Murray State
Jacksonville State
Racers Drop Hard Fought Decision at #23 Jacksonville State
10/18/2008 5:00:00 AM | Football
The Murray State football team battled to the final horn and outgained #23 Jacksonville State, but it was not enough as the Gamecocks escaped with a 31-21 victory Saturday night at Paul Snow Memorial Stadium.
"We left it out there," said head coach Matt Griffin. "There were four or five plays, mostly in the kicking game, and those are on me, that decide the game. We did some good things in the return game and they stopped kicking to us. The bottom line is we just didn't finish some plays."
The Gamecocks (4-4, 3-1 OVC) wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard as they needed only three plays as Ryan Perrilloux hit Maurice Dupree on a 39-yard pass down the middle of the field for the first score of the game.
JSU used a 39-yard punt return from Dupree to set up their second score of the game as he gave them the ball at the Racer eight-yard line. MSU held on the first two plays and looked to have Perrilloux sacked, but he was able to fight that off and find Deonte Carter in the endzone for the 10-yard TD pass.
The Racers (3-5, 2-2 OVC) responded on their next possession as they into their "wide load" formation and Charlie Jordan went around right end and down the sideline for a 74-yard touchdown run.
Special teams were the difference again in the second quarter as the Racers forced a JSU punt, but muffed the return and the Gamecocks recovered the ball on the MUR33 yard line. Three plays later, Perrilloux found Dupree in the back of the endzone for the 21-yard TD pass.
MSU came out of the locker and got a 48-yard kickoff return from Marcus Harris to set the Racers up near midfield. MSU went to the ground on the first couple of plays and picked up a first down. A personal foul on JSU set the Racers at the JSU 15. Jeff Ehrhardt found Zach Knight to set up a first-and-goal. After a Townsel reception put the ball at the one, MSU went back to it's "wide load" formation and Paul McKinnis scored from one-yard out.
The Gamecocks responded on their first drive the ball into Racer territory where Gavin Hallford connected on a 45-yard field goal to put JSU back up by 10.
Both defenses stepped up their game the rest of the third quarter and most of the fourth before the Racers put together a 14-play drive to pull within three points with 5:40 remaining. The drive was done mostly on the ground as the Racers ran the ball six times to move into JSU territory. After a seven yard completion to DeAngelo Nelson, Ehrhardt reversed his field on an option play and went out-of-bands after a 17 yard pickup. A personal foul moved the ball to the nine and Ehrhardt went over from one-yard out three plays later.
JSU had one last answer as they returned the kickoff past midfield and were able to navigate the 42 yards in just five plays, culminating with a three-yard pass from Perrilloux to Alphonso Freeney.
The Racers had one last chance on their final possession of the game as they drove all the to the Gamecock one yard line before turning the ball over on downs.
The Racer offense did most of its damage on the ground as MSU rushed for 234 yards and three touchdowns on 36 attempts. On the flip side, the Racer defense held JSU to just 107 rushing yards on 32 attempts.
Jordan led the ground attack with 116 yards on 18 attempts. Ehrhardt added 94 yards on 13 carries.
Overall, the Racers outgained the Gamecocks 405-282.
The Racer defense recorded a season-high seven sacks with Nathan Williams and Austen Lane each recording two. Tamar Butler, Jamal Crook and Lamar Theus each added one.
The Racers will have a bye next weekend before traveling to Eastern Illinois on Nov. 1. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. at O'Brien Field.
