Murray State University Athletics
Saturday, October 31
Stewart Stadium
1 p.m.
Murray State
vs
Eastern Illinois
Players Mentioned
RB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
QB
/ Football
DT
/ Football
DB
/ Football
P
/ Football
Photo by: Tab Brockman
Football Returns Home To Take On EIU
10/26/2015 2:42:00 PM | Football
Date (Time): Oct. 31 (1 p.m.)
Opponent: Eastern Illinois
Site (Venue): Murray, Ky. (Stewart Stadium)
Audio: Froggy 103.7 FM (PxP: Neal Bradley; Color: Josh McKeel)
Web Stream: OVCDigitalNetwork.com
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
Twitter In Game: @RacersFootball, @PGriffithMSU
MSU Record (Streak): 2-5, 1-3 OVC (L1)
EIU Record (Streak): 4-3, 4-0 OVC (W4)
All-Time Series vs. EIU (Streak): EIU leads 17-13 (L3) [MSU leads 9-6 in Murray]
Last Meeting: L 28-46 (Nov. 8, 2014 – Murray, Ky.)
MSU Last Game: at UT Martin, L 45-52
EIU Last Game: vs. Tennessee Tech, W 51-20
MSU Next Game: Nov. 7 at Tennessee State
MSU Next Home: Nov. 14 vs. Eastern Kentucky
The Game
The Racers return to The Track Saturday for their penultimate home game of the season against Eastern Illinois at 1 p.m.
Saturday's Weather
A high of 64°F is expected for Saturday with a 40% chance of precipitation. Wind is expected at seven mph out of the east southeast with gusts up 12 mph.
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Last Time Out
Despite an early 17-3 lead, the Murray State football team fell 52-45 to UT Martin Saturday at Hardy M. Graham Stadium in Martin. KD Humphries passed for 351 yards and three touchdowns, while Janawski Davis caught two of those and finished with 112 yards. After scoring 28 points in the second quarter to tie the game at the break, UT Martin came out halftime and scored two touchdowns to take a 44-31 lead. Murray State then answered with its longest scoring drive of the season that ended with an 18-yard run by Roman Clay to bring the Racers within six at 44-38. However, UT Martin responded with a touchdown run and a two-point conversion to extend the lead to 14, one from which MSU was never able to recover.
The EIU Series
Eastern Illinois leads the all-time series with Murray State, 17-13, and have won each of the last three meetings and 10 of the last 12. In Murray, it is the Racers that hold the advantage at nine games to six. The last win in the series for MSU came at Stewart Stadium in 2011, where the Racers walked away with a 36-27 Homecoming win.
Scouting The Panthers
The Panthers are coming off of a big 51-20 win over Tennessee Tech last Saturday to improve to 4-3 on the year and a perfect 4-0 in OVC play. Eastern Illinois picked off the Golden Eagles five times and recovered a fumble to tally 24 point off of turnovers en route to the 31 point win. Jalen Whitlow was 15-for-23 under center for 160 yards and a touchdown, while Malik Harrison rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown on just five carries.
EIU's offense is nearly perfectly balanced with 184.1 yards per game on the ground and 178.1 yards in the air. Whitlow currently has 1,214 yard on the season with eight touchdowns, while his leading receiver has been Isaiah Nelson who has 286 yards and a touchdown for an average of 40.9 yards per game. Whitlow has also been a dual threat for the Panthers and is averaging 37.4 yards per game with one touchdown. Devin Church has helmed the Panther running game this season with a 514 total yards for an average of 73.4 per game and seven touchdowns.
Defensively, Seth McDonald leads the team with 67 tackles, 35 of which were solo, to go along with two interceptions, a sack and 4.0 tackles-for-loss. Another defensive stalwart for EIU has been Kamu Grugier-Hill, who has 46 total tackles and team highs of 11.5 tackles-for-loss for a total of 58 yards and 3.5 sacks for a loss of total 28 yards.
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Saturday's Weather
A high of 64°F is expected for Saturday with a 40% chance of precipitation. Wind is expected at seven mph out of the east southeast with gusts up 12 mph.
