Murray State
Indiana State
Racers put up big numbers, but fumbles, blocked punt hurt
9/18/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
The Murray State Racers put up big offensive numbers in its football game at Indiana State this afternoon, again claiming two 100-yard rushers, but it was offensive miscues -- two fumbles and a blocked punt -- that hampered MSU's efforts in its 28-21 non-conference loss.
The first quarter belonged to Indiana State (2-1), as the Sycamores had 100 total yards to Murray State's 36, taking a 7-0 lead after the first period on Sidney Montfort's eight-yard touchdown run with 9:08 left in the quarter. Kyle Hooper's kick gave ISU an early 7-0 lead.
In the second quarter, however, Murray State (1-2) claimed 242 yards to Indiana State's 130, outscoring the Sycamores 21-14 in that period to knot the game at 21-21 at halftime.
Montfort struck early in the quarter on a one-yard TD run with 13:18 left in the half. Hooper's PAT kick made the score 14-0. A Racer fumble on the MSU 24 led to the score.
The Racers answered on their next drive, as Chad Cook willed the football across the goal line on a seven-yard push with 8:57 left in the second quarter. Morgan Riley's extra-point kick closed the gap at 14-7.
MSU tied the game when Jimmy St. Louis scooped up a Nick Turner fumble and scampered four yards into the endzone with 3:46 left in the half. Riley's kick tied the game at 14-14.
Montfort completed his hat trick for the Sycamores, as he took a one-yard plunge across the goal line for his third score of the day. Hooper's kick game ISU a short-lived 21-14 lead with 2:14 left in the half.
On the second play from scrimmage after the ensuing kickoff, Ron Lane galloped 66 yards to the opposite end of the field for another Murray State TD. Riley's kick re-knotted the score at 21-21 with 1:47 left in the quarter, where it remained at halftime.
In the second half, both teams' defenses rose to the occasion, and Murray State showed its mettle in allowing Indiana State only 48 second-half yards, while claiming 174 of its own. MSU had 93 third-quarter yards to the Sycamores' 31, but it was one third-quarter play that made the difference.
With 3:44 left in the period, the Racers were punting from their own 18. Ladrell Bryant blocked James Gaither's punt, and Markus Neves scooped it up and ran into the endzone. Hooper's kick gave ISU a 28-21 lead.
In the fourth quarter, Murray State began the period from the ISU 15-yard line on third down. Quarterback Ryne Salyer's pass to Daniel Rumley brought the ball to within a yard of the first down at the 10, but Turner's rush gained no ground, and Indiana State took over on downs.
The MSU defense kept the Sycamores pinned down deep, as ISU had to punt from its own 3. Turner returned the ball 14 yards to the ISU 27. The Racer drive stalled, and Riley set up for an apparent field-goal attempt, but took the snap himself and pooch-punted the ball inside the 10, but it bounced into the endzone for a touchback.
Indiana State did nothing on its next drive, and Murray took the ball from its 21-yard line after the ISU punt. a 16-yard Terrence Biggers run got the Racers to its 41-yard line, and MSU drove to the ISU 48, but could get no further and punted the ball away.
ISU's next drive fizzled after three plays, and Murray State began its final drive of the game from its 27-yard line with 2:54 left in the game.
The Racers picked up a first down on a six-yard run by Turner, and Salyer opened things up with a 42-yard pass to Rumley. Rumley was hit hard after making the catch, and the ball popped loose. ISU's Derrick Williams fell on the ball, ending the drive.
Indiana State had third-and-4 from its own 24 when Murray State called its final timeout. On the next play, Jake Shields ran five yards to get the first down, and the Sycamores were able to run out the clock with the 28-21 win.
Murray State claimed 452 yards, with 263 yards rushing and 189 passing. Indiana State had 278 yards, 122 in rushing and 156 passing.
For the second game this season, the Racers had two 100-yard rushers. Turner ran 22 times for 125 yards, while Lane rushed 12 times for 113 yards and a touchdown.
Salyer, a redshirt freshman, had an excellent game, completing 17 of 23 passes for 189 yards. Rumley had four catches for 80 yards, while Biggers had four receptions for 32 yards and Turner had four catches for 15 yards.
Turner had six punt returns for 34 yards and a kickoff return for four yards, while Laroni Gallishaw had a kickoff return for 23 yards.
On defense, Rohan Godson had a game-high 16 tackles, with a co-game high five solo stops. He also had 1.5 tackles-for-loss for four yards.
Montfort led the ISU offense with 70 yards rushing, while Shields had 47 yards on the ground.
Ben Schmidt, another redshirt freshman quarterback, went 12-for-19 with 156 yards. Sam Logan had six receptions for 58 yards to lead the Sycamores.
On defense, Doc Gooden had 13 tackles with five solos.
Cook, who finished the day with 50 yards rushing and a TD, praised the offensive line for its hard work.
"Our O-line had an attitude about them," he said. "I can't blame our O-line. We came out fired up int he second half, but we honestly hurt ourselves with mistakes. Our O-line was clicking; we just hurt ourselves with penalties and turnovers."
Murray State had seven penalties for 42 yards, while Indiana State drew four flags for 21 yards.
"It's just one of those days," said MSU head coach Joe Pannunzio. "We made some critical mistakes. The most irritating were a couple of turnovers --maybe we'd get something going -- and then we gave up that first down at the end.
"(The momentum of the first half) carried over into the second half; it just didn't happen for us."
Pannunzio praised Salyer's effort, but said there were still improvements to be made on the throwing game.
"We are not happy with our throwing game," he said. "We need to make those plays. We had our chances; we just didn't get it done.
"I think Adam (Fisher, the previous starting quarterback) will be back next week. The quarterback is not our problem though. We can't have all those blocked punts and fumbles."
“This was a tale of two halves,” ISU head coach Tim McGuire said. “We came out and got the breaks, made things happen by taking advantage of their mistakes. They came right back, and we knew we would be in a dogfight. We dug down and showed what we were made of in the second half. Both teams made some great defensive adjustments at the half, and we made the big play on special teams that was the difference in the game.”
Murray State returns home to open its Ohio Valley Conference schedule with Tennessee Tech (2-1, 0-0 OVC). Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Sept. 25.
