Murray State University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Mitchell & McGraw Claim OVC Weekly Honors
10/23/2016 1:47:00 PM | Football
For the first time in his career Murray State senior kicker Connor Mitchell was named as the adidas® OVC Football Specialist of the Week, while freshman running back Mareio McGraw was named as the adidas® OVC Football Newcomer of the Week for the second consecutive week, the league announced Sunday.
Mitchell, a native of Franklin, Tennessee set a Murray State record by making six field goals in Saturday's road upset of 15th-ranked Eastern Illinois. He hit from 37, 36, 37, 49, 25 and 29 yards out in the game. With his six field goals and two extra points, Mitchell finished with 20 points on the afternoon, accounting for exactly half of MSU's total 40 points. His record-breaking sixth field goal late in the fourth quarter pushed the lead to 40-31, virtually sealing the win for the Racers.
McGraw, from Nashville, Tennessee, put together his second consecutive 100-plus yard rushing performance in the upset of EIU, rushing 15 times for a career-high 138 yards with one touchdown, for an average of 9.3 yards per carry. For the third time this season, McGraw reeled off a 60-plus yard touchdown run, this time going for a career-long 77 yards. That touchdown with 9:00 left in the contest was literally a game-changer, as it gave MSU a lead its first lead of the game, one it would never relinquish.
Sunday's award for Mitchell marks the first time a Racer kicker has earned specialist honors since Jordan Benton in 2012. Additionally, McGraw's back-to-back newcomer honors are the first for a MSU player since Maikhail Miller in 2013. The two awards make the third and fourth for Murray State in the month of October, with McGraw being named newcomer last week and senior quarterback KD Humphries earning the offensive award on October 2.
Mitchell, McGraw and the rest of the Racers return to action Saturday when the host No. 25 Tennessee State at Roy Stewart Stadium for Homecoming 2016. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Mitchell, a native of Franklin, Tennessee set a Murray State record by making six field goals in Saturday's road upset of 15th-ranked Eastern Illinois. He hit from 37, 36, 37, 49, 25 and 29 yards out in the game. With his six field goals and two extra points, Mitchell finished with 20 points on the afternoon, accounting for exactly half of MSU's total 40 points. His record-breaking sixth field goal late in the fourth quarter pushed the lead to 40-31, virtually sealing the win for the Racers.
McGraw, from Nashville, Tennessee, put together his second consecutive 100-plus yard rushing performance in the upset of EIU, rushing 15 times for a career-high 138 yards with one touchdown, for an average of 9.3 yards per carry. For the third time this season, McGraw reeled off a 60-plus yard touchdown run, this time going for a career-long 77 yards. That touchdown with 9:00 left in the contest was literally a game-changer, as it gave MSU a lead its first lead of the game, one it would never relinquish.
Sunday's award for Mitchell marks the first time a Racer kicker has earned specialist honors since Jordan Benton in 2012. Additionally, McGraw's back-to-back newcomer honors are the first for a MSU player since Maikhail Miller in 2013. The two awards make the third and fourth for Murray State in the month of October, with McGraw being named newcomer last week and senior quarterback KD Humphries earning the offensive award on October 2.
Mitchell, McGraw and the rest of the Racers return to action Saturday when the host No. 25 Tennessee State at Roy Stewart Stadium for Homecoming 2016. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.
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