SPRINGFIELD, Mo--The 17th ranked Missouri State Bears will be at home Saturday to host Southern Illinois.

And Mo State coach Ryan Beard is hoping his defense has a better game then last week.

The Bears gave up 42 points to Northern Iowa.

In our Bear Nation report, MSU did win the game, but had to score 49 points to do it.

Beard was the first to say getting the defense back on track falls on him.

Southern Illinois will limp into Plaster with a 2-6 record and on a five game winning streak.

Defensive End Davon Townley says his side of the ball can reset and play better against the Salukis.

The team's 1-0 mindset will make that happen.

"I just think we need to fall back to fundamentals. And the things that we've been taught the whole season. Getting back to how we've been playing the last couple of games. And we're going to be good. In the moment things may seem boring or repetitive. But when you have a group of guys around you that want the same thing as you. Who are working for the same thing. It creates energy that everybody can feed off of," said Townley.

News Source : https://www.ozarksfirst.com/sports/msu-bears-vow-to-get-defensive-against-salukis/