Racers Score Seven Different Ways in Record Setting Victory Over Kentucky Wesleyan

Thursday, September 3

Stewart Stadium

7 p.m.

Murray State

Kentucky Wesleyan

Racers Score Seven Different Ways in Record Setting Victory Over Kentucky Wesleyan

9/4/2009 5:30:00 AM | Football

Box Score

The Murray State Racers found seven different ways to put points on the board Thursday on their way to setting a new school-record for points scored in a season opener with a convincing 66-10 victory over Kentucky Wesleyan in front of 5,977 fans at Stewart Stadium.

“It was good to get this game out of the way,” said head coach Matt Griffin. “I am very pleased with the way they ran and their speed. As we talked about last week, we expected that. After a couple of plays the kids woke up a little bit and just started to play.”

The defense took center stage in the first quarter as Austen Lane forced a fumble at midfield and safety Harry McCall caught the ball out of midair and raced 50 yards to put the Racers ahead 10-0. Following Kienan Cullen's second field goal of the quarter, junior Justin Clark tackled running back Travis Walker in the endzone for a safety.

The Panthers (0-2) were able to get on the board in the second quarter on an 11-yard run from Thomas Gordon. The TD was followed two minutes later by the first record of the day as KWC snapped the ball over the punter's head, resulting in the second safety of the game. The two safeties in the game marked the fourth time in OVC history a team has recorded two safeties in a game.

The Racer (1-0) offense got things going from that point as Prince Nwagbara dove in from nine-yards out to increase the lead to 24-7. The Racers then executed the two-minute drive to perfection as quarterback Jeff Ehrhardt marched the team 41 yards in just three plays and capped the drive with a 21 yard strike to Daniel Ard.

Running back Charlie Jordan took his turn in the third quarter as he rushed for 61 of his game-high 116 yards in the frame. He capped off the opening-drive of the half by plunging in from two-yards out and then ended the second drive of the half by breaking outside and racing to the pylon from seven yards.

The game would then turn into the Marcus Harris show. The junior wideout started his highlight reel by taking a kickoff on his own 14-yard line and going virtually untouched for the 86-yard touchdown, marking the first kickoff return for a touchdown since the 2005 season.

Less than two minutes into the fourth quarter, Harris ran a slant at the goaline and was hit in stride by Ehrhardt for the 13-yard pitch and catch. After the defense forced another punt, Harris hauled in the booted ball at his own 25 and made just one cut before outrunning the Panthers on his way to a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown. Harris became the first Racer to return a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown and also became the first player to score a touchdown three different ways since Nick Turner accomplished it in 2005.

The Racers used a balanced attack as they ran for 170 yards and passed for 146 yards. Ehrhardt finished the game by going 10-for-18 for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Jordan recorded his fifth career 100-yard performance with 116 yards on 15 carries and a pair of scores.

The Racer defense forced four turnovers and held the Panthers to just 12 yards passing. MSU got interceptions from McCall, Nathan Brinkley and John Jean-Baptiste.

The Racers return to action Sept. 12 as they travel to take on North Carolina State. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. central at Carter-Finley Stadium.