Football Returns Home To Host #23 SEMO

Date (Time): Oct. 11 (3 p.m.)
Opponent: #23 Southeast Missouri
Site (Venue): Murray, Ky. (Stewart Stadium)
Audio: Froggy 103.7 FM (PxP: Neal Bradley; Commentary: Josh McKeel)
Web Stream: OVCDigital Network.com
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
MSU Record (Streak): 1-4, 0-2 OVC (L4)
SEMO Record (Streak): 4-2, 2-0 OVC (W3)
All-Time Series vs. SEMO (Streak): MSU leads 38-9-1 (L1)
MSU Last Game: L 27-30 OT at Tennessee Tech (Oct. 4)
SEMO Last Game: W 28-21 vs. #20 Tennessee State (Oct. 4)
MSU Next Game: Oct. 18 at Austin Peay
MSU Next Home: Oct. 25 vs. Kentucky Wesleyan

The Game
Murray State will look to snap a four-game losing streak on Saturday vs. No. 23 Southeast Missouri. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. and can be seen on OVCDigitalNetwork.com. The game will also serve as the annual MSU homecoming game.

Saturday Weather
Temperatures during the day will reach ta high of 59° F with an 80% chance of thunder storms. The wind will be moderate out of the northeast at nine miles per hour.

vs. Southeast Missouri
The Racers are 38-9-1 all-time against Southeast Missouri, after losing a three overtime affair in Cape Girardeau last season. In Murray, MSU has been nearly unbeatable losing just three of 23 previous meetings on their home field

MSU's Last Time Out
Despite two record-breaking performances from KD Humphries and Jeremy Harness, the Racers fell at Tennessee Tech, 30-27, in overtime. The Racers controlled the game from the onset, but could never manage to put the Golden Eagles away. MSU beat TTU in nearly every way but on the scoreboard including producing 579 yards of total offense, over 200 more than Tech's 336.

With the game tied at 24, the Racers went up 27-24 on a field goal by Carson Greifenkamp. However, TTU tied the game with just nine seconds left with a field goal of its own to send it into overtime. In the extra time, Greifenkamp missed a field goal, leaving the door open for TTU. The Golden Eagles were able to take advantage and knock down a 20-yarder for the win.

Humphries finished the game by going 48-for-62 for 404 yards with a passing touchdown and two rushing touchdowns. Not only was Humphries 404 yards good enough to become the 15th 400-plus passing yards game in MSU history, but his 48 completions broke Casey Brockman's previous record of 45.

Harness hauled in 19 catches on the day for 164 yards and a score. The 19 receptions broke the previous mark for most in a game by a Racer that was set by Harvey Tanner against Austin Peay in 1967.

Scouting Tennessee Tech
The Redhawks will enter Saturday as the 23rd -ranked team in the nation at 4-2 overall and 2-0 in the OVC. Last week, SEMO picked up its second win over a ranked opponent in three weeks when it topped then No. 20 Tennessee State in Cape Girardeau, 28-21.

Head coach Tom Matukewicz is in his first season as a head coach and is currently 4-2. A long time defensive position coach, Matukewicz came to SEMO after serving as the defensive coordinator for two seasons at Toledo.

Southeast currently averages 35.2 points per game on 402.2 yards, while giving up 25.8 points and 409.7 yards. The offensive attack for the Redhawks is somewhat balanced with 192.7 rushing yards per game and 209.5 passing yards.

The quarterback for the Redhawks is Kyle Snyder who is 84-for-147 with six interceptions this season. He has passes for 1,215 yards and 10 touchdowns with a long of 68. The leading receiver is Paul McRoberts, who has sat out the last two games for SEMO with injury. Before the injury he was averaging 91 yards over four games for 364 total yards and six scores.

Lennies McFerren, from nearby Paris, is the go-to rusher for Southeast with 472 yards so far this season. He is currently averaging 78.7 yards per game with three touchdowns.

Defensively, Roper Garrett leads the way with 60 total tackles, 24 solo and 36 assisted. He also boasts a team-high 6.0 TFLs and 2.0 sacks. Wisler Ymonice follows Garrett with 40 tackles and a team-best two picks.

Four Game Skid
This is the first-ever four-game losing streak under hear coach Chris Hatcher. The last time the Racers lost four straight was in 2009.

Hatcher vs. Matukewicz
Chris Hatcher and Tom Matukewicz have never met on the gridiron as head coaches. Matukewicz did spend three seasons at Pittsburg State as an assistant, a team Hatcher's Valdosta State team would defeat for the DII national title in 2004.

Elite Company
Against Tennessee Tech, KD Humphries became put together just the 15th 400-plus yard passing game in program history. In addition he completed 48 passes in the game, surpassing the previous school record of 45 set by Casey Brockman in 2011 and then again in 2012. He earned OVC Offensive POTW honors for his efforts.

A Dent In Harvey's Record
Since 1967, Harvey Tanner has held the MSU record for receptions in a game with 16. Last Saturday, Jeremy Harness put the 47-year old mark to rest when he pulled down 19 against Tennessee Tech.

Double Your Picks
For the first time this season, Murray State had two interceptions in the same game. D'Montre Wade and DeQuinten Spraggins pulled down picks against TTU and join T-Ray Malone and Cedric Jones as Racers with defensive takeaways this season.

Welcome Home
As part of the 2014 Homecoming festivities the 1979 edition of the Racers will honored at halftime on Saturday in honor of the 25th anniversary of their championship. That season, MSU, under head coach Mike Gottfried, went 9-2-1 and 6-0 in league play to win the OVC and advance to the 1-AA playoffs.

Up Next
The Racers will make the short tip to Austin Peay on Oct. 18. Murray State has won six consecutive games against the Govs and 13 of the last 14.

Murray State University Athletics

Related News

Players Mentioned

Carson Greifenkamp

Jeremy Harness

KD Humphries

Cedric Jones

T-Ray Malone

DeQuinten Spraggins

D'Montre Wade

Related Videos