Murray State University Athletics
Five Home Games, Road Tilt With UConn Highlight Racers' 2004 Schedule
6/1/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
The Murray State football team will have five home games and an early-season road test at Division I-A foe Connecticut as a part of its 2004 schedule released today by MSU athletics director E.W. Dennison and football head coach Joe Pannunzio.
The Racers will open the 2004 season at home on Saturday, Aug. 28 against Glenville State at 6 p.m. CT at Roy Stewart Stadium. Following the season-opener against the Pioneers, MSU will take to the road for a showdown with the UConn Huskies of the Big East Conference on Sept. 4.
After an open week, the Racers will close out non-conference play on Sept. 18 at Indiana State. MSU will then open its eight-game Ohio Valley Conference slate on Sept. 25 at home against Tennessee Tech, while Homecoming is set for Oct. 9 against Samford.
"I really like the way this schedule is set up," said Pannunzio, who enters his fifth season at MSU. "I think it'll help us to have a game under our belts before we head up to Connecticut, and then we get an extra week off to recover from that trip before our final non-conference game."
UConn represents the eighth Division I-A team the Racers will have faced in the last seven years, having previously played Brigham Young, Wisconsin, Middle Tennessee, Ole Miss, Minnesota, Memphis and Kentucky.
MSU will also host Southeast Missouri (Oct. 23) and Tennessee-Martin (Nov. 13) at Stewart Stadium in 2004, while the Racers will face Jacksonville State (Oct. 2), Eastern Illinois (Oct. 16), Eastern Kentucky (Oct. 30) and Tennessee State (Nov. 20) on the road.
"This is a very balanced schedule, but also a demanding schedule," said Pannunzio. "I think the first three games should really prepare us for what we'll see in the OVC. Overall, I think it should be a great schedule for us and we're excited to have five home games."
MSU's veteran players and newcomers are expected to report back to campus for the 2004 season on Thursday, Aug. 5, while the first practice session is tentatively set for Saturday, Aug. 7.