Â
Forever Rivals
Growing up playing sports, most people have that one person they consider a rival. For KD Humphries, growing up in Montgomery it was Jalen Whitlow, someone he played pee-wee, junior high and a high school football against. When Whitlow signed with UK out of high school, it appeared the rivalry was over. However, the rivalry still lives thanks to Whitlow's transfer to EIU last season and the two now get to compete against each other at one of the sport's highest levels.
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Initial Returns
Senior Janawski Davis retuned a second quarter kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown, marking the first kickoff return touchdown of his career. However, it was not the first kick return touchdowns of his career, as he returned two punts for scores last season. Davis' touchdown was also the first kick return touchdown of any variety for Murray State this season.
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A "Special" Honor
For his return efforts against UTM, Davis was named as the OVC Specialist of the Week. He is the second Racer to earn the honor this season, along with Landon Stratton, and joins Elijah Daniel and Demetrius Mason as the fourth Racer to net a weekly conference honor.
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18 Years In The Making
With 106 yards Saturday, Roman Clay has now rushed for 100-yards or more in three consecutive games. He is the first Racer since Anthony Downs in 1997 to accomplish the feat.
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Career Day
DeQuinten Spraggins racked up a career-high 19 tackles on Saturday, the fifth-highest single game total in MSU history. Spraggins' previous career-high was 16 and also came against UT Martin last season.
Climbing The Charts
Jeremy Harness and Janawski Davis continue to chip away at several career receiving records.
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Jeremy Harness
Cat. (Rank)Â Â Â Â Â #Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Next Milestone
Rec. (3)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 188Â Â Â Â Â Powell - 208
100 YG (3)Â Â Â Â Â Â 8Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tillman - 9
Yards (5)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 2123Â Â Â Swinton - 2346
TD (11)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 11Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 4 Players -12
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Janawski Davis
Cat. (Rank)Â Â Â Â Â #Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Next Milestone
TD (3)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 22Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tillman - 26
Rec. (7)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 139Â Â Â Â Â Swinton - 144
Yards (6)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1920Â Â Â Harness - 2123
100 YG (6)Â Â Â Â Â Â 6Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Swinton - 7
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Up Next
Next Saturday, Murray State will travel to Hale Stadium in Nashville for the first time in 20 years to take on Tennessee State. Kick-off in Music City, U.S.A., is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., and will be broadcast on the American Sports Network.
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Opponent: Eastern Illinois
Site (Venue): Murray, Ky. (Stewart Stadium)
Audio: Froggy 103.7 FM (PxP: Neal Bradley; Color: Josh McKeel)
Web Stream: OVCDigitalNetwork.com
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
Twitter In Game: @RacersFootball, @PGriffithMSU
MSU Record (Streak): 2-5, 1-3 OVC (L1)
EIU Record (Streak): 4-3, 4-0 OVC (W4)
All-Time Series vs. EIU (Streak): EIU leads 17-13 (L3) [MSU leads 9-6 in Murray]
Last Meeting: L 28-46 (Nov. 8, 2014 – Murray, Ky.)
MSU Last Game: at UT Martin, L 45-52
EIU Last Game: vs. Tennessee Tech, W 51-20
MSU Next Game: Nov. 7 at Tennessee State
MSU Next Home: Nov. 14 vs. Eastern Kentucky
The Game
The Racers return to The Track Saturday for their penultimate home game of the season against Eastern Illinois at 1 p.m.
Saturday's Weather
A high of 64°F is expected for Saturday with a 40% chance of precipitation. Wind is expected at seven mph out of the east southeast with gusts up 12 mph.
Â
Last Time Out
Despite an early 17-3 lead, the Murray State football team fell 52-45 to UT Martin Saturday at Hardy M. Graham Stadium in Martin. KD Humphries passed for 351 yards and three touchdowns, while Janawski Davis caught two of those and finished with 112 yards. After scoring 28 points in the second quarter to tie the game at the break, UT Martin came out halftime and scored two touchdowns to take a 44-31 lead. Murray State then answered with its longest scoring drive of the season that ended with an 18-yard run by Roman Clay to bring the Racers within six at 44-38. However, UT Martin responded with a touchdown run and a two-point conversion to extend the lead to 14, one from which MSU was never able to recover.
