Date (Time): Nov. 10 (11 a.m.)
Opponent: #21 Southeast Missouri
Site (Venue): Murray, Ky. (Roy Stewart Stadium)
Audio: Froggy 103.7 FM (PxP: Neal Bradley; Color: Aaron Clayton)
TV: ESPN3/WatchESPN (PxP: Kevin Ingram; Color: Bob Belvin)
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
Twitter In Game: @RacersFootball
MUR Record (Streak): 4-5, 4-2 OVC (Lost 2)
SEMO Record (Streak): 7-2, 5-1 OVC (Won 5)
All-Time Series vs. SEMO (Streak): MUR leads 39-12-1 (Lost 3)
All-Time Series in Murray (Streak): MUR leads 21-4-1 (Lost 1)
First Meeting: W 3-0 (Oct. 29, 1926, Murray, Ky.)
Last Meeting: L 10-21 (Nov. 18, 2017, Cape Girardeau, Mo.)
Last Five vs. SEMO: 1-4 (L, 2017; L, 2016; L, 2015; W, 2014; L, 2013)
MUR Next Game: Nov. 17 at Austin Peay
MUR Next Home Game: 2019 Season
The Game
The Murray State football team will host 21st-ranked Southeast Missouri Saturday for its 2018 home finale, as well as Protect & Serve Day that will honor veterans and first responders. The game is once again an OVC Game of the Week Wildcard selection and will be broadcast on ESPN3 and WatchESPN.
Saturday’s Weather
Saturday will be one of the coldest days of the fall so far with a high of only 46. The good news for the fans is there is only a three-percent chance for rain and the winds will be moderate at 5-7 mph out of the NNE.
Last Time Out
The Murray State football team fell behind, 14-0, early against Tennessee Tech and could never fully recover as the Golden Eagles took down the Racers, 27-24, at Tucker Stadium in Cookeville, Tennessee. With the setback, Murray State falls to 4-5 overall and 4-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference while Tennessee Tech gets their first win of the season to put their record at 1-8 and 1-5 in the OVC. Drew Anderson connected on 84% of his passes, going 34-41 for 340 yards and two touchdowns. The senior also ran for a touchdown for the fifth time this season, giving him the team lead in rushing touchdowns. Malik Honeycutt was the top receiver for the Racers as he caught eight passes for 80 yards and touchdown, while Tyre Gray had seven receptions for 71 yards. D.J. Penick also caught a touchdown out of the backfield.
The Southeast Missouri Series
Despite Murray State holding a healthy 39-12-1 advantage in the overall series with Southeast Missouri, the Redhawks have owned the series as of late, winning six of the last 10 meetings including four of the last five. The last win in the series for Murray State was a 44-41 double overtime victory in Murray in 2014 over a 23rd-ranked SEMO team. In Murray, the Racers have lost just four of their 25 clashes with the Redhawks at home, despite being 3-3 in their last six meetings at Roy Stewart Stadium.
Scouting The Redhawks
Twenty-first-ranked Southeast Missouri enters Saturday’s clash with the Racers at 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the OVC and a half-a-game behind Jacksonville State in the standings. A win over the Racers and a loss by Jacksonville State Saturday would give the Redhawks at least a share of the 2018 OVC Championship and the outright claim to the league’s automatic bid for the 2018 FCS Playoffs. A huge part of the Redhawks’ success this season has been the OVC Preseason Player of the Year, Marquis Terry. Terry has run for 1,021 yards this season 113.4 per game and 11 touchdowns. Transfer quarterback Daniel Santacaterina has also played a key role for SEMO by averaging 247.9 yards per game with 23 touchdowns and just six interceptions. Defensively, Zach Hall is second the FCS in total tackles with 13.2 per game for a total of 119, to go along with 9.5 for a total loss of 33 yards, a team-high three interceptions, four hurries, two forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, two blocked kicks, a safety and a pass breakup. The Redhawk defense has been strong all season, leading the nation in interceptions with 16 in addition to eight fumble recoveries, seven forced fumbles, six blocked kicks and three blocked punts. In all, SEMO has created 24 turnovers this season, while only committing seven for the nation’s second best turnover margin at 1.89. Southeast Missouri’s defense currently gives up 29.9 points per game, while its offense scores 39.4.
Chasing The Plaque
With just two games to play, senior Quincy Williams currently leads the nation in solo tackles per game at 7.3. Should he still lead after the FCS Championship game, he would receive a National Statistical Plaque from the NCAA. His closes competition as of now is Indiana State’s Jonas Griffin at 7.1, while Lamar’s Davon Jernigan sits in third at 6.7. The last Racer to win a stat plaque was Connor Mitchell whose 1.82 field goals per game led the FCS in 2016.
Hit The Sack
With 8.5 sacks this season and 10.0 last season, Kenney Wooten currently ranks third all-time in MSU history, recently surpassing Marcus Stepp’s 18.0. While he needs quite a bit to pass Anthony Hutch (28.0) and Austen Lane (29.0), he is already the program’s all-time leader in sacks per year. His 9.25 just edges out Stepp at 9.0 and also gives him the highest total for a two-year player.Spreading It Around
Murray State currently has 10 different receivers with at least 100 yards on the year, marking the most since the 2012 edition of the Racers had 11. In addition, nine different Racers have caught a touchdown pass this season, tying the 2018 squad with 2012 and 2014 as the most since 2011.
Deals For Days
Any fan that brings a new, unwrapped toy to either the football or basketball game Saturday, will get in free for that game. In addition, any fan that buys a ticket for Saturday’s football game, will get a free ticket to the basketball doubleheader later that night.
OK, What’s Next?
The Racers make the short trip to Clarksville for their final game of 2018 and a 2018 Heritage Bank Battle of the Border showdown with Austin Peay. Kickoff from Fortera Stadium is set for 4 p.m.
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