Fourth Quarter Comeback Falls Short Against North Dakota

Saturday, November 4

Murray, Ky.

1 p.m.

Murray State

2-7 , 1-5

North Dakota

6-3 , 4-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

North Dakota

Murray St.

Photo by: David Eaton-Murray State Athletics

Fourth Quarter Comeback Falls Short Against North Dakota

11/4/2023 5:46:00 PM | Football

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Murray State Racers took on North Dakota for the first time in the MVFC

The Murray State Racers scored three second-half touchdowns, but dropped a 45-31 loss in their first meeting with the North Dakota Fighting Hawks at Roy Stewart Stadium in Murray, Kentucky.

The Racers (2-7) fell to 1-5 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference as they travel to Normal next Saturday for an 11 a.m. kickoff at Illinois State.

First to score in the fourth quarter, the Racers cut the UND (6-3, MVFC 4-2) lead to 31-24 with 13:32 remaining on a 19-yard scoring pass from DJ Williams to Cole Rusk. After North Dakota scored to make it a 38-24 game with 9:21 remaining, Williams hit Rusk again for a 10-yard touchdown with 5:07 left, but the Fighting Hawks went 42 yards in 4:15 to put the game away with a touchdown with 37 seconds left.

The Racers got on the board with 5:21 before half with Matt Maldonado booting a 28-yd field goal.

With two seconds before half, the Racers took advantage of an impressive 4^th & 13 pick up to score on a six-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Shields.

The Racers went into the halftime intermission trailing the Fighting Hawks 24-10.

Game Notes

Jacob Frye (OL) Sr., Murfreesboro, Tenn. and Kanyon Walker (FS) Sr., Leesburg, Fla., took the coin toss as captains for the Racers today.
Today was the first meet meeting between the Racers and Fighting Hawks in the first season for Murray State in the MVFC.
Murray State plays its MVFC opener in 2024 at North Dakota (Sep. 28) in Grand Forks at the Dome.
Matt Maldonado's 28yd field goal with 5:21 before half kept him perfect as a Racer in his first season of action, as he is 6-of-6 in 2023.
Maldonado
Williams tossed for a season-best 228 yards on 19-of-36 with three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Williams' 36 pass attempts were MSU's season-high and the most passes thrown since Jayden Stinson threw 40 passes vs Austin Peay (10-15-22).
Williams' three TD passes was the first for a Racer QB since Jayden Stinson did it vs Eastern Illinois (09-24-22).
Northington's 24-yard TD run with 4:51 in the third quarter was his longest run of the season and in his MSU career of 15 games played.
Northington's 89 yards (17 carries) marks a new career high, one yard better than his 88 yards (20 carries) vs UT Martin (10-08-2022).
Shields and Rusk have combined to catch 10 of Williams' 11 touchdown passes this season.
Jacob Bell's 5 receptions on 63 yards marked his best game of the season in catches and yards.
Nick Walker led the Racers with nine tackles, Cody Goatley had seven.
Ryan Batsch had his best game as a Racer with six tackles, one sack and forced fumble.
Today's attendance of 6,217, gives MSU a total of 42,268 this season for an average of 10,567 per game.
With two games remaining in the 2023 season, the Racers play their final road game Saturday (Nov. 11) at Illinois State in an 11 a.m. kick in Normal. MSU hosts Youngstown State (Nov. 18) on Hall of Fame Day and Senior Day.
The Racers a Redbirds have played six times, but not since 2008 when the Racers lost to Illinois State 42-23. MSU has won one time in the series, that coming in their first meeting in 2001 in Murray 32-17.

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