Murray State
Tennessee-Martin
Racers close out 2005 season with 49-20 loss at Tennessee-Martin
11/17/2005 6:00:00 AM | Football
The beginning of the game marked a gutsy return of Racer quarterback Ken Topps.
He started the game with the same shoulder injury that had kept him out of action since Oct. 22. Topps and the Racers motored down the field on their first possession 66 yards in nine plays to take a 7-0 lead on a seven-yard touchdown run by Chad Cook.
From that point forward, the same problems that have plagued the Racers throughout the 2005 season began to show again. Topps fumbled when he was hit running the ball, and UT-Martin recovered at the MSU 39 with 1:56 left in the opening quarter. It was the Racers' 35th turnover of the season, and to make matters worse, Topps was taken off the field hurting again, only this time he had a broken bone in his right arm.
Later, UTM's Brady Walberg scored from the 1-yard line for a 14-7 Skyhawk lead.
On the Racers' next possession, Tim Wright was punting from the MSU goal line when UTM blocked his kick and Jason Coleman recovered in the Racers' endzone for a 21-7 UTM lead with 8:36 before half.
Murray State backup quarterback Ryne Salyer entered the game, and his second pass attempt was intercepted by UT-Martin's Jack Greenwood. Don Chapman scored moments later, and the UTM lead was 28-7.
But the nightmarish second quarter wasn't finished for the Racers. Punting again from their own 15, another Tim Wright punt was blocked and UTM's Brian Kissell scored another touchdown for a 35-7 lead.
Salyer hit Dan Rumley for a 16-yard touchdown toss with 1:34 left in the quarter.
UT-Martin made it to halftime with a 35-14 lead, scoring 28 points in the second quarter. The 28 points was a season-high scored against the Racers in a quarter. The previous high was 23 by Eastern Kentucky on Nov 5.
The Racers had a glimmer of hope in the fourth quarter when Will Werner blocked a UTM punt at the Skyhawk 33-yard line. Jay Burgett scooped the ball up, but then fumbled at the 15, where Werner picked it up and scored the touchdown. The point after attempt by Gary Crass was blocked and UT-Martin's lead was cut to 42-20 with 12:45 left in the game.
The Skyhawks scored with 2:26 in the game on a three-yard touchdown run by Chapman for the 49-20 victory. Chapman finished with 229 yards rushing on 47 carries.
Chad Cook led the Racers ground attack with 84 yards on 18 carries.
Murray State Notes
Nick Turner continued to show why he is one of the best kick returners in the college game. He nearly broke two kickoff returns for touchdowns and ended the day with returns of 29, 51 and 66 yards. Turner ends his career at MSU with four kick returns. Two on punts, and two on kickoffs.
The 42 points scored by UT-Martin is the most ever against a Murray State team since 1971's 41.
Ken Topps starting the game was his first appearance since Oct. 22 when the Racers played Eastern Illinois on Homecoming day. Topps left in the third quarter that day, meaning three full games plus a quarter had passed before he played tonight against UT-Martin. Unfortunately for the Racers, when he was hit with 1:56 left in the first quarter, suffering a broken bone above his wrist and was finished for the night. Topps left with 13 yards passing and 14 yards rushing.
Will Werner's touchdown on a blocked punt was the second time this season the Racers.
The other came in the fourth quarter in the MSU game at Southeast Missouri Oct. 29 when Werner made the block and Jay Burgett scored the touchdown.
Chad Cook's seven-yard touchdown run in the first quarter was the first time the Racers scored first in a game since Oct. 8 at home against Jacksonville State and the first time on the road this season.
Cook has four touchdowns this season and 20 in his MSU career. He is now tied with Derrick Cullors (1995), Russ Hake (1967-69) and Carl Walker (1968-71) for eighth place on the MSU all-time touchdown list. Willie Cannon (1983-85, 1987) is still the Racers' all-time leader in TD's with 28.
Several Racers made appearances either becoming healthy enough to play, or playing through an injury. The list included: QB Ken Topps, RB Chad Cook, LB Patrick Schultz, S Koji Farrington and RB Nick Turner.
