Cats Open Football Season Thursday Night at Delta State
Game Notes
The Matchup
When the Wildcats travel to Cleveland, Mississippi to face Delta State (NCAA-DII) Thursday it will be the 12th meeting between the two programs. DSU leads the series 6-4-1. The two programs last met in 1947 with the Statesmen winning 34-6. The two first met in 1928.
Bethel played their 2020 season earlier this year. After winning their first three games the Wildcats dropped four in a row to finish 3-4. The Cats were 3-4 in the Mid-South Conference and 2-2 in road action.
Delta State did not compete in 2020 due to the pandemic. The Statesmen finished 6-4 in 2019. They were 5-3 in the Gulf South Conference and 4-1 in home action.
Bethel has been picked to finish fourth in the MSC Blue Grass Division Preseason Poll. DSU was chosen third in the GSC Preseason Poll.
It will be the 467th game in program history with Bethel's all-time record at 177-281 -8.
Game Coverage: There will be no live local radio for the game.
Live video: https://www.flofootball.com/events/7125961-2021-bethel-university-vs-delta-state
Live stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/statmonitr/?id=352723
Last Meeting
The two programs last met in 1947 with the Statesmen winning 34-6.
Last Week
Both squads had an open week to begin their seasons.
Head Coaches
Coach Michael Jasper is in his third year as head coach of the Wildcats. He is 11-12 in his career with the Cats. Before becoming the head coach Jasper served as the Assistant Head Coach and worked with the defensive line. Prior to that he held the titles of Offensive Line Coach and Run Game Coordinator, as well as overseeing the strength and conditioning program.
Jasper is the 12th head coach in Bethel football history.
The Wildcats were 3-4 last year and finished 3-2 in the MSC.
Before joining the Bethel staff, Jasper served as Offensive and Defensive Line Assistant at Bishop Timon High School in Buffalo, New York.
Mike spent three years in the National Football League with the Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, and the Carolina Panthers.
Coach Jasper played for the University of Tennessee at Martin in 2005 and was a starter on their 2006 Ohio Valley Conference Championship team. After redshirting at Middle Tennessee State University, Coach Jasper joined the Bethel University Wildcats as an Offensive and Defensive Lineman from 2008-2010 and was the first ever Wildcat drafted to the NFL in 2011 being selected by the Buffalo Bills.
He graduated from Bethel University with a Bachelor's Degree in University Studies. He and his wife Allison along with their daughter Davis Reid reside in McKenzie, Tennessee. Their rescue dog is named Caine.
Todd Cooley enters his eighth season as head coach of the Delta State University Statesman football program. In his previous seven seasons, Cooley is 43-32 overall (.569) and 25-27 in Gulf South Conference play. He became the 19th coach in program history on Friday, Jan. 25, 2013.
Did You Know?
The Wildcats are in the Bluegrass Division with Georgetown, Campbellsville, Lindsey Wilson, Cumberlands (KY), Pikeville, Thomas More and Cumberland games being divisional affairs.
Coach Michael Jasper spent three seasons in the NFL playing for the Buffalo Bills, New York Giants and Carolina Panthers.
Eleven different states are represented on the Bethel squad. Next to Tennessee, Alabama has the most players on the roster.
Next week the Wildcats travel to Laurinburg, North Carolina to battle St. Andrews. It will mark the second of three straight road games to open the season for the Wildcats.
Season Preview
After a sterling start to the season (2020) earlier this year, the Bethel Wildcats suffered through four straight disappointing losses to end the abbreviated year at 3-4.
The Wildcats look to turn things around this fall and with a big number of key players returning and an excellent group of newcomers the future looks bright for Coach Michael Jasper and his staff. Due to Covid, several players return with an extra season of eligibility.
Leading rusher De'Ontay Tate returns after running for 530 yards and two touchdowns. With his 530 yards Tate moved into 4th all-time in the Wildcat record book with 2,352 career rushing yards. The MSC All-Conference senior performer has been a three-year starter for the Wildcats. Davius Prather was the second leader rusher with 233 yards in the seven game schedule. He ran for three touchdowns on the season. Despite fighting injuries throughout the year, K J Hicks (David Riggan) was named 1st team all-conference. Hicks was the MSC Defensive Freshman of the Year last season. Leading tackler Jakobe Griffin is back. The junior 1st team all-conference performer had 6.5 tackles for losses. Junior Devious Christmon proved to be a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks last season finishing with four interceptions. Christmon has seven career picks which ranks him 6th all-time in career interceptions.
The Wildcats lost all-conference and four-year started Trace Pierce who was an anchor on the offensive line.
