EKU Clips Racers In Final Minutes

Saturday, November 15

Richmond, Ky.

12 p.m.

Murray State

3-8 , 1-6

Eastern Kentucky

9-2 , 6-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Murray St.

Eastern Ky.

11/15/2014 6:26:00 PM | Football

Box Score

The Murray State Racers were not able to stave off a fierce Eastern Kentucky second-half rally, falling to the 18^th-ranked Colonels, 43-36, on Saturday at Roy Kidd Stadium in Richmond.

The game began with a rocketing start for Murray State as Pokey Harris returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, giving the Racers an early 7-0 lead. The score marks the second straight week in which Harris has returned a kickoff the full 100 yards for a touchdown.

He is now the third player in OVC history with two 100 kickoff returns for a touchdown, the second player to have two in the same season and the first-ever to do it in consecutive games. The touchdown was his third of the season on a kickoff return which ties the OVC single-season record.

After an 82-yard drive by EKU to the game at seven, the Racers answered with a pair of field goals from Carson Greifenkamp, of 25 and 36 yards, to build a 13-7 lead early in the second. The Racers then capitalized on a pair of turnover by the Colonels to score on two short quarterback rushes from Humphries to give MSU a comfortable 27-7 lead at the half.

However, the third quarter belonged to Eastern as Dy'Shawn Mobley scored for the second and third times in the game to pull his team within six at 27-21. Murray State was not ready to quit just yet as Humphries threw a 36-yard strike to Janawski Davis to extend the MSU lead to 33-21 with just 40 second left in the third.

Despite the small amount of time remaining in the frame, it proved to be more than enough for EKU as Bennie Coney threw a 72-yard pass to Mobley to cut the lead to 33-28 at the end of the third. Just minutes in the fourth Mobley scored for the fifth time on the afternoon, a rush from six yards out, to give the Colonels their first lead of the game at 36-33.

With 1:35 left in the game, Mobley scored his fifth rushing touchdown and sixth overall on the day when he punched it in from one yard to extend the Colonels' lead to 43-33. Just when it appeared over, the Racers went five yards and pulled within seven points on a third Greifenkamp field goal of the afternoon, this one also from 36 yards, with just 37 seconds to play. The Racers then attempted an onside kick, but were not able to pick it up and fell by seven.

Humphries finished the game at 40-for-57 for 385 yards for his fourth 300-plus yard game of the season and third in a row. Jeremy Harness caught 11 passes on the day for 161 yards, his third 100-plus receiving game of the year.

Jonathan Jackson had a team-high 19 tackles in the game, while Anthony Hayes followed with 13. Joey Ciccoria had 10 tackles and an interception with a return of 36 yards, while Felton Collins also had 10 tackles with two tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble and fumble recovery.

On Saturday, the Racers will return home for their final game of the season against Tennessee State. Kick-off between Murray State and the Tigers at The Track is set for 1 p.m.