Date (Time): Nov. 11 (1 p.m.)
Opponent: #3 Jacksonville State
Site (Venue): Murray, Ky. (Roy Stewart Stadium)
Audio: Froggy 103.7 FM (PxP: Neal Bradley; Color: Josh McKeel)
Web Stream: OVCDigitalNetwork.com
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
Twitter In Game: @RacersFootball, @PGriffithMSU
MSU Record (Streak): 2-7, 1-4 OVC (Lost 3)
TTU Record (Streak): 1-8, 1-5 OVC (Lost 1)
All-Time Series vs. TTU (Streak): TTU leads 44-37-1 (Lost 3)
First Meeting: Lost 6-26 (Nov. 7, 1930 in Murray, Ky.)
Last Meeting: Lost 19-55 (Nov. 19, 2017 in Cookeville, Tenn.)
MSU Last Game: Lost 23-59 at #3 Jacksonville State
TTU Last Game: Lost 28-35 vs. Austin Peay
MSU Next Game: Nov. 18 at Southeast Missouri
MSU Next Home Game: 2018 Season
The Game
The Murray State football team will host Tennessee Tech Saturday in the Racers’ final home game of the 2017 season. Kickoff from Roy Stewart Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Saturday’s Weather
Despite some sunshine Saturday, temps are not expected to be war with a high of just 59. The win will be moderate with gusts of up to 13 mph, while the chance of rain will be low at nine-percent.
Last Time Out
The Murray State football team led the third-ranked Jacksonville State Gamecocks, 13-7, after one quarter of play, but was unable to sustain its lead and fell, 59-23. The Racers led after the first quarter thanks to two big defensive plays from D’Montre Wade and Sean Rodriguez. Wade picked off his sixth pass of the season which led to a 20-yard strike from Shuler Bentley to Jordon Gandy. Rodriguez followed later in the quarter by picking up a fumble and running it back 47 yards for the 13-7 lead. The lead did not last long as JSU scored three touchdowns in the second quarter to lead the Racers 28-13 at the half. At the start of the fourth quarter, MSU scored 10 points inside of a minute to cut the lead to 38-23 with 12:40 to play. However, that would be as close as Murray State would get, as Jacksonville State closed out the game with 21 answered point for the 59-23 win.
The Tennessee Tech Series
With three consecutive wins, the Golden Eagles now lead the series with Murray State, 44-37-1. The Golden Eagles earned their third straight win in the series last season in Cookeville, when they bested the Racers, 55-19, in what amounted to a de facto third-place game for the league. In Murray, the Racers actually lead the series 21-18-1, despite losing the last meeting at Roy Stewart Stadium in 2015.
Scouting The Golden Eagles
Tennessee Tech fell to 1-8 on the year and 1-6 in the OVC last week with a tough 35-28 loss to Austin Peay. The Golden Eagles currently allow 30.0 points per game on 418.0 yards, while scoring just 17.0 points per game on 313.0 yards. The majority of the Tech offense comes in the air with 205.9 passing yards per game compared to just 107.1 rushing yards. Much of the success of the TTU pass game can be attributed to receiver Dontez Byrd who leads the OVC in both total receiving yards at 885 and receiving yards per game at 98.3. At quarterback for the Golden Eagles this year is Andre Sale who averages 190.0 yards per game on 58.8-percent passing with 10 interceptions and eight touchdowns. Defensively, the duo of Elliott Normand and Aderick Wilson have been formidable for Tennessee Tech with 78 tackles and 7.0 for loss and 76 and 8.0 for loss, respectively.
Gandy Moves Up
With his two touchdowns against Jacksonville State, Gandy is now tied for fourth all-time in career touchdowns with 21 with Marcus Harris.
Elite Company
With his sixth interception of the season Saturday, D’Montre Wade became just seventh player in MSU history to record at least six picks in a single-season and the first since Onsha Whitaker in 2004. He is now ninth all-time in career interceptions with 10 and currently leads the nation at 0.8 per game.
I’ll Take That
With four takeaways against Jacksonville State, the Murray State defense is now third in the nation in turnovers gained with 25. The Racers are just one behind James Madison and Campbell who are tied for most in the FCS with 26.
OK, What’s Next?
Murray State will travel to Cape Girardeau next Saturday for its 2017 season finale. Kickoff between Murray State and Southeast Missouri at Houck Field is scheduled for 1 p.m.
by Parker Griffith