The EIU Series
Eastern Illinois leads the all-time series with Murray State, 17-13, and have won each of the last three meetings and 10 of the last 12. In Murray, it is the Racers that hold the advantage at nine games to six. The last win in the series for MSU came at Stewart Stadium in 2011, where the Racers walked away with a 36-27 Homecoming win.
Scouting The Panthers
The Panthers are coming off of a big 51-20 win over Tennessee Tech last Saturday to improve to 4-3 on the year and a perfect 4-0 in OVC play. Eastern Illinois picked off the Golden Eagles five times and recovered a fumble to tally 24 point off of turnovers en route to the 31 point win. Jalen Whitlow was 15-for-23 under center for 160 yards and a touchdown, while Malik Harrison rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown on just five carries.
EIU's offense is nearly perfectly balanced with 184.1 yards per game on the ground and 178.1 yards in the air. Whitlow currently has 1,214 yard on the season with eight touchdowns, while his leading receiver has been Isaiah Nelson who has 286 yards and a touchdown for an average of 40.9 yards per game. Whitlow has also been a dual threat for the Panthers and is averaging 37.4 yards per game with one touchdown. Devin Church has helmed the Panther running game this season with a 514 total yards for an average of 73.4 per game and seven touchdowns.
Defensively, Seth McDonald leads the team with 67 tackles, 35 of which were solo, to go along with two interceptions, a sack and 4.0 tackles-for-loss. Another defensive stalwart for EIU has been Kamu Grugier-Hill, who has 46 total tackles and team highs of 11.5 tackles-for-loss for a total of 58 yards and 3.5 sacks for a loss of total 28 yards.
Â
Saturday's Weather
A high of 64°F is expected for Saturday with a 40% chance of precipitation. Wind is expected at seven mph out of the east southeast with gusts up 12 mph.
Â
Forever Rivals
Growing up playing sports, most people have that one person they consider a rival. For KD Humphries, growing up in Montgomery it was Jalen Whitlow, someone he played pee-wee, junior high and a high school football against. When Whitlow signed with UK out of high school, it appeared the rivalry was over. However, the rivalry still lives thanks to Whitlow's transfer to EIU last season and the two now get to compete against each other at one of the sport's highest levels.
Â
Initial Returns
Senior Janawski Davis retuned a second quarter kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown, marking the first kickoff return touchdown of his career. However, it was not the first kick return touchdowns of his career, as he returned two punts for scores last season. Davis' touchdown was also the first kick return touchdown of any variety for Murray State this season.
Â
A "Special" Honor
For his return efforts against UTM, Davis was named as the OVC Specialist of the Week. He is the second Racer to earn the honor this season, along with Landon Stratton, and joins Elijah Daniel and Demetrius Mason as the fourth Racer to net a weekly conference honor.
Â
18 Years In The Making
With 106 yards Saturday, Roman Clay has now rushed for 100-yards or more in three consecutive games. He is the first Racer since Anthony Downs in 1997 to accomplish the feat.
Â
Career Day
DeQuinten Spraggins racked up a career-high 19 tackles on Saturday, the fifth-highest single game total in MSU history. Spraggins' previous career-high was 16 and also came against UT Martin last season.
Climbing The Charts
Jeremy Harness and Janawski Davis continue to chip away at several career receiving records.
Â
Jeremy Harness
Cat. (Rank)Â Â Â Â Â #Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Next Milestone
Rec. (3)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 188Â Â Â Â Â Powell - 208
100 YG (3)Â Â Â Â Â Â 8Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tillman - 9
Yards (5)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 2123Â Â Â Swinton - 2346
TD (11)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 11Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 4 Players -12
Â
Janawski Davis
Cat. (Rank)Â Â Â Â Â #Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Next Milestone
TD (3)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 22Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tillman - 26
Rec. (7)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 139Â Â Â Â Â Swinton - 144
Yards (6)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1920Â Â Â Harness - 2123
100 YG (6)Â Â Â Â Â Â 6Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Swinton - 7
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Up Next
Next Saturday, Murray State will travel to Hale Stadium in Nashville for the first time in 20 years to take on Tennessee State. Kick-off in Music City, U.S.A., is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., and will be broadcast on the American Sports Network.
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