Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Tennessee Tech*
Brockman and Cullen Set Records As Racers Defeat #15 TTU 38-37
11/5/2011 3:14:00 PM | Football
Quarterback Casey Brockman and place kicker Kienan Cullen each set career records Saturday afternoon as Murray State held off 15th-ranked Tennessee Tech for a 38-37 win at Tucker Stadium in Cookeville, Tenn.
The Golden Eagles looked poised to tie the game at 38-38 late in the fourth quarter, but a PAT attempt with 2:05 remaining in the game shanked off of the left upright and bounced into the end zone to leave the Racers with a one point lead. The missed extra point was the first missed out of 34 attempts this season.
With no time outs remaining, Tennessee Tech's onside kick attempt failed when the ball traveled out of bounds after being touched, giving possession to MSU and allowing the Racers to run out the 2:03 remaining in the game.
After Tennessee Tech scored the first 10 points of the game, Brockman rebounded from throwing three incompletions in the first drive to complete his next 10 passes. With the Racers trailing 10-0 late in the first quarter, he found Nevar Griffin down the middle of the field for a 24 yard score to pull MSU to within three points.
The Racers would keep possession following the touchdown as Kienan Cullen recovered his own onside kick, falling on the football at the Murray State 41 yard line. MSU converted on a pair of third downs as they drove down the field, including a third and one inside the red zone, before Mike Harris punched it in from four yards out on the right side for his first touchdown of the game to put the Racers up 14-10.
The Racers responded after a long Tennessee Tech touchdown run with a scoring drive of their own, marching 72 yards down the field and scoring on a sliding catch from Walter Powell in the front left corner of the end zone on Brockman's second touchdown of the game from six yards out.
MSU added three points in the final minutes before half time as Cullen connected on a field goal from 33 yards out to give the racers a 24-17 lead. The Racers marched into scoring position behind a 41 yard shovel pass to Mike Harris that took him to the TTU 33 yard line.
Darius Buck gave the Racers their best field position of the game late in the first half, intercepting TTU quarterback Tre Lamb on a diving pick at the Golden Eagles 33 yard line. The Racers made it count, converting on 4th and 13 from the TTU 36 yard line on a 24 yard leaping catch Hannibal Beauford down the middle of the field. Brockman tossed his third TD of the half with 21.6 seconds remaining in the second quarter on a six yard completion in the back of the end zone to Arthur Brackett.
Tennessee Tech scored touchdowns on both of its third quarter possessions, doing most of its damage on the ground as Dontey Gay scored on rushes of a yard and four yards to tie the game at 31 in the third quarter.
Murray State responded immediately to take the lead back, driving 82 yards in 14 plays as Brockman scored on a rush from the TTU one yard line. It was his first rushing touchdown of the game and fourth of the day. The score was set up on a 13 yard, one-handed diving grab by Patrick Robertson two plays prior at the two yard line.
Brockman set the Murray State single-season completion record in the second quarter, finishing the game with 270 yards on 31-of-43 passing with three touchdowns. He now has 260 career completions and has thrown for at least three touchdowns in four games this season.
Cullen became the all-time leading scorer in school history on his second extra point of the day. He has now scored 270 total points and currently ranks 10th overall in total scoring in OVC history and has kicked the most field goals in OVC history with 53.
Harris and Duane Brady all ran for over 50 yards each for the Racers. Harris ran for a team-high 60 yards with a touchdown while Brady scampered for 52 total yards on 11 carries.
Harris was also the Racers leading receiver in the game, catching five passes for 73 yards. 10 different receivers caught balls for MSU on the day, with Ja-Vonte Trotter catching a team-best six and Brackett and Powell each tallying five receptions.
Sam Small and Darius Buck each made eight tackles to lead the Racers. MSU scored seven tackles-for-loss in the game, all recorded by different players. Tyler Evans and Kevin Robinson both had a sack on defense, the third straight game that Robinson has recorded a sack.
The Racers close out the 2011 home schedule next Saturday, returning to The Track for a 1 p.m. kick off against Austin Peay.
