Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Jacksonville State
Players Mentioned
First-Place Racers Welcome JSU For Homecoming Showdown
10/24/2018 12:33:00 PM | Football
Date (Time): Oct. 27 (3 p.m. ET)
Opponent: Jacksonville St.
Site (Venue): Murray, Ky. (Roy Stewart Stadium)
Audio: Froggy 103.7 FM (PxP: Aaron Clayton; Color: Josh McKeel)
TV: ESPN3/WatchESPN
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
Twitter In Game: @RacersFootball
MUR Record (Streak): 4-3, 4-0 OVC (Won 4)
JSU Record (Streak): 5-2, 4-1 OVC (Lost 1)
All-Time Series vs. JSU (Streak): JSU leads 13-2 (Lost 4)
All-Time Series in Murray (Streak): JSU leads 6-1 (Lost 6)
First Meeting: W 23-17 [OT] (Oct. 4, 2003, Murray, Ky.)
Last Meeting: L 23-59 (Nov. 4, 2017, Murray, Ky.)
Last Five vs. JSU: 1-4 (L, 2017; L, 2016; L, 2015; L, 2014; W, 2013)
MUR Next Game: Nov. 3 at Tennessee Tech
MUR Next Home Game: Nov. 10 vs. Southeast Missouri
The Game
Off to its first 4-0 OVC start in the OVC since 1996, the Murray State football team will look to keep rolling against 12th-ranked Jacksonville State, which is coming off its first conference loss since 2013. The game is being broadcast on ESPN3 with Aaron Clayton and Josh McKeel calling all the action.
Saturday's Weather
With a high of 58, temps will be cooler than normal. The winds will be low out of the NW at 5-7 mph, with a strong chance for an afternoon shower.
Last Time Out
The Murray State football team took over sole possession of first place in the OVC Saturday with a 34-6 win at Eastern Kentucky, paired with a loss by fifth-ranked Jacksonville State. The Racers struggled early in the game, running just 12 plays through one and half quarters and only picking up one first down during the span. However, when Quincy Williams intercepted the ball with under four minutes left in the half and returned it 85 yards to the one-yard line, the momentum immediately shifted towards the Racers. After Rodney Castille punched it in for MSU from the one-yard line on the next play, the Racers would go on to outscore the Colonels, 31-3, and never look back.
The Racers passed for 208 yards in the game and rushed for an additional 121. Drew Anderson was 20-for-30 for 205 yards and two touchdowns in the game, while James Sappington led the receivers with three catches for 42 yards and one touchdown. Castille rushed for 50 yards and one touchdown in the game, while Jared McCray added 36 yards and a touchdown, the first of his collegiate career. Kenney Wooten had a big game for Murray State defensively, picking up seven tackles with 3.0 sacks, 3.5 tackles-for-loss for a total of 20 yards, two pass breakups and a quarterback hurry. Williams led MSU with 10 tackles in addition to an interception and 0.5 tackles-for-loss, while Sanford had eight tackles, 2.5 for loss and a quarterback hurry. As a whole, the defense held EKU to just 2-for-6 on fourth downs and 2-for-4 in the red zone.
The Jacksonville State Series
The all-time series with Jacksonville State has not been kind to the Racers, as they have won just two of 15 total meetings. The Racers have won just once in Murray, in the first game between the two teams in 2003, and once in Jacksonville, the last MSU win in the series which was a triple OT thriller in 2013.
Scouting The Gamecocks
The Gamecocks dropped their first OVC game since 2013 last week at SEMO, 48-32, putting an end to a 36-game winning streak in league play. Jax State is currently averaging 43.3 points per game, while allowing just 19.7. The Gamecock offense is nearly balanced this season with 299.0 per game in the air and 234.9 on the ground for 533.9 yards of total offense. Clemson transfer Zerrick Cooper has passed for 1,699 yards this season at 61.0 percent with 16 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. Josh Pearson has been his go-to target with 656 yards on 37 catches and 12 touchdowns. On the ground, over one-fourth of JSU's 1,644 rushing yards and nine of their 21 touchdowns have come from JSU's two quarterbacks, Cooper and Zion Webb. Defensively, Jalen Choice has led the Gamecocks with 44 tackles including a team-high 6.5 for loss.
Saturday's Weather
With a high of 58, temps will be cooler than normal. The winds will be low out of the NW at 5-7 mph, with a strong chance for an afternoon shower.
Hot Streak
The Racers are 4-0 in OVC play for the first time since 1996 and have won each of their last four games. The four-game winning streak is the longest by the Racers since they won the last four games of the 2004 season.
Winning In Richmond
With his win Saturday, Mitch Stewart became the first MSU head coach to win back-to-back games at EKU since Don Shelton accomplished the feat in 1960 and 1962.
Top Five Racers
Currently, three Racers are in the top five nationally of three different statistical categories. Gabriel Vicente is currently one of five kickers that has not missed this season, to lead the nation in field goal percentage. In addition, Kenney Wooten is fourth in the nation in sacks per game at 1.14 per game, while Quincy Williams is third in the nation in solo tackles per game at 6.6.
Ok, What's Next?
The Racers hit the road for their penultimate away game of the season at Tennessee Tech. Kickoff in Cookeville on ESPN+ is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
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