# 2020 Central Arkansas Bears football team

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.

## Preseason
### 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. In addition, thirteen Bears were chosen to the Preseason All-Southland 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 |
(*) These teams opted out of playing in the revised spring 2021 Southland schedule, and instead played as Independent in the fall of 2020.

### Roster
## Schedule

Central Arkansas had a game scheduled against Missouri, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 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.
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| August 29 | 8:00 p.m. | vs. No. 13 Austin Peay* | No. 11 | Crampton BowlMontgomery, AL (FCS Kickoff) | ESPN | W 24–17 | 2,000 |
| September 3 | 7:00 p.m. | at UAB* | No. 11 | Legion FieldBirmingham, AL | ESPN3 | L 35–45 | 12,716 |
| September 26 | 7:00 p.m. | Missouri State* | No. 11 | Estes StadiumConway, AR | ESPN3 | W 27–20 | 2,000 |
| October 3 | 2:30 p.m. | at No. 1 North Dakota State* | No. 11 | FargodomeFargo, ND | ESPN+ | L 28–39 | 471 |
| October 10 | 6:00 p.m. | at Arkansas State* | No. 11 | Centennial Bank StadiumJonesboro, AR | ESPN3 | L 27–50 | 4,561 |
| October 17 | 7:00 p.m. | at Missouri State* | No. 11 | Robert W. Plaster StadiumSpringfield, MO | ESPN3 | W 33–24 | 5,489 |
| October 24 | 2:00 p.m. | at Eastern Kentucky* | No. 11 | Roy Kidd StadiumRichmond, KY | ESPN3 | L 28–31 | 2,932 |
| October 31 | 3:00 p.m. | Missouri Western* | No. 11 | Estes StadiumConway, AR | ESPN3 | W 52–10 | 2,452 |
| November 14 | 3:00 p.m. | Eastern Kentucky* | No. 11 | Estes StadiumConway, AR | ESPN3 | W 37–25 | 2,000 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time ||||||||
Source:
* ↑ 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.

## Game summaries
### Vs. Austin Peay

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 13 Governors | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| • No. 11 Bears | 0 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 24 |
Uniform combination: white helmet, white jersey, white pants w/ purple accents

### At UAB

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bears | 7 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 35 |
| • Blazers | 14 | 14 | 3 | 14 | 45 |
Uniform combination: white helmet, white jersey, white pants w/ purple accents

### Missouri State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| MOST Bears | 0 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 20 |
| • UCA Bears | 0 | 7 | 6 | 14 | 27 |
Uniform combination: white helmet, purple jersey, purple pants w/ white and gray accents

### At North Dakota State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bears | 3 | 3 | 14 | 8 | 28 |
| • Bison | 0 | 10 | 8 | 21 | 39 |
Uniform combination: white helmet, white jersey, white pants w/ purple accents

### At Arkansas State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bears | 3 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 27 |
| • Red Wolves | 2 | 21 | 20 | 7 | 50 |
Uniform combination: grey helmet, white jersey, white pants w/ purple accents

### At Missouri State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| UCA Bears | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| MOST Bears | - | - | - | - | 0 |
Uniform combination:

### At Eastern Kentucky

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bears | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| Blazers | - | - | - | - | 0 |
Uniform combination:

### Missouri Western

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Griffons | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| Bears | - | - | - | - | 0 |
Uniform combination:

### Eastern Kentucky

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Colonels | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| Bears | - | - | - | - | 0 |
Uniform combination:

### At Louisiana

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bears | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| Ragin' Cajuns | - | - | - | - | 0 |
Uniform combination:

## Players drafted into the NFL

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | NFL Club |
| 4 | 130 | Robert Rochell | CB | Los Angeles Rams |