16–13 |
0:29 | ASU | Brandon Bowling 15-yard pass from Layne Hatcher (Blake Grupe kick) | ASU 23–13 |
| 3 | 13:40 | ASU | Dahu Green 3-yard pass from Logan Bonner (Blake Grupe kick) | ASU 30–13 |
8:19 | ASU | Jonathan Adams 22-yard pass from Layne Hatcher (Blake Grupe kick) | ASU 37–13 |
0:29 | ASU | Dahu Green 20-yard pass from Logan Bonner (kick failed) | ASU 43–13 |
| 4 | 13:32 | UCA | LuJuan Winningham 2-yard pass from Breylin Smith (Hayden Ray kick) | ASU 43–20 |
11:32 | UCA | LuJuan Winningham 31-yard pass from Breylin Smith (Hayden Ray kick) | ASU 43–27 |
5:14 | ASU | Corey Rucker 56=yard pass from Logan Bonner (Blake Grupe kick) | ASU 50–27 |
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Uniform combination: grey helmet, white jersey, white pants w/ purple accents
At Missouri State
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Central Arkansas at Missouri State
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
UCA Bears |
- |
- | - | - |
0 |
MOST Bears |
- |
- | - | - |
0 |
Sources:
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Uniform combination:
At Eastern Kentucky
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Central Arkansas at Eastern Kentucky
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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:
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Uniform combination:
Missouri Western
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Missouri Western at Central Arkansas
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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:
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Uniform combination:
Eastern Kentucky
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Eastern Kentucky at Central Arkansas
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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:
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Uniform combination:
At Louisiana
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Central Arkansas at Louisiana
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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:
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Uniform combination:
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