Three transfers highlight new faces for the Wildcats. An all-conference and senior from Missouri Baptist, Michael Malone comes in as a cornerback. Another corner, Mustafa Majeed joins the Cats transferring from Clark-Atlanta University. D J James, an all-conference Safety from the University of New England comes in for his junior season.
The 2021 schedule will be another tough slate especially considering action in what many believe is the toughest NAIA football league in the nation. Three Mid-South Conference squads finished the season ranked in the top 15 with Lindsey Wilson winning the NAIA title in convincing fashion. Bethel competes in the tough Bluegrass Division of the MSC.
The Wildcats will play five home games and six road game this fall. Bethel plays six of their first eight games on the road.
The Cats open the season on the road in Cleveland, Mississippi Thursday, September 2 against NCAA DII Delta State. It will be the 12th meeting between the programs with DSU holding a 6-4-1 margin in the series. It will mark the first meeting between the two since 1947.
Second week action will find the Cats visiting St. Andrews in Laurinburg, North Carolina on the 11th for a MSC affair. It marks the first ever meeting between the two.
The Wildcats could very well be deemed the Road Warriors as they remain on the road in Barbourville, Kentucky September 18 to battle the Union College Bulldogs. Bethel is 2-4 in Barbourville but owns 6-5 advantage in the series. The two last met in 2016 with Bethel winning 43-27.
Bethel's first home game will be a conference game against Reinhardt University on September 25. Reinhardt has a 5-1 margin in the prior meetings. Bethel's only win came in 2018 (31-21) in the season opener at Wildcat Stadium. RU was 8th in the final 2020 poll.
The Wildcats hit the road again on October 2 traveling to Williamsburg, Kentucky to face the University of the Cumberlands Patriots. U of C leads the series 14-4 although Bethel did win earlier this year 38-14. The Cats are 1-6 in Williamsburg.
The Georgetown Tigers will visit Wildcat Stadium the following week (10/9) for a MSC Bluegrass Divisional match-up. The Wildcats and Tigers have faced each other 12 times with Bethel winning two of the 12. GC beat Bethel 17-14 in Georgetown back in March and finished the season ranked 13th. The Tigers are 5-0 in McKenzie.
The Cats travel to the Eastern Mountains of the Commonwealth October 16 to meet the Pikeville Bears in another divisional game. BU is 6-8 versus the Bears and have lost two straight in the series. The Cats are 3-4 in games played in Pikeville. UPIKE beat Bethel 35-19 in McKenzie earlier this calendar year.
Another divisional road game awaits the Wildcats as travel to Lebanon to meet the Cumberland Phoenix on the 23rd. It will be the 19th meeting between the two programs. The Wildcats have met CU more than any other opponent in program history. The Phoenix upset Bethel in April in McKenzie winning 41-38. The series is tied at 9-9. BU is 1-6 in Lebanon.
Defending NAIA National Champion Lindsey Wilson will come to Wildcat Stadium the following week (10/30) to battle the Cats in a Bluegrass showdown. The Blue Raiders beat Bethel earlier this year dominating 49-7 in Columbia. LWC is 3-0 in McKenzie and had won five of the previous seven meetings.
Two more divisional games remain on the slate as the Thomas More Saints will be Bethel's Homecoming opponent on November 6. Bethel beat TMC 49-7 in February and is 2-1 all-time against the Saints.
The Cats close out the regular season November 13 against Campbellsville. The series is tied at 7-7 after Bethel beat the Tigers 39-14 in the 2020 game played earlier this year. The Wildcats have won three in a row between the two but have won just one of six games played in McKenzie.
Coach Jasper is in his third season as head coach. Several changes to the staff have been made with new personnel and duties.
2021 Bethel University Football Staff
Michael Jasper- Head Coach, Defensive Line
Chris Springer- Assistant Head Coach, Defensive Coordinator, DB
Keith Williams-Offensive Coordinator, Offensive Line
Dustin Kincaid-Linebackers, Director of Football Operations
Cody McCallister-Co-Special Teams Coordinator, Safeties
Justin Brown-Co-Special Teams Coordinator, Wide Receivers
Brett Guminsky- Tight Ends, Halfbacks, Video Coordinator
Jay Bright- Quarterbacks, Pass Game Coordinator
Terrell Jackson- Senior Defensive Analyst, Linebackers
Bobby Mitchell- Graduate Assistant, Running Backs
Bret Petersen-Graduate Assistant
Manny Belluccia- Graduate Assistant
John Pasley- Student Assistant, Defensive Backs
Devon Patrick- Student Assistant
Giante Hicks- Student Assistant
Sean Allison-Student Assistant
Riley Benavides-Student Assistant
Ian Harris-Student Assistant