Murray State
Tennessee State
Tigers Score Three Quick Touchdowns in Handing Racers Loss
11/3/2007 5:00:00 AM | Football
Tennessee State scored on offense, defense and special teams over a 3:46 span in the first quarter to take all the air out of Murray State in handing the Racers a 42-28 defeat Saturday evening at LP Field.
The Tigers (4-5, 3-2 OVC) got on the board on their opening drive as they road the legs of junior tailback Javarris Williams. Williams started the drive with a 27-yard run over right tackle and followed it up with a 37-yard run over right tackle. After the Racers held Williams to a three-yard gain and an illegal procedure penalty on the Tigers, Williams went over left end for an 18-yard touchdown run to put TSU up 7-0.
After forcing a three-and-out from Racers, Chris Johnson returned the Sean O'Brien punt 77 yards for touchdown to quickly give the Tigers a 14-0 advantage with just over five minutes remaining in the opening quarter.
The Racers (2-7, 1-5 OVC) were putting together their second strong drive of the game until Jeff Ehrhardt's pass was tipped into the air by Mark Drew, Jr. and intercepted by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and returned 71 yards for the Tigers' touchdown and 21-0 advantage.
TSU was back it in the second quarter as they turned the Racers third turnover of the first half into seven points as Williams capped off a five-play, 45-yard scoring drive with a four-yard touchdown run over left tackle.
MSU responded on their ensuing drive as Ehrhardt connected on a 31-yard scoring strike to Rod Harper over the middle on a third-and-13 play. Ehrhardt did most of the damage on the drive with his legs as he scrambled for first-down gains of 11 and 13 yards. He wold finish the first half with a team-high 68 yards on the ground.
The Racers inched their way back into the game early in the third quarter as Will Werner recovered a fumble on the TSU 38-yard line. Ehrhardt started the six-play drive with a 12-yard connection to DeAngelo Nelson before scrambling out of the pocket and flipping an underhand pass to Josh Jones for a first down. Marcus Harris got the ball down to the five on a double reverse before Ehrhardt kept the ball himself and went airborn to score the touchdown.
TSU had the answer on their next drive as they drove 69 yards on nine plays and scored on Williams' 18-yard run over the left side.
Williams would put the final punctuation mark on the game as he ran the Tigers down to the one-yard line before Calvin McNairl scored on a quarterback sneak on the second play of the fourth quarter.
The Racers were able to reach the endzone one more time as Ehrhardt led a nine-play drive that ended when Marcus Harris hauled in an 11-yard pass with 18 seconds remaining.
Ehrhardt finished the game by going 36-for-46 for 330 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran 30 times for 104 yards and a touchdown. The 36 completions is the most by a Racer quarterback since Stewart Childress completed 34 passes against Western Kentucky on Sept. 30, 2000.
Townsel had an all-around game as he ran the ball four times for 52 yards and a touchdown, while also hauling in five passed for 55 yards.
The Racers return to the field on Nov. 10 when they travel to take on UT Martin. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m.
NOTES
? Murray State attempted three onside kicks in the game and recovered two of them.
? Rod Harper's touchdown reception extended his streak to 25-straight games with at least one reception.
? The interception return for a touchdown was the first allowed by the Racers since 2005.
? Antoinne Lightfoot finished the game with 123 kickoff return yards on seven returns
