ST. LOUIS — For the second straight week, Missouri State quarterback Jason Shelley (Sr., Frisco, Texas) has been named Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Week, the league announced late Sunday.
For his efforts against No. 10-ranked Arkansas this week, Shelley earned Co-Offensive Player of the Week, along with Southern Illinois QB Nic Baker.
Shelley was in top form in MSU’s near-upset in Fayetteville, firing for 357 passing yards for the second-highest passing total of his career. He also added a 24-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter that put the Bears ahead 17-0 at the time.
For the night, Shelley was 24-for-43 with no interceptions and a touchdown. It also marked the second-most passing yards ever by any Missouri State quarterback against an FBS foe and the Bears’ third-highest scoring total ever against an FBS team.
It is Shelley’s seventh MVFC weekly award during his 15-game career with the Bears and his 15th straight 200-yard passing performance. He earned MVFC Offensive Player of the Week laurels twice last season and MVFC Newcomer of the Week honors three times in 2021.
Also picking up MVFC Awards this week are Illinois State linebacker Zeke Vandenburgh (Defensive Player of the Week), punter Cade Peterson of North Dakota (Special Teams Player of the Week), and quarterback Zack Annexstad of Illinois State (Newcomer of the Week).
Missouri State will now begin preparations for the MVFC opener this Saturday against South Dakota State (2 p.m., ESPN3) at Robert W. Plaster Stadium in Springfield. The Sept. 24 contest is also Family Weekend on campus.
